Do you have what it takes to be a great busker? Tips and advice on how to be successful in busking.
First, a little about what buskers actually do.
A busker is a person who performs in public places for donations of money. They can be found in streets, parks, or other public places.
Buskers are also known as street performers or street-corner musicians in the United States, as well as other names around the world such as Gimbarr players (Yugoslavia), Chirigotas (Spain), Chanteur à la tournée (France), Straatartiesten and Straattheatergezelschappen (the Netherlands), Strassenmusiker (Germany), Buskeri (Norway) and Buskerudsteatret (Denmark).
The term busking was first noted in the English language around the middle 1860’s and is derived from the Spanish root word “buscar” which means “to seek”. The Spanish word “buscar” also translates into other languages such as Portuguese “buscar”, Italian “buscare” and French “rechercher”.
Why do people become street performers? Of course they love doing it and they want
The Busker Handbook is packed full of information, tips and advice on how to be successful in busking.
If you are thinking about becoming a professional street performer or have already begun your journey as a busker then The Busker Handbook is the one book you need to read.
It covers the following areas:
How to get started in busking
How to choose your act and what equipment you need
Where to busk and how to set up your pitch
How much money can you expect to make busking?
What are the legalities around busking?
What is it like being a professional busker?
Like any other profession, busking has its own rules and regulations. But unlike others, busking is a performance for the public. It is about entertaining people and making money in the process. If you are new to this particular field of art, then you have come to the right place. This article will give you some tips on how to be successful in busking.
1. Prepare your act carefully
2. Be confident
3. Be professional
4. Be patient
5. Be brave
The object is to earn money by entertaining people. Don’t expect that to happen on the first day or even the first week. It’s a learning process and it takes time, patience and perseverance before you start earning money. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, you will get out what you put in.
You should never go into busking with the intention of making a lot of money right away. There are no get rich quick schemes in busking. If you have that attitude, you won’t last long.
Busking is not for everyone but there are some characteristics that most successful buskers seem to share:
You love performing for people.
You like being outdoors and meeting people from all walks of life.
You are willing to put in a minimum of two hours per day, three days per week for three months before expecting any reasonable results.
You can deal with rejection, criticism and indifference with dignity and respect. That doesn’t mean that you don’t get upset or angry at times but your ultimate goal is to entertain people and have them enjoy themselves so getting mad or fighting back won’t help achieve that goal.
To be a successful busker takes a lot of skills. You need to be able to play an instrument at least well enough for people to enjoy hearing your playing. You need to know how to draw a crowd and keep them entertained. And you might not realize it, but having good organizational skills is a must as well.
How do you get started? Well, if you’re one of those people who are afraid of the big bad city and think that all buskers are probably homeless, desperate, or both, then forget it! Busking is a job just like any other job. Sure, it’s not your typical job–but that’s what makes it so much fun!
I think it’s a pity that so many people never get to see great buskers. There are some really talented buskers out there, but they tend not to last long because they can’t make enough money to survive.
This is a shame, because I think there is a lot of potential for busking as an art form. It combines the best aspects of the other art forms: music, theatre and comedy. A good performance can be just as entertaining and impressive as any concert, play or comedy show; with the added bonus that it is completely spontaneous and you are watching live.
It’s also one of the few art forms where you have direct contact with your audience. Not only do you get immediate feedback during your performance, but you also get to interact with them in between songs and during hat rounds when you go around collecting money from the crowd.
I think this immediate feedback is one of the things that makes busking so addictive, but it also makes it difficult to sustain if you can’t make enough money to survive on.
Street performing is a great way to make money if you enjoy music, dancing, magic tricks, or other entertaining activities.
Street performers can be found in busy downtown areas and at tourist attractions throughout the world. They usually perform for tips from passersby, and sometimes they sell CDs or other merchandise. Street performers typically work alone as independent contractors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not track salary data for street performers, but the BLS did report that actors earned a median hourly wage of $18.70 as of May 2018.
Steps
1 Choose a busy spot. Select a place with lots of foot traffic where you have room to set up your equipment and move around. Pick a spot near an attraction that draws lots of people, such as an outdoor shopping center or farmers’ market. Also look for spots where you can reach more people, such as outside the entrance to a department store or grocery store. Check local ordinances to see if you need a permit to perform on city property or in public parks before setting up at any location.[1]
2 Perform at festivals or fairs. Many cities host outdoor arts and culture festivals or fairs with designated spaces for street performers.[2] Search online for festivals in your area that feature