Various different ways to do this...

I carry a file box of all my charts. I use charts for 95% of everything I play. Usually, when I get requests...I already have them pulled for that night's playlist.

If I don't have it pulled already-I know what's in my song database...I snag it the first chance I have. If I'm with the band...I can usually find that tune during a lead section that my sax guy covers...then we can play it right away...as long as it fits in the song flow...

If we've just played 2 fast ones...I'm not going to give my crowd strokes by overdoing it. After we play a ballad and then maybe a waltz or mid tempo piece, then he'll get his fast request.

If I'm by myself...usually, I'll pull it on my next break.

If I know I don't have it-I'll write the title down, with the venue name and the requesters name if possible. (This goes over great...) Next time I'm in the club, I intro the song as a request for "so & so"...Cash is almost always dropped on my keyboard in those cases. They're pretty impressed you tok the trouble to learn the song, knew it was THIS club where you needed to play it and who wanted it in the first place. Also, if the requester is a regular-that song gets added to the regular play list.

My song database is set up by song styles and and a alpha/numerical indexing system.

Standards (S-1, S-2, etc...)
Pop (P-1, P-2, etc...)

I update and print out an updated database master list very few weeks. Its not hi-tech, but it works well for me.

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 09-22-2004).]