Is it a jam session if no music is played? What if music is discussed? Your two favorite weekend warriors say, “yes!” to these questions, and start off the episode with a jam session about setlists.

Listen as Paul and Dave talk through a few of their recent setlist choices and how they worked out. During this, of course, you’ll learn about the beauty of shared guilty pleasures. We promise, all family-friendly!

Then it’s on to a few listener questions, including one about insuring your equipment.

Have an idea to share? Send it in to [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

The post Shared Guilty Pleasures – Gig Gab Podcast 211 appeared first on Gig Gab.

When you find an episode that has great catchphrases like “Woodshedding The Breaks”, “Stay Humble and Hungry”, “One Note per Word”, and “The Martini Metric”, you know it’s gonna be good. Listen as Paul and Dave, your two favorite weekend warriors, have a verbal jam session in which they not only discuss these things but relate them all together. Press play, enjoy, and always be performing!

The post The Martini Metric – Gig Gab Podcast 210 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Today, your feedback and emails send Paul and Dave down the musical wormhole to explore topics like reading music, dealing with sound reflections, and reacting to a crowd that’s not reacting to you.

Listen to your two favorite weekend warriors discuss all this and more. Press play, listen, learn a little, and enjoy the ride! Then send in your own thoughts to [email protected]!

Chapters/Timestamps:

The post Down the Musical Wormhole: Reflecting, Reacting, and Reading – Gig Gab Podcast 209 appeared first on Gig Gab.

This week finds your two favorite weekend warriors doing something they love: Digging into the mailbag! Listener Matt asks about using iPads on stage, which seems is always a hot-button topic.

Eric’s curious about guitar amp simulators, Chris has a question about managing two guitars in a band, and Peter has a question Paul and Dave never thought they’d have to answer!

All this, and all that, here on Gig Gab this week. Always be performing, folks!

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 208 – Monday, April 22, 2019
• 00:01:31 The Ubiquiti of The Midas/Behringer X32
• 00:02:38 The volume evolution
• 00:05:30 Send us your questions: [email protected]
• 00:05:53 Matt-iPads vs. Memorizing Songs
• 00:19:44 Eric-Using an Amp Modeler/Simulator
  • Amplifirebox
  • Dan Meblin on Gig Gab
  • The Cocktail Monkeys
  • Vox ToneLab
• 00:27:02 Chris-Managing Two Guitars
• 00:32:16 Peter-Fans and Food and Drinks
• 00:40:19 GG 208

The post Gig Gab MailBag: Get Your Eyes off Your Pad – Gig Gab Podcast 208 appeared first on Gig Gab.

When things are good you don’t think about it, but when the feel of your instrument in your hands changes… nothing else matters. That goes for what you hear in your ears, too. So much of playing music is a visceral experience, and any distractions there can really take you off your game.

Listen to your two favorite (and geeky!) musicians talk through some of their specifics in this regard, including Dave’s potential “Holy Grail” drumsticks. But first, one must examine not only the perspective of humility, but the value of the singalong. Paul and Dave walk through all this and more, plus a listener tip, too!

Press play and enjoy. Oh, and Always Be Performing!

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 207 – Monday, April 15, 2019
• 00:01:00 The perspective of humility
• 00:02:39 The job of the on-stage leader
• 00:08:21 New mixer in the studio – Behringer UFX1204
• 00:10:48 Mad Haus Tribute to (the) Queen
• 00:18:20 The Value of the Singalong
• 00:21:13 Andy-CSF-Boso Drumsticks
  • Vater Sweet Ride
  • Vic Firth 5B DoubleGlaze
• 00:29:52 SPONSOR: Bandzoogle: Built by musicians for musicians, Bandzoogle makes it easy to build a beautiful website for your music. Try for free for 30 days, then use promo code “giggab” to get 15% off your first year.
  • Check out Paul’s Bandzoogle site at svhouserockers.com
• 00:34:14 Uptown Celebration’s continued evolution
• 00:38:05 Experiencing the guitar player… who plays a horn instead!
• 00:42:26 “Let me tell you about horn players in general…”
• 00:47:28 Competing with The Weather
• 00:49:39 Gig Gab 207 Outtro

The post The Value of The Singalong – Gig Gab Podcast 207 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Your instruments are important to you, so you’ve got to take care of them – and that includes your voice. Paul and Dave talk through some recent troubles Dave’s been having, and then move on to properly caring for your audiences, too. It’s important to understand who your audience is at each gig, and what their expectations are. Sometimes it’s not about you… or your desired stage volume!

Finally, Dave saw a few cool things at SXSW that he brought home to tell you all about. You won’t want to miss this one, folks!

