Gig Gab - The Working Musicians' Podcast

Groove. What is it? What defines it? What makes it good? What’s obvious when it’s missing? How do you find it? That’s the core of today’s show folks, as your two favorite weekend warriors set about answering this question. Out of that conversation comes some road-tested tricks for ensuring you […] The post What’s That Groove? – GigGab 92 appeared first on Gig Gab.

As all working musicians know, those fun New Year’s Eve gigs re followed-up by a hangover of tax season. But, as with all hangovers, if you properly prepare for it you can limit the pain. For this, your two Weekend Warriors talk through their strategies of keeping the books straight and simple […] The post Tax Gab & Gear Gab – GigGab 91 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Some important topics addressed this week, including the special benefits of doing a tribute act as well as the concept of “four-walling” your own show and managing the whole night. That conversation is bookended by equally-important discussions about the substances on which both your crowd and your bandmates (and you) choose to use […] The post Four-Walling, Tribute Acts, and Substance Use – GigGab 90 appeared first on Gig Gab.

You know where your amps and drums and mics go, but what about your mains? Any ideas? It’s worth not just making an assumption every time you walk into a new room, and Paul and Dave start that conversation for you. Merchandise can either be a huge benefit or a […] The post Sound Sources, Merchandise and Pay – GigGab 89 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Roberto R. Hernandez joins Paul and Dave to talk about the genesis of his new book, The Unstarving Musician’s Guide to Getting Paid Gigs. The discussion starts with how Roberto set about to write the book, and then opens up into more of a GigGab-style chat about some of the topics […] The post Roberto R. Hernandez, The Unstarving Musician – GigGab 88 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Phish cites their new “No Analysis” rule as a foundational reason they’re still playing together. Paul and Dave take a look at this and discuss whether or not this might work in your band (or theirs!). But first, Dave’s just finished two weeks of Bitter Pill, and he debriefs the […] The post Analyzing the “No Analysis” Rule – GigGab 87 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Jerry Harvey, founder of Ultimate Ears and JH Audio, joins your two favorite weekend warriors to talk in-ear monitors and more. Jerry has seen so much during his career that his advice likely outweighs his stories, and his stories are epic. Today he offers tips on not only mixing your in-ears, […] The post Jerry Harvey, In-Ear Monitor Pioneer – GigGab 86 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Another crazy week for your two favorite working musicians means another episode chock full of stories and lessons learned. Dave just finished one theater show and loaded his drums in for another. The show he just finished had him and the rest of the “pit” band prominently on stage, so […] The post Beware The Hassle Factor – GigGab 85 appeared first on Gig Gab.

It’s one thing to put on a great show, it’s quite another to convince people to attend and put their butts in the seats or their feet on the dance floor! Today Paul and Dave talk through a few ways to market Paul’s upcoming gig on Saturday. This is a real world […] The post How to Market Your Gigs – GigGab 84 appeared first on Gig Gab.

What happens when you expect a dance crowd and get one that wants to listen intently? Every gig is different, and many times you don’t get to control the vibe of the room you walk into. The only thing you can do is control what you deliver from the stage, and […] The post Managing the Vibe at Gigs, Parties and Weddings appeared first on Gig Gab.

Autumn is almost here for those of us in the Northern hemisphere, and the gigs change right along with the New England leaves. Even though Paul’s not in New England (or, well, not usually), he’s experiencing the end-of-summer effect with his west coast gigs, too. Listen to what your two […] The post Falling into the Autumn Music Scene – GigGab 82 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Despite the shorter-than-usual gap between episodes, both Paul and Dave found themselves in intimidating scenarios they had to deal with in the moment. Caring about what you do and how you do it is an important trait of being a musician, and sometimes that means external factors drive you to […] The post The Benefits of Intimidation – GigGab 81 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Both musicians and bandleaders alike have to make split-second decisions and then live with them long-term, and today’s show is all about being a little more thoughtful about the things that both come out of and go into our mouths. Paul and Dave share some recent lessons along these lines to prove […] The post Watch What Goes Into and Out of Your Mouth – GigGab 80 appeared first on Gig Gab.

It finally happened: Dave and Paul played the gigs together that they’ve been discussing for the past few episodes. As always there are lessons that were learned, stories to tell, and sometimes both are about the same thing! Listen as these two weekend warriors share their shared weekend with all […] The post Your Two Weekend Warriors Share a Weekend – GigGab 79 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Paul and Dave are in the final stages of their shared gig prep, but take a detour today to talk about all the other projects they each have going on and the value of embracing intensity. Then it’s time to look to the pros and learn some lessons about requests and […] The post Embracing Intensity and Lessons from the Pros – GigGab 78 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Dave’s coming out to sub for The Houserockers in a couple of weeks, so it’s time for him and Paul to chat through some of the details required to ensure a good gig. Equipment, dress code, charts and confidence are the topics discussed today, and it’s a good one! On […] The post Confident vs. Overconfident Subbing – GigGab 77 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Paul curses Dave by revisiting the subject of People Behaving Badly™, this time with the twist of discussing folks who feel the need to join your band (or any band!) on stage without invitation. Before getting into that, though, your two favorite weekend warriors discuss the joys of playing outdoor summer […] The post Outdoor Summer Gigs, Musical Inspirations & Uninvited Stage Visitors – GigGab 76 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Today, Paul and Dave address the question a new bandleader asks about getting things started. As you might expect, your two favorite Weekend Warriors have a differing set of opinions on this, and that makes for a good podcast! First, though, it’s about how much energy it takes to play a […] The post The Energy Required To Be Intimate – GigGab 75 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Paul and Dave come together today to ponder the subject of responsibility, and that leads to discussing which instrument bears the most responsibility for keeping the train on the tracks. A thoughtful, spirited discussion ensues, and your two favorite Weekend Warriors find they’re on common ground. Drummers, you might not be […] The post Whose Mistakes Most Often Turn Into Trainwrecks? – GigGab 74 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Dave’s back from a tour of Abbey Road Studios and Paul’s in the final stages of pulling together his latest All-Star Band project, which means your two Weekend Warriors have a lot to talk about. Listen to hear all about all of this… and more! The post Abbey Road and All-Star Bands – GigGab 73 appeared first on Gig Gab.