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Thread: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

  1. #26
    Registered User Bren's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    I did some busking in Australia and the UK in the 70s and 80s.
    I did it because I needed the money. Never alone, always with someone else. Of course it was fun, but it wasn't self-indulgence, we did need the money and we focused on that.

    What I learned:
    1. Two is more than twice as good as one (just as bratsche says above)
    2. A bigger target (open case rather than hat or bowl) gets more money. People won't throw if they think they'll miss. "Salt" the case with some big notes, of course. But not too much.
    3. Play for twenty minutes at a time, then take a 5 minute break. Stay fresh.
    4. Stand, don't sit. Engage. "Lean forward".
    5. requests - hmm. Playing spontaneous requests can be a double-edged sword, but - the regular market we played, we knew the Italian, Greek and Pacific Island stallholders would respond to O Solo Mio, Never on a Sunday and Ten Guitars. (and all asked for "Danny Boy" - go figure) So we played them and got $5 bills, quite good in 1979!

    Things have definitely changed, what with prescriptive and proscriptive local government laws (and fees!) and amplification, not to mention hordes of middle-class types who will do for fun what you used to do for a living.

    Amplification really exacerbates the "turf wars" since it drastically reduces the number of buskers that can operate in a given space.

    There is something else, very important actually:

    People are just saturated to the point of resentment with unsolicited music in public places these days, often very loud.

    Buskers are most often seen as part of the problem rather than a welcome diversion.

    Good luck!
    Bren

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  3. #27
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Maybe not as welcoming in Arkansas* as it may, and seems to be, in big European cities,.
    with a thriving Tourist Economy.

    * University city ?





    ...
    Last edited by mandroid; Nov-06-2017 at 1:40pm.
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  4. #28

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Leyda View Post
    A friend made a killing busking with a hammered dulcimer. He was good but not -make more money than a plumber-good. Still people loved the instrument.
    HD ("lumberjack piano") is what I play (and accordians) when I play (solo) in public spaces. My experience is as above - not only do folks enjoy the instrument, but it's great for this type of environment especially, tunes and stuff: it's a pitched percussion instr so can be heard outdoors; big and resonant - even folks enjoy polkas!; play while standing; visually interesting; is one instrument I can play reasonably well with cold hands. It's fairly exotic to most folks - especially when I play Sakura or theme from Zorba the Greek, but is just as effective with holiday tunes. I can even play some of my harp tunes and be heard. It's my perfect solo instrument.

    *I've busked playing with others too - bluegrass and stuff. I've never done anything with electricity out there I don't think. In fact thats why I do the stuff I do - largely b/c I don't want to haul sound gear - even with the great gear that's available. I've grown to dislike set-up. I can't decide whether I'm lazy or enlightened
    Last edited by catmandu2; Nov-06-2017 at 12:43pm.

  5. #29
    its a very very long song Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Goes over quite well in the warm weather season here in Colorado. Money varies, but it's almost always fun.
    Jim Richmond

  6. #30

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by allenhopkins View Post
    I'd guess a bagpiper wouldn't need an amp
    ...

    Also, it's not fun if it rains.
    The pipes have quite the history in such application. Have you checked out the travellers documentary that circulated on the session in recent months? Really a fine piece.
    ...

    Agree.

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  8. #31

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    I was so bashful, I couldn't play with somebody in the same park, a block away.
    Now, I can drop the tail-gate in the wal-mart parking lot, sit and play away. Don't remember ever getting paid.
    Yes, having a buddy is way better. But especially if you get the bum's rush, for the same of effort, one can put together a real gig. Like a farmer's market (as mentioned), or a winery. Being invited vs. not is something I learned. There is a difference.

  9. #32
    Middle-Aged Old-Timer Tobin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    I've done some busking at the local antique mall, playing with my wife. We used it as a platform for her to get used to playing in front of others without the stress of having a focused audience. If we wanted more exposure to customers, we would play up front near the register and front doors. If we wanted less exposure, we could play downstairs in the far corner of the shop where not a lot of people wander.

    The customers enjoy it, and it's a lot more comfortable playing indoors as opposed to outside. The owner of the shop was always thrilled to have us play there, and it was pretty low-key and low-stress. Never made a lot of money doing it, but that's not what I was there for.

    It's a great way to spend a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, especially if you have someone you can play with and want to transition into playing in front of strangers.
    Keep that skillet good and greasy all the time!

