Busking

[n2ize]

well, I have a rehearsal tonight and I will probably get there an hour early so, to kill some time I might try my hand at a little busking out on the street. I doubt I am going to get any donations, that area isn't to crowded at this time of day except for a bus stop nearby. But, It will be a first for me, I'll kill some time, get in some practice and do some busking all at the same time. And who knows, I might end up being a regular busker.

[KG4CGC]

Video or GTFO.
Oh and Good Luck ☺

[WØTKX]

A local ham buddy of mine used to busk with his mandolin all over Boston.
Later he played with a very cool band in Nederland, CO for a while.

He's "played" in New York city a few times too. But this was, like, the '70's man. :cool2:

Hardly plays anymore, the talented fingers make more $ doing fancy finish carpentry.

[WX7P]

Used to do that with some of my Cal Band friends back in the 70's. We'd play jazzed up Christmas music outside of popular local bars in San Francisco. Usually worked out to about $30 a piece for seven people, a nice hunk of change back then. That was back when hauling around the sousaphone was not a big deal!

[KG4CGC]

That was back when hauling around the sousaphone was not a big deal!
Today that would get you interrogated if not simply harassed for being a public nuisance.

[WX7P]

Today that would get you interrogated if not simply harassed for being a public nuisance.

Not in SF. As long as you stay out of Seacliff or Pacific Heights, you'll be left alone.

Even though the sousaphone was only 35 lbs., it still made your shoulder hurt after carrying it around for 3 or 4 hours.

[NA4BH]

I tried it once, but the donkey kicked me.

[KG4CGC]

I was seeing a few street musicians in downtown Greenville during the months of May and June. July, August ... nothing. One was an African/Jamaican percussion group. Really talented guys. The others were younger, guitar groups.

[NQ6U]

Have fun, John, and remember: whatever you do, don't fuck up! No pressure or anything, but don't fuck up!

[WX7P]

Have fun, John, and remember: whatever you do, don't fuck up! No pressure or anything, but don't fuck up!

No Vivaldi please. Stick with the easy stuff.

[WØTKX]

John, do you look good in leather? :monkeydance:

http://youtu.be/NfB4Kit7AoA


http://youtu.be/NfB4Kit7AoA

[NQ6U]

No Vivaldi please. Stick with the easy stuff.

Yeah, maybe a little Paganini instead. Anyone can play that.

[WX7P]

Shit, I could play that. The guy sounded great, good intonation, but he wasn't doing anything particularly difficult.

Just need a pickup and an amp.

Thanks, Dave. Makes me want to break out the violin again. Sarah's been nagging me to do that for oh, 12 years now.

[WX7P]

Yeah, maybe a little Paganini instead. Anyone can play that.

Whatever, you, you, well, you know what you are!:lol:

[KG4CGC]

The Pope?

[n2ize]

No Vivaldi please. Stick with the easy stuff.

Yeah... Like Gustav Mahler... ;)

Actually I decided to hold off on the busking for a while. Besides, except for the people at the rehearsal who I'm performing with anyway there wouldn;t be many people around to hear me play on the street. And besides, they have already heard enough of my rotten playing... :lol:

[KG4CGC]

Yeah... Like Gustav Mahler... ;)

Actually I decided to hold off on the busking for a while. Besides, except for the people at the rehearsal who I'm performing with anyway there wouldn;t be many people around to hear me play on the street. And besides, they have already heard enough of my rotten playing... :lol:
Y'all should get together after a rehearsal and have a group busk.

[NA4BH]

Y'all should get together after a rehearsal and have a group busk.

Be sure to rosin up your bow before you start plucking.

[n2ize]

John, do you look good in leather? :monkeydance:

http://youtu.be/NfB4Kit7AoA


http://youtu.be/NfB4Kit7AoA

That looks like its being performed at the upper level of the subway station at Grand Central. I've never caught his act but then of late I haven't been using the GCT subway station all that often. His playing is pretty good. I would like to pick up an electric one of these days and give it a try. Although my preference is for acoustics I think it would still be fun to try an electric.

[n2ize]

Y'all should get together after a rehearsal and have a group busk.

That's a good idea. Maybe it can be arranged one evening. Might be fun. As long as we all don;t get arrested for disturbing the peace though... :)

[NA4BH]

The trick is to busk them just long enough that they want more. Add a few people each time. When they hear and see how you busk, they'll be lined up and waiting. Nothing like seeing a good busking. "They" appreciate it.

[KG4CGC]

That's a good idea. Maybe it can be arranged one evening. Might be fun. As long as we all don;t get arrested for disturbing the peace though... :)

Better than going to a bar and getting smash assed drunk.
LIGHTBULB! Arrange to play at a bar after hersal.

[n2ize]

Better than going to a bar and getting smash assed drunk.
LIGHTBULB! Arrange to play at a bar after hersal.

That may be an idea to consider when we switch to rehearsals on Wednesdays this Fall instead of Tuesday's. Tuesday is a very long hard day for me that starts at 5:00 Am and continues on and on leaving me exhausted. I am looking forward to wednesday rehearsals.

[n2ize]

Update... we had a great rehearsal last night and several new members. 3 new violin players and a new trumpet player. I need to get myself one of those portable folding music stands because with all the new members its getting harder and harder to find enough stands. Last night I had to share with some lady who was playing to my left and I could barely see the notes that I was trying to play. From what I see those portable stands are pretty cheap... $10.00 - $20.00.

[KG4CGC]

Update... we had a great rehearsal last night and several new members. 3 new violin players and a new trumpet player. I need to get myself one of those portable folding music stands because with all the new members its getting harder and harder to find enough stands. Last night I had to share with some lady who was playing to my left and I could barely see the notes that I was trying to play. From what I see those portable stands are pretty cheap... $10.00 - $20.00.

