Busking tips?

Subject: Busking tips?
From: Salem Gypsy
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:02 PM

This time I'm not going to chicken out (I haven't performed in public since my coffeehouse days, many years ago); I'm going out busking! You folks who do it often, have you any good advice for me? I'd appreciate some! Thanks in advance!

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:03 PM

Talk to Breezy

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: breezy
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:04 PM

go nude

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:06 PM

LOL

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:10 PM

For Gawds sake check you aren't pinching someone elses patch.

There can be quite firm etiquette in some places as to who has the right to play where and when and woe betide you if you get it wrong.

If it's spot that's commonly busked ask someone or hang around to see if you can see any sort of a system in play.

Oh, and always put some loose change in your hat or case or whatever before you start so nobody has to be the first to contribute.

Nude would be cool too.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Chris Green
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:15 PM

Might want to check with the local police as well. Different towns have different attitudes to street entertainment - particularly if you're playing somewhere touristy!

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Salem Gypsy
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:26 PM

Where I'm playing is definitely touristy; I've gotten a street performers license; spots there are first come, first served (but stay away from the front of people's shops) and if I went nude, no one would get near enough to put money in my hat. Parents would cover little children's eyes, and the sound of sniggering would drown out my singing. But thanks.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: breezy
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:46 PM

dont go for volume, go for quality, play tunes or you cud nakr yr vice

Bikini then as a compromise, though I aint tried it meself.....yet!!!!

show off your license, enlarge it if you can, your license

If your no good then you'll have to play the sympathy card.

Where the hek are you going to be?

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 03:53 PM

Congrats on your ambition, and good luck. I sympathize -- I've been out of the public eye for about thirty years myself, and keep thinking about performing again but have not (yet) done so.

I put in about three years of seriously full-time busking back in 1970-72 and still like to talk about it. If and when I get back out there to perform again as an "older adult," however, I think I'll be more likely to show up at an open mike night than on a streetcorner, at least at first.

There have been *plenty* of other threads on this subject, some quite recent. I'm a bit surprised that the usual listing of "related threads" is not shown at the top of this page -- not yet, anyway. Maybe you could search the forum for the keyword "busking" to find some relevant discussions.

Currently active buskers Marion and alanabit have both offered plenty of good advice and insight in various threads throughout the past year or two. (I'm sure there are a few more names I should probably have included as well, but those two are the ones I immediately remember.) You'll see my name in those discussions more than once or twice, too -- you should probably take whatever I say with a grain of salt, since I *am* working from memory.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Salem Gypsy
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 04:46 PM

Thanks, Poppagator! I took your suggestion, and found a thread called "tips for a newbie busker", and read the whole thing, printing out Marion's advice. Great idea!

I had forgotten that you could do a topic search, I appreciate the reminder.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Jim McLean
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 05:34 PM

I busked in France (Paris and the Riviera) in the early 60s. I played the bagpipes and my pal played guitar. We used to walk past the cafes playing and if we got a good response (clapping) we would turn back and play for ten minutes or so and I would continue playing the pipes while he took the hat around. I suppose what I'm saying is that a gimmick helps plus good entertainment. What wonderful memories!

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Mr Red
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 05:45 PM

Apart from choosing the repertoire for the moment
if you amplify don't make it so loud the poeple can't be bothered to get near enough to give.
& one Dave Hart in NZ used to reckon was to pick rhythms that match the passers' by footfalls and lift ther spirits. Mind you he only played on a Fri mornoing in a subway from the train to bus station. Last working day of the week people want to be happy he magnified that a bit. Dance tune and shanties were his choice - rhytmical.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 20 Oct 04 - 08:36 PM

0.02c

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 12:33 AM

In the Northern Hermisphere - do not begin in late October.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

the days are cold and the nights are long - and the Salvation Army fills before dusk.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 12:38 AM

Any public-library approachable (not blocked) web sites listing easy access to 3-hots and a cot?

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Mooh
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 08:15 AM

I think it was Marion who posted some terrific tips on a related thread. Did you search first?

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: GLoux
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 09:52 AM

Marion's Tips on Busking

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 09:54 AM

Here's a link to another recent thread on the subject:

Busking is begging?

Since you've already found "Tips for a newbie," I'm not creating a link for that one, but here are a couple more:

BS: Non-monetary tips for buskers

busking

Busking

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Gypsy
Date: 21 Oct 04 - 10:40 PM

Smile alot. Make eye contact with yer audience......it really works. A tip a fiddler gave me; have the tempo match the foot traffic. You can then gradually slow, and draw them in.
Oh yeah, learn how to talk and play at the same time.....makes a huge difference.
Remember: You get no tips if you aren't playing. Seems elementary, but i see alot of musicians forget that.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Marion
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 04:26 PM

Hello Salem Gypsy. Best of luck, and let us know how it goes.

