You put a smile on your dancers' faces, while I handle the rest for you.
Modern caller software can do more than just play music. It finds loops for you, automates processes, and gives you relevant recommendations.
Automatic loop finder via sound analysis
Bad jump markers in loops are annoying. Good loops waste time. Not anymore – thanks to the automatic loop finder in the caller's caddy.
Individual rules for behavior and display
Tired of repeating the same steps? It doesn't have to be that way. With the Rules, you define what... When should your caller's caddy do this?. For example, display lyrics in large format, change layouts, or remind yourself of the pattern in time.
Themes and customizable window sizes
Windows that are too small, inflexible sizes, impractical views? It doesn't have to be that way. You fit in. Window sizes, layouts and colors so they work best for you.
Those were just a few highlights, what The caller's caddy nowadays can.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the first version of Callers Caddy was released back in December 2001? That was on Windows XP. It's hard to imagine what was possible even back then.
In addition to the modern features, there are of course the functions that are simply part of the package today:
- Change tempo and pitch separately,
- Remember when you played which song and where,
- Output setlists and music sequence lists and a
- Stable music output via its own sound engine – without external programs like Winamp or Pacemaker.
- and much more.
What's stopping you from testing the Callers Caddy now?
- Open Source – full transparency.
- For free – Just try it.
- No installation required – download, unzip, start.
- Moving helpers Migration aids for Callers Caddy 1 and SqView already exist. Further migration aids, for example for SDPlayer, are already in development.
Current version – tested, stable and still being developed.
Most recent blog posts
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Lyrics Editing Just Got Easier
Editing lyrics has often been more cumbersome than necessary. You had to open the file in another program, adjust the text, format it, save it, and then check if everything was still correctly linked in Callers Caddy. For a single song, this is just a minor inconvenience. But with a large music collection, it quickly becomes a real time-waster. If…
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Check it on the laptop. Play it on the PA
Sometimes you want to listen to a song briefly before it's actually played through the sound system. Perhaps you're not sure if it's the right version. Maybe there are multiple recordings from different square dance labels. Or you want to decide together with another caller which song is a better fit. That's exactly what the Audition button is for…
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General Settings
Previously, some settings in Callers Caddy required direct access to the callers_caddy.ini file. This was possible, but not particularly convenient. You had to find the right file, then locate the relevant section, and finally change the value correctly. And if you made a typo, things could quickly become confusing.
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Song Feedback – Learn From Every Song
With version 0.82, Callers Caddy gets a new feedback feature. This solves a problem many large music collections face: the data actually needs to be maintained. But this task quickly feels overwhelming. Entering quality, assessing ERR, adding notes, checking songs, correcting values—if you have a lot of songs, this can take a long time. And then this often happens…
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Select Your Audio Output
Sometimes you don't want to play a song through the main sound system. Maybe a fellow caller is sitting next to you at their computer. You want to quickly play them a song. Or you want to listen to a track yourself without the whole room hearing it. Until now, this was often cumbersome. You had to change the audio output in Windows. Or unplug and replug cables. Or hope that the right one was selected…
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Plan with Custom Song Filters
Sometimes a standard genre filter isn't enough. Sure, you can filter by pattern, singing style, genre, or search in the Callers Caddy Planner. That's helpful in many situations. But what if you need a very specific selection? For example, you're planning a special night out at the club. You've already created a playlist with suitable songs…
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Plan your club night with one click
An empty playlist wastes time. You probably already know how many tips you need. You also know whether you want to use patterns, singings, or both. Even so, you still have to select each song individually and put it in the right order. That's exactly what Auto-Fill in Planner is for now. With one click, Callers Caddy fills your…
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Installing Callers Caddy Updates
