Help me be a busker

Cafe Society
1

So, somehow I’ve gotten into my head that I want to give being a street musican a shot, mostly so I can say I did it once. I play piano and clarinet, and as I don’t have a portable piano, I plan to be a street clarinetist. I obviously have a bit of time on my hands this summer to practice some songs and make sure I won’t get arrested for my stunt.

My question for you, fellow Dopers, is what should I play? What songs are melodic enough to be recognized sans lyrics and popular (or nostalgic) enough to elicit a reaction? I really don’t want to stand out there and have no one have a clue as to what I’m playing. So, what say you?

2

Are you for serious? No one on the Dope has anything to say about something? Ok, that’s it. This is a sign of the apocalypse and I’m going to run out and stock up on nonpershiable goods.

3

You want us to help you to be…a begger.

:rolleyes:
:smack:

4

I will give buskers money if they play something I’m not expecting (and if it’s played moderately well). I’ll pay for classical pieces over folk music, I’ll play more for more instrumental than if someone’s singing (not an issue in your case), and something that’s relaxing to the ear as I’m walking by over something that’s meant to show off your mastery of technique.

For a clarinet (and as a former player), I’d say that you should keep things in the lower register when possible (especially if you’ll be in a subway station or somewhere with harsh acoustics), keep your tone warm and not shrill, and don’t pander to the audience by transposing a popular hit to your instrument (unless you’ve got a genuinely unique take on the piece). I’m more likely to reward music I like, even if I don’t recognize it, over simply rewarding a song I know.

My $0.02.

5

I recommend a couple of things with the caveat that “I’ve not done this:”

First, I do know some cities requre a license for street entertainers – do yourself a favor and check it out – shouldn’t be hard or expensive.

Pick your times (Lunch hours, evenings and weekends work best I’m told)

Almost anything can work, but the more interesting you can make your selections (and more personalized – a little theme and variation jazz using popular songs, perhaps some nice classical transcriptions, and since it’s clarinet – for og’s sake learn some Polkas) will help you stand out and encourage people to listen.

Don’t dress overly showy, but dress nicely or stylishly.

Seed the kitty – and make sure nothing given will blow away A coffee can with a slotted lid works well.

Remember, I’ve not done this, but I do know a few who have and this is the origin of my limited knowledge in the area.

Good luck (and with any performing medium – thank your audience).

6

Pick some themes from Andrew Lloyd Weber. That’ll get you a reaction.

7

You can’t go wrong with songs that were hits for Artie Shaw!

One morning in Denver, I gave a clarinet-playing busker $5 for playing “Begin the Beguine.” And he played the hell out of it, too! Great song for solo clarinet.

Another one to have in your repertoire is “Frenesi.”

8

Only time I’ve given a busker money was back when I was a smoker – a (very good) sax player was playing some standard or another, spotted me with a cigarette, and instantaneously switched to “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”

I laughed and gave him $5.

9

Buskers are not beggars. They are street entertainers, depending on contributions. I give generously to buskers, nothing to beggers.

OP- play favorites, show tunes, popular stuff. Benny Goodman, if you can.

Assuming from your username you’re female, dress a tiny bit sexy (if you have looks) but not too well. Wear a hat, sunblock, comfortable shoes, drink lots of fluids.

10

Master of Puppets. That is all.

11

Nashville cops treat street musicians as beggars, tolerating them or rousting them as the situation indicates.

12

Sorry to hear that, but surely you understand it’s not like that everywhere. In NY, you must get a permit to perform in subway stations, and I’ve heard some of the best musicians in my life down there. You’ll see anything from a solo theremin player to a four-piece jazz band, or possibly a group of young kids breakdancing (or whatever the hell they call it these days!).

The OP will definitely need to find out what kind of city hers is before she starts–accepting of this kind of thing or not. But to call street musicians “beggars” is rude and inaccurate.

