Busking Tips

[@Miles_ethan]

I just started busking two days ago, and I made 100 dollars between today and yesterday. And it was amazing!!! I do a Beatles Act as John Lennon and play a bunch of Beatles songs. And i just smile and strum my guitar while singing it was a blast. A little chilly this time of year but I stuck it out.

[@gabeturner]

That's great! So glad to hear! Doing tunes like those will definitely draw people in. Keep it up! Where were you playing?

[@josephinedoll9333]

Really nice tips!!!!

[@charliewhite578]

awesome tips man, im a sax player, i play a lot of improv. I also play a lot of popular songs, I have a spot near a private school. and playing the latest hip hop hit(if playable) and i was dropped 10s 20s and 50s. Private school

[@gabeturner]

+charlie white NICE!!!

[@MsElleRenee]

I feel like we just hung out and swapped busking stories..haha

[@gridirongolf2928]

Kind of like a one-way swap.

[@TheMisterMonkeyman]

Thanks for the tips. I've been thinking a lot lately about giving busking a shot. Peace.

[@RagMama123]

Great tips! Thanks. Riock

[@remyfammm]

I play sax too and gonna give a shot in busking . My teacher is able to teach me except jazz, what would you recommend for me of study resources or books that might be useful for me to self study ?

[@deardamo]

Cool, nice tips and stories. Cheers.

[@MusicCaspar]

Awesome tips! But I have one question: I write all my songs myself, and I don't play covers, is that bad?

[@alexdraper1444]

Dude I'm just the same. I beatbox/drum on the streets and everyday I do it it changes. I make it up in the spot But if you play the guitar or sing or something like that, i like it more if it is original

[@gabeturner]

Caspar Auwerkerken Hey Caspar, Sorry it took me so long to respond to your comment :)... No, it's not bad to play your own music. I was just speaking from my own experience in the video. As long as people are responding to what you're doing, you should be good. Different people respond to different things. When I play a cover that everyone recognizes I'll have a totally different type of person stop and listen than if I was just playing my own stuff. I used to play for the late night bar crowds in Madison, WI which were mostly college kids... they responded to different music than the farmer's market crowd the same morning. You might be surprised how much cash you bring in just by playing a song that everyone knows and loves. Give it a try and see... it helps to mix it up sometimes. Experiment and do what works for you :).

[@MusicCaspar]

Thanks man!!

[@robsgirl6465]

A guy playing a sax vs a guy pounding on buckets? My cash goes to the sax guy. 👍👍👍

[@gabeturner]

Thanks. There are some truly great bucket drummers, though :).

[@ricoadventuravideos]

important to remember if you have a guitar it wont be the same as a sax or a drum..drums are the best but they get legal problems..so remeber how loud you are affects everything.

[@offensive_name6123]

"Pop out my horn in a busy area"

[@-Stinky_Pinky]

Thanks for your advice. I'm looking to start busking for the first time and I specifically have 2 questions. You mentioned there is somewhat of a code amongst buskers for reserving spots. Lets say there is a spot that someone routinely plays at, but is currently empty. Would it be in poor taste to play there since he's not there? And if he does show up later, would I have to give up the spot for him if I haven't been playing there for that long? I don't want to step on anyone's toes but i also wouldn't want to lose out on an opportunity. Second question is, have you had experience playing near or in front of stores/restaurants? I was wondering if you would need to talk to the store owner first since you are playing in front of their business. Also places like farmer markets, if you play outside of the market near the entrance, would you still need permission from them? I would be making money off their business but I'm not technically on their establishment so that's why I'm not sure. Thanks in advance!!!

[@gabeturner]

Hey there! You find out most of this stuff by trial and error mostly. If no one is at a spot, I would just start playing. I found that people would wait for a moment in between songs and talk to me about things. It's pretty much first come, first serve in most places I've played. I tried playing in the Paris Metro once and got shooed away by some dude speaking French. I think he was a homeless guy and I was on "his turf." I may have been just around the corridor from where he was begging and he figured it wasn't fair for me to get the people first. If I spoke better French I probably could've figured out a better arrangement. He might have said, "Go to this other location, there's no one there right now." But I got nervous and just stopped for the day! A similar thing happened to me in a London train station. Another homeless guy who told me to get lost. It's the homeless people that I've had issues with... but not very often. Mostly in huge cities. Usually musicians are super cool and friendly. You're in the same boat and they usually want to get along. My philosophy is "Go for it and plead innocence if there's a problem - ask for forgiveness later." Just say, "Sorry, I didn't know... I'll go somewhere else." It can be tough in the beginning to find the best spots, but once you find them you won't have to deal with that anymore. The right spot is KEY. When you find the best spots, you may need to figure out what time you need to get there to secure it. But... you can't play all day, right? Usually another busker will come up to you and ask how long you'll be there. They may go hang out somewhere and wait until you're done. They'll come back when you said you'd be done so no one else grabs the spot. If you keep going back to the same areas over and over you'll get to know the other buskers. Make friends with them and be cool. Then it will hopefully become easier to find ways to cooperate and help each other out as you're able. As for the stores / farmer's markets, etc. Just observe what you see other buskers doing. Be sensitive to biz owners, etc. but don't let that stop you from trying. Just say sorry and ask their forgiveness. If you're playing good music that's tasteful to the environment, many people will like it. One spot I used to play in regularly in Madison, Wisconsin I thought for sure that I'd get asked to leave. It was right across from an outdoor restaurant. But no one ever talked to me. I guess they liked what I was playing :). Good luck! Let me know how it goes!

[@-Stinky_Pinky]

@@gabeturner Thanks so much! You've been extremely informative and helpful. If Madison has a decent busking scene, I can certainly check it out every once in a while. I'm in Chicago, so not too far. I just left a band, and i'm really excited to not have to work with bandmates anymore. Really looking forward to busking and I really appreciate all your knowledge. Wish you the best.

[@gabeturner]

@@-Stinky_Pinky Cool! I haven't lived in Madison since 2008 so I don't really know what the scene is like anymore. But... I used to go out from 11pm-1 or 2am on State Street (where all the bars are) and there can be some pretty decent crowds. Some nights I did good and others I didn't make hardly anything. It was really hard to figure out why that was. Frustrating. Luckily I lived within walking distance so it wasn't much trouble to go down there and give it a shot. The instrument / kind of music you play can have a huge impact on whether people will throw cash your way. I found the drunks on State Street to be pretty generous from time to time. Ha!

[@Smoothguitar122]

Ok

[@ComedyChoob]

What if your a beatboxer?

[@gabeturner]

You might want to use a mic w/ a small amp. I would experiment with it & just get out there & see what happens. I can imagine crowds would like that sort of thing. Check back in here and let me know what happens!

[@ComedyChoob]

Where wouldi plug the amp in?

[@gabeturner]

Rachael Lozinski You can get battery powered amps. It's not impossible to find spots that have outlets either. You've just got to plan ahead. A battery amp would be way easier, though.

[@Smoothguitar122]

Thnx

[@gabeturner]

Thanks!

[@daniel20080206]

Gabe Turner how i electrificat my box music to play in street???

[@jamescoughlan8193]

" I love to take out my horn and start playing " ? childish I know but I had to laugh sounds so wrong lol . great advice though .

[@robsgirl6465]

James Coughlan : LMAO

[@harrykuheim6107]

I Busk...and I do not like Amplified anything....WAY TOO LOUD