Thank you Aaron.. I'll look into that!!!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by amwildman

Lee, I was in the airport recently, and ran across a busker. Well, a sanctioned busker, anyway. A piano player. I didn't ask, but the signs indicated that he worked strictly for tips.

Anyway, I gave him a good tip, listened a few minutes, and got his permission for some photos. I took this one especially for you.

---

Thanks again, My daughter just spent an hour setting me up with PAYPAL and a QR code so that now I can get tips from smart phones used by passersby..!!!! Thanks for the inspiration..

Two exciting things today.. Mother's Day.. cold but I went to busk anyway... This is the first time I've received a tip ($5) from my QR logo...Also, that tip was preceded by THREE other consecutive tips of $5 each.. That has Never happened before... I left the sidewalk a happy camper.........One of the tippers was a lady who had attended grade school with my fiddling daughter, Katie (non-posting Hangout member).....Today marks the 80th time that I've been out busking since January 1st.
Maybe I forgot to mention that I wrote an email to the local Chief of Police complaining that I don't mind being told to move..but that the officers should at least know what the code says..They had instructed me to move TWO blocks from a private event even though the Code only says I need to be ONE block away, and another busker was told to be 50 feet from an ATM while the Code says 20 feet is sufficient..  I received a polite email reply from the Chief in which he says he'll have the officers review the Code..

Just one hour of busking today... a little chilly, and I'm going to a jam session tonight and don't want to go already 'wiped out'... On my way to my car I saw a young man sitting and doing some sort of colored pencil art and to his side sat a guitar.. I asked him why he wasn't busking and he replied that he was hoping to raise enough money to get a new set of strings.. (I smelled a scam)....We chatted for a while longer and I came to realize that he was serious...he needed strings and was indeed an experienced but Poor busker..After a long chat about places we've played in common I left him some change, introduced him to Harry Hare and asked what His name was.....He replied, '' They call me Rabbit"... Ya can't make this stuff up.

It was interesting busking today.. Here in BLoomington, today is the unofficial BUSKERS DAY...I did see a larger number of buskers on the street and I'll bet that tonight the place will be 'hoppin'. My busking spot this afternoon was about 100 feet from the front entrance of a new, ultra-modern hotel. At one point a bridal party came out and stopped by the entrance to take photo.. I could see the photographer's camera pointing at the bride but the photographer may Not have noticed that me and Harry were 'just over her shoulder'.. I'm sure that those photos won't make it into the wedding album,,, but then again...it is a novel photo!!' Our first wedding photo-bomb.. We'll be seen smiling and waving frantically...

Also... from my busking spot on the wide sidewalk I could see, 20 feet away, a large pile of dog excrement... you know..Poop... It had already been stepped in at least once and I found great pleasure in watching how people who were walking distracted because of me and Harry..either step in it again or do some amazing acrobatics to avoid it at the last second.. Finally, I asked someone to go into the hotel lobby and report the pile. Someone could have slipped. Later I again reported it to a valet friend of mine..After two hours and nobody removing it, I got a handful of mulch and covered it......I often perform such major 'services to humanity' that go unnoticed... (unless I can get a smile out of some Hangout member by telling about it..)

Which reminds me... I have busking friends who say that in some places they'd make 3-4 HUNDRED dollars in a day.. FInally I asked one of them  how long they had to busk to get those results...TWELVE hours...!!  On a busy market or tourist day I could get $35/hour... Sounds like a lot.. but I can ONLY busk for 2 hours average...Sure, if I could busk TWELVE hours a day, I'd clean up!!!   At age 73... that ain't ta gonna happen.

Then, again, there is Reality.   THe other day I was busking on a busy street..Lots of people, good weather but no interest. After playing my heart out for 90 minutes the tips only totaled just uneer $2...I had to remind myself.. it is not what you make in a day, it is what you average at the end of the YEAR...Still, bummer..$2 ???

I think you should try a cowpie next time. That'll teach them not to tip. 

I'd like to relate some experiences we have and have had while playing in public, at the Regional Transit Authority rapid transit station in Cleveland, OH. Not truly busking, as the Greater Cleveland RTA does hire specific bands and pays the performers a fair rate, but they do allow an open case. So, the combination of playing in a public setting with an open case does equate it to busking. 

This is our fourth year in the line-up for this particular gig. We set up near the entrance/exit to the Red Line, which travels to points directly east and west of the city. I like to watch people, so each time there is a crowd of people coming through the turnstiles getting off the train (which is approximately every 10 to 15 minutes) I watch to see reactions. I'm amazed at how few people even look to see what we are doing. Maybe most people are so focused on where they are going that they don't notice what is going on around them. I mean, I get it, this music may not be everybody's cup of tea, but I would think that they would at least look to see people sitting there playing live music. *shrugs*

Despite that, we do get a lot of people stopping by to listen for a bit, and tips are not too bad. We get lots of 5s and even 10s. 

