Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

Your two favorite weekend warriors have been GigGabbing for almost two-and-a-half years, and the time has come to take a little stock in the action. What have Paul and Dave learned? How have their musical lives changed since the inception of the show, and what changes do they anticipate in the near term? It’s not all introspective, though, folks. There are some solid lessons to learn in this...

What happens when you or someone else starts the wrong song in the set? How do you handle a packed schedule full of multiple rehearsals and gigs in the same day? And how do you deal with a fellow musician who mocks what you do? These are the questions that your two favorite weekend warriors answer. Heck, they don’t just answer them, they live them. And they gab about them, GigGab style. Pres...

One quick glance at the title and you know this isn’t your average GigGab episode. Thankfully, we’re not that shallow… it is  very much your normal GigGab episode. In fact, we dig into every aspect: the touchy feely? Covered. Gear? Covered. Practical how-to-style lessons? Covered! All of this, and more, just as you’ve come to expect each and every time to press “Play&...

Drummers always seem to have a different perspective, and perhaps that’s because they  literally have a different place from which they view a gig. If there’s a theme to this episode, that’s certainly a contender! Double-bookings happen, though, and Dave found himself in that scenario. He and Paul talk through what to do in that situation. To start, though, a quick conversation a...

It’s time to get pensive, folks. First, your two favorite weekend warriors discuss the “poison in the locker room” mentality that often is the precursor to a band-wide bitch-session. Then it’s on to the aftermath of the bitch-sesh that eventually leads to someone asking, “why do we do this gig, anyway?” That’s a valid question to ask, as long as you ask it...

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has some new members, and it’s time your two favorite weekend warriors discuss that! Then listener Ted has some questions about his snare drum sound, and Paul and Dave give some help his way. Lastly, there’s a thread that runs through today’s episode: The 1990s produced some music. Some of that music is great, most is forgettable. Is that any differ...

Paul and Dave take the opportunity today to dig a little deeper into a few topics they’ve mentioned recently. First, though, it’s a discussion about your pack-up routine. Everyone’s got one… and everyone’s a little bit different! Then it’s that ever-lasting discussion about having the right bandmates… and keeping them. A band is at its most fragile when pe...

Episode 110 finds your two favorite working musicians in an interesting headspace, with Dave even joining Paul on the path to truth and honesty and… the musicians’ way! Ever fire a club? Paul did this week, and he lives to tell the tale. When someone compliments your playing, how humble is  too humble? Dave shares his thoughts about this… and you might (or might not!) be surprise...

Paul put on his acoustic Springsteen tribute show and has  many lessons to share from that, including the benefits having an instrument tech on stage to help you. Marketing the event, too, brought more than a few insights, including what you unintentionally wind up doing to market the next event. Dave had an interesting fly-on-the-wall experience with an audition this week that really drove home s...

Today your two favorite working musicians launch right into a verbal jam session, with topics seemingly all over the map, but tying together in the best ways. Are you like Paul where you’re looking forward to every gig all week and all day? Or are you more like Dave where you’re ecstatic to  do the gig, but the logistics are enough to convince you that a cancelation is A-OK? Continuing...

Paul finished his EP and talks about the process of mastering and distributing that. When it comes to cover songs, there’s an additional layer of complexity that Paul sorted out. Then it’s on to gig talk! Do you have someone in your band that takes mental notes during your gigs and maintains the punch-list of things to discuss and tweak? Then, how does your band go about discussing the...

Do you and your bandmates ever feel competitive with one another? Channeled the right way, that healthy competition can make for excellent performances and music from your band. Paul and Dave talk through this a bit, but first it’s all about the energy. Sometimes the crowd feeds you first, and sometimes you  have to feed the crowd first. How do you do it? Recently, Dave went on an audition....

At some gigs, the only thing worse than being asked, “can I play my harmonica with your band?” is “can I play your tambourine?” Listen to what Paul and Dave have to say about this, including what Dave would  like to say to the people that ask this latter question. On top of  that , your two favorite weekend warriors talk about assembling songs in the studio, learning to lay...

