Busking Advice

I am an aspiring street musician and i have only played a couple times, mostly just covers of various soft rock and popular songs on an acoustic with my vocals. so....
For those of you who have played on the streets, what kind of a set do you typically do/ have found to be most profitable. i.e. do you play and sing? if so what genre and is it a cover or original? or do you just jam out playing mostly solos? or something really sweet i didn't even think of?

 

you want to play with energy and clarity . people need to hear you , perhaps even before they see you . so for one thing a successful artist is very observant of the scene - mmm - like listening for echos - echos in the street canyon - echos in the people .

ya , be sweet and friendly . you'll be an artist of the people . your survival is guaranteed .

 

people tend to pay more when they hear a song they've heard before. if you're doing it for the money don't be afraid to play the same song two or three times a night.

 

Aye, I usually end up going through my list of songs twice in a night of busking. Sometimes I'll do another round of a chorus at the end of a song to draw in the people walking by, ya never know.. that whole "one more time" sometimes gets that person that would be walking by and hearing you're final word.

Another trick is bar hours.. start around 9/10pm'ish and end the night a little after 2am or so... last call sort of deal. Some people will be amazed when they see you still there, playing, after they've spent the whole night drinking and will want to drop a few for a song, sometimes more then a few.

Songs, thats for you to figure out, everyones got their style, and vocal range. Just try to cover a little of everything.. Eh, and add character to what your singing.. don't be a jukebox.

Remember, drunks are you're best friend.. so entertain them.

 

thanks for the help guys.
tikoo: do you mean find a place that has echos or avoid it?
and what's the etiquette on cussing in songs?

 

drunk people are the best when you're busking.

if the cussing is tasteful i doubt it will be a problem, but you should beware of d-bag cops and find out if your area has ordnances concerning public swearing.

 

for sure. nothing like having to hastily evade mr piggie after he's told you to move on a couple times already

as far as what to play... play whatever you feel like. i like making things up on the spot. a few years ago i was lucky to run into this fellow that picked a decent banjo, so we had fun with that. just whatever. if you're feelin it, it'll be much easier for 'joe barhopper' to feel it.

 

Try some Irish punk
go in the direction
of flogging molly
i did drunken lulibies
'drunken lulbeies'
Try some bluegrass
or some blues
do what suiteyou
dress funky like you are
hip or got some
gig your off too
good lucky

 

do a blues set. everyone loves those. either solo or with 2 buddies on percussion. or bass.

 

word of advice if u really want to hit the big time get an agent they earn every bit of their 10% working,but they can be a shady types,good luck and post your tunes in here i would love to hear them!

 

thanks for all the beta guys!!! i've been sticking to my soul and keepin a folk/blues style to my set...it's not perfect for the north idaho tourist town i'm playin in, but i refuse to cut my hair, take off my tye dye, and play country for these people. and at least i've been fortunate to have enough people drop money in my case to make it profitable. I'm always just pumped to be playing in public and meeting fellow musicians.

keep the stories comin

 

SMILE! Make eye contact with people, but not too much. Be focused on what you're singing, people will detect this - your absorption will influence them more. At least, these are the main things for me that work well.

 

I mostly know all the old "hippie" "protest" songs.
bob dylan
peter paul and mary
pete seeger
joan baez etc.

I'm kind of nervous about busking with those... so I have not busked at all... are those songs overdone/silly to sing in public?

 

Dude, I have a lot of busking experience, as overdone/silly as that shit may seem to some, if you can sing them well (with spirit) and reasonably back yourself on guitar, there will always be people out there who absolutely love that shit.
Don't concern yourself with what someone critical will think... fuck 'em
Play music for folks that need it.

Believe me man, there are a lot of people in this world, especially children, that have never heard a real life musician, playing real music, in real time.
So get out there! (if you think you're any good..practice up)
do it.

Good luck

ZW

 

i've done it - i used to make up a lot of songs

sometimes i would ask people their names and rhyme the name with various things

they seemed to find that amusing

if not, i could always rely on 'pay me and i will stop'

 

^^^My favorite was " I do this for a living folks, so please donate heavily..It will go a long way toward keeping me out of your cars in the parking lot"

ZW

 

i was busking at the line for the cable car at powell and market in sf - no cars to threaten, but a captive audience

[eventually the police warned me off for good]

 

Fucking fascists. :beatnik:

ZW :guitarist:

 

nah, i can be extremely annoying with a clarinet . . .

 

oooo, gotcha. reeds can be tough on folks.