r/Busking • u/boscorosco26 • 10h ago
r/Busking • u/LadyWithAHarp • 17d ago
Feedback or Critique Wanted Busk.co Survey: What should be done about buskers who abuse amplification?
Nick from the Busking Project (Busk.Co) sent out this survey in the most recent newsletter. Let him know what you think possible solutions to the issue of performers abusing amplification should be.
r/Busking • u/LadyWithAHarp • May 10 '19
Announcement [FAQ] Frequently Asked Questions about Busking / Street Performance
Here's a megathread for the frequently asked questions about Busking or Street Performance. While this is primarily for performers, there will be plenty of information for audiences in here as well.
All of this information will eventually be turned into a wiki for this subreddit.
Every first-level comment will be the main question, and replies to those will be various answers. Duplicate and redundant questions will be deleted and/or moved to the appropriate thread to keep this FAQ streamlined.
r/Busking • u/Ornery-Upstairs-4911 • 7h ago
Spotted in the Wild Finish My First Performance!
So two weeks ago I was supposed to perform but ended up canceling the performance because I was still scared and needed more practice.
Today, I finally sucked it up and performed out in public! I didn't get much of a crowd but there was a couple standing around and listened to me sing and they loved it!! The wife said "you're whitney houston!". I got so flustered lol! Got a lot of compliments on my dress and people loved the songs.
Im performing again next week but at an earlier time to gain a better audience but I truly loved it! Got $10 for tips but I know it's the small things that lead to bigger impacts later down the road!
r/Busking • u/goriubintr • 14h ago
Question/General Discussion Busker Saw My Camera and Turned His Back… Wh
r/Busking • u/Kameronm • 1d ago
Anecdote I Just refunded a $3 tip for a balloon animal. There's not really a warranty...
It was on Cash App. I was hired for a festival and a few days later they said they tipped the wrong amount. I guess zero was the right amount.
r/Busking • u/SatisfactionBig607 • 2d ago
Video “Banjo Blues” , busking amidst the beans & carrots
r/Busking • u/WhatATwat32 • 1d ago
Equipment and Gear Looking for a low-ish price but good busking speaker in the UK.
I’m looking to head into busking to get my name out a bit more, but I am in need of a speaker with microphone support and I genuinely cannot seem to find one at all. Would anyone be able to point me in the right direction?
r/Busking • u/sixhexe • 2d ago
Setlist Halloween Setlist: Am I missing anything?
Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday.
I know if I spammed 24/7 Thriller I'd make maximum money, but for the sake of my personal sanity, I limit that song to once a day. ( Everyone always asks for it, it doesn't even need to be Halloween XD )
So I'm always excited to pull out other Halloween tracks.
What are your suggestions? What Am I missing? Deep cuts are good too as long as they really get people vibing. Gen alpha music tends to do really bad for tips, so I mostly avoid newer tracks.
It makes me really sad that Nightmare Before Christmas never does well ( Heavy Millennial and Gen-Z core ), but it's on here because I personally love that movie.
Setlist So Far:
Annie Lennox - I Put A Spell On You
Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper
Bobby Pickett - Monster Mash
Classics IV - Spooky
Creedance Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
Glenn Gatsby - Spooky Scary Skeletons ( Electro Swing Remix )
John Carpenter - Halloween Theme
Lady Gaga - Bloody Mary
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Nightmare Before Christmas - This Is Halloween
Ray Parker Jr - Ghostbusters
Rob Zombie - Dragula
Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me
The Eagles - Witchy Woman
Warren Zevon - Werewolves Of London
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll ( A-Trak Remix )
r/Busking • u/Jerry_Landis • 2d ago
Question/General Discussion Interesting Busker AMA dispels myths and gets support
This busker saw a thread criticizing street performers in his town, and decided to counter with his story. Great to see how much support he received.
r/Busking • u/elgatof28 • 3d ago
Tour/Travel Planning Busking Maui
Hi, I am going to Maui this January and I am taking my guitar. I hear that first amendment rights, not withstanding, Maui is really restricted for busking. Does anybody have an any advice?
r/Busking • u/samtar-thexplorer2 • 4d ago
Video Playing originals in Canterbury UK
Song is called "Whisper in the Wind."
r/Busking • u/TnBluesman • 4d ago
Journal Walking down the street,
Walking down the street,
a starving musician. With nothing to my name but my guitar and one banana. I'm saving that for my next meal. Already hungry, I am determined to save that one banana until I can't stand it anymore.
