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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

Here in God's country it has been too cold to busk..If it is under 50 degrees F, my fingers just don't work and Harry gets cold...It is time to hear some busking stories from people who live in more temperate climates.......
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only busker on the Hangout..You others have NO idea just how much fun you could be having..and the tips...well, they just roll in the ..um..er.. by the ones of dollars.......
.Did I mention that recently a college kid asked me why I felt I had to "do this" to get money? Couldn't I just get a JOB?
I told him that 'This IS my job."... Geez...it is not like I'm begging. ( some of my friends actually think that that is exactly what I am doing...Go figure.. SO.. What do YOU THINK ABOUT BUSKERS.. Are they begging????

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Not begging.  Providing a service, entertainment.  Nobody is forced to donate.  From a practical standpoint, it is more similar to a salesperson job than anything else.  Put yourself out there, personality/performance gets you sales/tips.  

Did you ask the kid why he is going $100k into debt for a a degree that he will probably never use, statistically speaking?  Is that better or worse than playing music that you love in exchange for low pay?

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Originally posted by amwildman

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

Here in God's country it has been too cold to busk..If it is under 50 degrees F, my fingers just don't work and Harry gets cold...It is time to hear some busking stories from people who live in more temperate climates.......
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only busker on the Hangout..You others have NO idea just how much fun you could be having..and the tips...well, they just roll in the ..um..er.. by the ones of dollars.......
.Did I mention that recently a college kid asked me why I felt I had to "do this" to get money? Couldn't I just get a JOB?
I told him that 'This IS my job."... Geez...it is not like I'm begging. ( some of my friends actually think that that is exactly what I am doing...Go figure.. SO.. What do YOU THINK ABOUT BUSKERS.. Are they begging????

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Not begging.  Providing a service, entertainment.  Nobody is forced to donate.  From a practical standpoint, it is more similar to a salesperson job than anything else.  Put yourself out there, personality/performance gets you sales/tips.  

Did you ask the kid why he is going $100k into debt for a a degree that he will probably never use, statistically speaking?  Is that better or worse than playing music that you love in exchange for low pay?

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I will say this:  In good weather, I make as much busking two hours a day as some people make working 40 hours a week...

If you want to see something that made me laugh out loud, look at this..
gocomics.com/wizardofid It is a Wizard of ID comic strip.. I think I just might be able to adapt the script to meet my busking needs.. Seriously, I'm going to make something similar for me and Harry Hare.. A "tip toss"..Who knows? this could be our ticket to filthy rich..(Gotta keep the bar high).

But then,, If I would be busking in at tourist town, and had on my tip basket a sign that read.."Pay for Shop purchase HERE !!!"... What do you think?

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Originally posted by amwildman

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

Here in God's country it has been too cold to busk..If it is under 50 degrees F, my fingers just don't work and Harry gets cold...It is time to hear some busking stories from people who live in more temperate climates.......
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only busker on the Hangout..You others have NO idea just how much fun you could be having..and the tips...well, they just roll in the ..um..er.. by the ones of dollars.......
.Did I mention that recently a college kid asked me why I felt I had to "do this" to get money? Couldn't I just get a JOB?
I told him that 'This IS my job."... Geez...it is not like I'm begging. ( some of my friends actually think that that is exactly what I am doing...Go figure.. SO.. What do YOU THINK ABOUT BUSKERS.. Are they begging????

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Not begging.  Providing a service, entertainment.  Nobody is forced to donate.  From a practical standpoint, it is more similar to a salesperson job than anything else.  Put yourself out there, personality/performance gets you sales/tips.  

Did you ask the kid why he is going $100k into debt for a a degree that he will probably never use, statistically speaking?  Is that better or worse than playing music that you love in exchange for low pay?

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A lot of college aged people "Don't have a clue".. A friend of mine has a business degree.. One day he was dumpster diving for things that wealthy student throw away when they leave town for the summer.. Some students on a  nearby porch chuckled at the "dumpster diver'".. The dumpster diver yelled out...."Business degree from THIS university, 1991. Don't laugh, this is what some of you have to look forward to..".....AND>.. That guy is one of the most smart, caring and successful people I know...Yes.. that is exactly what some of them have to look forward to.. not a bad thing, mind you, but a degree doesn't get everyone where they'd like to go..

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

If you want to see something that made me laugh out loud, look at this..
gocomics.com/wizardofid It is a Wizard of ID comic strip.. I think I just might be able to adapt the script to meet my busking needs.. Seriously, I'm going to make something similar for me and Harry Hare.. A "tip toss"..Who knows? this could be our ticket to filthy rich..(Gotta keep the bar high).