We played a bit earlier in the season this year, so not as many kids as during the summer months. Lots of kids stop to listen and dance. Kids really seem to love Old-Time music. 

We had a wonderful experience this time around that I want to share. An elderly woman using a walker came by. She stood and listened a bit, and did a little dance as she approached us. This was very touching, as it was clear that her mobility was limited, yet the music moved her so much that she got her body groovin'. 

It's special little moments like this that make it all seem worthwhile.

Elderly Woman with walker Dances to Old-Time Music

quote:

---

Originally posted by FiddlerPaul71

I'd like to relate some experiences we have and have had while playing in public, at the Regional Transit Authority rapid transit station in Cleveland, OH. Not truly busking, as the Greater Cleveland RTA does hire specific bands and pays the performers a fair rate, but they do allow an open case. So, the combination of playing in a public setting with an open case does equate it to busking. 

 

This is our fourth year in the line-up for this particular gig. We set up near the entrance/exit to the Red Line, which travels to points directly east and west of the city. I like to watch people, so each time there is a crowd of people coming through the turnstiles getting off the train (which is approximately every 10 to 15 minutes) I watch to see reactions. I'm amazed at how few people even look to see what we are doing. Maybe most people are so focused on where they are going that they don't notice what is going on around them. I mean, I get it, this music may not be everybody's cup of tea, but I would think that they would at least look to see people sitting there playing live music. *shrugs*

Despite that, we do get a lot of people stopping by to listen for a bit, and tips are not too bad. We get lots of 5s and even 10s. 

We played a bit earlier in the season this year, so not as many kids as during the summer months. Lots of kids stop to listen and dance. Kids really seem to love Old-Time music. 

We had a wonderful experience this time around that I want to share. An elderly woman using a walker came by. She stood and listened a bit, and did a little dance as she approached us. This was very touching, as it was clear that her mobility was limited, yet the music moved her so much that she got her body groovin'. 

It's special little moments like this that make it all seem worthwhile.

 

Elderly Woman with walker Dances to Old-Time Music

---

Your group sounds REALLY GOOD..

Thank you, Lee!

Another interesting day.. Some guy walked by with an eight foot long SNAKE hanging over his shoulder...........A group was marking out spots on the sidewalk for booths for the Gay Pride event coming soon.. They are the ones who asked the police to have us removed..This year, I'll solicit permission via email and see what happens..
Also today,  someone took a very nice video of Harry Hare busking.. It comes to mind that a lot of you don't get to see him 'in action ' very often.......Watch.  This is on the Old Time Fiddle Facebook page..   

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/OTFiddle/

I would have made the video a YOUTUBE video, but I'm having trouble with my "Not so SMART phone."
 

Alas, on Memorial Day it is not usually possible to tell who has lost a loved one when people are walking down the street... Veterans though, often wear hats or jackets and are showing that they were part of some great event..I've taught Harry Hare to Salute those people wearing military related clothing.. I figure that if they didn't want the recognition, then they wouldn't wear those items.. So. ..SALUTE!!!

Tonight I'll be busy so I went out mid-afternoon to busk.. The minimum wage was elusive but I still had a great experience.. Remember a few years ago when I wrote about the young woman who was in a wheelchair? She borrowed one of my fiddles and learned to play Twinkle-Twinkle... and went busking.. Yep.. Well she stopped playing because of poor health and today she stopped by and told me that she has arranged to buy her own fiddle and take formal lessons.. Self motivated people learn the best..!!! She informed me that "If you Look like you know what you are doing when you practice, people will think that how you sound in intentional.."... Good words of busking advice..even if from a novice..

Busking today, in Indianapolis, was just a little unnerving..I was busking WITHOUT Harry Hare for the first time in over a year. I did ok and got some nice compliments..I found that I was able to put more into the music since I wasn't distracted by Harry..However I do think I'd have made more tips with him, but It was nice to know that I can still busk 'alone'. A guy came by on a square wheeled (yep, maybe 6 sided) skateboard..HIs name is T.A. Breedlove and he is known as the Indianapolis Skateboard Journalist. I checked out his stuff on Google when I got home and found that he is very talented and I expect that his encounter with me will lead to an article. Surprisingly, when I told him that I usually busk with a rabbit puppet he said that he had already seen videos of us.. Small world..........

quote:

---

Originally posted by TuneWeaver

Busking today, in Indianapolis, was just a little unnerving..I was busking WITHOUT Harry Hare for the first time in over a year. I did ok and got some nice compliments..I found that I was able to put more into the music since I wasn't distracted by Harry..However I do think I'd have made more tips with him, but It was nice to know that I can still busk 'alone'.  When people said nice things about my fiddling and tipped well, I was a little taken aback because  I've gotten used to Harry getting all of the attention and not my actual fiddle playing.... Wow...that thought will have to sink in.

