Ever done any busking? Not that I'm thinking about starting. But, with the new economy I'm noticing people are becoming more creative in terms of their livelihood.
I think it was Jon who tried to peg me as the archivist. Fair play, but in this I'm more intersted in an active, current, & timely discussion. Thanks, nicholas. I'm sure they are there. ;)
Pretty much from the original post. From where I am I do notice people getting creative due to economics. By creative, this includes artistic expression. Which is probably good, because for awhile now there have been panhandlers. It's changing. People are feeling something deeper; or they're not feeling anything at all.
Keep in mind ... this is my stream of consciouness response.
I've done a lot of busking in my time - my parents wouldn't let me get a Saturday job or paper round when I was younger, but strangely seemed happy enough for me to go busking!
I lived in Cambridge (UK) at the time which has a really good atmosphere for busking, unlike other cities I know.
I love busking as it's the best practice you'll ever get - the pressure of an audience makes you up your game a little, there's tha challenge of not repeating yourself for however long you're out for, but it doesn't really matter if you do mess up or repeat as no-one will really be paying that much attention.
You need to check out the local council rules for wherever it is you want to busk as they vary, with some places requiring a licence etc.
Tip #2 is to dress smartly so that even the most uninformed listener won't think you're some drunkard beggar.
Tip#3 is to remove all small denominations of money from your collecting receptacle as this encourages people to give you proper dosh rather than copper.
I always used to have a bottle of water (I'm a flute player so needed a drink when busking) or a well known brand name soft drink so folk don't think you'll be spending what you make on booze/
I used to busk as a way of collecting for my local cancer hospice and had a letter of authorisation and labelled collection bucket and made up to £1000 a day doing it. Quite often other buskers would join me to help contribute to the cause.
My view of busking is different based on what I have witnessed. It seems to be a money grubbing and attention gathering affair to me at least around the cities I have seen on the west coast of the US.
I like the notion of being respectful, viewing it as a self improvement process, and dressing nicely, and benefiting others, I actually think if I got that impression from busker's I would like them much more. I would prefer my child not busk, unless she met your criteria while doing so, and I think I might forward this to a friend of mine who does let her child busk.
Done a bit in the past, and occasionally see some session friends busking around town, always drop a £ or two in their box. I know the ones who're genuinely skint and which ones are middle-class dilettantes (like me)
I busk quite a bit and aside from it being a way to give my mandolin hating dog a break from me playing in the flat, it's also the source of a handy bit of extra dosh - I have a rewarding but low paying day job so there's many a time that my busking gets me thru the last few days before my wages come in.
This year there's definitely been a visible increase in buskers competing for pitches at a lot of the farmer's markets where I usually play.
When I was a starving college student (or, at times, a starving college drop out) I busked when I needed the money to buy something to eat. Made the most money juggling and riding a unicycle, but at times made good money playing music, too. Bluegrass banjo was by far the most popular, but then this was during the bluegrass revival in the late 1970s and early 80s.
Playing fiddle or juggling on the roadside also used to be a good way to get good rides when hitchhiking....
Talking of busking....On one side of the street at the Cavan Fleadh there was a group of middle aged musicians playing tunes. On the opposite side there was a crap guitar player busking. Naturally the crowd were standing listening to the musicians. The busker arrived over to the musicians demanding that they move as they were taking all his crowd. Me thinks the cheeky bugger had the wrong idea about a Fleadh Ceol. Needless to say the musicians stayed put.
I have done a lot of it and have done very well both here in ireland and in England.
i have sold cds as well, anything by jimmy shand normally is well received.
Thanks for all the responses. I've recently noticed it seems there are always buskers out on the street these days. More so than a few years ago. Good post SineadE!
I did once juggle three banjos. Didn't try it on the unicycle though.
The vaudeville era featured several acts that juggled banjo. Here's a review of one, the Howard Brothers.
"There are many players of banjo touring the vaudeville circuits, and banjo playing acts must posess exceptional features in order to be classed among the Novelties. The exacting demands of modern vaudeville fall most heavily upon acts of this sort. The Howard Brothers are far in advance of all other
exponents of this form of entertainment, and the musical possibilities of the banjo have never been shown to greater advantage than by these young men who play classical and popular airs, and give pleasing imitations, and cap their performance by juggling the banjos like Indian clubs between
them, and at the same time playing popular airs with wonderful precision and real art."
