I used to do it with my guitar when I was a broke teenager and didnt have a job yet. Actually made some pretty decent money sometimes, especially near the holidays. If you're playing near any businesses always check with the owners to make sure its okay.. Dont want the cops getting called on you which happened to me once. The big companies are pretty likely to say no. Try small businesses, they might like the foot traffic it can attract. Also try not to make eye contact much with people passing by. Gives subtle body language that you want their money. If people like it they'll come up and talk to you anyway.

I sometimes busk at the local farmer's market. A good day is when some child too young to talk starts spontaneously dancing. Praise/blame all the same. If you sing a song play the melody a few times until you have it down enough. people are just passing you by and most will only hear your snippets. Just relax and enjoy your 30 seconds of fame. Life is a passing show, enjoy the moment and know no matter how good or bad you are doesn't matter squat, smiles are your rewards. And did I say enjoy.... banjered

I joined a group of buskers once in Picadilly Circus, London. There was a saying going around, "Play soft & low & watch them go, play fast & loud & draw a crowd".

Check with local laws about public places like city parks and farmer's markets. Some cities have laws that prohibit busking in those places. Nashville allows busking at the farmer's market, but Lexington won't allow it unless you have a license. Neither place will allow busking in city parks. Also, check the local ordinances about crafts fairs and festivals.
I don't know how it is in Albuquerque, but I imagine Taos would have pretty lenient laws about busking since it has a vibrant arts community.

I have done quite a bit of busking over the years in my area. Here is what I have learned:

1. Many cities and towns require you to have a busking license or permit to perform on public property. If this is the case in your area, make sure you have one, and that it is visible when you perform. This keeps the cops and your local "you aren't allowed to be here" losers out of your hair.

2. Know where you are and aren't allowed to perform. Most public areas are fair game, as are sidewalks (as long as you do not block pedestrian passage). It is courteous to ask nearby businesses if they are alright with it, even if you won't technically be on their property.

3. Most public places have noise restrictions. This means you may or may not be able to use amplification.

4. Have a setlist prepared that will last about 30 mins to an hour. Most people won't stop and listen for an hour. So when you get to the end of your songs, you can start over and play the same ones over and no one will even know.

5. If you want busking to make you a better musician and performer, then work up some original tunes and observe how people respond to them. If you want to draw a crowd, learn some modern popular songs and cover them in a way that is your own (young people like to hear popular songs and will often stop to listen and film and take pictures). If you want busking to be a source of income, learn some oldies. The people who tip the most are members of the older generation who are pleasantly surprised to hear their favorite standard. A combination of all three approaches is a happy medium.

6. Be prepared for riff raff. When you are in the spotlight in a public setting, people think it's ok to shout obscure musical requests in between songs. Sometimes if you are near a bar or restaurant, you have to deal with the recently intoxicated. People may interrupt you in the middle of singing a verse to tell you how much they like your shoes, or that "this is my favorite song...hello why aren't you responding??" People may try to steal your tip jar. People may approach you in between songs and ask if they can play your instrument for a while. Just be prepared. It's all par for the course. Stay safe, and leave if you become uncomfortable.

7. Bring some business cards with you, or a way to share contact info. I have generated many gigs this way.

8. Finally: Despite everything listed above, busking is a low pressure outlet for performing, and most times it goes pretty smoothly. It is extremely fun and rewarding (you are essentially getting paid to practice) but if you mess up, it's no big deal. So enjoy!

Tyler

Also, just noticed you're in ABQ! I was born and raised in Santa Fe, which is a great place to busk.

I’ve busked on and off for years,, I used to make decent tips years ago in front of a liquor store that was open until 11pm. One year I busked on classical guitar in the Toronto Subway System , , had to audition to get their permit. I now busk a few hours a week at the Calgary Farmers Market, with amplification. It’s fun, yes - you get paid to practice, little kids are great, oldsters come up & chat about a grandpa or uncle who played banjo, and I’ve gotten a couple of gigs out of it.

OK, here is my tip: Find a gimmick that draws the kids in close. Then, when the parent eventually step forward to retrieve their children, they will drop some money. Trust me on this.