...A guy came by on a square wheeled (yep, maybe 6 sided) skateboard..HIs name is T.A. Breedlove and he is known as the Indianapolis Skateboard Journalist. I checked out his stuff on Google when I got home and found that he is very talented and I expect that his encounter with me will lead to an article. Surprisingly, when I told him that I usually busk with a rabbit puppet he said that he had already seen videos of us.. Small world..........

---

It is funny (to me) that I have not heard this before, but now I've heard it three times in a week.. Seems that two and three year old kids who have little toy guitars or ukuleles at home have been trying to put them on their shoulders and using a stick to mimic a violin after having seen me and Harry do our busking thingy....I can see it now. Ten years from now ( I'll be 83 but still busking, Lord willing) there will be a bank of 12 year old fiddlers on our streets... That will be a good thing... I hope.

The Pied Fiddler of Indiana, leading the children away to a life of music? We can only hope.

quote:

---

Originally posted by tpquinn

The Pied Fiddler of Indiana, leading the children away to a life of music? We can only hope.

---

It was when I was only five years old that I had my first encounter with a fiddle.. I never forgot it and from then on wanted to play one.....It took until I was 30 before it 'kicked in'..!!

Some ideas just need a bit of fermentation time before it's ready. Wish I had started when I was 30.

At Clifftop last year, I met a delightful woman who wanted to make her own equivalent of Harry Hare.  Here is a Video she sent me.. Can't wait to go busking with her and "Chumley"....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlqOiCYx5Ew&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1AEtfCBAJHK6KYRxQv7m3zNalHJ6EeZeU3Mw2iSihuTLTRqA0bNf3UOHM

Interesting encounters today..A couple of college aged kids exuding a wonderful contenance, crossed the street just to see us and they already had dollar bills in hand with which to tip.. They made my day.
Then followed a pleasant family of four. They watched us for awhile and decided that we were 'tip worthy'.. It was fun watching four adults digging into shirt pockets, pants pockets, wallets and purses only to discover that between the four of them they didn't have a dime in change or bills..Too bad I didn't have my QR card out... Anyway I told them that they don't owe a tip and it was worth a buck to me just to watch them all dig around in their belongings.
Following, came a man who had the right side of his head shaved bald and he had long hair on the left side of his head.. He too, didn't have cash EXCEPT, he said this nickel that has been in his pocket for weeks.. He tipped..a nickel.. I informed him that I had been only 5 cents from being filthy rich and NOW I have achieved my goal thanks to him!!
Life is good!!

In the past when busking my legs would get very tired from standing on hard sidewalks..So I started bring along a  heavy, four legged stool.. So.. Today I made a light weight, extremely portable, ONE LEG stool.. check it out.....

That looks great as long as you have pavement to sit it on. I'll need to come up with something like that for Clifftop light and portable but not pointed like that or it'll sink in the ground.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ChickenMan

That looks great as long as you have pavement to sit it on. I'll need to come up with something like that for Clifftop light and portable but not pointed like that or it'll sink in the ground.

---

One could put a 3 inch, or so,   2x4 bottom pad  on it.. Problem solved..If I knew your leg measurements I'd make one for you..!!  This style could Easily be made adjustable by two inch increments..Let me know..Also, for about $20 you could buy one from Amazon and put a wide bottom pad on it...again, problem solved..

I was just about to edit the OP when you commented.. A friend said that it doesn't look stable.. Well, it IS.  I've tried sitting on it bicycle seat style and there is no way it will slip.. YOu wind up with a seat/two-leg tripod and as you know, a tripod is stable....One would NEVER try to put all of their weight on this little stool...  NOW that I think about it, I may actually make a bicycle shaped seat shaped  seat for it!!!

My goal is to come up with something comfortable for when I perform at the Indiana State Fair in August.. I'm supposed to busk (and be paid, well) for THREE hours.. THat is a LOOONG time to busk.. So I'll need something to sit on besides a regular chair...

You need a saddle and reins and play Spotted Pony...

HA!!! Bet you thought I was gone..! The other day a homeless guy with a sign, was on MY corner so I just went to an adjacent corner. I could see him and he could see me..I saw people tip him but not me, me but not him, and some tipped us both.. At one point he became intimidated and yelled at me from across the street...Apparently, he thought that people on Both sides of the street would go and give him money.. We are NOT Even Doing The Same THing.. ..
Today, I got to the corner first and started playing ... In a while HE arrived and took a bench seat maybe 100 feet from me and held out his "anything helps'' sign.. When I was finished busking ( Father's Day...Good tips), I walked down to where he was sitting, gave him a dollar and introduced myself.. His name is Danny and he wished me a happy Father's Day... we chatted.......He is a father but he only hears from his kids maybe once in every two years..
Making friends is the best way to keep from having enemies.. A friendly relationship causes a lot less stress than does an adversarial relationship.......