Master your music calendar: gigs, rehearsals, and lessons

Understanding Crescender's calendar

Crescender's calendar isn't just a date book, it's the central hub that connects your gigs, rehearsals, lessons, and finances.

Event types

Gigs:

• Public performances
• Private events
• Festival appearances
• Recording sessions

Rehearsals:

• Band rehearsals
• Solo practice sessions
• Pre-gig run-throughs

Lessons:

• Teaching sessions
• Student lessons
• Masterclasses you're attending

Meetings:

• Band meetings
• Business meetings
• Planning sessions

Other:

• Workshops
• Conferences
• Personal music events

Creating events

Creating events is simple, but adding the right details makes them much more useful.

1. Choose event type Select the type that best matches your event. This helps with filtering and reporting later.

2. Set date and time Be specific, include timezone if relevant. Crescender uses your local timezone by default.

3. Add location Include full address or venue name. This helps with travel planning and expense tracking.

4. Add details Notes, setlist, what to bring, contact info, anything that helps you prepare.

5. Set reminders Choose when to be notified: 1 day before, 1 hour before, or custom timing.

Event details that matter

For gigs:

• Load-in time (often different from performance time)
• Soundcheck time
• Set length
• Venue contact
• Parking information
• Payment details

For rehearsals:

• Setlist to practice
• Songs that need work
• Who's attending
• What gear to bring

For lessons:

• Student name
• What to cover
• Materials needed
• Follow-up assignments

Linking events to other records

The real power of Crescender's calendar is how events connect to everything else.

Linking setlists

When creating a gig event:

1. Select "Link Setlist"
2. Choose from existing setlists or create a new one
3. The setlist appears in the event details
4. Band members can view it on their phones during the gig

Linking finances

Income:

• Link gig payments to events
• When you get paid, select the associated gig event
• Income automatically appears in the event's financial summary

Expenses:

• Link travel expenses to events
• Link gear purchases used for specific gigs
• All expenses appear in the event's financial summary

Linking gear

• Mark which gear you're bringing to an event
• Useful for:
  • Packing lists
  • Insurance records
  • Gear usage tracking

Recurring events

Many music activities happen regularly. Crescender makes recurring events easy.

Setting up recurring events

1. Create an event as normal
2. Click "Make Recurring"
3. Choose frequency:
   • Daily
   • Weekly
   • Monthly
   • Custom (every X days/weeks/months)
4. Set end date (or leave open-ended)
5. Save

Managing recurring series

• Edit one instance: Changes only that event
• Edit series: Changes all future events
• Delete one: Removes just that occurrence
• Delete series: Removes all future events

Reminders and notifications

Never miss an event with Crescender's flexible reminder system.

Reminder options

Default reminders:

• 1 day before
• 1 hour before
• 15 minutes before

Custom reminders:

• Set any time before the event
• Multiple reminders per event
• Different reminders for different event types

Notification channels

• Email: Detailed event information
• Push (mobile app): Quick alerts on your phone
• In-app: Notifications in Crescender dashboard

Managing notifications

Go to Settings → Notifications to configure:

• Which event types trigger notifications
• How far in advance to notify
• Which channels to use
• Quiet hours (no notifications during sleep)

Calendar views

Crescender offers multiple ways to view your schedule.

Month view

• See entire month at a glance
• Colour-coded by event type
• Quick navigation between months

Week view

• Detailed weekly schedule
• See time slots clearly
• Perfect for planning rehearsals and lessons

Day view

• Hour-by-hour breakdown
• See conflicts immediately
• Ideal for busy days

List view

• Chronological list of upcoming events
• Filter by type, date range, or band
• Export for printing

Avoiding double-booking

Double-booking is every musician's nightmare. Crescender helps prevent it.

Conflict detection

When creating an event, Crescender checks:

• Existing events at the same time
• Travel time between locations
• Your availability settings

If a conflict is detected, you'll see a warning before saving.

Availability settings

Set your regular availability:

1. Go to Settings → Calendar
2. Set default working hours
3. Mark unavailable days (e.g., Sundays off)
4. Set buffer time between events

Best practices

• Check before committing: Always review your calendar before saying yes
• Add travel time: Create separate events for travel if needed
• Use availability settings: Mark when you're generally unavailable
• Sync with external calendars: Export to Google Calendar or iCal for full visibility

Event templates

Templates save time for events you create regularly.

Creating templates

1. Create an event with all standard details
2. Click "Save as Template"
3. Name it (e.g., "Weekly Band Rehearsal")
4. Set which fields to include

Using templates

1. Click "New Event"
2. Select "From Template"
3. Choose your template
4. Adjust date/time and any unique details
5. Save

Common templates

• Weekly rehearsal: Same time, same location, recurring
• Gig template: Standard gig details, link to setlist
• Lesson template: Student-specific details, materials needed

Getting started checklist

• [ ] Create your first event (gig, rehearsal, or lesson)
• [ ] Set up recurring events for regular activities
• [ ] Configure reminder preferences
• [ ] Link a setlist to a gig event
• [ ] Link an expense to an event
• [ ] Set your availability preferences
• [ ] Create event templates for recurring activities
• [ ] Download the mobile app for on-the-go access

Your music calendar doesn't have to be chaotic. With Crescender, everything is organised, connected, and accessible wherever you are.