Gypsy said, You get no tips if you aren't playing. Well, that depends on what you mean. If you mean that you won't accomplish anything if you stay home watching TV instead of getting out there to play, then you're right. But if you mean that you won't accomplish anything if you just stand there talking to people instead of playing continuously, then I disagree.

Standing there talking to people can lead to tips AND to gigging/teaching opportunities, as well as to interesting conversations. Often people will want to tell me about their fiddling grandfathers or about the dances when they lived down home; and often people will approach me because they've always wanted to play the fiddle and want my advice or encouragement. I've learned things from the first group, and the second group make me feel that I've done my good deed for the day.

And even if you're not playing for some other reason, you will still get tips, mostly from people who heard you earlier. You'll even get tips while tuning up occasionally (I assume these are from the real music lovers). And taking little breaks will prevent repetitive strain injuries and make it possible for you to stay out there longer. So, you're not wasting time if you're not constantly playing!

Take care, Marion

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Spot
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 05:33 PM

'Allo all....some good advice out there...my advice is simple...get on with it and enjoy yourself...I do .....
                Regards to all....Spot

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 06:05 PM

The whole point is if you are there just for the money - you are not doing it right!

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: breezy
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 08:09 PM

after late Oct in the northern hemisphere, where?
I have played all year round for the last 18 years in the uk
I blame it on global warming.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 08:14 PM

Re: late Oct in the northern hemisphere, where?

OVER A STEAM DUCT.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 01:58 AM

Whoo Hoo!

Come back Marilyn, all is forgiven...

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: greg stephens
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 02:12 AM

I would agree very strongly with Marion saying it's good tot alk. You are definitely not wasting time by stopping and talking to passersby who want to chat, this is how you pick up useful/interesting information. There are limits, of course. 5 minutes per person is more than enough in most cases!

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: breezy
Date: 03 Nov 04 - 04:34 AM

It only goes down to -5 in the worst cases here, and that very rarely, its usually the wind chill.

Can lower the action dramatically on the guitar, I recall a Yamaha FG300 where the strings were flush with the fretboard. Had to send for my other guitar.


Certainly brings the colour to your cheeks.

Correct insulation essential.

It helped me to develope my fretboard hand ,block and barre chords are out, as its important to keep the fingers moving, or else they may freeze and drop off.
Strumming is no good either.

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 12:16 AM

My father's advice was, "if the weather is freezing, and you have no where to go, do not stay in your car, go to the nearest police station...they will provide a cot and a hot.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: alanabit
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 02:52 AM

I have given my winter tips before on other threads, but I'll repeat them again.
The most vulnerable instrument is you and your body, so that is the thing you should look after best. Wear a hat. Oddly enough, you should be careful not to wear too much clothing on the way to the pitch - especially on a very cold day. If you sweat, you can arrive at the pitch soaking and have a layer of cold, wet clothes on for your whole first pitch. This is how you get pneumonia and other lovely chest infections. You should make sure that you have good shoes and a hat. A lot of heat loss is from the head and feet. Until you are warmed up, it is good to have a scarf on a very cold day. It protects your throat if you are singing, and also helps make sure that less cold air is going straight into your lungs. When the temperature is around five Celcius and likely to fall, always cream your hands thoroughly before you go - and keep some hand cream with you. You are likely to get cuts on your fingers otherwise, and apart from stinging like Hell, it can get messy if you start to bleed over your instrument. A little charcoal hand warmer in your pockets, for warming your hands between songs, can be comforting. If you don't have one, simply putting your fingers in your mouth from time to time can help to keep your circulation going. It does matter. Don Partridge lost the use of the little finger on his left hand to frostbite in Canada one year.
The good news is that you can make good money in very cold weather. Then you can buy hot drinks and warm food for yourself and you are not dependent on anyone. Good luck!

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: breezy
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 04:12 AM

never considered the 'bleeding' bit before.

No connection to someone saying
''Look at that bleedin' busker over there''

The idea of applying cream to your hands sounds good, would that be single or double sir?

Good advice there alanabit

Was that finger from Don's strumming hand?

Mind you it does get even colder in Canada but Dan Mckinnon would know about that.

btw I'm at the Staines folk club at the 3Tuns on Monday

Subject: RE: Busking tips?
From: Marion
Date: 05 Nov 04 - 12:38 PM

In the colder weather, your fine muscle coordination is diminished somewhat, and I find it's a lot easier to play slow tunes than fast tunes in the cold. And it's easier to play simple fast tunes that I know well than something new or trickier. I certainly can't play all winter here, but I can extend my season a bit by making my repertoire easier.

Marion