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Money beggin` street guitar playing


J J

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my buds and i take our guitars to the center of my tiny, tiny (like 2,000 people) town and just jam. Its kinda corny cause we seem like posing hippies, but hey, we are gonna do watever makes us happy. But to answer your question, no I have never made any money.

The forumite formerly known as Cooper.

 

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." John Lennon

 

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will finally know peace." Jimi Hendrix

 

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." Jimi Hendrix

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There are a few guitar players down on Beale Street in Memphis that do that. Even some local blues bands set up in Handy Park or down on the far end of Beale, they use a plasic bucket instead of a hat for donations. I've been thinking about doing that myself if I ever get up the nerve!
...touched down in the land of the Delta Blues.....in the middle of the pouring rain....
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Do it. Especially if you don't need the money. We did something like that down in Westport a couple of years ago. But, a word to the wise...Carvin makes a little battery powered PA. That would be a great thing to have...you'd be surprised how loud traffic noise can be.
"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Originally posted by Tedster:

Do it. Especially if you don't need the money. We did something like that down in Westport a couple of years ago. But, a word to the wise...Carvin makes a little battery powered PA. That would be a great thing to have...you'd be surprised how loud traffic noise can be.

Or you could get one of small, bettery powered mini-amps by either Danelectro, Marshall, Fender, Epiphone, EH, Smokey, or Crate.

BlueStrat

a.k.a. "El Guapo" ;)

 

...Better fuzz through science...

 

http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html

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Originally posted by LiveMusic:

What's a pignose.

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/tn/48/489050.t.jpg

Legendary Pignose portable practice amp, complete with pig-snout on/off switch & volume control. Case opens up for easy access to speaker and insides. You can even have a friend fan the case open and closed for a wah-wah effect! Also features preamp out jack for plugging those classic distortion sounds into external power amps, PA, or recording console. Quality-built with metal corner protectors, tough covering, and a rugged 6" speaker. Runs on batteries or optional power supply.

and the new Roland Micro Cube 15 is pretty sweet

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/48/480196.jpg

 

...but then, I'm a Roland Fan ;)

Lynn G
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I've thought about doing it. But I'd have to let people give me money to stop playing, otherwise I'd still be broke.. ;)

 

I remember seeing Finland's best street-musician, (I was at the festival where he won the title) Blue Man . (BTW, wonder if he's related to bluestrat) He was painted all blue, with a blue electric guitar, and he froze at some random position. If you gave him money, then he played for a while, and then froze again. How long he played depended on how much money you gave. He was a good player too.

 

As for amps, why not:

http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/prodbilder/164994.jpg

 

ELECTRO HARMONIX Freedom Amp, battery-powered guitar amp, 1x8"speaker, preamp-output, rechargable battery, handcrafted pine cabinet 209

- Bob Freebird

 

A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams

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Originally posted by Björn Fröberg:

I remember seeing Finland's best street-musician, (I was at the festival where he won the title) Blue Man . (BTW, wonder if he's related to bluestrat) He was painted all blue, with a blue electric guitar, and he froze at some random position. If you gave him money, then he played for a while, and then froze again. How long he played depended on how much money you gave. He was a good player too.

No relation to me, but maybe he either got his inspiration (or maybe he inspired) The Blue Man Group. They're the guys in the Intell commercials. :) They perform with PVC instuments. :cool:

 

http://www.blueman.com/

BlueStrat

a.k.a. "El Guapo" ;)

 

...Better fuzz through science...

 

http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html

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not really related or anything, but I was in central park in early december and there were a whole bunch of bands scattered around playing john lennon tunes. They had gas powered generators and everything. In an hour, my pockets were empty, but my heart was full :cry:

The forumite formerly known as Cooper.

 

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." John Lennon

 

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will finally know peace." Jimi Hendrix

 

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." Jimi Hendrix

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I lived off my guitar for a couple of years - mostly in my home town, Antwerp, some travelling in France, Germany, Denmark.

 

It used to be great until there were too many buskers around (half of which didn't know an A string on a guitar from the G-string between their bu...), which made me decide to get a regular job and play for a hobby.

 

If you decide to do this "full time" there's a couple of things you must realize:

 

- it's GREAT to be standing out singing in the sunshine, it's (a lot) less amusing when you're out while it's snowing, freezing your hand into the perfect barre chord...

-SMILE

- also, in summer people are less reluctant to part with their money, either because good weather makes them more sympathetic, or because they are on holiday or whatever, it's just something I noticed (whereas I am more inclined to give something to the guy who is out singing in the rain - chances are he REALLY needs the money, while the one getting a tan while earning some drinking money most of the time is less needy)

-SMILE

- do NOT expect appreciation - if you get any be grateful, but most of the time you will be considered a "burdon": you're in the way, you're too loud, you sing the wrong songs....

-SMILE

- ALWAYS stand up- or if you have to sit (lapsteel anyone?) bring a stool but DO NOT sit on the pavement

-SMILE

- learn a couple (that's enough, 2) of children's songs (you can play them in your "style", just as long as kids recognize them) - most of the time when people stop it's because their KIDS MAKE them stop, if they do, make you next song a kid's song, good chance you won't HEAR the tip fall into the hat

-SMILE

- don't rely on the street only, try to get some café's, restaurants where you can go in, play a couple of songs and pass the hat - beats standing out in the rain or snow for hours on those "days from hell" - just remember: don't always paly the same three songs when you go in - the owner/barman who lets you will get tired of them if the customers don't

-SMILE

- be prepared to play requests, they PAY. even play requests you don't know :eek: I once got away with playing "he'll have to go" pretending it was an Elvis song ("yeah man, its on that one album,... err forgot the name, but it's kind of blue, with him standing surrounded by girls and...") I was NOT going to let the $10 he was waving get back into the guys back pocket!! :D

-SMILE

- due to recent cutbacks, the light at the end of the tunnel has been SWITCHED OFF
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Some friends and I used to "street perform" in a local coffee shop. Not for money, though.

 

Basically, we would "preach" the love of God through our playing/singing. You'd be amazed at how many people would actually gather around and listen... asking/exclaiming, "What IS that? That's pretty cool!"

 

At one time we had 3 other "secular" guitarists asking if they could join in, and before you know it we were ROCK'N!

 

Those were some really cool times! :thu:

 

Peace :)

"Treat your wife with honor, respect, and understanding as you live together so that you can pray effectively as husband and wife." 1 Peter 3:7

 

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I`ve considered it a number of times but it`s not really my thing. I wouldn`t rule it out in the future but I`m not in a hurry to try it either.

There is a surprising amount of it across Asia-I was just listening to someone this evening, an American guy with a great voice but basically an intermediate level strummer, doing the classics.

I have often wondered how there are so many full bands out busking here-I think they must have portable generators. Several well-known bands here started as street performers. Most people here do it for the potential recognition, rather than the money. There`s an Andean group that`s really good, I think they`re from Colombia. I`ve seen them a number of times, they always have CDs for sale.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

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Me and a friend (that drum groove) were thinking about talking to the owner of a bar (that's by my house) to play out in front and get a few bucks this summer

 

It'd be real decent to because i pretty much know the guy

 

wish us luck :thu:

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