 

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OK.. I see now that the link I posted is NOT going to give the results I desire.. SO>.. It as a comic about a destitute guy sitting on a sidewalk.. He had a sign that said HELP...Well, person after person passed by and he go no help.. SO, being clever, he crossed out the word HELP, put a hole in the sign and added the words. COIN TOSS.. the final panel showed passersby tossing coins into the hole in his sign.. Maybe I outta' do that?? You know, make it a "TIP TOSS"..?

Finally, relatives are gone and the weather is nice.. Good day to BUSK..
As I was busking, across the street were about 6 teen aged youth singing Christmas Carols.. Eventually they crossed the street and walked by me..I politely said, "Hey, take a dollar out of my tip basket as a donation." "Really?" replied one of them.. "Sure," I said.. "We buskers have to support one another." A young man took a dollar out of my tip basket.. Then.. I said, " Now , you tip ME a dollar and we'll be even" The look on his face was priceless.. Of course I refused a tip from him.. but it WAS a funny moment.

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

If you want to see something that made me laugh out loud, look at this..
gocomics.com/wizardofid It is a Wizard of ID comic strip.. I think I just might be able to adapt the script to meet my busking needs.. Seriously, I'm going to make something similar for me and Harry Hare.. A "tip toss"..Who knows? this could be our ticket to filthy rich..(Gotta keep the bar high).

 

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OK.. I see now that the link I posted is NOT going to give the results I desire.. SO>.. It as a comic about a destitute guy sitting on a sidewalk.. He had a sign that said HELP...Well, person after person passed by and he go no help.. SO, being clever, he crossed out the word HELP, put a hole in the sign and added the words. COIN TOSS.. the final panel showed passersby tossing coins into the hole in his sign.. Maybe I outta' do that?? You know, make it a "TIP TOSS"..?

 

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I read the comic. (been reading Id off and on since the 80s.)   If you're charging for such a venture, you would probably have to explore business license or gambling license and all that entails.  Not sure how you could make it work, but I'm not the most creative type.

I think you'd be better off having CDs or downloads readily available, or getting the whole smartphone thing up and running.

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Originally posted by amwildman

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

If you want to see something that made me laugh out loud, look at this..
gocomics.com/wizardofid It is a Wizard of ID comic strip.. I think I just might be able to adapt the script to meet my busking needs.. Seriously, I'm going to make something similar for me and Harry Hare.. A "tip toss"..Who knows? this could be our ticket to filthy rich..(Gotta keep the bar high).

 

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OK.. I see now that the link I posted is NOT going to give the results I desire.. SO>.. It as a comic about a destitute guy sitting on a sidewalk.. He had a sign that said HELP...Well, person after person passed by and he go no help.. SO, being clever, he crossed out the word HELP, put a hole in the sign and added the words. COIN TOSS.. the final panel showed passersby tossing coins into the hole in his sign.. Maybe I outta' do that?? You know, make it a "TIP TOSS"..?

 

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I read the comic. (been reading Id off and on since the 80s.)   If you're charging for such a venture, you would probably have to explore business license or gambling license and all that entails.  Not sure how you could make it work, but I'm not the most creative type.

 

I think you'd be better off having CDs or downloads readily available, or getting the whole smartphone thing up and running.

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Here is what I'd really like to do, only have the character play a fiddle..I'm doing all of the mental work at this time..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlKRp9uaBIU

Today I received good (but scary) news.. The man behind the Punk puppet that I posted about contacted me and gave me permission to do something like what he has done..I'm more than just a little intimidated..He is a tough act to follow.. His character plays a recorder and I'm hoping to come up with a fiddle playing character...GULP !!!...Ok, ok.. give me the winter.. I don't see any problem with coming up with the backpack idea, but working in fiddle playing may be my downfall...I'll keep you posted..Here is another video of the challenge, er..puppet. Hopefully I won't make children cry..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDzinn_fIXo

UPDATE..I have now spent TWO weeks working on producing a Fiddle playing Ventriloquist style dummy with moving mouth and blinking eyes... So far I've thrown three prototypes into the garbage can...literally... I've tried three times to produce blinking eyes...to no avail.. Tomorrow I'll start again..It is a good thing that I'm retired. THis is all like reinventing fire....or the wheel...Nobody has come forward to help and youtube videos, while helpful, are always short of giving me the information that I need... I'll keep you posted...signed, "frustrated but determined, " in Bloomington.

Lee, Jeff Dunham has built most if not all of his own dummies. You might try contacting him and see if he would give you any advice.