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  11. #33

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by mandroid View Post
    Maybe not as welcoming in Arkansas* as it may, and seems to be, in big European cities,.
    with a thriving Tourist Economy.

    * University city ?





    ...
    We used to busk in Eureka Springs Arkansas. Very friendly people there. Busking in the park was almost like a show. People would listen and wait until you took a break to tip and chat.

  12. #34
    Capt. E Capt. E's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Austin has a busking ordinance. No fee or permit required, but you need to make sure you are not blocking access to a business or private property or obstructing free passage on the public right-of-way. Also you need to conform to the city sound ordinance.
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  13. #35

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by Erok View Post
    Title says it all.
    Of course it depends on you. But it definitely could be valuable experience. It greatly changed my orientation and attitudes toward performing. I became indisposed to gigging at night in the clubs, so I hung up my drums and sought opportunities to play/perform by day. And gradually I sought more opportunities to play/perform rather than entertain/perform. It was challenging to adjust to being solo; while I had plenty of solo repertoire, solo performing is different than ensemble work. So, lots of feedback to learn from. Much more personal interaction, so forth.

  14. #36
    Registered User gweetarpicker's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    On nice days, I often played for an hour or two on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, NC when I was in college, usually blues guitar with fingerpicks. I would make ten or fifteen dollars for lunch and string money. It was a cool way to practice. I was sort of a hippie way back then and was befriended by the homeless guys in town who would sometimes sit and talk to me. In fact, I was once offered a job rebuilding the altar at a local church. I had to explain that I was just playing for fun and that one of the actual homeless guys could probably use the money more than me. if you find a nice spot, you can meet some interesting people.

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  15. #37
    Troy Shellhamer 9lbShellhamer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    My band busks twice per year as a fun way to celebrate birthdays in spring and fall, and we invite some friends that aren't in the band.

    We play in the artsy end of town with a ton of bars. Its a very high foot traffic area.

    We make enough to buy drinks for the rest of the night after our 2 hour allotment! I think it's a ton of fun because the people walking by usually think it's really cool.
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  16. #38
    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    I busked my way around the country back in the '70s and on the streets of Seattle for a couple of years. It was almost always fun and sometimes pretty rewarding. It was always a sideline for me, but I have known folks to eke out a living at it. I still do it on occasion, but tend to go to a coffeehouse or restaurant for that kind of casual playing these days.

    A few things I learned then:

    ~ Keep it peppy and light.
    ~ Payday happy hours, weekend evenings in tourist areas, or mornings near popular brunch sites tend to be the most lucrative times.
    ~ Engaging the crowd with patter earns attention and tips.
    ~ Playing requests yields bigger tips, even with poor renditions.
    ~ Some people will make fun of what you are doing -- just smile and do it better.
    ~ Smiles yield bigger tips.
    ~ Check with merchants before setting up near their doorways.
    ~ Check with locals or spend some time observing the spot you want to play in before assuming it's OK to play there.
    ~ Don't usurp a local regular's spot.
    ~ If confronted, move along.
    ~ Dressing in a slightly outlandish or vintage gear draws attention.
    ~ Fingerless gloves can be your friend -- they let you play in colder weather and tend to generate sympathy tips.
    ~ People are more inclined to tip if they hear something they know.
    ~ Songs do better than tunes.
    ~ If you play tunes, do a brief intro the name of the tune. (Make one up if you don't know. People like funny tune names.)

    Seems like many areas where one used to be able to set up shop with the drop of a hat -- literally -- now require permits and scheduling and the like.
    Just one guy's opinion
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  18. #39

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by tonydxn View Post
    Never done it myself, but I once met a guy who went busking with a ukulele banjo. He claimed his best-ever day's busking earned him £800. He used to go to crowded places, like supermarkets on a Saturday. I think it may depend on your personality. That guy was a real bigmouth show-off.
    And a liar, I’d wager. Although, you could probably do about a quarter of that, in the right spot.

  19. #40
    Still Picking and Sawing Jack Roberts's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    In my early days of mandolining I had some time to kill while waiting for my son. I was on the main street of our town, which was smaller and more friendly at that time. I went to the car, grabbed my mandolin, sat on a bench, and started playing a Bach tune that had been going through my head that day. A dad and a little girl came by and they listened for a while. After a bit he gave her a quarter, she threw it in my case, and they went on their way.

