What songs do you recommend to play in the streets for money? (6 string guitar)

[Tritono]

Hey, I need some suggestions

Im in a situation in which I need to start to make money. I'll go to the streets to play electric guitar and to generate some money doing what I love: playing music.

What songs would you play in the streets for all viewers of all ages with the intention to make some money?

I have the idea to just go out with a Blackstart HT1R, put a mp3 player in the line in and just play along with popular rock songs like Stairway to Heaven, Rock n' Roll (Zeppelin), Back in Black, etc but I want to have at my disposal some beautiful guitar instrumentals too like Tears in the Rain of Joe Satriani or like Behind the Screams of CKY. What instrumentals of that type do you recommend? or in general what songs do you recommend?

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

Sry if I bad spelled something, english is not my native language.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Skip the electric rig and pick up the cheapest acoustic you can find. No one is going to care about someone rocking out to a player's player guitar track, they're going to enjoy fun, easy, often funny songs.

I lived in NY and Chicago and saw plenty of street performers, the ones who got the most money, and my money for that matter, were the ones who performed simple, nicely done pieces that fit the type of folks walking by.

 

[Tritono]

Skip the electric rig and pick up the cheapest acoustic you can find. No one is going to care about someone rocking out to a player's player guitar track, they're going to enjoy fun, easy, often funny songs.

I lived in NY and Chicago and saw plenty of street performers, the ones who got the most money, and my money for that matter, were the ones who performed simple, nicely done pieces that fit the type of folks walking by.

yeah, I agree but the electric guitar is my main instrument (I dont play acoustic, because I dont have one) and even when I agree with you, Im in a problematic situation and I need to act quickly (my mother died and since that Im alone in this world at my own). I think is not ideal like you said, but I know if I play some electric guitar with some solos there in my country the people will go crazy.

However, for that same reason Im asking this questions. I think Tears in the Rain and Behind the Screams are beautiful guitar instrumentals (they dont need a band to be played). But I dont have a clue about what others songs to play. Im mostly a high gain rock/metal guy. The plan was to enter to study guitar in an academy the next year, learn alot, put out a cd and be a guitar teacher. You know, I dont have a plan now because my actual situation. For that reason Im asking for songs like you mentioned because I dont have any experience playing "Popular Songs for Normal People in the streets for money". I dont play normal things. In fact, I dont even know how to play Stairway to Heaven or Back in Black, Im not that guy. But Im learning right now both songs because I need some repertoire.

What songs do you recommend?

 

[Fiction]

Where I'm from buskers who play through amps are frowned upon, I second the cheap acoustic, can you sing? Learn pop songs, or just some softer instrumental acoustic stuff, checks out candy rat records on YouTube maybe.

Edit: Sorry to hear about your loss.

go talk to A few buskers and ask for some hints, it's all I did.

 

[Tritono]

Im learning to sing but Im not ready to sing right now. About Candy Rats songs I dont think I can play that because like I mentioned Im a picking player, not fingerstyle. However, I can play songs like Kansas Dust in the wind or like that, that is my level for acoustic music right now.

 

[MrPepperoniNipples]

Well first and foremost you should look at the demographics.
Also, I agree that you should do this stuff on an acoustic.

How old are they? Do they wanna hear acoustic renditions of popular 70's and 80's songs, or pop music of today? That sorta thing.

 

[Tritono]

Im looking for good songs, thats all. I dont care about the year of making. However, I think Im looking for some classics. Considering that mostly I would receive money for adolescent or adults I need some popular standards. I dont think that I will use an acoustic like I mentioned. Probably I'll buy some backing tracks without guitar of some songs and combine that with some instrumentals like tears in the rain.

 

[Hollowway]

Just throwing this out there, but how much could you make doing this? If you really need money it might be better to just get a regular job and crank out some hours, then do the music on the street thing for fun and a little extra cash, rather than the whole enchilada.
You mentioned where you're from people will love the electric stuff. Where do you live (other than the multiverse)?

 

[Tritono]

I'll survive teaching, leveling frets-refretting (I do my own refrets with a neck jig similar process and top notch tools), calibrating guitars and playing in the streets. But I want to play outside because I preffer to make money playing than doing luthier work meanwhile I compose for my debut album. However, I just need songs names suggestions. I think I'll play some Vinnie Moore (like Last Chance) and things like Joe Satriani. Can you recommend me some songs like Always with me, Always with you or any song that you know connect with people? they can be funny songs, acoustic songs, whatever, Im looking for something melodic

 

[sleightest]

Ive been trying to build up a good little setlist so I can play in the street for a bit and get used to performing in front of random people. As awesome as it would be to use a looping pedal and even a little microcube people would probably be way more impressed if you played simple song clean with a thrashed acoustic.

 

[TRENCHLORD]

Hotel California
Shook Me All Night Long
Wish You Were Here
Back In Black
Every Rose
ect.,,,ect.,,

Basically all the classic well known rock stuff.
All the stuff that draws a crowd, and usually has me gettin on down the road.

Don't forget Paradise City (the chicks will be strippin in the streets for that stuff.

 

[Mprinsje]

sleep's dopesmoker, the full hour and some minutes of it.

but probably some pop-songs everyone knows that translate well onto the guitar

 

[themike]

The trick to simple - play songs people know. If you can't sing, ask a friend who can to join you. If you play a song people know and genuinly enjoy, they'll stop and toss you some loot.

I probably spend about $100 a year on street preformers in Penn Station (NYC) and its well worth it.

 

[ArtDecade]

See John Butler....

The world's most famous busker.

 

[KingAenarion]

On the other hand, I think people are more inclined to give money to good and interesting busking as opposed to singer songwriters.

I ran an experiment where 3 days in a row, in the same spot I did 3 different busking sessions with 3 different instruments in 3 different styles.

Now I did this at peak time, in what is called Central tunnel... which is probably the best busking spot in Sydney other than Pitt Street Mall.

The first day I did the singer songwriter thing with the classics. Made like $50 in an hour.

2nd day I played Sexy Jazz Saxophone, made $150 in an hour.

3rd day I played really spacey Gypsy/Klezmer Clarinet... I made like $280 in an hour.

Same spot, same time...


If you're going to do the singer songwriter thing, you need to be really good AND you either need to be funny or have an absolutely stunning voice.

 

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