I tried it a few weeks ago, just to scare myself! It was ok, but pretty tiring (I was standing up). Wanted to do some more but I stuffed my neck up 2 weeks ago and can't play for more than 2 minutes before stopping, which is pretty useless for busking.
in vancouver, two people I kn ow make a killing busking. one guy is a piper (uillean) and he dresses the part, kilt cap etc. His busking partner plays bodhran and wears a skirt, a knit sweater, etc (somebody's stereotypical notion of irish, god only knows why it works). They get money for both playing (these are seldom-seen instruments out here) and when the jap and yank tourists get off the cruise ships they pay good $$ for pics.
One day in 1974 I ended up in a bus station in Glasgow at 7 o'clock in the morning. I'd spent the night in a steaming hot bus from Bolton with a dog (not mine) on the back seat just behind me yowling and throwing up all night. Compared to the bus station, that bus was heaven.
Agree with the jigs - if you can get people dancing in the street, you will rake it in.
In a former busker-life, three youngsters with 4 tunes between them, used to play brass badly in Coppergate, York. They seemed to be there before 9am every day. I used to turn up at 10am and give them £5 for saving my spot - more than they would have got if they stayed there - so everyone was a winner.
During the miners' strike, I earned more busking than mining,
During the miners strike even the miners who did'nt busk would have earned more than they did from mining, by not busking. Strangely though busking would have turned out the better bet as a "job for life". Just goes to show that ones parents are often wrong.
Its the thought of having to buy a shivering whippet in a coat that turns me off. That and having to associate with all those common people.
3. "Hat" management (always put some bills in, take out most if hat more than half full, put a funny sign or something shiny/bright to attract attention, get a hot chick to walk it around, etc.)
4. People management. Most people will just ignore you. If people show interest, lots of smiles and eye contact help. Find an "anchor" (little kids or old(er) women seem to work best) and play to them. If somebody drops something into the hat, give them the deferential nod of thanks.
Most vexing is "problem people management". Since you're playing on the street, sometimes at night and/or in entertainment districts, you will encounter all kinds of miscreants (interruptors, hijackers, critics, the insane, alcoholics/junkies/crackheads). I could write a book!
Not so important:
1. Musical skill. Beyond a surpisingly minimal level, it's irrelevant.
2. Wide repetoire. Keep it simple, and encourage audience participation (short of singing along).
We've occasionally interrupted/hijacked buskers on our way home from sessions,as in just played along with them for a while. Usually with positive financial results for the busker
Busking
Busking
Ever done any busking? Not that I'm thinking about starting. But, with the new economy I'm noticing people are becoming more creative in terms of their livelihood.
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Busking
There's been a few threads on busking. Try putting 'busking' in the search box for Discussions, and one or more of these threads might come up.
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by nicholas
Re: Busking
I think it was Jon who tried to peg me as the archivist. Fair play, but in this I'm more intersted in an active, current, & timely discussion. Thanks, nicholas. I'm sure they are there. ;)
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Busking
Never done it Seriously ---
But look's like, we all may have to soon - lol.
jim,,
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by FIDDLE4
Re: Busking
If it's you FIDDLE4U I hope they all throw in large bills.
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Busking
In Norn Iron? He hasn't a hope! Especially if he busks in Larne
Better prospects if you added a Paypal facility to your YouTube clips Jim.
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by deeor
Re: Busking
lots, why?
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by piobagusfidil
Re: Busking
Pretty much from the original post. From where I am I do notice people getting creative due to economics. By creative, this includes artistic expression. Which is probably good, because for awhile now there have been panhandlers. It's changing. People are feeling something deeper; or they're not feeling anything at all.
Keep in mind ... this is my stream of consciouness response.
# Posted on October 22nd 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Busking
I've done a lot of busking in my time - my parents wouldn't let me get a Saturday job or paper round when I was younger, but strangely seemed happy enough for me to go busking!
I lived in Cambridge (UK) at the time which has a really good atmosphere for busking, unlike other cities I know.
I love busking as it's the best practice you'll ever get - the pressure of an audience makes you up your game a little, there's tha challenge of not repeating yourself for however long you're out for, but it doesn't really matter if you do mess up or repeat as no-one will really be paying that much attention.