Want to update Callers Caddy? Great idea. An update brings you new features, improvements, and bug fixes. Sometimes it's big new tools, sometimes small fixes that make everyday tasks easier. Just make sure you download the right file. There's a difference between the full version and an update file. ① Why even bother with an update…
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Crash Report
Crashes should, of course, be avoided. The goal is clear: Caller's Caddy should run stably on stage, especially in situations where a caller doesn't want to spend time searching, testing, or restarting. Music must play. Lyrics should be visible. Playlists should work. Nevertheless, no software is perfect. Even rare errors can occur. The important question then becomes:…
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ReDesign Callers Caddy
First, it had to work. The player was the heart of Callers Caddy from the very beginning. This is where the music plays. This is where patterns and singing calls are initiated. This is where tempo, pitch, loop, lyrics, planner, and many other important functions are located. Therefore, in the first phase, one thing clearly took precedence: the functions had to be there. A prototype…
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Shortcodes in Notes
How do you keep track of all the ideas you've planned for a club night? You want to play a specific song. You want to repeat a sequence. You have a suggestion for the class. You want to practice swing thru at a particular point. These kinds of ideas are easy to jot down. But while calling, there's little time to search. That's exactly what…
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Find Your Music Blind Spot
As callers, we all have our favorite songs. Some songs just work. They provide a sense of security. They create a good atmosphere. They suit our voices. And that's precisely why they keep appearing in the setlist. The problem is: we often don't even realize how often we call certain songs. At the same time, other tracks remain on the playlist, even though…
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Easy Starter Pack – Yellow Rock Records
You don't really learn a new program through theory alone. Sure, you can read a manual. You can look at screenshots. You can have someone explain what each button does. But the real feeling only comes when you open the program, load music, try something out, and realize: Ah, that's how it works. That's exactly what Callers Caddy is for…
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Stream Deck for Square Dance Callers: Music Control Made Easy
Laptops have already taken a lot of work off the hands of square dance callers. Managing music, searching for songs, adjusting the tempo, displaying lyrics, preparing playlists – many things are much easier today than before. Nevertheless, one small problem remains in live situations: mouse and touchpad aren't always the most comfortable way to control music. Especially when you're simultaneously calling, keeping an eye on the dancers, and so on…
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Dual View (ie Lyrics + Sequences)
Some features have instant visual impact. The new Dual View is definitely one of them. With it, you can bring two widgets to the forefront simultaneously in Callers Caddy and display them side-by-side as floating windows. This is especially useful when you don't just want to keep an eye on one widget, but need to view two things at once. That's exactly what…
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Connecting the dots
The big leaps are here – now for the finer details. Major new features like the Loop Finder are already in Callers Caddy. These features are immediately noticeable. They visibly bring a lot of dynamism to the software. Now it's about something else. Now it's about the small, subtle details. These are precisely the things…
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New Music for Callers – How to find them
Square dance callers are always looking for new music. A great song can change the mood of a tip. It can liven up the dance floor, bring fresh energy, and make the dancers smile. That's why many callers are constantly on the lookout for the next track to add to their music library. Today, it's much easier to find good square dance music…
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Caller Notes
Anyone who regularly calls for clubs, prepares a special, or teaches a class knows the problem: there are always a few things floating around in your head. These thoughts are often important – but unfortunately, they're not always there when you need them. That's precisely why Callers Caddy now offers a new feature: Notes. The new…
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Press ANY Key
Anyone who calls from a laptop or PC quickly encounters the problem: there are more things you want to do with a single keystroke than there are conveniently available keys. Initially, the standard keys are often sufficient. In Callers Caddy, the F5 to F8 keys are already sensibly assigned – for Play, Pause/Resume, Stop, and Fadeout.
