How Tiply's song request queue works during a live set

You're three songs into your set when a fan walks up, holds out a $20 bill, and asks for "Wagon Wheel." You take the cash, nod, and mentally add it to the list — somewhere between the song you're already playing and the one you promised the bartender. That's a lot to track when your hands are on an instrument.

A music request app turns that chaotic back-and-forth into a live, organized queue you can see at a glance. Here's exactly how Tiply handles it.

How requests enter the queue

Fans don't need to download anything or create an account. They scan your QR code — on your stage, your tip jar, your table — and land on your Tiply page directly in their browser.

From there, they browse your song catalog, pick a track, add a tip, and pay. No app download, no account creation. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App, and all major cards work.

The moment payment goes through, the request appears in your queue in real time.

How the queue ranks songs

The queue doesn't just list requests in the order they came in. It ranks them by tip amount. A fan who tips $15 for "Brown Eyed Girl" moves ahead of a $5 request for something else.

That matters for two reasons. It gives fans a real way to influence the set — they know a higher tip means a higher spot. And it removes the awkward negotiation between you and the crowd. The queue decides, not you.

If two requests come in at the same amount, the earlier one holds its position. Simple, and visible to everyone.

What you see on your end

Your Tiply mobile app shows the live queue as it builds. Each entry displays the song title, the fan's name if they added one, and the tip amount. New requests appear without you needing to refresh anything.

Mark a song as played and it drops off the top. The next one moves up. The whole thing runs from your phone — no squinting at a laptop between songs.

Band Mode

Playing with other musicians? Band Mode lets you share a read-only version of the live queue with your bandmates. They see the song, the tip, the order — without being able to make changes. Everyone stays in sync without anyone shouting across the stage.

It's especially useful for piano bars and cover bands where the whole group needs to know what's coming next.

Keeping your catalog clean

One thing that separates a good music request app from a frustrating one is catalog control. Without it, fans request songs you don't know, and you spend your break explaining why you can't play them.

With Tiply, you build your song catalog before the gig. Import a Spotify playlist to pre-load your repertoire, or add songs manually. Fans can only request what's in your catalog — no surprises, no awkward refusals mid-set.

It also makes the fan experience cleaner. They're not guessing what you play. They're choosing from your actual list.

How tips connect to payouts

Every tip that comes in through a request goes directly to your payout account. Tiply is free for musicians. The fan covers a small 4% fee on top of their tip, so you keep 100% of what they intended to give you.

Payouts go through Square and land in your bank account within 1 to 2 business days. There's no threshold to hit before you can access your money.

For a fuller breakdown of how the tip side works alongside requests, the digital tip jar guide for live musicians covers the mechanics in detail.

Why tipping and requesting belong together

A request without a tip is just a shout from the crowd. A tip without a request is a nice gesture that doesn't change your set. When they're linked, the fan gets something tangible — a real shot at hearing their song — and you get compensated for playing it.

Musicians who use request queues with attached tips consistently earn more per gig than those using a tip jar alone. If you want to understand why the combination works, how song requests increase tips gets into the specifics.

How it compares to other music request apps

Other music request apps exist. Rekwest, DJFY, and RequestSongs.co all handle requests in some form. Some charge musicians a monthly fee. Some take a cut of tips. Some require fans to create an account before they can request anything.

Tiply's differentiator is the combination: free for musicians, no fan account required, tips and requests handled in the same transaction. For a side-by-side look at the options, best song request apps for live musicians 2026 lays them out plainly.

Setting up before your next gig

Setup takes under 10 minutes. Create your account, build your song catalog, download the app. Tiply generates your QR code, which you can print or display digitally. At the gig, open the app, start your session, and the queue is live.

No hardware, no card reader, no cash handling.

Tiply is free. Always.

FAQs

What is a music request app?

A music request app lets fans submit song requests to a live musician, usually by scanning a QR code. Better ones attach a tip to the request, so the musician gets paid for playing it and the fan gets priority in the queue.

Do fans need to download an app to make a request through Tiply?

No. Fans scan your QR code and the request page opens in their phone's browser. No app download, no account creation. They pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App, or a card.

How does Tiply decide which song gets played first?

The queue ranks requests by tip amount. A higher tip moves a request closer to the top. If two requests carry the same tip, the earlier one holds its position.

Does Tiply take a percentage of tips?

No. Tiply is free for musicians. The fan covers a small 4% fee on top of their tip. You keep 100% of every tip.

How quickly do payouts arrive?

Payouts process through Square and arrive in your bank account within 1 to 2 business days. There's no minimum balance required before you can receive funds.

Can I limit which songs fans are allowed to request?

Yes. You build a song catalog before your set, and fans can only request songs from that list. You can import a Spotify playlist to populate it quickly.

What is Band Mode?

Band Mode generates a read-only link to your live queue that you share with your bandmates. They can see the current request order and tip amounts in real time, without being able to edit anything.