You need to check out the local council rules for wherever it is you want to busk as they vary, with some places requiring a licence etc.
Tip #2 is to dress smartly so that even the most uninformed listener won't think you're some drunkard beggar.
Tip#3 is to remove all small denominations of money from your collecting receptacle as this encourages people to give you proper dosh rather than copper.
I always used to have a bottle of water (I'm a flute player so needed a drink when busking) or a well known brand name soft drink so folk don't think you'll be spending what you make on booze/
I used to busk as a way of collecting for my local cancer hospice and had a letter of authorisation and labelled collection bucket and made up to £1000 a day doing it. Quite often other buskers would join me to help contribute to the cause.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by SineadE
Re: Busking
Thanks for the thoughtful post SineadE.
My view of busking is different based on what I have witnessed. It seems to be a money grubbing and attention gathering affair to me at least around the cities I have seen on the west coast of the US.
I like the notion of being respectful, viewing it as a self improvement process, and dressing nicely, and benefiting others, I actually think if I got that impression from busker's I would like them much more. I would prefer my child not busk, unless she met your criteria while doing so, and I think I might forward this to a friend of mine who does let her child busk.
Thanks Random for bringing up the subject.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by SandyBottoms
Re: Busking
Done a bit in the past, and occasionally see some session friends busking around town, always drop a £ or two in their box. I know the ones who're genuinely skint and which ones are middle-class dilettantes (like me)
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Bren
Re: Busking
I busk quite a bit and aside from it being a way to give my mandolin hating dog a break from me playing in the flat, it's also the source of a handy bit of extra dosh - I have a rewarding but low paying day job so there's many a time that my busking gets me thru the last few days before my wages come in.
This year there's definitely been a visible increase in buskers competing for pitches at a lot of the farmer's markets where I usually play.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by triplet upstairs
Re: Busking
Busking can be fun, when you don't have to rely on it for the essentials. When it's a way to make a living, it's a hell of a way to make a living.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Busking
When I was a starving college student (or, at times, a starving college drop out) I busked when I needed the money to buy something to eat. Made the most money juggling and riding a unicycle, but at times made good money playing music, too. Bluegrass banjo was by far the most popular, but then this was during the bluegrass revival in the late 1970s and early 80s.
Playing fiddle or juggling on the roadside also used to be a good way to get good rides when hitchhiking....
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: Busking
Can you juggle banjos on a unicycle?
I'd pay to see that
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Bren
Re: Busking
Good suggestion. I thik we should all give it a go. With as many banjos as we can lay our hands on.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by ethical blend
Re: Busking
Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, 2am Saturday night. The money just rolls in.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by curiadydrwm
Re: Busking
Thank- you ,, Random_humour ..
But it would likey be '' Large Bill Board's '' -- lol.
jim,,,
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by FIDDLE4
Re: Busking
Opp's
likely
jim,,,
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by FIDDLE4
Re: Busking
Oops,
oops?
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by sara505sings
Re: Busking
Talking of busking....On one side of the street at the Cavan Fleadh there was a group of middle aged musicians playing tunes. On the opposite side there was a crap guitar player busking. Naturally the crowd were standing listening to the musicians. The busker arrived over to the musicians demanding that they move as they were taking all his crowd. Me thinks the cheeky bugger had the wrong idea about a Fleadh Ceol. Needless to say the musicians stayed put.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Free Reed
Re: Busking
I have done a lot of it and have done very well both here in ireland and in England.
i have sold cds as well, anything by jimmy shand normally is well received.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Dick Miles
Re: Busking
Thanks for all the responses. I've recently noticed it seems there are always buskers out on the street these days. More so than a few years ago. Good post SineadE!
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Busking
I did once juggle three banjos. Didn't try it on the unicycle though.
The vaudeville era featured several acts that juggled banjo. Here's a review of one, the Howard Brothers.
"There are many players of banjo touring the vaudeville circuits, and banjo playing acts must posess exceptional features in order to be classed among the Novelties. The exacting demands of modern vaudeville fall most heavily upon acts of this sort. The Howard Brothers are far in advance of all other
exponents of this form of entertainment, and the musical possibilities of the banjo have never been shown to greater advantage than by these young men who play classical and popular airs, and give pleasing imitations, and cap their performance by juggling the banjos like Indian clubs between
them, and at the same time playing popular airs with wonderful precision and real art."
