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Took my new Getzen 390 out busking


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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 11:27 pm    Post subject: Took my new Getzen 390 out busking Reply with quote

I took my new Getzen 390 out busking tonight.

First, I want to gush about what a thing of beauty this horn is. Built like a brick sh*thouse, very solid, maybe a bit heavy, but perfectly suited for a young student, or someone who plays in situations a bit more rough and tumble than a concert hall. It's probably a really good marching horn.

I just got it "newy-new" as some of us say, and I haven't even sent off for my Getzen t-shirt yet. I've been busy so although I got it last week, today was the first time playing it, even. I played through a few of the corny songs I had planned, and woops the first valve got REALLY sticky! OMG! On a new Getzen! Impossible! I figured it was some piece of crud that got in there somehow, so I removed the bottom valve cap, and sprayed out the valve casing with some "Nu-Trol" which is a pressurized light oil used to spray out electronics parts like switches and controls. I also sprayed the valve off with this unguent, and put it back together - perfection!

I like the look of the horn in general - I don't like all-silver horns, and the design is just ... neat. I think the sound is good, as well as I can tell. So much of that is the player.

The long and short of it is, I played about 3 hours, made a hair over $26, and probably didn't deserve much over $2 of it. I got tips from every kind of person, from a young boy to an old lady, and only got one sour look - from an Indian lady who probably wondered why in hell I was playing God Save The Queen on this day - the same melody is used for My Country Tis Of Thee.

The fireworks were great too.

I was really hesitant to go out there, not least because I was sick for a while and wasn't practicing in general, but I'm glad I did.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Come to think of it, I had a little bit of valve slowness when practicing today, and I think it's fibers from the fuzzy inside of the case getting in there.

I think I'll take a piece of tape and see if I can go over the inside of the case and pick any loose fluff that's around.

I just posted this hoping maybe some interesting busking stories would come up.
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to live in San Jose. Where do you set up? The bunny guy used to always be on San Pedro and got lots of tips. Sax guy used to set up on Paseo San Antonio. Always great crowd there too.
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connicalman
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's another crowd-pleaser. Perhaps add spoken word between trumpeted verses for next year?

"To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full glee /
A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition /
That he their Inspirer and Patron would be;
When this answer arriv'd from the Jolly Old Grecian:
"Voice, Fiddle and Flute /
No longer be mute /
I'll lend you my name, and inspire you to boot!
And besides I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine
The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's wine"

- the original tune to "the Anacreontic Song' was appropriated by one Francis Scott Key round about 1812 in Baltimore, MD. Sing this and you'll get some looks.
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OldKing
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Never busked in my life. However, I am needing ways to keep my retirement interesting. 'May need to come out there for a lesson. 'You playing all from memory, or some printed?

Use duct tape for the case. Thanks for the pressurized oil blow-out tip.
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Grits Burgh
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1jazzyalex,

Thanks for posting. You got me fired up to go busking, then I looked at the heat and humidity today and decided I'd wait for fairer weather.

Did you play the trumpet unaccompanied, or did you have some backing tracks?

I am anxious to give busking a go, but I don't expect to make enough money out of the deal to pay for my gas. That's okay; for me, the object is to make a few people smile. Also, perhaps I can meet a few folks who'd like to play. I figure it is as good as any way to hook up with other musicians.

I have been playing exercises almost exclusively. It would be nice to play some actual music for a change. I hope that my practice will pay off in improved musicianship.

Warm regards,
Grits
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Ed Kennedy
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to busk on the Michigan Ave. bridge (NOT in the winter) at lunch time in Chicago in the mid '70's when I was "between engagements." I played a crappy Czek pocket cornet. I usually made $30 -$40. Learn a bunch of old tunes like Avalon, Chinatown, etc.

Last edited by Ed Kennedy on Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard III wrote:
I used to live in San Jose. Where do you set up? The bunny guy used to always be on San Pedro and got lots of tips. Sax guy used to set up on Paseo San Antonio. Always great crowd there too.


