Busking, have you done it?

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:23 pm

Dameon wrote:
Solo whistle is definitely not a money maker. If you can find a fiddler, or a good rhythm guitar player, you're in business. I played with a harpist for a while, and that goes perfect with the whistle, but good Irish harpists are in short supply in most areas.

That's because we're wary of subjecting our instruments to street situations. Harps aren't as easily moved as a guitar or fiddle, and are comparatively fragile, so a drunk staggering into the busking pitch or an out-of-control kid on a skateboard...or even just a tourist too busy looking at a map to be bothered looking where he's going... can easily destroy thousands of dollars worth of instrument.

We have lots of good harpers in our area, but the only time I've ever seen a harper busking (on the street, that is, as opposed to at a Ren Faire, where crowd control is generally better), she was a blow-in with a Harpsicle providing new agey backing to a guy juggling acrylic balls (it was kind of a cool effect, actually!). I've occasionally thought of busking with the harp (the harp has almost a magical ability to draw people in, if for no other reason than that they're fascinated by it!), but have always ended up deciding that it's not worth the risk.

Redwolf

Dameon · Post by **Dameon** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:35 pm

It's also a lot of work to lug that harp around. My harpist got around on the bus, and I was always impressed by the kind of dedication it takes to busk with an instrument that big when you don't have a car.

It really does draw people in; and I was always jealous because next to the harp, people barely even noticed I was playing my whistle. Of course, his complaint was that people would always talk about how soothing and relaxing the harp is, and here he is playing a jig at 160 BPM. It's not supposed to relax you, it's supposed to make you dance! And every other request we'd get would be for him to play Pachobel's Canon or something in that line.

Ah, good times.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:45 pm

I guess whether an instrument is a 'money maker'
is relative to what other instruments do.
I don't think solo whistle is optimal or as
good as solo fiddle, but I do OK with
the Susato C. Maybe 45 bucks in three hours,
on a good day. Sometimes better, Christmas
rocks.

The Susato C is audible a good distance away,
it isn't shrill so one can wail. And over the years
I've developed a repertoire that works OK
where I'm busking. I think whistle, played well,
the right tunes, is striking, beautiful and unexpected
to passers bye. I do think I brighten people's
day, some of them start dancing. One could do worse.

FWIW, here are some tunes--I don't necessarily do
all of these on the street, but I do play a good number.
Any other busker-types have a tune list?

Both sides now, Endearing young charms, Dark Island, Hector the Hero, Off to CA

Fisher's Hornpipe, Brown Coffin, Rodney's Glory, St. Ann's Reel Soldier's Joy,

New South Waltz, The Osprey, Banish Misfortune, Peacock's Feather

Mikey Mahoney's, Road to Lisdavoorna, The Fort of the Fairy Queen,

Star of the County Down, A Week in January, Loch Lomond,

Favorite Things, I Will, Unknown Reel, Morrison's Jig,

Three Sea Captains, The Orphan, Yankee Doodle

Shady Grove, When I Am 64, Minuet in G, Sheep May Safely Graze

The Troubled Child, Coilsfield House, Lament of the lost Generation

Genevieve's Waltz, Bachelor's Farewell, Moran's Return

Desperado, Her Long Black Hair, Yesterday

Easter Oratorio, Israeli Tunes, Do You Love An Apple,

When Pretty Polly, Someday Soon, O'Carrolyn's Quarrel

Other O'Carrolyn, Silver Spear, Sargent Early's Dream

The Ashgrove, Simple Gifts, Shaker Tune, Oh Susannah

Turkey in the Straw, 8th of January, Welsh Lullaby

Danny Boy, Come to me, Bend to me, Planxty Irwin

They didn't believe me, Someone to Watch Over me

Morrison's Jig, Whistle Rag, St. Louie Tickle, Magic Flute

Blackberry Blossom, Cherokee Shuffle, Silver Spear

Black Orpheus, Long Lonely Summer, Her Long Black Hair

Come all you Young and Tender Girls, Maho Snaps, Irish Washerwoman

Toodle Sac, Whiskey Before Breakfast, How are things in Gloccamora?