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Auto-Import Lyrics
The age-old problem: Manual linking. Anyone who regularly imports new songs into their music player knows the scenario: You have a nice MP3 file—and often a lyrics file (RTF, HTML, or TXT) alongside it. The classic workflow: For 10 songs? Doable. For 100 songs? Tedious. For 1,000 songs? Unrealistic. The solution: Lyrics co-import in Callers Caddy…
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Rules, ALL Triggers, Conditions, Actions and Parameters
The rules system is the heart of automation in Callers Caddy. You define when something should happen (trigger), whether a condition must be met (condition), and what happens then (action). All without scripting, all with a single click. And so you know exactly what's currently available, here's the complete list of triggers…
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Controlled Loops for Pattern Music
A pattern can be looped cleanly and musically, yet still become too long. This is often where the real problem lies in practice. People's attention spans, and therefore those of dancers, are limited. If a pattern runs for too long, the tension drops. The energy in the room becomes flat. And what just worked well a moment ago…
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Rules – Your Workflow, Your Choice
Every caller has their own way of working. Some want to configure as little as possible, preferring the software to anticipate needs and take work off their hands. Others prefer to make their own decisions, only using features they've thoroughly tested. Both approaches are perfectly fine. Callers Caddy has long reflected this. It supports various languages and features…
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Loop Finder
Anyone who adds a lot of new songs to their collection knows the problem: manually setting loop markers is time-consuming. A lot of time. This is precisely where the new Loop Finder in the Callers Caddy comes in. It's not meant to replace your ear, but it's designed to take the work off your hands, so you, as the caller, have to search much less yourself. Read the article…
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Tutorials
With version 0.35, Callers Caddy gets a new tutorial system. The idea behind it is simple: functions should be explained where they are needed. Callers Caddy, in particular, has many widgets and windows with their own tasks. This is practical in everyday use, but can also seem confusing at first. A traditional manual only helps to a limited extent…
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Organize your song database
Over time, every song database becomes a bit like a desk in real life. At the beginning, everything is neatly organized. But the more evenings you spend calling, the more songs you add, and the more often you spontaneously add something, the more likely it is that little things will be left unfinished. Sometimes the lyrics are missing for a singing call. Sometimes…
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The correct sequence for perfect loops
Anyone who works with MP3 loops knows the problem: You set the markers precisely, listen to the section, and think: That should be perfect. But then, when playing back normally, the transition still doesn't sound quite right. This is precisely where knowing the correct sequence becomes crucial. Because a good loop isn't created by simply…
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The 6 best music management programs for square dance callers
The hall is packed, the atmosphere is great, and your dancers are ready. You click once, the right music starts, your playlist is sorted, your loops are in the right place, and every MP3 file is exactly where you need it. Instead of struggling with your software, you stay focused on the dance floor, the timing…
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Beat-Snap – Automatically set loops
This was a huge advantage when we switched to digital music files and could create endless pattern loops. No more manual, clunky music resets with the remote button. However, setting the loop jump points can sometimes be tricky and time-consuming. With the new Callers Caddy, it's now a thousand times easier. 1. First, you roughly set your jump markers in the song…
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Why the new Callers Caddy is being released as open source under the GPL
1. Good caller tools shouldn't depend on a single person. Some software is more than just a program. Over time, it becomes a tool that people rely on. That's exactly how I see the Caller's Caddy. Because I believe our square dance scene is too valuable for important tools to simply disappear just because…
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Determine the BPM of the square dance song
Wow, that was so annoying back then! You had to manually calculate how many beats per minute the square dance song had. But modern technology can do that for you very accurately and reliably. That's why automatic BPM measurement is included in Callers Caddy (from version 0.30 onwards).
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Color change via theme
We're all familiar with this from smartphones today: the ability to customize the color and design of apps. So why not offer the same for Callers Caddy? That's why you can choose between different color schemes. Here are a few examples: As you can see, Callers Caddy may change the colors in the lyric window. This is how…
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Performance (Callers Caddy)
Every program is fast - without data and users 😉 That's why I really wanted to know how fast the new Callers Caddy is before it was released. And not just collect feedback when users are suffering. So I tested my modest list of 518 songs for performance. And simply added another 10,000 pieces of music to the system and...
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Transfer wizard - import existing data
Nobody wants to start from 0 again. I realize that, and I didn't want to rebuild everything manually either. My laziness becomes your gain, because OF COURSE there is a relocation helper. It already exists for the earlier version of Callers Caddy. I used that. But I know that there are others out there...
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Magnetic windows
With the new Callers Caddy, I am fulfilling a personal dream. Even back then on Windows XP, I wanted to have magnetic windows (for myself) for my customers. Then everyone can drag their windows to the size they want and that fits their laptop. That wasn't possible back then. But it does today. That's why the new...
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NEWS: Callers Caddy is coming back
It's decided... I'm reprogramming the Callers Caddy. For many years, the Callers Caddy was THE standard (especially in Europe) for callers who wanted to work on a laptop and no longer wanted to lug around large record cases. I can't promise a release date yet, but I've been bitten by the bug again and I'm busy programming. But...