I discovered this trick by accident. I was in a humble band that played Old Time tunes at a farmers' market many years ago. One week, I thought it would be fun to bring out my latest creation: a foot-operated Limber Jim that danced to the music as I tapped my foot. The kids loved it. And we DOUBLED our take! We never played without it after that.

I heard about a fellow playing guitar at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco who had a pet rabbit on a leash, with a sign that said "YES, YOU MAY PET THE RABBIT."

Shameless? Naw, just showmanship.

If you’re retired and don’t need the money, maybe you could donate what you make to a local food shelf or something.

Thanks everybody! Very helpful!

At the sake of risking a “political” issue, if one has time and money (such as many retired persons) this could be an opportunity to challenge any of these “ordinances” which do not stand up to first amendment challenges as “busking” is free speech.

When people challenge these laws in court they tend to win and, depending on how you are treated by the police, could end in a sizable settlement.

One would need to have an attorney on retainer willing to take on first amendment rights violations, be well organized to video and document every interaction, and fully prepared to be arrested.

But it would be a win for musicians and free speech.

Clifton Hicks' video "Busking 101":

youtu.be/_5EjrFV6920

Loads of great tips and tricks

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

At the sake of risking a “political” issue, if one has time and money (such as many retired persons) this could be an opportunity to challenge any of these “ordinances” which do not stand up to first amendment challenges as “busking” is free speech.

When people challenge these laws in court they tend to win and, depending on how you are treated by the police, could end in a sizable settlement.

One would need to have an attorney on retainer willing to take on first amendment rights violations, be well organized to video and document every interaction, and fully prepared to be arrested.

But it would be a win for musicians and free speech.

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Not sure that acting in bad faith will get anyone anywhere....

I had the luxury of going to school in Boston in the 1970s. If you wanted to see great street acts, you went to Harvard Square on weekends. You were invariably rewarded. There was a regular rotation involving several dozen acts in about three different locations.

Here's what's important: the really successful acts limited their shows to about 20 minutes and took a break while another act came on. These folks figured out that you could hold a crowd of passers-by no longer than that, and the pitch at the end was what really made bux hit bucket.

Usually, these acts - and they included musicians, jugglers, street circus, magicians and more - essentially showed up early enough to establish a rotation, with each doing about four shows per night.

They all recognized that people were interested in the street acts, and that some would come just to see them, but there were a lot of people who were just passing through and could be enticed to stay. So they built audience by working the crowd - singing to couples with their eyes on the two young lovers, doing hand magic to a few people and those nearby, doing small-scale juggling moves that only a half a dozen people could see at a time. They would work the crowd and build it, and then launch into the show.

And the show was always four, maybe five, different performances, all of which were really good. A busking musician doesn't need an endless repertoire - just five songs that blow peoples minds (though it helps to have that repertoire so you can do requests).

These acts would announce their bucket pitch before their last, final mindblower, do the mindblower, and then ostentatiously pick up the bucket and, with a mixture of gratitude and manipulation, soak up folding money from the crowd. And a few minutes later, the crowd would move on, mostly - but others walking by would be curious about the crowd and the next act would start building the show.

Ever heard of Cirque du Soleil? It's a multi-billion dollar company these days. But the process above is how they started.

Best busker - The Late Great Dave Hum

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Originally posted by Patrick1962

I looked through the threads and although there were a few on busking but they were mostly 10+ years old... So, I will retire in a little over 3 years from now and have always wanted to try busking. Hopefully by then I will have at least 2 dozen or so songs under my belt. Im not looking to try and make a living at it just want to have the experience of doing it..of seeing somebody who is obviously having a bad day, stop, and put a smile on their face..know what I mean?
Any and all advice, tips, Do's and Donts from people who have actually done it would be greatly appreciated.

I did it many times when I played fiddle. The reward for me was the pocket money, the little kids wide eyed amazement and dancing, and the practice of playing in public. I have always had stage fright and made myself play on the street to try and over come it. One day I was just going thru the motions and an older woman walked by and told me to get with it.  Play it like you mean it is the best advice I can give anyone playing for others.