13

Yeah, song selection is everything. My all-time favorite buskers have been those that could play something not written for their instrument and still make it work. I once saw two guys play Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor on two accordians and absolutely nail it. I saw a quartet once (accordian, violin, bassoon and bass, I think) where the accordianist started tapping out a very simple, and instantly recognizable tempo on a cymbal at his feet, and the bassoonist did the Pink Panther Theme, and also nailed it. (In the Mood on a violin didn’t quite work though, but that may have just been the performer.)

Clarinet’s tough, though. I can’t think of any songs that would work well on a lone voice instrument like that. Maybe Solace by Scott Joplin. (One of my favorites.) Even all the great Benny Goodman tunes might sound a little thin without the band backing you up. Any chance you could team up with someone?

And I admire your courage. Let us know how it goes.

14

Which would indicate to me, that buskers are not beggars.

15

What–by the 3-Eyed Toad God, Tsathoggua–the hoo-hah does that mean?

:confused: :confused: :confused:

16

You may want to try to talk a friend or two into playing with you. I have friends who have busked, and those that took the time to make and rehearse a combo act always made more money than the soloists. They also had more fun.

Of course, it depends on the spot you play in. Some places just don’t support more than one person. Do not block foot traffic.

Pay attention to the crowd. If they’re starting to block traffic, ask them to make way for the passersby. Merchants in the area love it when a busker is aware of how their crowd affects the flow of customers. Needless to say, the guy who’s store you’re standing in front of can make your life difficult if he thinks you’re keeping people from his door.

Don’t let anyone near your case (with the money in it). A common thing street scum like to pull on unwary buskers is asking if they can get change for a large bill from you, then they walk off with some of your take.

Always keep some money in your case, but if you’re doing really well, take a moment to put some of it in your pocket. For some reason, no one wants to be the first to contribute to an empty case, and they tend to give less if they can see you’ve got 50 bucks or more already.

If the area supports many good spots for playing, move around every hour or so. It keeps people from getting tired of you. If there are other musicians competing for spots, find out how they line up and be willing to wait your turn. Good relationships with other buskers is a must in a busy music area.

Whenever possible without messing up your music, thank those that tip. Never make any comment of any kind about those that don’t tip when any potential tipper can hear you.

That’s all I can think of right now. Can you tell that I used to date a busker and spend many an afternoon hanging out with her in the Pike Place Market (Seattle’s best busking venue)?

17

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, keep 'em coming!

I looked in our municipal codes and the closest thing that could get me is being a “public annoyance”, so I’m calling around to see if that’s a big issue with the code enforcers. You don’t typically see a lot of this sort of thing around here, just an occasional dude with a guitar, so competition shouldn’t be a problem, and I intend to ask the owner of wherever I’m standing outside if they mind too much before I set up.

I don’t even know why I want to do it; I guess because I think it would be fun to try. Seeing a musician always makes my day because its unusual, and I’d like to make someone else’s day too. Therefore, I don’t think I’m “begging”.

As for getting a group together, I am in a marching band, but its tight social group, and I really don’t want it to get out if I do this, so asking for others to join in is kind of out. I might be able to get my boyfriend in on it, but a) he plays alto sax, which probably wouldnt improve it much and 2) he think’s I’m crazy.

18

Nashville police. As opposed to- for example- San Jose PD, or as opposed to the Tenn District attorney’s office. In other words, I don’t have a lot of faith in a southern towns line police officers intepretation of the law, especially as it pertains to dudes Civil rights.

Take a look at these crime rates:
Crime Rate Comparison - Compare US City Crime Rates?

Latest 2004 Crimes per 100,000 People:
Nashville, TN San Jose, CA National

Murder: 10.4 2.6 5.5
Forcible Rape: 70.43 28.17 32.2
Robbery: 382.8 86.4 136.7
Aggravated Assault: 1086.6 254.6 291.1
Burglary: 1230.2 397.9 729.9
Larceny Theft: 4527.6 1 558.8 2365.9
Vehicle Theft: 742.7 497.1 421.3

Nashville scores higher across the board that either San Jose or the National average.

Nashville is also known as one of the worst large towns (it’s about #30 or so) as far as civil rights goes.
http://nashvillecitypaper.com/index.cfm?section_id=9&screen=news&news_id=51305
*Frogge also said he is in the early stages of litigating between five and 10 additional civil rights cases against the Metro Police.

