Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

Click Tracks, Tribute Acts, and $20 Hacks: Gig Smarts with Corey Manske


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You’re not alone if you’re running a click track on stage—more and more musicians are embracing it, and for good reason. This week on Gig Gab, Corey Manske joins Dave Hamilton to unpack how using a click can reduce stress, keep your band tight, and help you Always Be Performing. From essential stage gear like chapstick and a tape measure (you’ll get it), to the magic of “coopetition” among musicians, you’ll walk away with practical tools and mindset shifts. Corey shares how watching other players—and sometimes borrowing a rubber mallet—can lead to big breakthroughs.

But that’s just the beginning. You’ll hear how launching a Third Eye Blind tribute band taught Corey the power of planning, from finding the perfect frontman to handling contracts, stage plots, and backing tracks like a pro. Learn why tribute bands are dominating the venue scene and what it really means to “wear a disguise” on stage. You’ll also get into the nitty-gritty of tech setups—which apps might replace SoundCue, how to prep your tracks for any venue, and why slipping your sound engineer a $20 bill is a move worth making.

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 487 – Monday, June 23rd, 2025
    • June 9th: National Detroit-Style Pizza Day
    • Guest co-host: Corey Manske
    • 00:01:39 Everyone’s using a click (some of the time)
    • 00:08:02 Taking the stress off by using a click live
      • Kill Switch
      • 00:14:51 Always be performing means always putting on a show!
      • 00:17:00 Important gear to have on stage
        • Tape measure (drummer thing)
        • Chapstick
        • 00:19:53 The value of Coopetition
        • 00:22:15 Learning parts from other people
          • Mike Cosgrove at a NAMM party
          • SS Recognize
          • Rubber Mallet
          • 00:26:31 Playing the parts your way…and comfortably
          • 00:29:32 “Just don’t confuse the strippers, man”
            • Music is a shared art form…band, performers, audience
            • 00:31:05 SPONSOR: Bzigo Iris, your smart home mosquito detector. Stop losing sleep over mosquitoes. Take back your nights with Bzigo. Go to bzigo.com/discount/BUZZ10 and save 10% off.
            • 00:32:27 The experience of starting a Third Eye Blind Tribute Band
              • Started a year ago
              • The demographic is 50/50 M/F
              • Find the right singer, and the right band
              • Cover band is playing dress-up, being in a tribute band is wearing a disguise
              • Previously subbed in a Smashing Pumpkins tribute for 4.5 years, which gave some information and contacts
              • Venues figured out that Tribute bands are where the money is
              • Developing the backing tracks
              • Corey became the manager
              • 00:38:02 Becoming comfortable with doing the paperwork
                • Contracts
                • Hospitality Riders
                • Stage Plots
                • Details matter!
                • 00:40:16 Using an iPad to trigger tracks, clicks, and more
                  • SoundCue for iPad (non-existent)
                  • Replacement option: ShowOne for iPad
                  • Other replacement options
                  • We just need an audio player in a cart format!
                  • 00:52:09 The pre-production work so you can have the tracks live
                    • Frst, decide what needs to be there
                    • Decide the tempo
                    • Center the (mono) mix on where the backing vocal is. That way FOH can set the backing vocals and, boom, the tracks work in every venue
                    • Make a track for soundcheck, too!
                    • Also, give the sound engineer a $20 bill before sound check
                    • 00:59:34 Embrace technology
                      • Also, we really need an iPad app that not only triggers the sounds, but also the videos.
                      • 01:05:12 Gig Gab 487 Outtro
                        • Follow Corey Manske
                          • On Facebook
                          • On Instagram
                          • Contact Gig Gab!
                            • @GigGabPodcast on Instagram
                            • Sign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List
                            • The post Click Tracks, Tribute Acts, and $20 Hacks: Gig Smarts with Corey Manske – Gig Gab 487 appeared first on Gig Gab.

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                              Gig Gab - The Working Musician's PodcastBy Dave Hamilton & Friends

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