Silver falls-cool..that was very helpful
Fred nice vid bro..cant wait until that is me

I have never done any busking but this is what I learned from observation: make sure there is never too much money in the tip jar, you don't want to appear to earn better than the audience. Also, make sure there are some good examples of the type of money you'd expect as a tip visible in the tip jar and remove the smaller amounts. This may be different for the US where a coin usually can't buy you anything anyway and you use bills starting from 1USD but over here we have 1 and 2€ coins (which would make a solid tip) and the smallest bill is a fiver. Hence, I would leave some 1 and 2€ coins, the 50cents coins and remove everything below that, especially the copper coins.

I agree with phb

I would also suggest you follow Dave Hum's example and offer a few CD's for sale

I busk every week with the blessing of the local authority (they pay generous expenses) You must be entertaining and have a little backchat particularly to deal with any hecklers you may encounter, have a few gags ready, do not allow your tips jar to overfill, as said above, never let the public see you are earning more than them ! play songs the public know and, encourage them to join in, include passers by in your performance, nothing puts people off like a sullen head down guitarist mumbling a Neil Young song to himself, smile and take requests even if you don't really know the song , turn it around with a tenuous link, make a joke (always) "I have been asked for a Byrds song, here is one from an album not many know" proceed to play a Dylan song, who's gonna know ? At least you tried, worth a few coins surely ? A busker who ignores his audience and fails to entertain is just a beggar, a good busker is an entertainer and, gets rewarded for it.

I used to have a winter home in San Juan, Puerto Rico and just two blocks from my condo was an 500 year old wall where tourists walked by. I would go out there three or four times a week and play guitar or ukulele. It was actually US National Park property and they didn't allow busking. I did not know that and played there every winter. No one said anything. I found out just a few years ago, several years after we sold the condo. I don't think they enforced it at all, because there was a big busking community in Old San Juan and the rangers were more focused on tourist safety than they were in people sitting on National Park property singing songs. So nothing ventured, nothing gained.

For the most part from my experiences, if you are playing somewhere you are supposed to have a permit, and you don't have one, the authorities will just move you on. They probably won't arrest or ticket you unless you open your mouth and challenge their competitive spirit.

Now days where I live in a smaller college town, I only busk street festivals and farmers markets. Those usually are much more productive than just randomly standing on a street corner, unless you live somewhere there is a big busking presence and culture, then that's a different story. The best thing then is to try and become a part of that community and find out where the best places are to set up. A lot of good information gets exchanged. In PR most of the buskers met around supper time at one of the bars on Calle San Sebastian and shared the day's experiences.

A busker forum :
reddit.com/r/Busking/s/TypmHYA5tx

Like Nick said ^^ play what the audience knows.   Dunno how widespread the sentiment is, and whether or not it applies to busking as well as "performances," but neither my wife nor I have a big capacity for "... and here's one I wrote 3 weeks ago."   I realize that's what popular songs started out as, and I suppose so long as it's in small doses .......... ??

Whether it's busking, posting on Youtube, performing before an audience, I think the most important thing you can do for yourself is develop an accurate self-image.  There is something about trad/folk music that attracts some folks who want to perform long before they are ready for prime time.  I look back at some of my performance escapades from decades ago and I just cringe.  Painful.  As Dylan said:  I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now. 

Find an experienced and informed  friend/teacher/music hero who will give you a kind, but fully accurate, appraisal of your readiness to play in public. Best instructor I ever had, when learning Highland many pipes years ago, was an instructor who only gave out praise when it was merited.  

Some of you may disagree, but I don't think busking is for practicing an instrument.  Practice busking?  Yes.  Learning how to play while busking?  Not so much.

Pete Seeger famously said:  The trouble with amateur musicians is that they expect people to listen to them.   Perhaps a bit harsh, but worth taking into consideration.

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Originally posted by Owen

Like Nick said ^^ play what the audience knows.   Dunno how widespread the sentiment is, and whether or not it applies to busking as well as "performances," but neither my wife nor I have a big capacity for "... and here's one I wrote 3 weeks ago."   I realize that's what popular songs started out as, and I suppose so long as it's in small doses .......... ??

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Even the well-known artists have to play all their most popular material for the most part of their concerts and can only mix in some of the lesser known material they may think much more highly of than the popular stuff. So much that they get fed up with their popular songs. Ever noticed how Paul Simon sometimes stresses the "again" in "Hello, darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk to you AGAIN"?