Took my new Getzen 390 out busking

1jazzyalex · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:56 pm Post subject:

[quote="Richard III"]

1jazzyalex · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:58 pm Post subject:

[quote="Grits Burgh"]

razeontherock · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 5:32 pm Post subject:

If I were to busk, it'd def be on a cornet; one of the cheaper ones I have, that still play fine. Speaking of which, the old Olds receiver will take a FL mpc with a Bach shank.

So congrats on the cornet! I find a blue plunger goes well with a silver horn, and looks less like plumbing. Learn to growl, and how that differs from flutter tongue.

Grits Burgh · Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 6:27 pm Post subject:

1jazzyalex · Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 12:25 am Post subject:

I went out tonight, played in the tunnel across from West Valley Music (after buying a book called Pares Scales from them) and played for an hour and a half, making $25.70.

This is interesting because it's 30 cents short of what I made on the 4th, a special day, and in roughly half the time.

I even got a dollar from a kid with a guitar who'd been playing in the area earlier, and we both got on the train back to San Jose; he said he called it a day when his voice got really tired out. Same situation with my lips.
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Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

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1jazzyalex · Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 5:00 pm Post subject:

Classic Bean!

My all time favorite is the one where he's in a department store buying some socks or something and there's one of those manger scenes set up because it's around Christmas, and he's messing around with the figures, and the store manager interferes with a police helicopter figure it's hilarious.

I need to be in Mountain View right now and I'm not.

Edit: I ended up going out on the bike and doing some shopping, and went to Cafe Stritch because Sunday evening is the jam, with various musicians rotating in and out, and there was a trumpeter - a guy named Modesto Briseno, and I even got his card.

So instead of playing trumpet, I went and saw someone else play trumpet. I told him I'd been playing on the street and doing about $60 a weekend, and this weekend more like $75 if I'd gone out tonight. He said "That's more than I'm making".

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Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A

Richard III · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 5:54 am Post subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah1kYxU_b7Q

For those who haven't heard him or the venue. Here is one from 2015.

Reality check for what people are making. I have a friend just getting back into gigging and he is shocked at the low pay.
_________________
Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

Grits Burgh · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:22 am Post subject:

DaveH · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Nov 2001 Posts: 3861

dcjway · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 7:45 am Post subject:

Richard III · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 9:16 am Post subject:

Yesterday morning, my little jazz band played one song at a local church. One of the members of the band is the music director and he thought our version of Just a Closer Walk with Thee would blow their minds. Surprise. Everyone loved our traditional jazz approach and want us back. We got paid nothing but smiles, applause and many kind words.

Later in the day, my tuba player and I did a short busking gig in our little town. Once again just smiles, applause and kind words. We had to quit after 2-3 songs because a venue next door had amplified music for a special occasion.

So no money yesterday but we did have the joy of making music.
_________________
Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

Grits Burgh · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:52 pm Post subject:

Richard, I envy you. What I wouldn't give for a tuba player, a trombonist and a clarinetist. But even with just a tuba, it would be a lot of fun. Playing with your group must be a blast.

Just a Closer Walk With Thee is really a lot of fun to play. It is one of my favorites. I have been practicing using a plunger on that piece. I am also trying to learn to growl on St. Jame Infirmary. Growling is surprisingly difficult for me.

Also, I have been thinking about getting a cornet (one more investment which I will never recoup) just because it would make the plunger so much easier to use.

Warm regards,
Grits
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy.

Richard III · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 1:30 pm Post subject:

One of the many things about a cornet is that they are quite cheap. A good cornet can be had for $100. People don't want them so that drives the price down. I'm not talking a King Master, Bach Strad or one of the other pro horns that are popular in the limited cornet market. One drawback is that its hard to try before you buy. But with such a cheap entry, trying by buying is possible. I have maybe five that I have no problem playing for any situation. The other issue is that the old ones play better with original mouthpieces. I have one cornet that no modern shanked mouthpiece will fit. But the old ones fit just find.

With regards to tuba and other instruments. I couldn't find a good trombone player. I played that part on my marching french horn. Then one of my trumpet players decided to switch to baritone horn. That put me on cornet. He has since moved again to tuba. Tuba just works so much better than a bass player trying to play that part. We have gone through many changes. Part of that is finding music that works with multiple instruments. We now have a guitar player, piano player, banjo and bass players and that makes fluctuations in brass much easier to adapt to.
_________________
Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

1jazzyalex · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:05 pm Post subject:

1jazzyalex · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 3:16 pm Post subject:

Alright look here people

For the average person, live music is something they get taken to see a few times in elementary/high school and after that, nada.

Almost everywhere in the US is *not* like San Jose, which has music in the park, San Jose Jazz events, Cafe Stritch and Caffe Frascati, and places like the Hedley Club where you can listen for the price of a drink.

This is why little kids are so freaking astounded at a busker; to them music is something that comes out of a speaker.

If you're very religious, you get some exposure to live music that way, but what if you're not?

The vast majority of people are in survival mode, and as I experienced at a very deep level, music is what you have when you have nothing else.

Buskers are out there for many reasons, and for quite a few, it really is about the money. Those are the ones who are tired, stale, and play the same rotation of about 7 songs.

But I could make side-money in any of a number of ways. Most of which have seemed to be more lucrative than playing trumpet, but the busking game is surprising me.

I started on the 4th of July, hence this thread. That week I played 4 days and made a hair under $60. The next week I played 3 days and made a hair over $60. This last weekend I played 2 days and made $56. And if I can get other work I have to do, done, then I plan to go out Wednesday night, perhaps making this a $75 or so week. That's getting to be pretty worthwhile money. And I must be improving, too.

Partially this is "learning to play by brute force", sort of like how Harry James was made to play every day for hours by his family (who owned/ran a circus) or how the Gypsies will throw their kids out there to busk, learn or else.

Any of a number of buskers will tell you, bar/club owners are cheap bastards, so why even deal with 'em when you can make more on the street?
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Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A

Grits Burgh · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:26 pm Post subject:

1Jazzyalex,

Okay, I'll be right back with you just as soon as i figure out what a Walt Jung's "Op-Amp Cookbook" is.

I did make some watermelon sorbet. Oh yeah...

Warm regards,
Grits
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy.

Grits Burgh · Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:42 pm Post subject:

1Jazzyalex,

Okay. I got it. Walt Jung's "Op-Amp Cookbook."

I'm strictly an acoustical instrument guy. That one was outside of my experience.

I am a fan of busking provided that the music is tasteful. To me, busking is about sharing something that you love and connecting with people. It's a lot of fun when the audience appreciates the music.

As you say, in many areas of the country, live performances are rare, particularly if you don't count church, rap, rock, or country. In my experience, to those less than 20 years in age, Dixieland and Barbershop singing (my specialties) are novel and generally well received. Fortunately, I am in a position where earning money isn't a priority. I have the luxury of performing for the sheer fun of it - and it is fun.

If you can make some worthwhile money at busking, good for you. As I said previously, you have been an inspiration to me and I am enjoying the updates on your experiences.

Warm regards,
Grits
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy.