 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-20 21:47
Those who have visited a very large urban area have probably noticed this more than others, but when I went down to the shore, I saw a man begging while playing some blues on a tenor sax. Then when I went to New York City the other day, I noticed a bunch of musicians begging for spare change. Ranging from someone singing solo, sax players, guitar players, steel drum players, lots of stuff. I just wanted to recount two memorable ones. . .
The first memorable one I saw was a man playing an electronic saxaphone. It looked like a very small metal sax, with a speaker in the bell, it was plugged into a battery in his pocket. I didn't like it for two reasons. (1) if he could somehow get an electronic saxaphone, I wonder why he started begging and doesn't need to sell it for the hundreds of dollars that it's probably worth, and (2) it wasn't a real sax. Kind of a "cheap way out".
The second was when I went down to wait for a subway train. There was a begging duo. A spanish guitar player and a violin player. And the funny thing is, they were phenominal! Now most musicians I saw begging were "ok" at best, but the guitar player was laying a fairly nice underlying chord structure to which the violin player was improvising around "rudolph the red-nosed reindeer". And doing a GREAT job. Effortless as though he'd played jazz all his life.
I wonder if they needed to beg or were bored and decided to go make extra cash, but their jar was filled with dollars.
Just wanted to put this out here.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: ginny
Date: 2003-12-20 22:08
We saw 'buskers' all over Germany, Hungry and Austria in all the cities we visited. Munich has a couple of incredible string quartets, a fellow playing Bach on an all button accordion, a fellow playing tuned wine glasses and a very hot marimba duo. Vienna had a wonderful cellist how played a concerto with a taped orchestra and a lovely violinists. Budpest had a relaxing guitar and violin due, a gypsy jam of baritone horn and accordion. Its common to see some fine musicians out busking.
One of the best singers I've ever heard was in a subway station in NYC.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-12-20 22:27
Thank God for freelancers like that! They make a city more enjoyable and livable. Indeed you can run into some very gifted artists that way. I would not call what they are doing "begging". IMHO, they are providing a valuable service that, in many cases, deserves some remuneration, but always at the listener's/viewer's discretion.
Henry
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Author: Katfish
Date: 2003-12-20 22:30
I have been busking for the last two summers at the local farmers Market. I can't speak for all buskers (obviously), but my cohort and I do it for fun, to meet people, and for a chance to perform in a non pressure situation. The amount of money isn't great but it's a fun way to spend a saturday morning. I would recommend it to any amateur musician. The name of our group is Bassoonette, purveyors of heavy wood music. We are a clarinet-bassoon duet.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-20 22:46
Henry, I see you're point about begging. If they were begging, they would just be asking. But they're performing a service. And you're right, it definitely makes the city more enjoyable and is a part of life there.
I always wanted to do it myself! But solo clarinet doesn't warrant much. I've always wanted to get a trio going and go to the city and do this. Then we'd take out money and dump it in the nearest salvation army bin or whatever's nearby. I see no reason to try to profit in it at this point (and hope that I don't have to rely on it in the future for profit) but it'd sure be fun.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Clarence
Date: 2003-12-20 23:28
I was in Key West, Fla for a week in november.
They have their share of street musicians too. I didn't hear any outstanding ones but was told that Jimmy Buffet started out that way. Most of these musicians looked like the homeless type.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-12-21 02:48
A busker from New York was on Tom Snider's "Tomorrow" show in the late 1970's. Played fiddle in the Theater District in New York City. Sign said "Violin student needs funds".
I recognized this guy - heard him in 1972. He sounded good until you really thought carefully about what he was doing and realized his level of "fake-issimo."
He told Tom Snider his accountant said that he needed to double his age (e.g., age 25 == $50K). He was in his early 30's at the time, and making $60K plus - a pretty good living, for a guy sawing on a cigar box in doorways.
