Busking, or street performing, is a common way to fine-tune your skills, get new fans, perform new places, and even make money while doing it. Despite the non-monetary advantages, there is the typical focus on “how much money can I make doing this?” Some musicians even favor busking over traditional gigging because they tend to make more money that way. Others give up on busking because they end up not making enough to justify the effort. There are also certain “barriers” to busking that you have to work past.
Be A Legal Beagle
You can’t just set up shop anywhere and start playing unfortunately. Some regions have anti-busking laws while others only limit you to requiring a permit. In many places, the permit is only necessary if you are going to perform amplified or plan to perform in a certain area like a park. Other places may require you to have a permit if you intend to collect money in any way, even if it is just tips. Figuring out first if there are any legal requirements you need to take care of prior to busking in a location can help prevent you from getting a ticket or even being shutdown.
Even if you find that you do not need any permit to perform in a certain place, be respectful of other merchants in the area. By performing there to make money, you yourself are a merchant. If you are going to set up in front of a business, ask the owner/manager if they have any issue with it. Many times, simply asking first will make them more receptive to you.
You may also have run-ins with the police occasionally even if you have a permit or don’t need one. If you draw large crowds, or are performing loudly, the police can ticket you for other reasons like obstruction or sound ordinances. Generally though, as long as you are respectful to the police and comply with their requests they won’t bother you any beyond an initial warning. Act like a jackass though, and you’ll just make things worse for yourself.
Use A Light & Simple Recipe
You don’t have to carry your entire guitar setup with you or a monster drum set. The more you have to carry and set up the more trouble you will have. Not only will you increase your workload, but more equipment means a larger obstruction and can increase your ticketing risk. Even should you get a permit to perform amplified, you still have to consider the sound ordinances. So when it comes to busking, smaller is better.
Start first with deciding how you are going to perform. Determine what instrument(s) you will use, are you going to sing and how loud, do you want to sit or stand the whole time, etc…. If you are going to play an acoustic instrument and you have a strong singing voice (or won’t be singing at all), then you probably won’t need any amplification. If you are going to use an instrument requiring amplification or need a microphone for your singing, then pack a small amp. If the place you are going to play doesn’t have any power sources available, then get a battery-powered amp. If you want or need to sit down while you play, then get a chair (or drum throne) that is easy to carry.
Should you decide to use amplification, remember your surroundings. Whether you are in a shopping district or a boardwalk along the beach, you need to remember there are people who may not care to have you blasting their ears out. So watch your volume regardless. This is especially crucial when playing across from a restaurant, café, or bar with a patio. People there will want to be able to talk so don’t be disrespectful and play too loud.
Think Like A Scientist and Experiment
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. – Albert Einstein
Unfortunately, Einstein’s statement doesn’t entirely apply to busking. If you play the same location, for the same time frame, with the same songs, every day for a week, then you will see different results. What you will see is a slow decline in how much money you make. People will pass through the area throughout the day giving you a varied audience, but there will be certain people who pass through the area routinely. They won’t want to tip you every day when they keep getting the same show as the day before. So when it comes to busking, think more like “doing the same thing over and over again will get diminishing results.”
Instead, think more like a scientist would, or like you were taught to think when doing science projects in school. Change a variable and look at the difference in your results. If you get less favorable results, then change again. Keep changing the one variable until you find the best results. Then pick something else to start changing. By paying attention to what you are doing and what seems to work and not work, then changing the aspects that don’t seem to work, you will gradually hone your show into something much more engaging. And remember, the more people who are engaged by your performance, the more money you will likely make. So what variables can you focus on when doing this? Well to start with pay attention to the locations you play.
Location, Location, LOCATION!
Certain locations may make you more money over all, while others will tend to make more money at certain times or on certain days. Subways in large cities will get a lot more traffic in the mornings and evenings when people are going to or returning from their jobs. Boardwalks and tourist-favored spots will do well other times of the day. Areas that have outdoor cafés and restaurants with patios will be better locations during meal times and days when the weather is better. Streets where multiple bars are located can be good for late evenings when people begin to bar-hop between them. The list goes on so pay attention to the times and places where you see better results.
You also need to be more aware of your volume in certain places. Is there already a lot of sound being generated in the area? Subways will be louder in general because of the enclosed space with lots of people passing through. In contrast, open markets won’t be as bad. You need to consider the base volume for the location so you can judge how loud you should be. You’ll want to be loud enough to be heard over the noise without getting too loud. Remember, you’re just the background music for most people there.
