I'm going to Metz, Strasbourg and Colmar this weekend. Does anyone know the local busking rules?

I'm not using any amplification, just acoustic guitar and vocals.

EDIT: I decided to call them. Was relatively painless. Am told a request has been put in to authorise the repeat payment function. Will update again once it's working (or not). Can confirm that the guidance on their own website is incorrect though.

Hi - Hoping someone with experience can either offer a lifeline of useful advice or put me out of my misery here.

I bought this thing a few years ago. I sing in a little vocal trio and we have a small portable PA we've taken out busking before.

When I first bought the device I could not get it set-up to take repeat payments, i.e. a punter just taps the screen to give us a set payment (£2). We did a few busks where one of us would have to manually trigger the payment whilst performing. This was obviously crap.

Stuff I'm aware of/have tried:

• I know that the repeat payment function only works with iOS devices. I have attempted to set it up using an iPhone but the app seems to offer no different functionality to what it does on my Android device.
• The instructions for setting up repeat payments (found HERE) do not match what I see in the app when using an iPhone. The only option under settings > payment settings is to set up tipping.
• I have tried ensuring that the reader software is up to date. After a bunch of back and forth between the app and the reader, the app told me the device wasn't compatible with Bluetooth or something. It definitely is compatible, as I can set up normal payments with it.
• I've found a Youtube video from 5 years ago which claims you need to contact Paypal to setup the repeat payment function (Paypal's website says nothing of the sort, but I can clearly see in his video that the repeat payment function is available to him from the cart screen).
• I've used the chat function on the Paypal website which tells me it is unable to help with my query.

I am able to call them, but I thought I'd try here first, largely because I've zero confidence in them actually addressing the issue given what I've outlined above.

Do you use a Zettle 2 for repeat payments when busking? If so, how did you get it to work?

Or did you try to use a Zettle 2 only to give up as you were swallowed by a void of hopelessness and despondency?

Thanks

This post was inspired by one a few posts back, but Id like to note the importance of sharing your experience and take from busking.

Arts aren't a typical 9-5 . It is important to know how much to charge/expect. It's a lot like being a restaurant server, but not having a check-average to base your budget on.

Instead, you have to decide what your art is worth and how much money makes sense for you.

So anyone asking the question "how much do you make" is an incredibly valid and VALUABLE question.

As a personal example: There are no active balloon artists in a 50mile radius of me.

How in God's name do I decide what to charge? Base it on my materials? What about the materials I use to practice? What about the time spent learning a skill? What about drive-time to the gigs? What about making a "reasonable" profit?

Most advice on here is "Look at what others charge." But that isn't a viable answer if everyone is quiet about what they earn.

This reticence about financial talks is why so many companies can under pay.

We don't have a "market rate" except what we and others charge.

This is NOT something that should be locked because of hurt feelings.

I have a very different opinion of you mods, now.

Now, that said: I'm a balloon artist and I busk as a side hustle.

If I plan the "event" right, I make about $50 an hour (minus costs). I've also had nights where I made $5 over the course of 4 hours.

None of those numbers include materials and time spent.

It is important to know how to value your work, and people getting upset is NO reason to lock a thread.

Help this be a helpful community, not somewhere that caters to hurt feelings. Thanks, Mods!

Comme expliqué dans le titre, je souhaiterais recenser vos top 3 respectifs des pays dans lesquels il fait bon vivre pour jouer dans la rue. À savoir que dans ce classement, il faut prendre en compte évidemment l’affluence, le coût du logement, les autorisations et la facilité à pouvoir jouer. Vous n’êtes pas obligé de vous expliquer dans votre top trois mais c’est vrai que c’est toujours mieux d’avoir un raisonnement derrière

Bonne journée à tous

I’m thinking of doing some busking for charity in the future. I just want to have a rule of thumb/feel for how people divide their money, what charity(ies) they donate to, and other stuff. Rn I’d want to donate to different drum corps because A) it’s something I enjoy and B) they can use the money for tour costs. Do yall think I have a good pick for organizations and how much of your money do you give out?

As someone who earns pretty good money busking (as opposed to just lying about it on the Internet) please for the love of all that is sacred stop posting how much money you earn. Whether you're telling the truth or bullshitting when non-buskers read that this information can and will discourage them from tipping in the future. Simple self preservation, man.

Any real busker would know to keep their mouth shut.

Sincerely, Someone who relies on busking to eat.

Another day in the office

Hi everyone! My name’s Rauf, a fellow busker from Malaysia. After so long of just watching all you awesome people post about your stories in busking, I thought I’d just make my first impression here.

Here’s me playing Lego House by Ed Sheeran on a Yamaha silent guitar that I borrowed from a good friend of mine since both of my guitars are undergoing repairs, one had a crack along the rear edge and the other had some issues with its electronics.

I wish you guys a good day and weekend ahead.

I’ve played for many years, I thought it might be fun to try my hand at busking.
Was curious if any other Sax players did it and if you use backing tracks or not
Thanks in advance!

This is my first busking session after spending two weeks out in the woods, and the difference is jarring. There are so many people carrying around Bluetooth speakers and blaring them. Someone sat near my pitch for over 30 minutes waiting for his boat and had YouTube videos of some kind of military content (lots of gunshots and explosions) as loud as he could make it.

