Gig Wisdom & Scheduled Fun Time with Matt Musty of Train

Update: 2025-12-01

Description

Gig Wisdom & Scheduled Fun Time with Matt Musty of Train — Gig Gab 510 episode image

Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look with Train’s drummer Matt Musty and host Dave Hamilton as they dive deep into gig wisdom, touring tips, and pro gear secrets. Learn why being on time, managing your role smartly, and balancing music, money, and the hang is essential for a successful music career. From handling days off and staying rested on the road to mastering in-ear monitors with creative mic setups, this episode is packed with actionable advice every touring musician needs. Always Be Performing with fresh insights that keep you inspired and ready for every show.

Discover how Matt approaches touring with diplomacy, band dynamics, and staying connected to home life while on the road. Explore favorite microphones for perfect in-ear sound, how to avoid a sterile IEM mix, and the importance of scheduled fun time to keep social media engaging. Whether you’re a musician, live sound enthusiast, or fan of the tour life, this episode offers a masterclass in professionalism and passion to elevate your musical journey and keep your performance sharp night after night.

00:00:00 Gig Gab 510 – Monday, December 1st, 2025
- December 1st: National Peppermint Bark Day
- Guest co-host: Matt Musty

00:02:22 Train continues to level up
- Train at Royal Albert Hall
- Train at Grand Ole Opry

00:03:40 Waking up the singer ten minutes before the gig!

00:06:10 Gig Advice from Musty: Be On Time

00:08:46 I’m not ever the guy who hangs around
- My job’s done

00:10:09 Managing your opinion

00:11:16 The long game of diplomacy is the key to a successful career
- The gig philosophy, 2 out of 3 aint bad:
  - Music
  - Money
  - Hang

00:15:51 Days off are tough on the band and crew

00:18:26 The risk of hanging out with your road-hosts after the gig
- Prioritizing sleep on the road

00:23:42 The Zen of the connection between you and your gear
- The no-soundcheck days

00:28:48 PODCAST: Album Archives. Count down The Top 300 Albums of All Time — one record at a time — with Album Archives | The Vault of Music History.

00:29:46 IEM Talk!
- Sometimes a broken seal
- Ideas for avoiding a sterile IEM mix
  - Matt put a “crotch mic in place: a Beyer M160 underneath the snare to grab the sound of the kit and put it through some reverb with compression AFTER the reverb
  - Audience Mics
  - Adding reverb to the drums and vocal mics
- Play every song like it’s the first time. Be inspired!

00:41:39 Finding the right microphones to capture your instrument for your in-ears
- Transparent mics like the Earthworks ETHOS on guitar amps or the Earthworks SR20-Gen2 on drum overheads