Anyone ever done any busking/street performing?

Hello,

Just watched a show on buskers in London and can't believe how talented some of the musicians are! Yes, there was even a guy sat with his arranger and a big battery pack attached to it for power

I always thought it'd be cool to try something like that, but don't like the thought of strapping a car battery to my keyboard!



Carrie

[This message has been edited by Carrie-uk (edited 04-29-2005).]

I think there's a posibility to connect a normal power socket via a special adaptor with the car's battery. So you can use the normal power plugs like you're using it at home. This technical trick is usually used in camping vehicles...

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

I have a portable Pignose 30 watt amp with a recharger built in. It is designed for portable power for bass but works well with a keyboard. At reasonable volume I can do a 4-hour job on one full charge. they're about $130.00 from Musicians Friend.

Pretty neat!

Russ

I've used a 12 v marine battery and a Dc to AC inverter on more than one occasion. It works fine, and can last a whole day. It's a whole lot better if you can find a way to ground it to something though. If you don't ground it, you definitely won't want to touch your lips against a metal microphone head....

AJ

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

Maybe the keyboard manufacturers can build in a solar panel into the top plastic panel.

Maybe you'd get 5 hours use on the 61-key but a whopping 6 hours use on the 76-key pro model.

The player is advised to where sunblocker of spf30 with 76-key solar panel model

For two months I performed on the first Friday of the month in a small town north of where I live. The special event was kinda neat and called First Friday. The shops would all display their wares on the sidewalks and there was live performances by musical groups at intervals of 100 to 200 yards (meters) down the business district's main street. The biggest problem I encountred was you cannot see the keyboard's display, even when it was shaded--it's just darned near impossible. Additionally, you cannot see any of the tiny LED lights for the same reason--not bright enough. Essentially, you're working blind and hoping for the best. Fortunately, it was for only two jobs, then I requested they get someone else and bowed out gracefully.

Cheers,

Gary

Yes, the brightness is really a problem but we won't fix it because the sun has so many light power that you'd get blind if we had only days and no nights.
If you'd try to make displays and LEDs with more brightness you would propably see nothing too because of the many lights at all...

The reason why LEDs seem to be not bright enough is that some of the sunbeams are going directly into the LEDs and will be reflected by the inner glases.

There's a posibility to change the blind flight on sunny days to a sight flight. What about creating little sticks which are coming out if unset and going in if set? You know, something like buttons which has an upper and a lower setting (on/off).
If the shadow of the little sticks are longer then the related function is unset and contrariwise...

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

Gary,

You could make a pile of money as a street musician in Key West. Get a marine battery and an inverter, put them in a little cart that will double as your bench and you will be all set. Go down to the square at sunset and play. This will also solve your problems with the cold. Just tell the wife to start packing!

Tom

Tom,

I've been trying to convince her to move there for 25 years but she won't budge from the People's Republic of Maryland. I spent some fun years in the keys, visited Malory Square with the Sunset People more times that I would like to admit, and for me it's my kind of place to live--WARM! I just came in from mowing the lawn, which takes about 3 hours on the tractor, and I damned near froze to death. It's currently 45 degrees outside, which is 30 degrees below my comfort level.

Gary

and the sun even shines here in the UK Carrie....
I have played outside and the sun is a problem but dark glasses and a shade over the display of the keyboard helps...
as does a local shopkeeper allowing you to plug in - either that or a portable generator...
Clothes pegs to keep your sheet music on the stand helps a bunch too!!!
The worst thing is the way the music you play just floats away into the ether - no walls for it to bounce off so plenty of amplification to be heard at all.
Rog

Here we see Donny (DNJ) trying to earn a few extra bucks on the busy streets of New Jersey while sporting a new look, courtesy of the South Beach Diet.



(see what happens when you leave)



-mike

Donny has really got into shape. I'm going to have to try Southbeach if I can look like that. It looks like Brick NJ has really prospered!

A really good snapshot!!!
Let it be a warning to all of us...NO DIET!!!

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)