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Will Harmon
Re: Busking
I tried it a few weeks ago, just to scare myself! It was ok, but pretty tiring (I was standing up). Wanted to do some more but I stuffed my neck up 2 weeks ago and can't play for more than 2 minutes before stopping, which is pretty useless for busking.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by Bredna
Re: Busking
Don't knock busking. Justin Bieber did it.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by chris stolz
Re: Busking
in vancouver, two people I kn ow make a killing busking. one guy is a piper (uillean) and he dresses the part, kilt cap etc. His busking partner plays bodhran and wears a skirt, a knit sweater, etc (somebody's stereotypical notion of irish, god only knows why it works). They get money for both playing (these are seldom-seen instruments out here) and when the jap and yank tourists get off the cruise ships they pay good $$ for pics.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by chris stolz
Re: Busking
Novelty is the thing.
A jig doll will do the trick - 'course there'll have to be two of you but the rewards will certainly make it worthwhile.
# Posted on October 23rd 2010 by john knoss
Re: Busking
Spellbreaker quoth most jiggily:
"lots, why?"
May I nominate this for post of the year, on so many levels?
# Posted on October 24th 2010 by Steve Shaw
Re: Busking
"Glasgow, 2am Saturday night"
No thanks.
# Posted on October 24th 2010 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Busking
One day in 1974 I ended up in a bus station in Glasgow at 7 o'clock in the morning. I'd spent the night in a steaming hot bus from Bolton with a dog (not mine) on the back seat just behind me yowling and throwing up all night. Compared to the bus station, that bus was heaven.
# Posted on October 24th 2010 by Steve Shaw
Re: Busking
banbridge in june or july, can't recall which. a festival called BUSKFEST. run every year and is an absolute must!
# Posted on October 24th 2010 by James Morgan
Re: Busking
Play jigs! people tend to put change in your hat / case..
# Posted on October 24th 2010 by nik nak
Re: Busking
Agree with the jigs - if you can get people dancing in the street, you will rake it in.
In a former busker-life, three youngsters with 4 tunes between them, used to play brass badly in Coppergate, York. They seemed to be there before 9am every day. I used to turn up at 10am and give them £5 for saving my spot - more than they would have got if they stayed there - so everyone was a winner.
During the miners' strike, I earned more busking than mining,
# Posted on October 24th 2010 by geoffwright
Re: Busking
During the miners strike even the miners who did'nt busk would have earned more than they did from mining, by not busking. Strangely though busking would have turned out the better bet as a "job for life". Just goes to show that ones parents are often wrong.
Its the thought of having to buy a shivering whippet in a coat that turns me off. That and having to associate with all those common people.
# Posted on October 24th 2010 by ormepipes
Re: Busking
Most relevant:
1. Location.
2. Persistence.
3. "Hat" management (always put some bills in, take out most if hat more than half full, put a funny sign or something shiny/bright to attract attention, get a hot chick to walk it around, etc.)
4. People management. Most people will just ignore you. If people show interest, lots of smiles and eye contact help. Find an "anchor" (little kids or old(er) women seem to work best) and play to them. If somebody drops something into the hat, give them the deferential nod of thanks.
Most vexing is "problem people management". Since you're playing on the street, sometimes at night and/or in entertainment districts, you will encounter all kinds of miscreants (interruptors, hijackers, critics, the insane, alcoholics/junkies/crackheads). I could write a book!
Not so important:
1. Musical skill. Beyond a surpisingly minimal level, it's irrelevant.
2. Wide repetoire. Keep it simple, and encourage audience participation (short of singing along).
# Posted on October 25th 2010 by buskerjohn
Re: Busking
"(interruptors, hijackers, critics, the insane, alcoholics/junkies/crackheads)"
Ugh! Sound great - I was thinking of trying it out as a way to
raise money for instrument upgrades
# Posted on October 25th 2010 by Hup
Re: Busking
We've occasionally interrupted/hijacked buskers on our way home from sessions,as in just played along with them for a while. Usually with positive financial results for the busker
# Posted on October 25th 2010 by Bren