I busk steady, spring, summer and fall inside the light rail transit stations here in Calgary. I need a permit which is 25.00 per year, and need a Police check for the first licence. I'm on disability, and without the additional busking income, it would be very hard to get by. I'm listed as a self employed musician with the Feds, and can claim gas, mileage, car repairs, strings, bow re-hair etc.

I think I've posted a list of my busking tunes here before...somewhere. But I do the old standards...Sunny Side of the Street, When You're Smilin', Summertime, Stardust, stuff like that. I play them pretty close to the vocal melody. about 25 tunes in all.

I've also got a stand up 'bill board' (stiff cardboard) with 14" X 10" color sketches that go along with the tune, the name of the tune, and the year it was composed...Stardust is 1929! I put the 14x10 posters in a plastic sleeve and flip them from one song to the next on rings at the top of the board.

I put in about 5 days out of seven, and usually go for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours at a time. Sometimes longer.

oh yeah, welcome to the forum 

....I've got a good fold up chair with a triangle seat and no arms. I find myself sitting more than standing these days, but when I get tired of sitting I stand for a while.

No singing or talking, However I do say a quick thank you to almost everyone who puts money in. if they put in a 5, 10, or 20, I say Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.... because I do! I don't need to stop playing as I do this. I get $5 bills fairly frequently and 10's and 20's every so often.

I've played my tunes so much I'm rarely looking at the finger board, a glance here and there, most of my tunes I could play blind folded, but some I need to pay more attention too. I look around a lot. If someone is walking by and looking me right in the eye, I'll look right back at them with a polite smile. doing this can motivate them to stop and throw some coins in the case.

I rarely get hassled, some times a young child will walk right up and try to touch my fiddle, but I just back it away and say sorry, can't touch. It seems like a lot of young children have never seen or heard a violin. I've made a lot of coin from parents. a child will usually slow down or stop and point, so I start playing Zip-a-dee-do-dah or You are my Sunshine....the parent gives money to the child to put in.

my best money making tunes are Somewhere over the Rainbow, Once upon a dream (sleeping Beauty) the theme from The Godfather, Yesterday (McCartney) and Lara's theme (Somewhere My Love - Dr. Zhivago)

.... sometimes it can get to be a bit of a grind, but then I hafta remind myself that...I'm playing my violin and making money doing it.

most of us musicians are insecure about our playing, but I get a lot of positive reinforcement, usually every time I go out, I get at least one or two 'That's beautiful' or 'sounds beautiful'. So that's very nice.

Thanks for your interest, MrYikes, and the opportunity to talk about ME!