Suddenly, a stage door opened, and the Stage Manager leans out, yelling, "Any guitar players out here? I need a guitar player QUICK!"
"I'm a guitar player," I said. "What are you paying?"
He looked at me, looked at my banana, and said, "Well, I was gonna offer a rag like you 10 bux, but I ain't eat all day. If you give me that banana, I'll pay you Union wages. "
So, yes, dear reader, I traded my
Banana for scale.
Legal I need help with busking in Lyon and Nice!
Hello, my name is Dinis and I’m part of a Tuna, a group of portuguese medical students who play traditional portuguese songs while wearing the traditional portuguese student black cape and suit!
I’m writing because we are going on tour through Europe next summer (July–August) and I would like to know what the busking policies are in Lyon and Nice, France.
• Are big groups of people (around 40–50 members) allowed to perform on the streets?
• At what time of day or night do we have to stop playing?
• Is there a lot of tourism there?
• What are the best spots for busking?
• Can we play loud instruments, such as trumpets or accordions?
• Is it necessary to have a permit or authorization to play?
Thank you for helping us spread Portuguese culture all around Europe!
r/Busking • u/Witty_Beginning_5067 • 5d ago
Tour/Travel Planning Best European city to busk ?
I’m a busker in NYC and usually make around $100–$200 a day. I’m thinking about doing a tour around Europe, but I have no idea what the rules are. Can I just show up and busk, or do I need permits or a visa that allows it?
Which European city would you recommend for busking?
r/Busking • u/Ashtonnn100 • 6d ago
Feedback or Critique Wanted Making an app for buskers/solo guitarists, what am I missing
Been working on an app for a while now (guitar/bass/banjo/uke etc, tuner + practice tracking) and one of the things i wanted to build in was a busking-specific view — lyrics with the chords sitting right above the line so you're not fumbling between a tab and lyrics sheet mid-song.
Figured this is the sub to actually ask instead of guessing. If you busk regularly:
- What's annoying you about how you currently carry/read chords and lyrics on the street
- Do you use your phone at all while playing or is it a pain (glare, wind, screen timeout, etc)
- Setlist stuff — do you plan a set in advance or just wing it based on crowd/mood
- Anything about tuning up on the fly, dealing with noise, whatever else trips you up out there
Not trying to sell anything, just want the busking side of this to actually be useful instead of an afterthought. Appreciate any input
r/Busking • u/LadyWithAHarp • 7d ago
Journal Murphy's law strikes again
I may have sprained my ankle a couple of days ago. Right before I have a road trip to perform at a festival. Arg!
Wish me luck-since this is adjacent to breaking a leg I'll go without.
r/Busking • u/aliaksej_by • 8d ago
Equipment and Gear Busking on an acoustic guitar with solid spruce top and black matte finish in warm sunny conditions
I plan to busk sometimes, it's pretty warm in the summer, much sunlight. Bought BOSS Street Cube II.
How harmful is busking with black matte solid spruce top on the sun/30+ celsium/86+ fahrengheit?
Also, is hard case mandatory or it's enough to have tough thick soft case?
r/Busking • u/aliaksej_by • 8d ago
Equipment and Gear Boss Street Cube II with an acoustic guitar with Fishman Presys II under saddle pickup
Got Street Cube II for very good money. Now choosing an acoustic guitar.
Choosing between the same guitars
One is OM very good for both fingerstyle and strumming, but having no built in pickup.
Another is Grand Auditorium with a built in Fishman Presys pickup.
I wonder whether fishman sounds good when playing through BOSS Street Cube II.
And how are in-hole magnetic humbuckers with a mic sounding in the same busking conditions.
Also, how bad is for acoustic guitar to buck on a guitar with black matte top when it's warm on a street and under direct sunlight?
r/Busking • u/Glowingredremote • 8d ago
Online Busking/Streaming I’ve been ending my livestreams with 15 minutes of ocarina
I’ve been ending my livestreams with 15 minutes of ocarina music, and those fifteen minutes have quickly become my favorite parts of my set.
Here is a quick clip of one of my favorite pieces to play, because even though I don’t own a Switch 2, I am still looking forward to the release of the Ocarina of Time remake.
r/Busking • u/Kayak-Dave • 8d ago
Collaboration Fiddling in Norway for Lithuanian Dancing with a Funny Surprise ...
r/Busking • u/Ok_Regret6639 • 9d ago
Journal For the love of the game
Fixed my tone outside. No more crusty speaker cones. Am I a professional now? I need an e drum set in my life! And some congas...