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 206 – Monday, April 1, 2019
• 00:00:45 Dave’s Throat Hurts!
• 00:10:31 Care and Feeding of Your Instrument
• 00:13:36 Corporate Gig Dynamics
• 00:18:55 Design your sound for the gig ahead of time
• 00:25:02 The volume pissing match
• 00:27:29 It’s Not About You – It’s About the Volume
• 00:34:40 Do you prepare for low volume? Let us know! [email protected]
• 00:36:43 SXSW: Single – Artist, Label, and Record Store Tools for Shopify
• 00:40:31 SXSW: SoundStorming
• 00:43:36 SXSW: Who Let The Dogs Out?
• 00:47:29 Vocal Warm-ups
• 00:52:14 Gig Gab 206 Outtro

The post Care and Feeding of Your Instrument – Gig Gab Podcast 206 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Dave’s back from SXSW and has a few stories to share about bands he saw. First, though, he and Paul talk through expanding your setlist, specifically from the angle of purpose. Why are you adding the songs you’re adding? Are they the best way to serve your band’s show? Lastly, a tip from listener Michael about creatively using wireless transmitters for on-stage submixes. All of this and more in this week’s Gig Gab!

The post SXSW, Singalongs, & Filling Your Setlist – Gig Gab Podcast 205 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Dave’s at SXSW 2019, and he has seen more than a few things worthy of a Gig Gab discussion. First he and Paul talk through the overall vibe of SXSW, and then it’s time to get into some specifics!

Amanda Palmer, Redd Volkaert, and Nashville all make cameos, but the big dissection this week stems from Mr. Jimmy, a Japanese guitarist, method actor, and historian who has dedicated his life’s work to embodying the spirit of Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin.

How far is too far? How much devotion is too much? And where can you make your career with all of that?

Paul and Dave tackle these interesting questions… what do you think? [email protected] is the place to send your thoughts!

Chapters/Timestamps:

The post The Mr. Jimmy Story – Gig Gab Podcast 204 appeared first on Gig Gab.

What do you do when you’re approached by someone at a gig who wants more than just a friendly hello? How about dealing with a booking agent who makes promises they won’t keep? Do you sell merchandise (versus just having merchandise you can’t sell)? And… what do you do to keep yourself inspired as a player?

Listen as Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton, your two favorite weekend warriors, talk through all of this and more.

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 203 – Monday, March 4, 2019
• 00:00:56 Mad Haus Stories
• 00:01:41 Fist Bump to The Rescue!
• 00:08:45 The Stage Adds 10-Degrees of Desirability
• 00:13:25 Managing the Booking Deals You Cut
• 00:17:00 The art of negotiating
• 00:23:40 The Consistently Incorrect Strike Zone of Booking Agents
• 00:28:04 Merchandise
  • Custom Ink T-Shirts
  • Merch.ly
• 00:38:47 Finding that relaxation when playing
• 00:42:56 Realizing you can do more
  • Keith Carlock playing Reelin’ In The Years
• 00:47:29 Beware the Lowest Common Denominator
• 00:54:15 GG 203

The post Fist Bump To The Rescue – Gig Gab Podcast 203 appeared first on Gig Gab.

Music is about emotion, and passion, and expression, and so many other intangible things. But how do you get there? What are the mechanics that it takes to make this happen? This is where Paul and Dave’s inspiration comes from for today’s episode.

How do you deal with playing with musicians for the first time? How do you deal with playing withOUT musicians for the first time? Are you playing music or making music?

And where the heck are you supposed to put that danged iPad?

These are the important questions, folks, and your two favorite weekend warriors endeavor to answer them for you!

Chapters/Timestamps

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 202 – Monday, February 25, 2019
• 00:00:55 Happy Four Years! And thanks!
• 00:04:00 No Matter What, Own the Gig, Don’t Just Survive It
• 00:11:50 The Superstition Detour
  • Superstition by Beck, Bogart, Appice
• 00:14:54 The value of stripping things apart
• 00:16:24 How good is your band?
• 00:23:10 The Mechanics of a Pick-Up Band
• 00:30:03 Making Music vs. Playing Music
• 00:40:20 Neal Schon’s Time Machine Tour
• 00:42:19 Bill-iPad on Stage?
  • Speck Cases
  • Stage Ninja Clamp Mount
• 00:49:38 A Time and a Place for the iPad
• 00:55:14 Smart Phone Etiquette
• 01:00:00 Go with the flow, or Choose your best path?
• 01:02:00 GG 202 Outtro

The post Music Mechanics – Gig Gab Podcast 202 appeared first on Gig Gab.