Re: Database software/applications?
One key thing to work out is whether you need information in one table (or data set) to relate to data in another.
For example, you could have a table of players (with names, instruments, contact details, preferred monitor settings etc. ) and a table of bands. The band table, instead of having player information in it directly, would link to the info in the player table. The big advantage of this is that if you have one player who is a member of multiple bands, you only need to update his info in one place.
If you go ''relational'' like this it can rule out some of the more basic software options. However it does mean you are able to build something much more powerful and ultimately more useful.
If there's one thing I have learnt from the dabbling I have done with databases over the years, it is to try and plan as much as possible. All too often my tendency is to get stuck into building something, only to later realise that I've painted myself into a corner.
Edit: typos
