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| Rush, minus the acoustic guitar and harmonica... |
Yesterday, (Friday) I got downtown in time for the start of the Friday Night Live concert, as part of that series.
Some band started off by playing "Pick Up The Pieces," by The Average White Band.
They mimicked the recording of that song; no improvisation at all. Some people like that and would say that they did a really good job on the song. Why not just put the CD on?
I played a bit as the concert was letting out, only made a few bucks. I went on the highway ramp where guys hold signs and made another few bucks.
My D string broke just as a truck pulled up and a guy handed me three bucks and asked me to play Tom Sawyer, by Rush....on an acoustic guitar...with a harmonica....Tom Sawyer, by Rush....my string breaking was a blessing from God.
I went back downtown and played yet again and made a few more bucks, but all in all it was only about half of what I'd made the previous Friday, and getting out on the ramp was un nerving, the Rush request not withstanding.....
....
Apparently the harmonica is still "alive" at least.
ReplyDeleteYour earnings seem really low lately. Why not push on to Texas at least?
Hopefully this posts.
OK I was able to publish a new post, then go back and add a picture, then go back and edit the text. Seems OK. Of course I'm using an apple computer, different OS. Mainly it seems s-lo-w-e-r.
ReplyDeleteMainly the guy requesting Rush just wants to hear some riff that shows you know what the band is or song is. It doesn't take much to please those people. It's like aribrushing t-shirts (an occupation that pays far less than what you do, trust me) people are just bowled over if you know what their favorite band logo etc. is.
I was over at Guitar Center today and Yamaha makes a cheaper keyboard that has velocity-sensitive keys. Not full-on weighted etc. to feel and work like a piano's but .... far ahead of the average keyboard. Quite a dynamic range. I think that thing's $150. And may go on sale for more like $100 who knows. It would be more suitable to take onto the street than the keyboard I got. If you had a car to live in it could work.
Although, I'm convinced what people really like is something different, like an accordion or concertina, or if you played a harmonica but it was a huge ol' sucker like a bass harmonica. Harpists (like real harp-harp not harmonica) do well, so they seem to all be sourpusses with inflated views of themselves. Cellists do well, even Cello Joe until he starts in with that beatboxing shit.
But out here in Cali, skill wins out in the end. We have so many buskers who are horrible.