Long-time audio engineer, Andy Dolph, joins Paul and Dave this week to share some tips and tricks for making your band sound its best – and avoid sounding its worst – on GigGab this week. Hear Andy’s microphone recommendations, tips for solving feedback in both the monitors  and the mains, mixing advice, and why you should be using a high pass filter on everything. You never thought you want...

Do you use in-ears? Are you comfortable when you use them? Do they sound right? Paul and Dave dive back into this topic, almost accidentally, and uncover some truths about what it takes to get a good in-ear mix… and guess what? It’s not just up to you and the sound engineer. Your favorite weekend warriors explain! That then directly leads into a conversation about managing stage volume...

Your two favorite weekend warriors are in the midst of some atypical musical experiences, and today’s show brings it to fruition. Dave’s playing live with tracked parts… and a click! Paul played live in a jam band scenario and has also been spending some time in the studio. He shares his thoughts about the value a producer brings to not only a project, but to him as a musician. P...

How does your band navigate the concepts of practice, rehearsal, and jamming? Are they all melded into one? Are they separated out? Paul and Dave discuss and dissect this for you. Then it’s time to talk gear, specifically all-in-one tower PAs. Dave and Paul have recently had the opportunity to check out multiple different tower options from Mackie, Bose, JBL, and Fishman and share their view...

For episode 100, drummer Kenny Aronoff joins to make this the episode with your  three favorite working musicians! Kenny’s settles right in and talks about how he manages his crazy schedule, honors commitments, deals with setbacks, and never dwells too much on the past because he is always looking forward to the next thing. Full of more energy than Dave and Paul combined (and that’s sa...

Wrapping up the first 99 episodes, Paul and Dave dive straight into politics (but not in the way that you’d think!), then take a left turn into tribute band territory (but not in the way that you’d think!), and then discuss how your band should approach cover tunes (but not in the way that you’d think!) and finally discuss the Born To Run-Starship Trooper-Reggae Extravaganza (you...

Dave’s back from a musical “destination vacation” so he and Paul discuss the merits of doing that for  any band, including some that have ties to GigGab directly. Then, after Paul’s requisite Bruce Springsteen mention, your two weekend warriors share their favorite albums… and that includes  another Springsteen mention! Listen to hear what inspires your music geeks he...

It’s the new year and that’s always a good time to take stock of where you are and focus on where you’re going. That’s true for you as a musician and for your band, as well. What’s the premise of your band? What do you, as a musician, want to focus on going forward? Paul and Dave, your two favorite Weekend Warriors, help you paint yourself a clear picture of what that...

  Should everyone in your band be on the same vocal mic or does it make more sense to let the singer choose a mic? What about the sound engineer’s opinion? These are important questions to ask, and Paul throws them into the mix for he and Dave to discuss. Getting the gig: what kind of demo or sample do you need? Years ago that was audio, but now is it video? Again, Paul and Dave discuss...

It’s the season for gift-giving, and your two Weekend Warrior Santas want to fill your gift bag with a few things to make your musical life more complete. Listen to what Santa Paul and Santa Dave wish for each of you. And remember… always be performing! Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00:00 GigGab 95 – December 21st, 2016 00:01:00 Musicians Gone By 00:02:04 Santa Dave and Santa Paul’s Ho...

It’s time to answer some of your questions. Thomas asks about setup time: how long is too long? what can you and your band do to make it more efficient? Dave and Paul have your answers here. Then it’s on to Matt, whose band was badmouthed by their former singer. Your two favorite weekend warriors talk through ways to repair the damage and move forward. But first, do you take requests?...

At some point, every musician (well, except Paul) will go through the process of auditioning for a band. If not that, then you might be part of a band that’s auditioning a new member. The process can be fun, grueling, enlightening, frustrating and unproductive. But it’s a means to an end, and you can make the best of it. Listen to your two favorite Weekend Warriors talk about their aud...