Gig Gab - The Working Musicians' Podcast

How does your band approach rehearsing difficult music? We all know the difference between practice and rehearsal, but some rehearsal is (way) harder than others. Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their thoughts — and examples — of getting through the tough stuff. That’s not all, though! Conversations around bookings, rate […] The post Dissecting Difficult Music — Gig Gab 324 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Recent years have brought about opportunities for reinvention in a lot of ways, including musical! Have you done anything different since you’ve been able to get back out there and start playing? Listen as Paul and Dave answer that question this week. Then listen as your two favorite weekend warriors […] The post Always Be Performing…Uniquely – Gig Gab 323 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Productivity is often the result of well-applied focus and discipline. How do you make this work for your band? And… what about a lack of either or both of those? Listen as Paul and Dave talk about — and show a shining example of — both of these things (or is […] The post Focus and Discipline — Gig Gab 322 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Much has been said over the years about keeping a band together, and this week your two favorite weekend warriors say even more. Is it helpful? Only you can decide! That’s not all, though, Dave played two gigs this weekend with some significant anomalies, and he talks through making this […] The post Band Leadership Styles — Gig Gab 321 appeared first on Gig Gab.

When your band rehearses, what’s the expectation of everyone coming in? Is there a minimum bar to hit, or a high bar to beat? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their experiences with band rehearsals over the years. But that’s not all… Gear Gab is never far away, and […] The post Gear Gab, Rehearsal Structure, and More — Gig Gab 320 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Today your two favorite weekend warriors turn their attention to efficiency and how you can make your band’s setup process happen faster, and with more consistent results. Paul had a recent gig which highlighted this for him, but I’m sure we’ve all been there, right? Do you remember? Ba Dee […] The post Turning Up Your Band’s Efficiency — Gig Gab 319 appeared first on Gig Gab.

While you’re playing…how do you define success? Is it seeing people dancing? singing? paying you money? What are the metrics you use? Hear your two favorite weekend warriors share some of their own success stories from this weekend’s gigs. Then it’s time to talk about a few logistical issues with […] The post What is a Successful Gig? — Gig Gab 318 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Do you ever instruct your audience on how to enjoy your music? Do you instruct them to do anything else? The reality is that we all instruct our audiences in some ways, but the question is… how do we do it? Listen to Paul and Dave discuss a few scenarios, […] The post Do You Instruct Your Audience? — Gig Gab 317 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Working with different sound teams can always be a struggle, even when they’re the best in the business. How do you communicate with them? How do you know they’re listening? How do you convey your point without being annoying? These are just some of the questions that come up as […] The post Your Band Needs a Brown M&M Clause — Gig Gab 316 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Have you ever stopped to think about how “the crowd” perceives your band’s image vs. how you perceive yourselves? It’s an interesting exercise, and sometimes it’s thrust upon you. Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their experiences with this. Dave had to dig into the backup-bin while his IEMs […] The post What’s Your Band’s Image? – Gig Gab 315 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Let’s go back five years together, shall we? Gig Gab was just a year old, and we all were just finding our footing here together. We had the pleasure of having Jan Hammer join us for a conversation in Gig Gab 68, and with both Paul and Dave out for […] The post Jan Hammer Talks Mahavishnu, Emerson, Hendrix, Jaco … and Getting the JuJu Happening! — Gig Gab 68 Redux appeared first on Gig Gab.

One of the reasons we all take the stage is in search of those moments where the band is just firing on all cylinders and the energy is flowing perfectly. At least that’s what Paul tells Dave this week, and Dave agrees! Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk […] The post Firing On All Musical Cylinders — Gig Gab 314 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Being a performer often means you get to be an invisible spectator… of the crowd who is watching you! Listen as Paul and Dave share some stories (new and old!) about what they’ve watched people do from the Working Musicians’ side of the fourth wall. Then it’s time to negotiate. […] The post People Behaving Like People — Gig Gab 313 appeared first on Gig Gab.

There’s always at least a bit of a gamble in taking the stage. More often it comes up pretty standard, sometimes you get the Stage of Dread, but occasionally … every now and then … things are just perfect. Despite being a country apart, your two favorite weekend warriors each […] The post The Ever-Elusive “Great Sound” — Gig Gab 312 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Your favorite weekend warriors had a revelation: It’s easy to have a lot of microphones! Listen as Paul and Dave answer your questions about gear, including in-ears, mixers, and PA speakers (the microphones were their idea!). Also on the docket: the sacred space that is band rehearsal. Listen, learn, and […] The post More Microphones Than Cents – Gig Gab 311 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Music connects us all, but how do you define the connection between you and your audience? You and your bandmates? Listen as Paul and Dave discuss, dissect, and even debate a few aspects of all this. Press play, enjoy, and please remember: always be performing! 00:00:00 Gig Gab 310 – […] The post Bands and Connections – Gig Gab 310 appeared first on Gig Gab.

What’s the definition of the perfect gig? Would you know it if you played it? If so, how will that impact the next gig? Listen as Dave and Paul talk through their recent performances and relate them to what the future will look like. Just remember, folks, even when you’re […] The post Chasing The Perfect Gig — Gig Gab 309 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Remember all the great gigs you’ve played? Guess what… your next gig could be one of those! Your favorite weekend warriors talk about creating those new memories by fueling your tank with the old ones. Dave watched “What Drives Us”, Paul saw Springsteen in the Killers’ new video, they’ve both […] The post Savor The Moment — Gig Gab 308 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Gigs are coming back, for sure, but as what? Has your scene changed as a result of the pandemic reset? Are the same bands still out there doing there thing? Are new bands emerging? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through all this and more. Plus, Dave played a basement […] The post Basement Shows and New Faces — Gig Gab 307 appeared first on Gig Gab.

When can you buy off-brand gear and still get the quality you need without breaking the bank? Paul and Dave talk about a few experiments they’ve recently performed and their results with not-the-name-brand stuff. Paul added a little Frank to his set recently, and it opens up a conversation about […] The post Inexpensive Gear, In-Ear Tricks, and a little Frank! – Gig Gab 306 appeared first on Gig Gab.