The most fun buskers I have ever heard were in New Orleans.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2003-12-21 02:52
The electronic sax you are describing sounds like a Casio DH100. They aren't made anymore but, when they were, they weren't very expensive. I think their list price was around $110-$120. I bought one new from a mail order electronics store several years ago for $40 plus shipping to use as a midi input to my computer.
jnk
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-12-21 09:21
Refreshing subject and glad you reconsidered the adjective. Admire your altruistic attitude on the proceeds....but don't forget that there's no receipts for the income or donation. I agree that street musicans make city life more bearable. Although one doesn't have to be especially good, most I've heard seem to be. I think it was the Image Union program in Chicago that has had some who were very good.....and I was lucky enough to have a tape in the machine.
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Author: ebasta
Date: 2003-12-21 12:51
I expect to be out there some day. it'll be the only real social security.
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Author: wyatt
Date: 2003-12-21 14:51
my sign wukk read
WILL STOP FOR MONEYY
bob gardner}ÜJ
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Author: donald
Date: 2003-12-21 19:39
"begging"???? you seriously mean you'd never heard of busking?
a saxophone player i know paid his mortgage for several years by playing on a street corner every friday and saturday night between 11pm and 2am (most often before or after a gig). When others were drinking beer he was playing the saxophone.... "begging"
do you live in one of those "walled communities" or something?
donald
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-21 22:26
Nope. I never heard of "busking". And yes, my house has four walls. With a door. However none of those walls taught me any vocabulary words.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Luke
Date: 2003-12-21 22:39
hey gardner, how about this idea:
First put out a sign that reads "Will stop for money". With that one you intentionally suck, getting increasingly worse over time for more cash. Finally, once everyone's eardrums are in trauma, you stop. A flew minutes later, once it's an entirely different crowd in your area, hide that sign then put out a flashy one that says "Will play for money" and just stand around with your instrument until you get a little cash. Then start playing and set out a sign with a nice, earnest phrase such as "Playing to save my son's life" and just actually play for awhile. Perfect scheme to repeat every hour or so!
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-12-21 23:21
Cut to the chase, Luke...
If you want a sure-fire scam, sell the ROMEX brand watch in the park.
-OR-
"Guaranteed pickup lines One Dollar!"
*******
Busking has a long and grand tradition. It's a great way to pickup chops and learn in front of a less-than-appreciative audience.
In the Montreal Metro, it's a licensed occupation.
If you can't prove facility with your instrument - no pass and a free trip to the pokey when caught.
I understand an Acker Bilk tribute act was given a free ticket to Toronto.
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-21 23:36
Busker, as a youngster in Sydney, was a VERY lucrative occupation ... I'm just too old and clapped-out to do it convincingly anymore.
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Author: ginny
Date: 2003-12-22 03:35
I hadn't heard the phrase 'busking' used to discribe street musicians until I came on this board. I've known people who did the street musician thing. I hardly live in a gated community either. It is probably a regional term.
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Author: ChrisC
Date: 2003-12-22 04:37
I'm close to 100% percent sure that the term "busker" and it's derivatives is largely restricted to Great Britain and other countries (Australia, NZ, Canada, etc.) that have closer cultural ties to Britain than the US. I have never come across the word in American sources, or heard it uttered by an American. I grew up in New York City and have always been familiar with musicians playing for tips on the subway, but have never enountered heard these musicians referred to as buskers. Every time I have encountered the word has been through a British source, so I would let Alexi off the hook for not knowing it.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-22 05:07
Donald,
No worries. I'm not gonna get upset over someone correcting me over the internet. This kinda ties back to the thread before about "what if we were known" and our use of language and words in these threads. While I don't think all those comments are necessary, I understand that it's "busking" now. So let's all continue with more interesting stuff about "buskers" rather than the 8th wonder of the world. "Alexi who didn't know it was called 'busking'".
Alexi
PS - What's it called again?
US Army Japan Band
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Author: george
Date: 2003-12-22 05:55
From the Oxford English Dictionary:
'busking vbl. n. and ppl. a. Now usu., to play music or entertain in the streets, etc.