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Originally posted by Jimhand

Lee, Jeff Dunham has built most if not all of his own dummies. You might try contacting him and see if he would give you any advice.

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Thanks, Jim.. I just had a breakthrough Yesterday and now have both blinking eyes and functional mouth..I can not talk intelligently about how NOT to make a dummy.. and I also now know a few thing that do work.. Once I have the head finished I'll post a photo..

Someone Might find this interesting.. Apparently, when Joshua Bell played a New York subway station he made $32.17 in tips.. I didn't know it but his performance there was part of a project. Reporter Gene Weingarten wrote a feature article called, "The Fiddler in the Subway," and won a Pulitzer Prize and, next, that became the title feature for a book of essays on a range of topics...

Well there you go Lee, you can favourably compare yourself to Joshua Bell!! In fact, you have done better!!

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Originally posted by bees

Well there you go Lee, you can favourably compare yourself to Joshua Bell!! In fact, you have done better!!

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Yes, Bees.. I Have done better.. but I had Harry Hare helping me..    .. . BTW he played for only 45 minutes..(amateur)... We usually busk for 2-3 hours.. $32 in 45 minutes isn't shabby.. Had Joshua gone for 3 hours he might have made the MAGICAL $100 goal...(I've only done that on the rarest of occasions). . Which reminds me... the other day Jake Krack stopped by my daughter's coffee shop... Take won first place in the CLifftop fiddle competition two years ago..so I watched a few of his youtube videos.. I think he would do better in a Subway than most..Check out some of his stuff on youtube...

I'm pretty happy right now.. Seems that some guy in Argentina saw a Harry Hare video, tracked me down, and wanted to make his own.. That was two months ago.. Well, today I received a video showing a basic fiddle playing puppet that is ready to be clothed and put on the street ..This guy also made a puppet that plays a guitar.. I'm impressed.. As soon as he sends me a Youtube video of them, busking, I'll share it with you..

FINALLY, the new busking season has arrived for me.. I went out the other day and it was FUN to get back onto the street. My new puppet, Happy Harry Hiker is just about One week from being on the street. Good thing about him is that since he won't play a fiddle, then I can go out into cooler weather. The bad thing is that I'll have to start a new topic in the OTHER forum..My plan is to busk with the rabbit for about two hours, take a break and then use Happy Harry for another hour. I'll post a video of him ASAP just because I KNOW that the World is waiting to see him.. Not many member click a "like" to my busking posts, but at this point, I'm Self Motivated to Busk, Post, and have Fun...
After all this time, I'm still perplexed as to why more fiddler don't get "OUT THERE".. Busking is not a matter of talent. The public is Very forgiving, and busking offers a great opportunity to meet new people and to encounter head-scratching events on the sidewalk..

Sorry, Lee. I still read all your posts, but don't say much. I'm burned out on forums. I just don't feel like typing much of anything anymore.

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Originally posted by amwildman

Sorry, Lee. I still read all your posts, but don't say much. I'm burned out on forums. I just don't feel like typing much of anything anymore.

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Yes, I can relate.  Sometimes I TRY to avoid FB, Google, and even the Hangout...However, the addiction runs deep...

I think social media is actually the opposite, in that people can constantly be in contact so no need to meet face to face and be, well, social. I avoid as much as I can.

As for busking, I'd like to give that try, but do need some more time before I venture out. Then would have to scope out a place. The only busker I've really ever seen down here is a fellow that plays guitar in front of a Kmart. And Lee, I've been remiss in liking your posts. I really enjoy your busking adventure stories.

Thanks for the support, guys.. It means a lot.. Here is a photo of my latest character, Happy Hiker.. Sorry, but I can't get him to play a fiddle.. Best I could do is Kazoo and Harmonica...This photo of course is in my home.. I'll try to get some on the street photos/videos tomorrow.. I have hundreds of hours in making this guy.. Good thing I'm retired and my wife is out of town..!!!

I see you are going for matching hair on this one, good idea. I never miss an installment.

I was HYPED... and ready to take Happy Hiker and Harry Hare busking in the next county's tourist town...I got just two miles out of town and my truck started to throw out enough white smoke that an army regiment could have hidden behind it. I turned around and went right to my local mechanic. I had been planning on getting a new engine in a couple of weeks, but now the need has become critical...SO... I did NOT get to busk......I'll see if my daughter wants to be a shill and go with me somewhere close to home tomorrow and see what we can come up with........

Lee, I have just read through every page of this topic and I wanted to say I loved your stories, experiences and attitude to life! Also your marionettes are a great idea! I hope you continue to post here.

It does make me want to get out and give it a try with my banjo (only a total beginner with fiddle), but I need some courage first!