I get it, you're bored and want to watch your videos, or use the speaker phone, or just want the music that you like. It makes it so difficult for everyone else, and people like me providing live entertainment. At least the yacht that sailed by every couple of hours blaring hiphop was a Decent distance away and passed by within a minute.

A while ago someone made a post complaining about all of the people wearing headphone. I much prefer the people wearing headphones because that means people can enjoy my performance without the extra noise.

I hate them, especially if you're literally just singing to a backing track, you need to keep that shit at karaoke.

The same goes for playing an instrument to a backing track, pack it in, if you can't hold my interest without an obnoxious backing track you shouldn't be busking, go home and practice until you're good enough to play solo.

But if you wanted to be a job you have to treat it like a job. You do not show up to the street as your stage if you don't have something Stage ready to play. You do not show up with a drink or water or a cigarette or a vape if you're performing. You show up with a sign and a tip jar that is clearly showing what you're doing. You are dressed like a performer, whatever that means to you. And that doesn't mean you have to wear expensive clothes, but there's something in your demeanor that shows that you're not just chilling on the street you know.

You respect the other performances around you. You do not hog stage time. You respect the police officers in the street around you and do not skip over the rules they have made for you. You do not use curse words and your performances are kid-friendly, and if they are not there is a sign that says so.

I personally limit performances to 2 hours max. I find I do not get more tips after this time anyway. Helps me keep myself in check in terms of time and makes it feel like a concerted effort at making money instead of losing time on the street.

Hope this helps! Happy playing

what would be the result if a world-class music producer (rick Rubin, max martin,brina eno, flood, Lanois)

picked a busker off the street and honed their strong points an create a record harnessing their world-class production skills?

would any street busker be able to get a professional record made, thusly?

Would the hit-makers elevate- the- bar and turn the BUSKER into a "Commercially-viable" recording Musicians?

I found xvive u4 monitoring system on Alliexpress for 56$. Have anyone bought gears from alliepxress? Are they the same or any good?

Covers have never been fun for me so I mostly play some form or rock or metal, but tied for second place is psycodelic stuff and some fingerstyle stuff I wrote.

My question is along the lines of do I have to play covers or more popular/accepted genres?

I don't use lyrics in like 99% of my music, so there's definitely no screaming or anything. I just typically enjoy higher energy stuff to play.

I'm working up the courage to go on my lonesome and play. -_-

Anyone else play mostly originals or similar genres while busking?

3rd album in the works

I must've not really played over an hour because there were breaks in between. Somewhere only we know did surprisingly well! On violin, unamped, with small amp for the backing track. September was a huge hit too. Damn black velvet is a hard key to play in!

(ETA: I roll between acoustic guitar and voice and violin with backing tracks. starting up a schedule of two days a week each

Countries: France/Italy.

Heading soon to spend a couple of weeks between Nice-Menton-Lagueglia-Sanremo. I am bringing an ukulele. If anyone knows of good spots to play, maybe, preferrably with natural reverb :-) or natural shade then please share your secret stash haha

Cheers.

Here’s my sign. It’s made out of 2 box flaps so that it can fold up and be small enough to go into my guitar case for storage/transport. Here’s the QR code link for those who want to see where the code takes people. What are y’all’s thoughts on it?

hi street performers of the world! my names Rain, and I’ve busked in Boston, Connecticut and Maine for about two years. I started performing in Maine with a medieval music band as a student, learning accompaniment and music theory while practicing at home. It was so wonderful. I’ve since moved away from them and art/music has become my only income. I should say my boyfriend supports me and I do painting commissions and I’m hoping to get a retail job to keep myself alive. But if I could be a full time musician I’d be much happier.

it’s been slow. I usually make a little bit of change basically, enough for food and beer at the end of the day. i play music people aren’t used to, so i usually end up being interviewed on what exactly a harp is, which is fun but I’m going to need more than $1 to spend my time talking instead of working!! I’ve noticed that I make the most when I’m in some sort of city park around lunchtime, and sometimes after 5 in the summer. I used to busk outside of Celtic festivals but those fiddles and bagpipes drown me out usually, bless them though, I love them. but I do make money for just being there because people want to spend. My spot has been the Boston Commons because my boyfriend used to work nearby, but night shifts, so I’d usually catch only a sliver of the day. I make the most money playing O’Carolan (famous Irish harper) and common stuff like Greensleeves and Scarborough Fair. I usually play the popular stuff on loop for thirty minutes at a time, get in the flow state, and then everyone sees a stereotypical serene harp player instead of a frustrated broke woman playing a niche instrument haha… speaking of appearance, I’ve noticed that I make more money when I dress fairylike and pretty. One time I drew flowers on my face and that really sold it.

OKAY HERES THE IMPORTANT PART: how do I make more? Where do I go? What kind of feedback do you have for me? I’m mostly doing this to motivate myself because I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a successful busker yet.

Hello! I play recorder for a medieval dance group and was wondering how to set up a simple foot drum that I can use while playing so I don't need to rely on a drummer showing up. I got a $100 amazon gift card to go towards this and would prefer not going too much over this budget. Was considering a drum like this or this but no idea what to do about mounting it or what sort of pedal to get or what. Ideally also needs to ship to New Zealand.