Today I had to drive someone to a doctor’s appointment and wait two hours to drive them back. Fortunately, there was a park near by filled with flowering trees and shrubs and the weather was cool and sunny so I walked around for a while and then sat down on a bench behind a peony bed facing some magnificent flowering chestnuts. I pulled out my whistle and started playing some tunes I had been practicing and a number of people came by and seemed to like the music and some commented on how moch they enjoyed it. I was sorry I didn’t put out my whistle case so they could throw money in but then realized I didn’t have a whistle case. At any rate, it was a very pleasant afternoon.
This got me to wondering how many of you fellow whistle players have played on street corners, subways, parks, etc. and have had people toss money your way? Is this something that could fill your gas tank or just buy you a cup of coffee? There must be some good experiences out there.
Some people who play for money and use instruments with no case just set a hat or a cup down for money to be thrown in.
I love busking, although I rarely do it anymore. It’s a very fun experience. And that’s what it is–an experience. It’s different than just playing at home for yourself.
I’ve busked a fair amount in Houston with my band. We usually found it more profitable busk instead of practicing at one of our houses… Note I said usually
Busking on the street, we never seemed to make more than $10 for maybe 4-5 hours busking. That’s total, split 3 ways. It’s just hard to get people to stop sometimes.
If we found a coffee shop or restaurant that’d let us play indoors, we’d usually make $20-30 each…that’s pretty good dough for busking, I think.
I have done it in the Mall before I just put out my hat but this is back whe I wore a hat. I have made abotu $10 or so at most but most of it was in change but with these coinstar machines it is not so bad.
When I lived in San Francisco many years ago, I used to busk for beer money. My strategy: Back in those days, bars had full buffets of munchies for happy hour. If you could afford the price of a beer or two, you could essentially eat supper for free. Since I got breakfast at my lodgings and lunch at my place of employment (I worked for a burrito shop), a couple of hours busking would net me the couple of bucks I needed to get a draft Anchor and a big plate of food at any number of bars in the city.
My session played at a local restaurant last night. Nobody gave us money, but the restaurant owner gave us food and drinks which would have cost considerably more than $30, and a few folks got up and danced.
i Love playing my flutes out in public,
many times people have put change or even a 5spot down in front of me(i wasnt really busking intentionally,just practicing)
2 most memorable “busking” moments.
i live near a beach (jones beach state park) there are parking fields on the north side of the parkway that paralells the shore, and pedestrian tunnels to pass underneath it,maybe 50 yards/meters long(maybe shorter) anyway,the acoustics/echoe in there is AMAZING. i play in there all the time~ obviously alot of people pass through,some love it ,some are obnoxious and lucky theyre still breathing lol..
so i was playing there 1 day after work,it was quite uncrowded, i was playing my native-flute and a woman was walking towards the tunnel, she looked very affected by the music and stopped at the entrance.i kept playing for another hour(3 total) and started gathering my things. she got up and approached me. i could see she been crying. she told me her husband was hopi and had been a NAF player,thats how they met. he died of cancer 6 months prior to then.
i had some of my cd’s in my car and so i gave her one,she pulled out $50 which i respectfully refused but she was adamant and insisted, i never spent it…
on a happier,shorter note: i was playing in central park up on a rock ledge. people would stop and look around to find the sound,hang a while and go.that was cool enough. then out of nowhere this adorable little girl,maybe 5, ran up to me blushing put a nickel on my lap hugged me and ran away blushing even more..in the distance i saw her mommy waving and waiting for her… that was jsut awesome
wow! lmao i almost forgot 1 (not so memorable i guess!)
in that same tunnel, playing,2 college girls heading towards the beach,smiling at me. 2 hours pass im still there, theyre coming back through,redder.stop in front of me,i keep playing.. *** Flash ***
Bwahahah, ok,so someone finally found a way to make me stop playing!
One thing I forgot to mention about my experience of playing in the park was that it gave me experience playing in an environment with many distractions to break my concentration. Being relatively new at the whistle, I needed to play close attention to what I was doing. Practing at home, if I hit a wrong note I often go back and play the correct one or work on that phrase. Playing in the park was more like playing for an audience but not being responsible for entertaining them. Like Wanderer said, it’s a great way to practice (usually). Think I’ll suggest this to the band I play in.
try playing an open-mic in a starbucks,with ice-blenders cranking,people talking laughing and hollering all around you’ll learn to ‘zone out’ real quick-like
i played my whistle for 1st time in public today at lunch..lucky i wasnt arrested for distubing the peace
I enjoy playing in public places, and, since my whistles are always with me, I can play them whenever I have a spare moment. I confess that I’ve never put my hat out to solicit donations.
Just a thought: Some malls, municipalities, parks ( federal, state, and local ), etc., have no sense of humor when it comes to busking, or even just the playing of music in public. Be careful where you play, and beware of unfriendly regulations.
I think it’s usually “safer” to play outside than at indoor malls or other such things. Parking lots are good because there are all kinds of people going to and fro. Just sit down cross-legged on the pavement and play.
There are sometimes other hazards associated with open mic’s:
The Borders bookstore in town used to have an open-mic one Friday a month for the local teen set, and we quickly learned to avoid going there those evenings. The first night we happened to be present when the performances began, we ( me, wife, teen-aged daughter ) actually had to leave because the racket being made and represented as music was just too horrible. This wasn’t just a generation-gap phenomenon, because other teens present that night and with whom I chatted also thought it was awful. Their response contrasts sharply with that of the doting parent of one young fellow, actually engaged at the time in profoundly unnatural acts with his voice, who was quite proud of a performance that would have terrified a troop of howler monkeys.
To general relief, Borders eventually stopped the open-mic events and now hire established local bands for an evening’s entertainment from time to time.
I agree. My rule of thumb is to be most careful if there’s a roof over the place. It doesn’t always work though: A recent thread by Anna Martinez seems to indicate that the city of Deadwood, South Dakota, isn’t too friendly towards people who play in public in the town square.
in nyc they have a permit/application complete with try-outs for certain high traffic places (penn station etc)
at the beach i play at i let them know,if asked, im only practicing.the troopers have hung around on occasion just to listen so no worries there. actually ones daughter now has a bamboo flute i made
I’m not a very good player but I love performing so I busked as soon as I could do it without embarassing myself–I can play Christmas Carols since they are easy.
Two Christmases ago, I made between $5 - $15 per hour, in SF BART stations.
Last Christmas, I only went out once, for about 45 min, but I wore my Dickens’ Faire costume (raggey patched skirt, fitted black jacket, top hat, scarf–think Mary Poppins street urchin). I made $25.
This year, I plan on only going out in costume. People loved it. Because trust me, my playing is mediocre at best!
I’m trying to think of some way to get the Renaissance Faire costume worked in because I have a feeling cleveage would net even MORE $$!
We are actually “sponsored” buskers at the local farmer’s market here in town. They set up a tent and we can bring out sound system and plug in. They will also move the sax and plastic bucket players so they don’t distract from us. We usually do this once or twice a month on Saturday’s during warm weather (and sometimes inside the market building in colder weather). We can also sell CD’s and pass out information about festivals, gigs, and lessons. Our best day was 5 CD sales and $50.
It’s hard to busk on public property here, because it falls under “solicitation” and you need a permit. MOST of the time the police won’t bother you.
Flash 
you’ll learn to ‘zone out’ real quick-like 