1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 215 Obtain a livelihood by ‘busking’, as it is technically termed, or, in other words, by offering their goods for sale only at the bars and in the taprooms and parlours of taverns.
1860 Cornh. Mag. II. 334 Thieves’ words and phrases..selling obscene songs–busking.
1934 P. Allingham Cheapjack 318 Busk, to perform in the street.
b. trans. and intr. To improvise (jazz or similar music). Musicians’ slang.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-22 06:07
lol. Oh man. I hope this thread gets closed soon before I have to hear anymore of this! ![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif)
US Army Japan Band
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-22 06:14
Great habit to develop: Always drop street musicians some money. All buskers deserve at least a coin or two, no matter how bad they are. MOO.
In cities with lots of tourists (New Orleans, f'rinstance) a good living can be made playing on the street. Hey, among the crowds, a bit of live music brightens the day. I even bought a CD from a sax player once. When I got into the car and played it, I thought, "My God, that guy is really awful!" But out there making the live sounds, he was not bad.
Regards,
John
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2003-12-23 01:05
In Philly, some well-known local jazz musicians busk (e.g., saxaphonist Byard Lancaster). For them, it's also an opportunity to "hold court" with their friends and the VIP's who know them.
I agree it probably wasn't called busking here in the USA, at first, but then the usage was picked up to have a nicer way to describe it than say, begging or panhandling, which it definitely is not (In Philly we have both. I know the difference:->).
Once, I saw a string trio from the Phila Orchestra performing on the sidewalk outside the Academy of Music (their old hall). "Official" busking, you might say. Terrible! You couldn't even hear them from more than two feet away, what with the din of the traffic. No, they did not have their cases open to receive spare change:->.
I always tipped the buskers when I lived and worked down there, even that guy on Walnut Street who played that terrible electric violin, and the homeless woman who toodled on the recorder in front of Borders.
In the park on nearby Rittenhouse Square, one can hear the students at Curtiss practicing, when their windows are open during the warm weather, sort of unintentional busking.
For those who are near Philadelphia, the best place to busk, IMO, is in Manayunk, a trendy shopping neighborhood. There's an Italian ices shop that actually likes it. I did celtic music there with a few friends once. Center City is more for the hard core solo sax or trumpet player.
Steve Epstein
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-12-23 08:34
They are regulating the buskers on the Underground train system in London now (through auditions etc.) rather than trying to ban it, which hopelessly failed. This busking is now really very good and improves the environment etc etc.. Now there is no grey area between begging and busking. Busking is a professional operation.
That said, busking has been held by the courts in Europe not to involve payment for a service which sounds like it leaves buskers in a good tax position (or at least could do).......
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Author: Duane
Date: 2003-12-26 01:11
My goal is to become proficient enough at Clarinet that I can be a 'busker' and stand out on the street and bring some pleasure to people who may never hear live music. If I can get a few bucks out of it, all the better. My social security income is very low and the stock market took a good part of what I had, so busking is for me. Duane
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-12-26 01:37
This definition may be a bit closer to what we are looking for.. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 14th ed., pg 172, left hand col., states:
"BUSKER. There is an old verb 'to busk' meaning to improvise, and it is from this word that 'busker' is derived, to describe a street or beach singer or perormer.
For that is exactly what they do---they improvise.
Bob A
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-12-26 02:32
So Bob, does that mean that I can't bring out my sheet music and stand? I guess according to that definition it'd be cheating.
Maybe if I played a cadenza here or there . . .
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-12-26 11:33
Hi,
I saw an interesting thing in the Omaha World Herald a week or so ago. There was a picture of an Omaha Symphony cello player, chair and all, set up right by a Salvation Army Red Kettle; she was "sawing away" on her instrument and people were donating like crazy. I think I'll get out my alto next December, find a kettle close to home, and see if playing helps with the SA donations.
Busking for Charity!!!