    I still smile when I remember that evening.
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  20. #41

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by tonydxn View Post
    Never done it myself, but I once met a guy who went busking with a ukulele banjo. He claimed his best-ever day's busking earned him £800. ...
    Not sure what a £ is but Google thinks it's a British dollar (huh, looks like they don't use the Euro, I didn't know that until today - I'm even more ignorant than I'd realized! lol) so anyway let's see here, a converter website says that translates to about $1127 in US dollars...

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Cameron View Post
    And a liar, I’d wager. ...
    Possibly, but the guy did say "best ever day's busking", not normal or average day's busking. He left it up to the listener to interpret that as everyday normal intake. He said "best ever" which implies something out of the ordinary. Listeners/readers choose to interpret things in different ways.

    That day might have been the once-in-a-lifetime day when a generous millionaire walked past and tossed a bunch of $100 bills into the guy's case. Who knows.

    Of course, the busker guy's *intent* may have been somewhat deceptive, since by even bothering to mention that possibly one-time off-the-charts day he might have been hoping that people would assume that's how much he made every day.

    Not unusual in other occupations as well. Most of the people I know who've worked "percentage" jobs (where you get a cut of what the job itself brings in, instead of hourly pay) love to tell of their highest-paying stints, rather than the average everyday normal stuff which may be far less. You have to kind of extrapolate that down to reality, based on experience with that particular line of work.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Cameron View Post
    ... Although, you could probably do about a quarter of that, in the right spot.
    Probably. As you said, if in the right spot. And playing the right instrument, at the right volume, right songs/tunes, right personality, etc.

  21. #42
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Some buskers are crazy good. I wouldn't have the nerve to do it solo but a duo would be fun.

  22. #43

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    When my daughter was 19, she flew to Paris with her cello, stayed a night in a hostel , then connected with some other young folks sharing an apartment. Took her cello and played in a tourist area where she made enough to to eat and pay her rent, mostly from American tourists. Fluent in French, when Americans wanted to chat, she spoke English and told folks she was a music student at conservatory. All true, it was just a conservatory in Baltimore. Got a lot of complements on her good English which she explained saying she studied in America for many years, LOL. I think she was gone most of the summer. Hit the farmer's market at the end of the day when things dropped fifty percent.

    Wonder how many stories were told of the charming French girl they met playing down by the Seine.
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  23. #44

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    If I did it now, it might be fun (or would be for fun). You theoretically need a permit here (Santa Fe), but not too hard to get.My memories of playing on Guadalupe 40+ years ago are that I needed the money. You could buy two large potatoes and a can of Campbell's cheese soup for a dollar or so. Tips were also adjusted for inflation...bills in the case were few and far between.
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  24. #45

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Cameron View Post
    And a liar, I’d wager. Although, you could probably do about a quarter of that, in the right spot.
    well ya know there are spots and days when that can happen if you know the business. usually christmas eve

  25. #46

    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    i have busked in the uk, not very good, europe, france and germany are very good, italy so so, spain awful. canada and the usa. it ain;t carnegie hall, there are tricks to it. for instance DO NOT SALT your case. clean it out quite often, people stop giving as much if they see fifty bucks in the case. stand if you can, i busk a lot with harp--i sit then.

    some places have licences and auditions. that can weed out the terrible players. i prefer licenced places. did the transit systems in vancouver , toronto, montreal new york and paris. they all have different rules. some of the buskers are good, and easy to deal with and some are crazy. as a rule the welfare people are difficult and self righteous, but usually easy to avoid.

    play a lot of tunes and songs. i try some times to play untill i can't remember one more tune. once did that for 11 hours and hadn't run out. if you play the same places again and again people actually like that. play well. i knew people who zoned out and repeated the same thing over and over, they don't last, they get bored, and hate it.

    play your favourites. if thats dark songs paly them. people responds to music played with love and attention. and i don't use an amp. i find that people who want to hear come over and those who don't can escape if you don't have an amp.. and try hard to be interesting. that's the key. i have taken out a very quiet renasaince cittern and done well because people ask what it is and are entertained by the knowledge. and be nice to everyone no matter how rude. if you can't do that you will not last because you will start to be bitter or angry or both. it is fun, i can make several hundred a day at times, rarely less than a hun, and you play when you want to.

  26. #47
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone do any busking? Is it fun?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jill McAuley View Post
    One situation I encounter regularly are comments from incredulous people wondering "why on earth" a half Korean tattooed punk rocker is playing Irish music. Pretty priceless watching the look on their face when I open me mouth to answer them!
    That's great. I would think being able to engage passers-by with surprising aspects of yourself is an asset to street music. Makes one interesting, not just entertaining.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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