Greensleeves, When Christ was of a Virgin Born, Down by the Brazos,

Rosin the Bow, Morris Dance, The Magic Flute, Red Haired Boy

Long lonely summer, Black Orpheus, Tennesee Waltz

Swallow tail Jig, The First Time Ever, Star of Munster,

Bag of Spuds, Off She Goes, Lucy Farr's, Roscommon Reel

Sailor's Hornpipe, Connaught Man's Rambles, Cold Frosty Morning

Blackberry Blossom, Snow on the Hill, Sailor's Hornpipe,

Flowers of Edinbourough, Gary Owen, The Girl I Left Behind Me

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:46 pm

Dameon wrote:It's also a lot of work to lug that harp around. My harpist got around on the bus, and I was always impressed by the kind of dedication it takes to busk with an instrument that big when you don't have a car.

It really does draw people in; and I was always jealous because next to the harp, people barely even noticed I was playing my whistle. Of course, his complaint was that people would always talk about how soothing and relaxing the harp is, and here he is playing a jig at 160 BPM. It's not supposed to relax you, it's supposed to make you dance! And every other request we'd get would be for him to play Pachobel's Canon or something in that line.

Ah, good times.

I can relate! I used to love Pachelbel's Canon until I started playing the harp...now all of a sudden it's not possible to escape it!

I think the harp draws people, at least partially, because it looks so darned complicated. They see all those strings and go "ooo...ahhh!"

Also, I'm learning that not a lot of people have ever seen a folk harp. They're accustomed to thinking of harps as something covered in gold leave in a symphony. When they see a small harp, it intrigues them.

Redwolf

Dameon · Post by **Dameon** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:56 pm

My set list tends to vary a lot based on where I'm playing, my feel for the crowd, my own mood, and what tunes I really like at the moment. Here's some of the sets I do, though:

Road to Lisdoonvarna/Swallowtail jig/Goat on the Hill
Blarney Pilgrim/The Kesh/Donnybrooke Fair (I call it the "Titanic" set because those first two were in the movie's "Irish party" scene)
The Monaghan/Kid on the Mountain
The Butterfly/Fig For a Kiss/Streets of Dublin (AKA the stop playing the damn slip jigs set)
Cooley's Reel/Congress Reel/Star of Munster
Fanny Power/Planxty Irwin or South Wind/Planxty Irwin
An Raibh Tú ag an gCarraig?
Amhrán A Leabhair
King of the Fairies/Rights of Man
Harvest Home/Boys of Bluehill
Garret Barry's/I Buried My Wife and Danced On Her Grave/Morrison's
Banish Misfortune/Tripping Up the Stairs
Drunken Landlady/Ships Are Sailing
Si Bheag Si Mhor
Star of the County Down/Limerick Rake (or rather, jigs I based on those two)

That's not all the sets of tunes I do, but they're usually in a "standard" one hour set.

I normally only do Greensleeves and Londonderry Air on request, and only if they make it worth the time and mental anguish.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:59 pm

Redwolf wrote:
I can relate! I used to love Pachelbel's Canon until I started playing the harp...now all of a sudden it's not possible to escape it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:05 pm

I posted this in the free reed forum. I'm not busking yet but I'm getting there.

Here's a harmonica story. I take my neighbor grocery shopping almost every Saturday. On the days he takes longer to shop than I do, I sit on the bench and play some harmonica. The cashiers have come to expect this. Yesterday, an older woman stopped in front of me after she checked out. She paused, looked perplexed, moved an inch, then stopped again perplexed. She didn't say anything and when I finished the tune, I stopped playing a moment. She finally looked directly at me and asked where my can was. I said she'd have to listen for free.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:51 pm

mute's got a groupie

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:26 am

I guess whether an instrument is a 'money maker'
is relative to what other instruments do.
I don't think solo whistle is optimal or as
good as solo fiddle, but I do OK with
the Susato C. Maybe 45 bucks in three hours,
on a good day. Sometimes better, Christmas
rocks.

I suppose it is relative Jim but less than €10 an hour is really pity money and by most busking standards, extremely poor.

