Set timing and rehearsal FAQ

Five minutes is the slot, but plan to finish around 4:30 to 4:45. Laughs and applause add time you cannot predict, and finishing early is always safer than running over. See How to tighten a five-minute set.

It depends entirely on your material. Some comics fit ten short jokes in five minutes; others do one long story. Bands commonly fit two or three songs in a ten-minute slot once changeovers are counted. Time your actual pieces and add them up with the set-time calculator instead of guessing.

At many comedy rooms it means you have about a minute left, but the convention varies. Ask the host before the show what the light means and whether there is a final signal. Working the light covers how to wrap up cleanly.

Time the material on its own first, then add a buffer for audience response. A 10 to 20 percent buffer is a reasonable starting point for comedy; adjust it once you have recordings of real shows. The calculator lets you set this percentage.

A short set list with one keyword per piece is normal and widely used. Reading full lines is what hurts delivery. Keep the list in large print where you naturally look.

Several short, spaced sessions usually beat one long cram. Three or four out-loud run-throughs across a week is a practical target for a five-minute set. See Rehearse so it holds up on stage.

Tune before you go on, use clip-on or pedal tuners, pre-agree line checks, and cover any instrument swap with a short introduction or a rhythm pattern. Kill dead air has target times.

No. The calculator runs on the server when you submit and nothing is stored. Your set list appears in the page address, so avoid putting anything private in it. See the privacy page.