In addition to the general volume at a location, you need to think about any other performers that frequent the location. If you are playing guitar and singing just a few feet from a drummer, you’ll have to be louder to be heard, and of course they’ll play louder to be heard over you. If you were there first, then ask them to respectfully move a bit further away or play a little softer. If they were there first, then you can find another spot further away or ask when they intend to finish so you can have the spot.
Finally, you need to consider the safety factor of the location. You want to make sure the area is well lit if it is nighttime. If the area is open, try placing yourself where you have some sort of structure behind you like a wall, fountain, statue, or such. This helps in that you don’t have to worry about someone stealing from you when you’re not looking or putting a gun against your back. You also don’t want to play on a street corner with your back to traffic.
But What Should I Say?
Another point to focus on is what material are you going to perform? Will you be performing originals, covers, or both? If you are performing originals, people won’t know them unless they’ve heard you play before. Playing covers will mean you need to play songs that will be recognizable to general public. Also consider the song style of each tune. Something more adult-oriented won’t be good to play at locations where children are typically present, whereas the opposite of playing children songs for bar-hopping drunks won’t work well either. Playing an obscure Beatles song will work for Beatles fans, but not for the majority of your audience.
Using tricks like playing songs with a tempo more in time with the walking pace of people around you can also help get their attention. Performing recognizable tunes that you add your own fun twist too can also garner more attention, as it is something they know but played in a new way. Regardless of what you decide to play, you should aim for at least an hour of material. Sure the people who stop to listen won’t stay for the whole hour, but the business owner across from where you’re playing will be hearing you the whole time. So be nice to them and don’t play the same five songs over and over.
Break Outside Your Box
If you play only one instrument, consider expanding. Most people won’t expect you to be a virtuoso on any of them. So find an instrument you can bring along and will accentuate your performances. Think of the “one-man band” approach, where one person is covered in instruments and using them to create an interesting performance. Now I’m not saying this is the way to go, but adding something new can bring added spice to your show. Plus, playing a new instrument can get you thinking in new ways about your playing and writing.
Stomp Your Feet!
Well, not just your feet. Sway your hips. Tap your fee. Dance around while you play (assuming you’re not sitting). Be active in your performance. If you’re playing an upbeat song, then act like it. Don’t stand there not moving and looking at the ground. Engage the audience with the visual part of your performance as well. If you are playing a tune that is very emotionally charged, then play into that emotion.
Make Sure They Read Into It
If all you want to do is get out there and make money through tips, then you can skip this section. However, if you want to use busking as a way to reach new audiences and get your name and music out there, then you need to make sure your audience knows WHO YOU ARE. Put out a sign with your name (band name) on it. The fancier the better since you are a professional and not a beggar. Have business cards on hand so you can give them to anyone who wants one. A person may like your performance and want to hire you for a private party. Grabbing a napkin or scrap of paper to write your number down doesn’t look professional. Handing them a nice business card or having a display with your website and contact information does look professional.
As Frankie Says, “Relax!”
Remember to have fun when you get out there. Speak with people who stop by and make new acquaintances. If someone requests a song, then either play it or graciously state you don’t know it but will give it a listen. Sometimes things will go wrong while you perform. Batteries will die, strings will break, the weather may change, etc…. If you let it get to you, then not only will you enjoy it less but also it will translate into your performance. Then your audience will enjoy it less. At the worst case, forget about the money and focus on the benefits you get from this. Fresh exposure, getting practice performing in front of an audience, or getting to try out new material. There are many things you get out of busking beyond just making money.
Remember to NetWORK
Making sure you take time to talk with passers by is important, but so is talking with other performers. If you perform near other buskers, get to know them. Even if they don’t perform musically, getting to know them will open you up to new opportunities. For example, let’s say you make friends with someone who does pantomime just down from one place where you like to busk. They perform multiple places throughout a region during the whole week, and they notice that people in one area might like your music. So they suggest you check out that location on a certain day and time when they’ll be there, and next thing you know you’re making new fans and more money.
Even if you don’t have something like that happen from getting to know you fellow buskers, you should still do so. For one, you never know where that connection could lead. Secondly, if you are friendly and respectful to them you’ll gain their friendship and respect.
Promote Yourself
If you are not busking just to play on a day-by-day basis and are using it to generate interest in what you do, then make sure you promote everything you can. Have an album on iTunes? Great, let the audience know. Have CDs to sell? Put them out and mention them when you have a good crowd. Have a sheet out for people to sign up for your mailing list. If you see someone taking a picture or video of you playing, ask him or her to tag you on Facebook or mention your name in their posts.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide whether busking is worth it or not, but at the least you can use these tips to improve its viability.