Bunny Guy is a regular in front of The Old Spaghetti Factory, except when there's something going on at the SAP Center, then he'll set up on Santa Clara to catch the crowd going to/from the event. Like as not he was over on San Carlos near Discovery Park because that was the real place to watch fireworks. Bunny Guy has told me he'd gotten some good nights but most of the time it's the same tip-trickle for everyone. It's an endurance race not a sprint.

Sax Guy, Leroy, sets up somewhere on 1st and Santa Clara, plays an hour or so, then sets up in front of Johnny Rockets.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OldKing wrote:
Never busked in my life. However, I am needing ways to keep my retirement interesting. 'May need to come out there for a lesson. 'You playing all from memory, or some printed?

Use duct tape for the case. Thanks for the pressurized oil blow-out tip.


I see busking as being like fishing. Man I loved fishing when I was a kid, but it'd be a hassle to do it now. I ate my catch, it wasn't catch-and-release, it was for protein. To fish now I'd have to pay for all kinds of expensive equipment, licensing, transport, etc. But busking now is like taking my ol' fishing pole when I was 15 or so (actually my brother's, who rescued it from someone's trash) and some hooks and a dip net, catch some bait by the shore, walk out on a reef, and start pulling up dinner. Well, busking now, it's just take the trumpet along and set up and play, and I guess for more realism I could spend the money on sushi. But really, a good part of my money from the 4th went for veggies and stuff - including two nice New York strip steaks so yeah that's some good fishin'

I just play from memory and work out stuff out there too. Even if I brought printed music to look like a "professor" I'd never look at the stuff so why bother? I'm one of those lazy ear-players and I work on my music-reading skills at home.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grits Burgh wrote:
1jazzyalex,

Thanks for posting. You got me fired up to go busking, then I looked at the heat and humidity today and decided I'd wait for fairer weather.

Did you play the trumpet unaccompanied, or did you have some backing tracks?

I am anxious to give busking a go, but I don't expect to make enough money out of the deal to pay for my gas. That's okay; for me, the object is to make a few people smile. Also, perhaps I can meet a few folks who'd like to play. I figure it is as good as any way to hook up with other musicians.

I have been playing exercises almost exclusively. It would be nice to play some actual music for a change. I hope that my practice will pay off in improved musicianship.

Warm regards,
Grits


Aww, thanks, Grits. The one community I've noticed is really pro-busking are the violin people. We're talking about a community that skews heavily upper-middle-class, yet they urge their violin playing kids to get out there busking, it's something to do with developing confidence and being able to connect with your audience. Now I'm talking violin, the fiddle folks have always known busking is a good way to put a ham hock in the pot.

I don't have any backing tracks, too high-tech. I might consider it in the future though, because they really improve things. And by "things" I mean money.

Really; do give busking a try. It's not just the money it's connecting with people, meeting people who know obscure bands that I do, etc. And the little kids love it.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Kennedy wrote:
I used to busk on the Michigan Ave. bridge (NOT in the winter) at lunch time in Chicago in the mid '70's when I was "between engagements." I played a crappy Czek pocket cornet. I usually made $30 -$40. Learn a bunch of old tunes like Avalon, Chinatown, etc.


Whoa, $30 or $40 was a lot of money in the 70s. Yeah, I need to learn 'standards' like those.
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1jazzyalex wrote:
Richard III wrote:
I used to live in San Jose. Where do you set up? The bunny guy used to always be on San Pedro and got lots of tips. Sax guy used to set up on Paseo San Antonio. Always great crowd there too.


Bunny Guy is a regular in front of The Old Spaghetti Factory, except when there's something going on at the SAP Center, then he'll set up on Santa Clara to catch the crowd going to/from the event. Like as not he was over on San Carlos near Discovery Park because that was the real place to watch fireworks. Bunny Guy has told me he'd gotten some good nights but most of the time it's the same tip-trickle for everyone. It's an endurance race not a sprint.

Sax Guy, Leroy, sets up somewhere on 1st and Santa Clara, plays an hour or so, then sets up in front of Johnny Rockets.


