[Perform-Talk] The Exciting World of Busking and Other Performances!

Mon Feb 20 02:41:01 UTC 2023

I have an Enya travel acoustic guitar it is carbon fiber and looks like a Less Paul one. It is all black too. I started to learn a little bit during the holiday season last year. I have a Yamaha P105 keyboard and a Bach trumpet. I used to have a Yamaha trumpet and I have two carol brass pocket trumpet one bigger than the other and the other is a mini pocket trumpet.

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> On Feb 19, 2023, at 6:30 PM, Daryl Swinson via Perform-Talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Marion,
> Congratulations on your busking success! :) I only just started
> playing guitar a year ago. Busking would be something cool to work
> towards. Please continue with this conversation topic!
> 
> Also, what kind of Martin acoustic do you play? What other guitars do
> you have? Could you share a website with your music? Are you on
> youtube?
> I'm still taking weekly guitar lessons, and will be getting back to
> some singing lessons in March. I purchased an Orangewood guitar, the
> least expensive solid-top model in mahogany as a starter guitar a year
> ago. I'm looking at Taylors right now, the 517E and 614CE. But right
> now those are aspirational purchases, once I feel like I've improved
> enough to be worthy of such an instrument. *LOL*
> 
> 
>> On 2/19/23, Marion & Martin via Perform-Talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Dear All,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>                My life has taken an unexpected turn and, in doing so, I
>> have committed myself to doing more with my music. I have been performing
>> professionally since I was 16 years old and most of that time has been as a
>> solo entertainer. My stage name is what you see in my display name - Marion
>> & Martin. (I play a Martin acoustic guitar.) I use a phrase a reporter who
>> interviewed me once used to describe my music: Acoustic rock with a beach
>> flair!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>                I recently began busking in Tampa, Florida. For those who
>> don't know what busking is, it is street performing.
>> 
>> When I say "recently", I mean like on January 28! Tampa has an annual
>> celebration of a mythical pirate invasion which draws more than 300,000
>> people. It is a nod to this celebration as to why our football team is
>> called Buccaneers! In one hour of performing, I made $91! My next busking
>> experience was last Thursday! Tampa has an entertainment district much like
>> the French Quarter of New Orleans called Ybor (pronounced "E-bore")City.
>> Ybor has more than 80 bars in about a 10 square block area and you can find
>> any style of music and lifestyle there. I didn't do quite as well then,
>> coming home with $31.50! I learned a few lessons from this experience and
>> want to share them with anyone who is busking or who is interested in
>> busking, too.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>                Unsure of how I would be received or, more accurately, if I
>> was going to be told by law enforcement to move on, I kept it very simple.
>> All I took was my guitar and a tip jar. My first advice is to have an
>> actual
>> tip jar. Lots of buskers use their instrument cases but one good breeze
>> could distribute your tips along the sidewalk. I bought a clear plastic
>> food
>> container at Dollar Tree. Use a clear, uncolored container so people can
>> see
>> the money in it. Put a rock or some other heavy object in the bottom to
>> keep
>> the jar from blowing away, too! You can also put some flour or sand in a
>> zip
>> lock baggie to make it bottom-heavy! I feed my tip jar with $10 - two
>> singles folded together, three singles folded together, and one $5.00 bill.
>> I face the $5.00 bill open and facing outward so it can be seen. Again,
>> this
>> is a subtle subliminal message to your audience of the type of tip to give.
>> When I perform in bars, I always have my business cards near my tip jar and
>> make a few announcements about tipping the wait staff and the musician. One
>> of the funny ways I use to solicit tips is to say, "You may not know this
>> about me but I collect pictures of dead presidents, like Washington,
>> Lincoln, and Jackson. One of my favorite presidents is Benjamin franklin!"
>> (I have gotten several $100 tips in the past! I also say, "As you give a
>> tip, take a card!" One thing I have learned from my years of performing is
>> to put my cards near my tip jar. I have cut a hole in the top of the
>> plastic
>> jar and have attached a business card holder to it with Velcro. Their hands
>> are inches from my business cards as they give me tips and they are more
>> likely to take one. The vice versa is true, as well! If they want a
>> business
>> card, they are close to the tip jar and are more likely to drop some money
>> in as they grab a card!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>                My business cards are also ways to give tips! On the back
>> of
>> my business cards it says, "Please consider supporting my music by sending
>> a
>> tip via Zelle to the phone number on this card." Many people do not carry
>> cash and the electronic format is a great way to facilitate their tipping.
>> In addition, tips sent by Zelle are more generous than the ones given in
>> person. Another little trick I use is to Braille my stage name on the
>> cards.
>> This minor detail gives my cards a life of their own, as people will share
>> your card with others because of the uniqueness of Braille. One final word
>> on business cards: Underneath the above invitation to tip via Zelle is an
>> invitation to subscribe to my mailing list so they can find out where I
>> will
>> be performing. Many venues want to know if we have a following and telling
>> them I have almost 200 people on my mailing list is an incentive to hire
>> me!
>> My NFB chapter friends often come out to my gigs, as do some of my church
>> friends!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> This has been a very long message and, if you are still reading this, I
>> appreciate your attention! My original idea was to share how I built a
>> busking cart but I will do that later this week! If you have any questions
>> or have some comments you would like to share about your performances,
>> please do so! We are here to support each other in all our endeavors! I
>> look
>> forward to hearing from some of you!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Fraternally yours,
>> 
>> Marion Gwizdala
>> 
>> Marion & Martin
>> 
>> SwampFox1833 at verizon.net <mailto:SwampFox1833 at verizon.net>
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
>       Regards,
> 
>       Daryl Swinson, M.S., M.A.
> 
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