GigScroll for Solo Acoustic Performers: A Complete Setup Guide
You are setting up for a coffee shop gig. You have 25 songs you could play, but you only remember all the words to about half of them. A music stand, an iPad, and a teleprompter app can fix that.
This is a walkthrough for getting GigScroll ready for solo acoustic performances. It covers the full workflow, from adding songs to walking on stage.
Build Your Song Library
Start by adding the 20 to 30 songs you play most often. GigScroll gives you two ways to get lyrics in:
Online search pulls lyrics from multiple databases automatically. Tap the search icon, type the song title, and GigScroll finds the words for you. This works for most popular and well-known songs.
Manual entry is there for originals, obscure covers, or any song where you want the lyrics exactly how you sing them. Tap "Add Song," type or paste the words, and save.
Once your lyrics are in, take a few minutes to format them. Add section labels like [Verse], [Chorus], and [Bridge] at the start of each section. Put a blank line between sections. This makes lyrics much easier to scan at a glance on stage, especially when you are mid-song and just need to catch the first word of the next verse.
Create Venue-Specific Setlists
Different gigs call for different song orders. Create a setlist for each recurring booking — "Blue Note Cafe Friday" or "Farmers Market Saturday" — so you are not rebuilding your set from scratch every time.
You can reorder songs by dragging them, and the same song can appear in multiple setlists. If you rotate between three or four regular venues, this saves real time over the weeks.
Dial In Your Scroll Speeds
Every song scrolls at its own speed, and getting this right makes a big difference. Here are rough starting points:
- Ballads and slow songs — 0.5x to 1.0x
- Medium tempo — 1.0x to 1.5x
- Uptempo and fast strumming — 1.5x to 2.5x
These are just guidelines. The right speed depends on how many words are in each line, how long your instrumental breaks are, and your personal preference. You will fine-tune these during rehearsal and soundcheck.
Set Up Your Display
Two settings matter most for readability on a music stand at arm's length:
Font size should be 44 points or larger. If you are squinting, the text is too small. Bigger is almost always better for live performance.
Theme depends on your venue. The Stage theme is high-contrast and works well in bright rooms with stage lighting. The Dark theme is easier on the eyes in dim rooms like bars and restaurants. Try both at the actual venue if you can.
Optional: Bluetooth Foot Pedal
If you want hands-free control, GigScroll supports Bluetooth foot pedals. Once paired, you can start and stop scrolling or skip to the next song without taking your hands off the guitar.
This is not essential — plenty of performers just tap the screen between songs. But if you find yourself fumbling with the iPad mid-set, a foot pedal is worth considering. The user guide has pairing instructions.
Optional: Video Recording
GigScroll can record video of your performance while it scrolls your lyrics. This is useful for reviewing your set afterward, capturing songs for social media, or just keeping a record of how a new song went over with an audience.
You enable it in settings and start recording from the performance screen. The video saves to your camera roll.
Day-of Checklist
A short list for show day:
- Charge your iPad — a full charge lasts most sets, but bring a cable and charger for anything over two hours
- Clean the screen — fingerprints and smudges are harder to read through under stage lights
- Enable Do Not Disturb — a phone call notification covering your lyrics mid-song is not fun
- Test scroll speeds during soundcheck — what felt right in your living room might need adjusting once you hear the room
- Lock screen rotation — so the display does not flip if you bump the stand
Free Tier and Pro
GigScroll is free to use with up to 20 songs. For most performers just getting started, that is enough to cover a full set.
If you need more, the Pro upgrade unlocks unlimited songs and is a one-time purchase. No subscription, no recurring charges.
Getting Started
The simplest way to begin is to add five or six songs you are playing this week, create one setlist, and run through it at home. Adjust scroll speeds and font size until everything feels comfortable. The rest — foot pedals, video recording, multiple setlists — can come later as you need it.
You can download GigScroll from the App Store, and the full user guide covers every feature in detail.
For deeper dives on specific features, see choosing fonts, themes, and sizes for stage, the Bluetooth foot pedal setup guide, recording your performances, and sharing setlists with your band.