Art of Busking
“Ah to busk,
To bring forth music without fuss
When it’s just to travel and play
Can’t be the worst way to spend ones day”
One of my favorite things to do as a musician is to busk. It has existed as a way to perform since people felt the need to, I cannot be the only one. Whether it be a magician, spoken word, or poetry one can’t help but compare to a modern-day rap battle, or a performer enjoying the Harp or Lyre, busking has been around for millennia. Therefore, it must be one of the oldest professions! Busking, of course, is a great way to earn some extra dough.
Busking is Your Rehearsal for Gigs
Make no mistake, busking builds your performance experience! Just because you aren’t on a technical ‘stage’, does not mean you don’t have an audience. You actually have an ever-changing audience depending on the duration of your busk, which I find even more exciting. Discovering how to play to a crowd, gain audience participation, build a setlist, and grow some self-awareness as an artist are all possible. You can make it happen in little bits, step by step, every time you perform live.
While busking you also gain great experience in building and molding your own sound, Your artist sound. You can experiment with genres, keys, and instruments all while making some extra coin. Your audience helps you mold your art and you will notice this; If a head turns as you try out a new original song, a smile from a passerby, maybe that’s your hint that this song has got something different than the last.
Maybe the blues phrasing you tried out suited your voice or instrument, so you’re gonna try it again on the next tune. Believe me, the people will let you know in some way or another that you should maybe remove that certain cover song from your setlist (And it ain’t always Wonderwall that gets the complaints), or that the melodies you are dishing out are giving shivers, the nice kind of course. Play for the crowd but play for yourself, and then record your performances so you can watch back later. Maybe you did something new and spontaneous but forgot what it was all those hours ago.
What Do You Need?
Having your own transport is very handy, but hey, finding parking isn’t. So if you do have to take public transport, a few tips would be to use small suitcases to carry your leads, lyrics, pedals, or even your speaker if it doesn’t have its own wheels. Carts or Dollies are supreme for lugging musical equipment around, I say consider adding cushions around your speakers, instrument cases, or general gear where you think it is needed. It can get bumpy so don’t forget something to strap and tie it down.
Do Your Research
If only it was free everywhere to busk. Unfortunately, you will find that a permit is needed for particular areas where you may have been planning on setting up. They aren’t overly expensive and are usually annually paid (like $50 on average I would say depending on where you are based). A permit is often needed for an amplified performance as opposed to an acoustic, and a permit may not be needed for every street and location. Be mindful of local businesses that can benefit and also not benefit from a local live performance, depending on the location. Not everyone enjoys loud live music as they dine for a meal for example. This is why it’s very important to do your own research on necessary permits and where and when you can and cannot perform based on city or town law guidelines.
Besides a permit, you can simply bring yourself and your instrument. You can sing a capella if you like! That is the freedom of music, however, be weary of the noise pollution that accompanies our streets daily. These are often loud streets and you may not be heard without amplification. Therefore, you may want a small to medium-sized battery-powered speaker (10 to 20 Watts), for your instrument with preferably two channels for the instrument and microphone. That is to suffice as the common singer and guitarist setup which you often see.
But there are many different types of musicians, what if you are a guitarist that doesn’t sing? You therefore only need one channel to plug into. You may add a loop, reverb, or delay pedal to your setup to add dynamics to your sound. You’re a sax player, so may or may not need a microphone, but do desire backing tracks to jam over so you can show off your phrasing. Your setup depends on you and what you want your sound to be. Do try to always remember the golden rule of not being too loud! You’d be surprised what little wattage is needed for sufficient amplification.
Here are a few bits to get you started on your journey, if you’re in the market. Starting small and building up over time is my advice. You will find which piece of gear is right for you.
Roland CUBE-STEX 2x6.5” Battery Powered Amp
Yorkville EXM Mobile 8 Mini Battery powered PA, which is especially good for backing track users as it has Bluetooth and multiple channels.
What is the Audience Hearing?
If you find you aren’t attracting any listeners, maybe it's time to evaluate your sound. Are you loud enough, can you be heard? Are you too loud ?? This drives people away before they’ve even heard your lyric! (If you are a vocalist/poet of course) Are your levels somewhat even? i.e. Is your instrument louder than your mic?
Volume and sound distribution awareness is incredibly important if you are to perform live. This goes hand in hand with making sure YOU ARE IN TUNE! It's surprising how often you may hear someone play out of tune, be it their instrument or voice. But it’s fair to remember we all start somewhere, and the weather actually has a big impact on your instrument. So keep checking that you’re in tune until the day you can tell by ear, and use a monitor if your voice is the issue.
Safety First
It’s not a perfect world, people are going to steal. There you are out on the street with hopefully some money in front of you and some equipment that’s worth something. This is obviously attractive to people looking to make a quick snatch-and-grab, so watch out. Choose your busking location not only on where is allowed and prime foot traffic but also areas that aren’t the sketchy ones of your city or town or wherever you are based. You can try finding a busk location with a bike rack or street bollards to which you can chain your equipment, but I would first ask city/town officials if that is allowed. Alternatively, you could tie or chain your equipment to yourself… but if a thief does run off with your speaker, they may just drag you off too. Remember, equipment can always be replaced.
Mostly, you will be safe as long as you are in a public setting and music equipment is heavy to carry, never mind trying to make a getaway with. It's always good practice to be polite to anyone you see or may converse with, this will help you on your endeavors.
Protection for your instruments doesn’t stop there. I mentioned the weather before…and it’s back again! The sun, humidity, and moisture in the air can slow you down and hurt you and your instrument. Wood can bend, warp, and crack. Amps can get overheated and so can you! Stay hydrated, use sunblock, watch out for the rain, and otherwise, invest in a canopy if you need too.
Remember, its still love and music
Don’t let busking scare you whatever you do, I would say nearly all non-professionally trained musicians have busked in some form or another. Artists from Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, Ed Sheeran, and one of my personal favorites Tash Sultana, all built their craft through the busk. At the very least, it’s a great learning experience. Over the decades it has been a great avenue for all types of artists who may be fortunate enough to have a sound or word they think is special enough to gift the rest of the world, or who may be unfortunate enough to find themselves without a home or occupation.
It is important to remember that busking isn’t about attracting a big audience. You are to some people, like that radio in the background that’s playing a song they may not have heard in years; a nice reminder that live music still exists. One thing busking post-pandemic taught me was that people will miss and do truly love live music. You are playing for more than dollars, euros, and cents. You can be playing for just that smile on a passerby. Sharing a good vibe for everyone.
A Blog by
Matthew Murphy
Clovermind Music LLC