HRL
Post Edited (2003-12-26 11:34)
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Author: fredackerman
Date: 2003-12-26 19:32
OK, this is not about a street "musician", but a street performer I remember from the year of the flood [about]... I was a art student in nyc and I went to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art nearly everyday for three years. I remember this Mime wearing black, gloves and white face who seemed to be there as much as me! He was amazing and very funny, I thought this guy should be on the stage. Well many years later, I'm watching David Letterman, his guest that night told of his days at Juilliard. He said one of the ways he "practiced" his skills and being comfortable in front of people, was to perform in front of the Met. [fifth avenue] as a Mime. I still can't believe that I gave Robin Williams at least fifty bucks during that time! Hey, money well spent. Happy New Year! Fred
Fred
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-07-22 12:16
While walking through the Times Square subway station yesterday during a period of evident high alert and police presence, I noticed that the buskers were still out in force - a rather felliniesque experience.
Led me to wonder: what changes has anyone noticed in subway/metro/underground musicianship since barcelona/london? are buskers still allowed in London?
You'd think that musician in the tubes could provide an additional (if thin) layer of security or surveillance; on the other hand, bad music could just raise the anxiety level.
Perhaps the security services could perform undercover, so long as they weren't only playing bagpipes.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-07-22 13:04
I can imagine the Monty Python skit now.....fake subway musicians as undercover Scotland Yard survellience...
Bob Draznik
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2005-07-22 14:02
Attachment: Street musicians and graffiti.JPG (122k)
I saw a number of buskers in Italy. One group in Venice had a clarinet, pan pipes and guitar and was quite a production. The best was a violin and cello duo in Ravenna. They used stands and music and were playing light classical pieces. I will attempt to add an attachment with a picture.
This is an interesting topic for me since it was something on my mind when I began my sheet music business. I started out by making transcriptions for solo clarinet of complete Rossini overtures, then moved on from there. I've never played them publically, but they always seemed to be just the thing for the farmers market scene.
johng
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2005-07-22 14:07
Visualize the hyper-active drummer dragging his full set toward the subway entrance in New York.
Bob A
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2005-07-22 15:31
I've daydreamed about busking, not for the money, but just for the enjoyment. Although I expect my bass clarinet case would have plenty of room for cash. I just need to build up a repetoire, as I'm not used to playing too many melodies.
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2005-07-22 16:06
There have been street musicians (I'm not using the "b" word) since medieval times. The reasons don't need to be repeated, others have sufficed quite well. Many musicians prefer to play on these terms. They set their own hours, they pick their venue. They play what they choose. How many of us get to do that?
Recently in the New York subway, late at night, we stood waiting for close to an hour for our train. During that entire time, a gentleman with a conga drum played and sang every tune I think he ever knew, from reggae to "Old MacDonald". It was interesting to note that, if he took a break, the rats came back. So it could be said that he was providing a valuable public service.
Sue Tansey
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2005-07-22 18:37
johng wrote:
> I saw a number of buskers in Italy. One group in Venice had a
> clarinet, pan pipes and guitar and was quite a production. The
> best was a violin and cello duo in Ravenna. They used stands
> and music and were playing light classical pieces. I will
> attempt to add an attachment with a picture.
...
> johng
Note the open fiddle case. This is the most important part of busking, more important than your reed, etc. Where the money goes.![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Steve Epstein
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2005-07-22 18:57
I don't think all street musicians are beggars. Some are, but not all.
I was reading somewhere (maybe here, or someone told me this story) about a tuba player that would sit outside the Met (or somewhere similar) playing an old beat up tuba. He was really good and one day the principal tuba player walked by and was like, wow you're good. Then bought the guy a really nice tuba. The guy would still come back after that playing his new tuba. (anyone else heard about that?)
Anyway, I know in NY, sometimes the Julliard ppl would play on the street on in the subway. I think it's just a way for some to just play in public and make a few bucks.