I never asked Sax Guy his name. Good for you. He's actually pretty good. We used to go to Blackbird Tavern and I'd have to go out give him a nice tip because he was playing really nice music. Sadly, we are gone as is Blackbird Tavern.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Go to Cafe Stritch, live jazz almost every night and usually no cover, and it blows the old Blackbird out of the water.

I learned Leroy's name from someone else. He's pretty shy and understated, and well, he could use a new sax - any student alto would **outstanding** he has his heart set on a Selmer AS600 which is think is in the neighborhood of a thou, but any student sax anyone in the area has sitting in their closet would be a Godsend to him.

He's out there "to make the bills" but don't ever tell him I said that, he doesn't beg, he doesn't bug people for a bigger tip, he doesn't put out snarky signs like Rabbit Trumpet Guy does (like PAY ME FOR MY MUSIC, MORE TIPS OR I'LL HAVE TO EAT THE RABBIT, SAN JOSE PEOPLE ARE MEAN) he's just out there playing from the goodness of his heart and well, to keep his electricity on.
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 5:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you ever saw bunny guy's van, you'd know about him. It advertises his clown shows for events.

If I still lived in the area, I would shower more money on Sax Guy. Talent should be rewarded.

Cafe Stritch was a little too much mainstream jazz for me. The beauty of Blackbird was I could sit at the bar, eat well, request certain vinyl to be put on and then enjoy bands like Tumbledown House with no cover charge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LAawGPJ5d0
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I went into Blackbird once, got ignored, and never went back. That place had a weird vibe, whereas Stritch has always been a really chill place, you can go upstairs and I think some people even study up there.

$3 PBR's and a cup of fries - and mayonnaise to dip 'em in - and I was always running into cool people like the owner of the used book store on the Alameda.

Rabbit Guy doesn't have the clown stuff plastered all over his van any more; it's just a plain white van now. A bit more "incognito".

For the intrepid, you can search in some San Jose Sharks forum where they talk about Trumpet Guy.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just got back from an hour and a half of busking in front of The Old Spaghetti Factory after Rabbit Guy was done, 9:30 - 11:00 PM, made $13.68, all of it in the last hour.

There were a lot of buskers out; Rabbit Guy of course, plus a guy who was pretty good with a Stratocaster guitar and a little amp, playing stuff like Misirilou and Walk Don't Run, Recorder Guy, and some randoms on bikes with various piles of junk on them + radios + something to drum on.

Musically, I might be the kind of guy who puts ketchup on a good steak, but I really think my Getzen 390 is better than the Yamaha 2320 I had. Nicer valves and nicer sound.
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 12:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Try adding a plunger mute to the act. I'm betting a little bit of novelty and the vocal expressiveness will pay off.
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 1:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Richard III wrote:
Try adding a plunger mute to the act. I'm betting a little bit of novelty and the vocal expressiveness will pay off.


That's a pretty good idea. I haven't even gotten into the weird wonderful world of mutes yet.

I wonder why I had to log in to post a reply?
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1jazzyalex
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 09, 2017 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Been out 2 more times, $13-odd and last night $10, but last night two funny things happened. Firstly, I was holding the trumpet across my chest sorta just resting, and this big damp hand comes around and tries to gently take the trumpet, and I said something like "No, you can't" and I had a hand on the horn and a hand starting to get out my pepper spray and he let go, saying, "I just want to play" and I said "You can't play" and he wandered off looking both very drunk and very dejected.

The 2nd thing was funnier. A young couple, a skinny hippie-ish looking kid and his slender Asian girlfriend were having a squabble and chose my environs to hold it in. They argued and argued, and I tried playing "What A Wonderful World" to cheer them up, then a pretty good rendition of Taps (for their relationship) and none of this had any effect, so I played an enthusiastic "All That Meat And No Potatoes" and they found somewhere else to fight. I wonder if he'd called her fat?

Downtown San Jose can be Drunkville sometimes.
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homebilly
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 09, 2017 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to print my real books at the Kinkos on San Carlos
it was one of the first stores back in 1980
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