I need your help, guys.

JKoval

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I can't find ANYTHING on the internet about busking here in New Jersey, (I want to play in the park this summer), and I'm lost about laws and such. Secondly, what songs would you guys recommend for the overal enjoyment of others? <3
 
If there's nothing to find, there may be nothing to know... just go for it!

From my limited experience, people just like to hear someone playing.

Good luck!
 
That's what public employees are for, to answer your questions. Call up the police, county parks ranger or whoever's responsible for keeping order in the park and ask them. Start low, remain friendly, be persistent. Make friends. I'll bet a lot of these folks are musicians themselves. If there is something in the code, is it the sort of thing the authorities actively enforce or do they act only on a complaint basis? Or, if there's something in the code, can you get it changed? Can you find a councilmember or freeholder to forward a proposal? Some communities have changed their codes in hopes of making their communities more "arts friendly." I know there is at least one other thread going right now on busking tips. You might check it out. Best of luck.
 
my advice for busking would, unfortunately, be to play like Jake as much as possible. the general public wants to see stuff like that, fast strumming, picking etc. or if youre not up to that, play songs EEEEVERYBODY knows.
 
Great tips, everyone! Really, these few responses have been more usleful than ANYTHING I found on the other searches. Do you think people would just like bassist and guitar instrumentals? Cause that's our alternative to the uke idea.
 
Have you seen any other buskers in the area? Do they have cuff marks on their wrists? Otherwise you might ask them?

I've only busked twice so far, both times last monday (lunch and when everybody left work). And it was just me and my soprano uke and my voice. I didn't make enough to quit my daytime job all together, but I loved it! I played everything from Ac/DC to Bob Marly to aristocats and I got a feeling people liked it. I think it's important to love what you play, then the people will too.

Good luck and go for it!
 
I can't find ANYTHING on the internet about busking here in New Jersey, (I want to play in the park this summer), and I'm lost about laws and such. Secondly, what songs would you guys recommend for the overal enjoyment of others? <3

Everybody needs more cowbell...
 
This is from Wikipedia . . . quite interesting and I think it's gonna come down to local ordinances.

United States Law

In the US, free speech is considered an essential and absolute civil right of every individual. The only exceptions to this are sedition, as defined by the Smith Act, public displays of pornography & obscenity and criminal behavior such as fraud or defamation. It matters not whether people practise artistic free speech for money. If two or more persons conspire to violate a persons civil rights they are violating federal law. It is also a violation of federal law if an officer of the law violates a persons civil rights under the color of the law. It is the duty of all police officers to protect and preserve the constitution and these civil rights. [15]

In the United States there have been numerous legal cases about regulations and laws that have decided the rights of buskers to perform in public. Most of these laws and regulations have been found to be unconstitutional when challenged. In the USA about the only reasons that can be used to regulate or ban busking behavior are public safety issues and noise issues in certain areas that require silence like hospital zones, around churches, funeral homes, cemeteries and transport terminals where announcements need to be heard. Such laws must be narrowly tailored to eliminate only the perceived evils by limiting the time, place and manner that busking may be practiced. They must also leave open reasonable alternative venues.

In the US, laws regulating or banning busking must be applied evenly to all forms of free speech. Busking cannot be prohibited in an area where other forms of free speech are not prohibited. For example if busking is regulated or banned but people are allowed to conduct free speech behavior for pickets, protests, religious, political, educational, sports, commercial or other purposes then the law is illegal. In the USA any form of regulation on artistic free speech must not be judgmental, and permits must not be so restrictive, complex, difficult or expensive to obtain that they inhibit free speech.

. . . and from this article
Some places are off limits, so it's a good idea to check your local laws first or just ask someone, such as a police officer or the fair manager. Some jurisdictions prohibit busking, while some require a license or permit, some turn a blind eye, and still others actually encourage busking. In the U.S., local anti-busking laws have frequently been declared unconstitutional on the grounds of free speech, so most public property is fair game. In other countries, however, laws vary. Unless there are very strict anti-busking laws in your area, it's usually OK to just start performing on public property, as long as you're not obstructing people or otherwise creating a nuisance. If you're asked or told to leave, just leave. On private property, however, (including many open air markets and fairs) you should always get permission first.
 
I can't find ANYTHING on the internet about busking here in New Jersey, (I want to play in the park this summer), and I'm lost about laws and such. Secondly, what songs would you guys recommend for the overal enjoyment of others? <3

I hate to send you to another forum, but, in this case, a guy that goes by "JBoyShine" on Cosmos is an attorney from New Jersey. He is a long-time gigging musician and plays with Hot Time Harv's RollerCoaster of Kicks, too. JBoy can tell you in an instant I am sure.
 
That's exactly what I was thinking.

Not to purposely show my ignorance, but what is busking?

Does it mean you are asking for money while you play?

Personally, I would define busking as performing in a publicly accessible place (i.e., not on a stage where you are separated from the audience) with a tip jar/instrument case open for tips. I don't think you have to be actively soliciting the cash - don't need a sign asking for them, for instance - but the opportunity to give cash is there.

A local analogy, from one PDX metro area guy to another - think of all the street performers at Saturday Market - cases are open or jars are out as they perform. Doesn't have to be music, either, I think - the silver man who performs downtown and at Saturday market would be a busker in my mind.

I don't think your goal even has to be the cash - if you love to play and want to do it in public, cash or not, but leave a case open in the event spare change somehow finds you, then you're busking.
 
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