Start Busking!
Stash the nerves, charge up your multi-fx and go entertain the masses
There’s no live performance situation more accessible than busking. Armed with your guitar and a portable amp, performing in the street is a fast way to get out and play in front of crowds. Do it right, and you might even make a few quid while you’re at it. Semi-professional busker, Justin Towell, gives his advice on how you can start busking with success...
Gear up!
Sometimes I use my old Yamaha electro-acoustic and if it’s definitely dry I’ll use my Fender electro-acoustic, but mostly I use my gorgeous, cherry sunburst Squier Stratocaster. I also bring a mic stand and 20 rechargeable Duracell batteries to power my multi-fx unit, harmony pedal and my amp [Roland Street Cube]. This gives me a full day busking, though I only tend to do a couple of sets a day so I don’t run out of power. Everything I have is very portable so I’m able to carry all my pedals, cables and microphone in a bag on a two-wheeled trolley along with my guitar, then I can carry my amp. I can wheel it all into town, and set up in about five minutes.
Location, location, location...
I have favourite places to play. It definitely makes a difference where you set yourself up. Playing in the high street rarely does well for me as people can’t stop and listen very easily – but then I sometimes get handed £20 in the high street. You just never know. The time of day also makes a huge difference. Summer evenings can be amazing if everyone’s chilled out and the hubbub of the day has died down. Then it can be very special. But if it’s a few degrees too cold, or it’s not holiday season, the same slot can see you playing to one person. To ` be honest, I’ve learned not to get disheartened.
Can’t stand the weather
It’s a constant enemy! I’ve become good at reading the clouds. If it does rain, I can cover my gear with bin bags and normally that means giving up and going home. Temperature also makes a huge difference. I couldn’t busk in January and February this year because it was just too cold. But the sun can be bad too. Busking in the square for 45 minutes after midday can be like standing in an oven. You need a hat, sun cream and lots of water. The ideal is warm, lightly cloudy and dry.
Sell yourself
I bought the license from the council to be able to sell physical copies of my CDs on the street. I sell the album for £10 and the EP for £5. Once I sold six albums during one song to a group of tourists, which was amazing – but that’s very rare. If I sell a CD or two in a set, I’m very happy. It is a business – I am a licensed street trader and that means I can have a sign displaying my prices, selling my music (which I wrote myself).
Watch and learn
Listening to the other buskers taught me that sound quality makes a big difference. I was looking to see what the best ones did that I didn’t, and I concluded that sound quality was the key difference. That’s why I bought my looper/multi-fx and the harmony vocal pedal. Some nice reverb goes a very long way, as does a good, full, bass-rich sound. Nobody likes scratchy, thin, distorted sound from a tiny amp. You don’t have to play at top volume.
Take your time
Forty five minutes is usual, but it’s possible to get a double slot if you’re lucky. In the high street, one hour is the most we’re allowed to play. For the shop owners’ sanity, if nothing else. [In Bath] the buskers selfregulate. Occasionally, a busker will overrun but it’s usually because they haven’t realised the time. The vast majority are lovely people, and I consider them my friends. In general, it’s a very friendly and supportive group of people.
Nervous? Don’t be!
I used to get extremely nervous before I played. There’s always the feeling that you’re not supposed to be there. But having busked most days for the past year and a bit, I no longer have any nerves when performing on the street. The only way to overcome it is to do
it. Over and over until it just feels normal. It’s great fun and such a rush when you do it well.
Know the rules
You don’t need a permit to be able to busk in Bath, although some cities do require one (and I hear sometimes there’s an audition involved). In Bath, you need a permit to sell your own CDs. My advice is to read up on the rules for your chosen town’s busking scene online before you start.
Enjoy it
Seriously, try to make a nice sound. Don’t be too loud. Respect other buskers and the people working around where you’re playing. Finish and pack up on time so you don’t run over into someone else’s set. Also, don’t expect to make hundreds of pounds a day. You won’t. Do it because you want to, and enjoy the experience. There’s nothing like playing guitar in the sunshine!