5 Simple Steps To Becoming The Best Busker You Can Be: A blog about how to busk.
I’m a busker myself, and I’ve been busking since I was 14. Even though I’ve only been doing it for two years, I’ve been in the game long enough to learn how to make some money. And if you’re anything like me, you want to make money when you busk – that’s why you’re here, right? So let’s get started!
1. Don’t play any songs that anyone knows.
2. Make up your own songs on the spot.
3. If you don’t have an instrument, dance instead!
4. Don’t just stand there – jump around!
5. Look as crazy as possible.
My name is Andrew and I am a busker.
I have been doing this for about 6 years. I have made anywhere from $2, to $900 in one day. The best part about busking is that it’s not like having a “normal” job where you get paid whether your boss likes you or not. In order to be successful at this you must charm the public into supporting your musical endeavors.
So here are 5 simple steps to becoming the best busker you can be:
1) It’s all in your attitude!
A good busker will always seem happy, even if they aren’t. No matter how bad a day you are having, the first thing people will notice is your attitude. Everyone has been stuck in traffic after a tough day at work, but if they see someone smiling and singing they are more likely to let go of their troubles, at least for a moment. Smiles are contagious and no one wants to pass by someone who seems upset or angry. So smile!
2) Be yourself!
You must take pride in who you are as a musician and as a person. If you don’t believe in yourself then why should anyone else? If you are singing songs that you don’t like chances are no
A new post is published on A blog about how to busk
by The Busker Project
Published 15th March 2019
We’ve talked a lot about how to busk. From where to busk, to what to play and whether or not you need a license – we’ve been there and done that. But what about the crucial matter of your persona? How do you differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack? How do you stand out from the crowd? And more importantly, how do you attract punters and make money?
Many of these questions are answered in this post. We look at some of our favourite street performers, who they are and why they’re so good at what they do.
Olivia Newton John (not really)
So you want to become a busker. You love music, it’s your passion, and you want to take it to the streets! Great! Not so fast. Let me tell you what I’ve learned from over two years of being out there on the street, working it for all it’s worth.
First off, this is not a career choice for those seeking financial stability and comfort. It is a passion, a lifestyle, and above all: fun! The money comes and goes. Sometimes you have twenty bucks in your pocket at the end of the day, sometimes it’s fifty bucks, and sometimes it’s three-hundred. Being on the street is a lot like playing roulette or craps; some days are good days and some days are bad days. You never know what you’re going to get when you step out there.
The key is that no matter how much money you make (or don’t make), don’t forget why you’re doing this in the first place: the music. Remember that no matter how many hours you put in, or how busy (or empty) your location is, you will never ever be able to outwork someone who loves his or her job. Put a smile on your face and enjoy every moment of
The most important thing you need to be a busker is an instrument. This can be anything from a violin to a saxophone and even a violin. However, the more unique your instrument, the better. If you have a guitar and someone else has a guitar, they will always get more attention than you. But if you have a xylophone and someone else has a guitar, people will notice how much better you are at playing the xylophone and give you more money for it.
The second most important thing about being a busker is location. If you are in the middle of an empty park no one will see you or stop to watch/listen to you. The best place to busk is in the middle of an intersection of two busy streets. You will become famous quickly because everyone will want to know who that amazing musician is making such wonderful noise!
You should also be very happy while busking because then people will think that what you are doing makes you happy, so they should give you money for it because happiness is contagious!
Lastly, the best way to make money while busking is just by asking for money directly. People might not know that they should give all their money to you so if they don’t give all their
A few weeks ago I wrote a post about how to the street busking. That article was meant to be a primer for people who were interested in getting started with this exciting, challenging and often rewarding career choice. But I received many comments from readers and buskers who were already performing on the street, but were still struggling with some of the basic issues and problems that can arise when working as an outdoor performer. So today I want to take it up a notch and discuss some of the factors that can make or break you as a street performer.
The single most important factor in becoming a successful busker is to have something that sets you apart from other buskers, increases your audience appeal, and makes you more memorable than the thousands of other street performers who are probably working in your area at the same time that you are. This special quality is often referred to as “entertainment value.”
Play for the people who are watching, and don’t worry about the others. If there is a large group of people standing in a circle around you, keep going. They’re listening. If you can see that people are walking by and not stopping to listen, don’t play for them. There’s nothing wrong with playing for yourself or your friends if nobody else is listening, but don’t try to force people to stop and listen if they’re not interested. Play at the right volume. Don’t play too loud (especially if it’s an acoustic instrument). I’ve seen a lot of people stop playing because they were told to be quiet, but I’ve never heard anyone complain that someone wasn’t playing loud enough (unless maybe it was a drummer). Try different things. If you’ve been playing in one spot for a while and nothing seems to be working, move on and try again somewhere else. Don’t give up! Have fun and enjoy yourself. The whole point of busking is to have fun while you’re making some money doing what you love to do. So just relax and have fun with it!