Ask her if she's a busker.

[n2ize]

Ask her if she's a busker.

She is European and If I did that she might stab me to death with her bow !! :lol: Or break my violin over my head !! Seriously, we need a bigger rehearsal space. The cello player to my right accidentally stabbed me in my arm with her bow while I was playing. If I end up playing next to her again I am going to synchronize to her bow. Up bow when she is bpowing towards me and down when she is bowing away from me. Hopefully next week we'll get to use the larger studio.

[Jeff K1NSS]

Have any video of you busking? That's pretty cool. Music often sounds sweeter on the street, ,especially delicate stuff if you can hear it, framed by rough cityscape. Used to go into Cambridge MA on nights they had performers around the Harvard Coop block. Lutes, panpipes, fiddles, resonator guitars, all the good stuff. Always some sound to get excited about, buy a CD, wish it was me playing that thing.

[KG4CGC]

Have any video of you busking? That's pretty cool. Music often sounds sweeter on the street, ,especially delicate stuff if you can hear it, framed by rough cityscape. Used to go into Cambridge MA on nights they had performers around the Harvard Coop block. Lutes, panpipes, fiddles, resonator guitars, all the good stuff. Always some sound to get excited about, buy a CD, wish it was me playing that thing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hinT64zvK0g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hinT64zvK0g

[KG4CGC]

I suppose I should include this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEAbv-rZy_g

[n2ize]

Have any video of you busking? That's pretty cool. Music often sounds sweeter on the street, ,especially delicate stuff if you can hear it, framed by rough cityscape. Used to go into Cambridge MA on nights they had performers around the Harvard Coop block. Lutes, panpipes, fiddles, resonator guitars, all the good stuff. Always some sound to get excited about, buy a CD, wish it was me playing that thing.

Sorry, no videos of me busking. reason being is I've never busked. I've thought about it but I am not sure if I am good enough. I guess I can busk out a few tunes that might not sound bad. Maybe one day I'll try it. For now the orchestra is the only venue where I play in the presence of others.

[KG4CGC]

Wirgin?

[n2ize]

Wirgin?

Sorry, if this is a joke I just don't get it ??

[KG4CGC]

Sorry, if this is a joke I just don't get it ??


reason being is I've never busked.
Wirgin.

[n2ize]

Wirgin.
Sorry I still don't get it. I play in an amateur orchestra and I am interested in busking but haven't tried it yet. If this is some sort of an inside joke or spoof then fine, use me as the butt of the joke. I do what I do. Otherwise my apologies, I don't get the joke..

[KG4CGC]

Sorry I still don't get it. I play in an amateur orchestra and I am interested in busking but haven't tried it yet. If this is some sort of an inside joke or spoof then fine, use me as the butt of the joke. I do what I do. Otherwise my apologies, I don't get the joke..

VIRGIN! You're a busking virgin! In Euro-speak: Wirgin!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavel_Chekov

[NY3V]

His Busking cherry hasn't been popped?

[WØTKX]

Jack White did a street show a few weeks ago in Denver. Wish I'd seen that...

http://youtu.be/vGTXtOKmYJc


http://youtu.be/vGTXtOKmYJc

[WØTKX]

I've seen this guy on the 16th Street Mall... very nice!

http://youtu.be/Kmw-HrbUvFM



http://youtu.be/Kmw-HrbUvFM

[WØTKX]

Here's another one from Downtown Denver...

http://youtu.be/z4IVsfkapyc


http://youtu.be/z4IVsfkapyc

[n2ize]

Jack White did a street show a few weeks ago in Denver. Wish I'd seen that...

http://youtu.be/vGTXtOKmYJc


http://youtu.be/vGTXtOKmYJc

That was great. He dresses like I do. I always wear black and a black hat.

[WØTKX]

I think you should learn to play Icky Thump on the violin, that would blow peoples minds.
Just rearrange it as an instrumental, it would be recognized. Might need a drum machine.

http://youtu.be/--pzyERfxOw


http://youtu.be/--pzyERfxOw

[n2ize]

A medley of performers that play in the NYC subway and transit stations.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmsQCnDQYpI&feature=plcp

Of course I could never bring myself to play under such deplorable conditions. ;)

[n2ize]

This guy puts on a show and takes requests...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIxYBZTTAdU&list=UU3jKeJ1V3zLAsQ4iaNHPsvA& index=14&feature=plcp

[n2ize]

This is another after hours performance in New York. At the same place the violinist above was playing. This performance is my kind of music. This is the heart and soul of New York


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loxul4TTPHk&feature=related

[n2ize]

I think you should learn to play Icky Thump on the violin, that would blow peoples minds.
Just rearrange it as an instrumental, it would be recognized. Might need a drum machine.

http://youtu.be/--pzyERfxOw


http://youtu.be/--pzyERfxOw
That's an interesting challenge. Let me give it some timeand ,maybe eventually I might come up with something.

[K7SGJ]

My favorite is and probably always will be the "Human Jukebox" in San Fransisco. He was inside a refrigerator box made up to look like a jukebox; and if you dropped a buck in the slot, he would do your request. Of course, that was 35+ years ago.

[n2ize]

My favorite is and probably always will be the "Human Jukebox" in San Fransisco. He was inside a refrigerator box made up to look like a jukebox; and if you dropped a buck in the slot, he would do your request. Of course, that was 35+ years ago.

Not a job for a claustrophobic !!

[suddenseer]

I've tried busking a few times. I was given money to stop playing, and go away.:lol: