Gig Gab - The Working Musicians' Podcast

One of the best questions you can answer before you start to do anything musical is: who’s driving the bus? Paul and Dave take this question through a few permutations. First, Dave laments some of the struggles he’s having getting his studio setup to the point where he can track […] The post Who’s Driving The Bus? – Gig Gab 246 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Making the leap to in-ear monitors is one of the most difficult experiences any gigging musician can go through. From getting the right fit to getting the right mix to simply becoming comfortable with that new level of detachment, in-ears take dedication. The payoff is big, of course, in terms […] The post The In-Ear Transition – Gig Gab 245 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Listen, sometimes running a band isn’t fun. Sometimes it requires thinking about accounting and managing people and employment law and all that. Today’s Gig Gab digs into some of that not-fun stuff, specifically about managing shared band expenses and another bit about California’s AB5. Really, this stuff isn’t fun, but […] The post How Do You Scream? – Gig Gab 244 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Dave’s fresh out of the studio at The Noise Floor where he spent the weekend recording a new album with Bitter Pill. He’s got a lot of takeaways to share from that experience, and some new things to look forward to, as well. Then he and Paul dig into – and […] The post Recording – and Managing – Your Band: Gig Gab 243 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Who’s your boss? Are you the boss? These questions are important to ask when discussing matters related to employment. The latest in this saga is unfolding in California right now with AB5, causing a re-definition of some musicians from independent contractors to employees. We’ve seen this before, but is this […] The post Blues, Bits, and Bosses – Gig Gab 242 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Playing music together often creates a very tight bond between musicians involving trust and compassion. But even though that bond is strong, it’s usually not something that’s naturally all-encompassing. How do you take that and build from it? And how do you use it to help your band? These are […] The post Do You Want My Help? – Gig Gab 241 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Two questions to start: How do you handle not-currently-in-use vocal mics? And when you setup on stage, do you make sure everyone can see each other without turning around? That’s how this Gig Gab episode starts, folks, and then it evolves, winding up with a dissection of having your audience […] The post Should We Play It Like The Record? – Gig Gab 240 appeared first on Gig Gab.

It’s time to start off the new year by thinking about your song list. Paul and Dave have a lot to say about song selection, mostly because they’ve both made a ton of mistakes in this regard, both about songs and the process of selecting them. Learn what they’ve learned so […] The post Song Selection, Cowbells, & The Professor – Gig Gab 239 appeared first on Gig Gab.

How often do you go back and re-evaluate the way you play a song you’ve had in your repertoire for years? Those tunes that gain “autopilot” status are easy to ignore, but there can be value in dissecting them. Dave recently went through some of this, and has some thoughts […] The post In Search of Fair Money – Gig Gab 238 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Have you ever been a house band? If so, or if not, what does that concept mean to you? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through the whole idea of what a house band could be, and how different folks are iterating on that idea. What can you adopt from […] The post The House Band Concept – Gig Gab 237 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Your band is filled with people, and that means there’s a psychological component to everything you do, including keeping your band together. How actively do you and your bandmates manage that? And is that enough? That’s not all Paul and Dave talk about today, though! Dave got to see three […] The post Band Psychology – Gig Gab 236 appeared first on Gig Gab.

When the crowd is there to hear you, paying attention to every nuance, it’s a completely different world. Dave had the option to re-experience that recently, and talks through it all. Then it’s time to talk about your vocal technique. Dave and Paul share the lessons they’ve learned as not-professional-singers, […] The post Just Sing It Straight – Gig Gab 235 appeared first on Gig Gab.

What do vanity songs, iPads on stage, Nashville, and your reviews of Gig Gab all have in common? Well, they teach Paul and Dave to get over themselves and just deliver the podcast for YOU, our listeners. Yes, it’s true, your two favorite weekend warriors sometimes get stuck in their […] The post Get Over Yourself – Gig Gab 234 appeared first on Gig Gab.

What do you do to keep things fresh for your band and your audience? What more could you do? As much as we love the music, it’s not just about the music. There’s more we can all do – especially in today’s attention-distracted world – to ensure our fans are interested […] The post Keeping it Fresh – Gig Gab 233 appeared first on Gig Gab.

What’s it take to get you to put your pants and shoes on and leave the couch? That’s the question to ask your would-be audience when deciding how to advertise to them. You want them to get up off the couch and come to your show, so make ’em an […] The post AD(vertising) INFINITUM – Gig Gab 232 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Listener Sean brings us back to the marketing table asking how best to make that very first contact with a potential club to play. Paul’s the experienced one here, and he leads us all through a great lesson on how best to make that work. It seems we’re all now […] The post Selling Your Band: First Contact – Gig Gab 231 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Does your band have a new song approach policy? Maybe you need to adopt the rule of three. Maybe you need to tweak the wireless frequencies of your devices. Maybe it’s good to have a conversation about trust between your bandmates. Listen, there’s a lot of maybes in the world, […] The post The Rule of Three – Gig Gab Podcast 230 appeared first on Gig Gab.

There’s a point you can get to with a band where playing together feels like putting on your favorite comfy slippers. Things are happy, things are smooth, and you have room and confidence to conquer the stage. But what happens when the slippers aren’t comfortable anymore? Or aren’t even there? […] The post Comfy Slippers – Gig Gab 229 appeared first on Gig Gab.

It’s great to get your band to a place where you can just get setup and play without any issues. That’s not always easy, mind you, but it’s great. Paul and Dave both have a few stories – and a few tips – about how to make this happen… and what happens […] The post Finding (and leaving) Your Comfort Zone – Gig Gab 228 appeared first on Gig Gab.

If your band can successfully employ the concept of intentional inclusivity with your crowd, you are destined for success. Listen as Paul and Dave open up this topic, and then send in your own thoughts to feedback@giggabpodcast.com. First, though, a conversation about subbing percolates to the importance of confidence. No […] The post Confidence, Inclusivity, and Nightlife Crowds vs. Music Lovers – Gig Gab 227 appeared first on Gig Gab.