Susatos do carry, I remember some years ago a local man, Galvin, who always played at the Cliffs of Moher was at it near the entrance there, before they dug in the Darth Vader centre and made parking and entry charges prohibitive for those just going for an evening's walk. I could still identify what tune he was playing 3/4 of a mile away walking along the Cliff edge (it was downwind in fairness on a winter's day)

The Laughing Imp · Post by **The Laughing Imp** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:36 am

Tim2723 wrote:The first and only time I ever tried it I was rousted by the police. A block away there was a guy sellng drugs to children, but a musician collecting spare change was a crime.

Where you in Salt Lake City? I swear somebody on the city council was dumped by a busker and passed laws to get their revenge. I've got to be within 5 feet from an imaginary polyangular line drawn from the curb to the nearest seagull and can only play on small 17" authorized zones in specific parks on Tuesdays following General Conference, unless there's been a southerly wind in which case I'll be shot on site. You think I'm exaggerating? Check out the location restrictions

http://www.buskersadvocates.org/saalega ... tOrdinance

OK, maybe I was exaggerating a little, but not by much

The Laughing Imp · Post by **The Laughing Imp** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:46 am

jim stone wrote:FWIW, here are some tunes--I don't necessarily do
all of these on the street, but I do play a good number.

Great list. Thanks for posting it.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:06 am

The Laughing Imp wrote:
Tim2723 wrote:The first and only time I ever tried it I was rousted by the police. A block away there was a guy sellng drugs to children, but a musician collecting spare change was a crime.
Where you in Salt Lake City? I swear somebody on the city council was dumped by a busker and passed laws to get their revenge. I've got to be within 5 feet from an imaginary polyangular line drawn from the curb to the nearest seagull and can only play on small 17" authorized zones in specific parks on Tuesdays following General Conference, unless there's been a southerly wind in which case I'll be shot on site. You think I'm exaggerating? Check out the location restrictions http://www.buskersadvocates.org/saalega ... tOrdinance

OK, maybe I was exaggerating a little, but not by much

Looks like you need to carry a measuring tape in your gig bag!

In our case, the buskers got dumped on because of the beggars. We have a lot of trouble with aggressive panhandlers in downtown Santa Cruz, and when the laws were tightened to protect downtown visitors, some idiot decided that the same laws applied to street musicians. We've been fighting it for years now (that's what kicked off the "Keep Santa Cruz Weird" campaign), and generally the cops look the other way when it's a performer, but it's still irritating to be lumped in with the guy who sits on the street corner with a sign saying "Never had a pony."

Redwolf

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:48 am

Redwolf wrote: In our case, the buskers got dumped on because of the beggars. We have a lot of trouble with aggressive panhandlers in downtown Santa Cruz...... it's still irritating to be lumped in with the guy who sits on the street corner with a sign saying "Never had a pony."

Aww c'mon, some people have good reasons for begging, take this guy for example:

dean · Post by **dean** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:05 pm

A couple of odd experiences I've had while busking include (all in the same city):

- learning that buskers [in one section of town] are allowed as long as they remain within three feet of the curb; you may only sit on things that you bring (sitting on the ground, fences, *benches*, leaning on poles etc is forbidden).

- "Pro" buskers and panhandlers with run you the heck off if you crowd their space. The "rule of thumb" was one busker per block in this area. There was no "official" policy but the pros were agressive about keeping their territory to themselves.

- one night i was playing whistle outside a bar. It was a nice evening, I was not making anything but the weather was nice and the people watching was good. I had my back to the street so didn't see the two, young highland bagpipers setup until after they started playing. What little "crowd" I had evaporated to the otherside of the street. My little whiste could not compete with volumn or cute kids. Sigh.

- the best thing that happened out there was one evening a man and his son stopped to listen to my playing. He asked if he could try my whistle. Well I didn't want to possibly sacrifice the one I was playing but I did have a sort of abused generation in my bag. I let him play that. Turns out he was a top-end highland piper in town for a visit and he played rings around me

It was brilliant.

kennychaffin · Post by **kennychaffin** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 2:14 pm

dean wrote:....
- the best thing that happened out there was one evening a man and his son stopped to listen to my playing. He asked if he could try my whistle. Well I didn't want to possibly sacrifice the one I was playing but I did have a sort of abused generation in my bag. I let him play that. Turns out he was a top-end highland piper in town for a visit and he played rings around me It was brilliant.