Now the guy I saw in DC... he played a tambourine and a harmonica. The harmonica sound was just suck and blow the same notes over and over, and the tam he just banged on his leg. Oh my. Now, he was a beggar.
--CG
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Author: allencole
Date: 2005-07-23 15:03
I saw a so-so busker on flute on the Mall in DC. He had a hip-hop rhythm track playing on an oversized boom box which he pulled around in a little red wagon. (yes, Radio Flyer) Had a mic taped to the flute and would continuously play the "Gilligan's Island" theme to the rhythm track. A sign scrawled on the wagon said "Serving you for 10 years."
Allen Cole
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Author: Guido
Date: 2005-07-24 01:55
"I want to be a busker when I grow up."
It's actually the stated goal of several members of a band in which I play. What's more simply musical than that?
Folks say that playing the street is a great way to get a repertoire down, while sampling folks' reactions to new material. And it sure beats playing inside most practice sites.
I've interviewed street musicians for years, wherever I travel, finding as many reasons and outlooks as players. Munich had dozens when the wall first fell, but government limited and controlled the outpouring of East German musicians into mediocre schedules and restrictions. A single clarinet plays the Frontenac in Quebec City a couple of nights each week, playing an old Artley and a plastic reed. Ottawa was loaded like New Orleans a week ago. I can't remember a quiet city anywhere.
Street performance requires formal licensure in most cities. Most cities seem to enjoy the life busking breathes into the streets and marketplaces.
I continue a year long email exchange with a 44 year old who makes his mortgage playing Seattle and Portland. The emails have been enriching and informative, and I look forward to joining him for a tune or two shortly.
Street performance is an honest, direct service supported by listeners; a fair exchange in the marketplace, an honored tradition.
Guido
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-07-24 20:15
exciting performances by buskers in my past include
- Russian musicians travelling around Europe on a frieghter ship, playing the harbours while the ship is in dock..... playing a blistering set in Hamburg, then literally running for a water taxi when the ship left dock!
- Sonny Hawkins playing down the alley from City Lights in San Fran (i think the alley is called "Jack Kerouac lane")
- the Big Muffin Serious band (ukelele band- including little portable amplifiers and distortion pedals) setting fire (i kid you not) to their instruments at the end of a slightly warped version of "Jimmy be good"
maybe my post to sfalexi a few years ago was a bit mean (plus i should have written "gated community", not "walled community") but to describe buskers/street musicians as "beggars" shocked me at the time.
donald
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Author: driftwood
Date: 2005-08-20 05:56
i just recently got back from the UK and while I was in York there was a women playing flute on the street, sheet music and all. I would have given her money but didn't have any change left. haha, i guess that's the worst case for getting money, flute cases aren't really big enough.
Also, there were a group of people walking down the road carry guitar cases and one with a set of bongos, when all of a sudden they stopped walking and started to fight about which way to go and one girl yelled 'I just saw a french horn go that way! let's go!" There was a big festivle going on, algon with dragonboat races. It was really interesting, because we didn't know that it was going on.
One day my friend and I went into NYC with her dad because he had to go to work for a while and we decided to go along. Well, we got bored at his work(a real suprise) and she had her recorder in the car from second grade so we walked around the streets playing "this land is your land" (because that's the only song she could remember) and the people who were walking behind us were singing along. it was great. This also happened to be the day we tried to teach her little brother how to march...with terrible results.
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2005-08-20 07:04
alexi wrote:
(1) if he could somehow get an electronic saxaphone, I wonder why he started begging and doesn't need to sell it for the hundreds of dollars that it's probably worth
Slight problem with that if you think it through... if he sells the sax for 300$ and then spends that, how's he going to make the next 300$???
(2) it wasn't a real sax. Kind of a "cheap way out"
Exactly. An electric sax like that is cheaper than a "real" sax, so it is a cheap way out. Quite fitting for a busker, don't you think?
For heavens sake, just give the guy some money! I financed the last months of my music studies playing on the street.
Post Edited (2005-08-20 07:05)
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