“The problem precedes Chief [Ronal] Serpas,” Frogge said. “I think 95 percent of police officers do a difficult job and do it well, but for those who don’t, there needs to be some accountability.” *

This

is ancient history to some, true.

*This * next cite is Texas, but…

http://www.texascivilrightsproject.org/newspub/clip_050726_panhandling_ordinance_overturned.html

*At just about any intersection of the city, you’ll find people asking for a handout or maybe offering to clean your windshield for a buck.

City ordinance makes that illegal in some parts of Austin, but a local judge now says that law is unconstitutional.

They seem to be everywhere – people at intersections, asking for a helping hand. City ordinance makes roadside soliciting in certain parts of the city illegal, and two years ago, John Curran got a ticket for it, but he says he wasn’t soliciting. …

A judge agrees saying the law restricts free speech.

“People by the street or on the sidewalk saying, ‘Give money if you can,’” Wayne Krause with the Texas Civil Rights Project said. “We’re not talking about homeless people attacking people. We’re not talking about homeless people doing anything except maybe making people feel a little uncomfortable.” *

Criminalization measures are bad policy and violate constitutional rights
…
Criminalization measures also raise constitutional questions and many of them violate the civil rights of homeless persons. Courts have found certain criminalization measures unconstitutional:
• For example, when a city passes a law that places too many restrictions on begging, free speech concerns are raised as courts have found begging to be protected speech under the First Amendment.

http://www.nashvillepeacejustice.org/campaigns/member_organization_campaigns

The Nashville Homeless Power Project (NHPP) is a group of homeless and formerly homeless confronting the root causes necessary to eradicate homelessness and oppression. The NHPP also protects the basic rights of those who remain on the streets and works to develop concrete solutions by building power through relationships with our brothers and sisters in the streets, allies, and decision makers. Among other accomplishments, the NHPP has:
…
Collaborated with Sheriff’s Office to open new service downtown that would decriminalize low-income people.
Stopped anti-panhandling ordinance heavily pushed by the downtown business association

http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/11/61208878.shtml?Element_ID=61208878
*City rose five places from 2003 standing

Nashville is not only one of the ‘‘meanest cities’’ in the country for homeless people, it’s also getting worse, a report being released today by the National Coalition for the Homeless says.

Music City rose five places from last year to be labeled the 13th meanest this year in the organizations’ third annual ‘‘Illegal to be Homeless’’ report*

A record of high crime and bad Civil rights awareness. Thus, like I said, I don’t put much trust in a Nashville line police officer’s definition of busking as a type of begging.

19

I have done this, though it’s been years. Also, I never played on the streets in America. Busking seemed a little more acceptable in European countries and was even fairly competitive. (Once you find a good spot, do NOT let it go.)

Americans in general will think you’re begging and give you money without paying any attention. Play what you like and try to notice people’s reactions. Even if people have no idea what you are playing, they may like it. I used to play some of my own stuff and people really liked it.
One word of warning… two actually.

People can be shitty. They might insult you and belittle you and call you a beggar and throw candy, gum or partially chewed suflower seeds in your cash receptacle. Herds of teenagers and the like can be a real PITA.

Also, people can be shitty. Kids making fun of you is not so bad, but you’re planning on standing outside with some money openly in your posession. Be aware of the implications.

Oh, I thought of a third thing too. People can be shitty. If you are in a competitive spot, other buskers or even just good-old-fashioned panhandlers might wish you were elsewhere. I should be working instead of posting, but there are several threads about panhandling and the money a good busker can make… don’t be surprised if the guy with the monkey and the grind organ sics the monkey on your ass!

20

I busked a bit and **SiXSwordS ** and **Saltire ** beat me to it in terms of what to be careful about. As for music, play stuff that is both entertaining and pleasing - imagine you were having a lousy day and found that you liked what the street musician was playing and it took your mind off your troubles and made you feel better - what songs would *you * be hearing?

As a guitarist, I just sang fun, cool old songs…