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Well, it’s been quite a while since we’ve written a blog post but I had the most extraordinary experience today and just had to share it with you.  Today, for the first time in my life, I played on the streets solo.  As you may recall, the boys and I busked on the streets of Strasbourg this summer and they have a lot of experience busking, but it was my first ever time then.  And today my first ever time by myself.  And it was an interesting experience to say the least.

I was so nervous at first that I had to talk myself into taking the plunge and putting my little stool down, setting up my music stand, tuning my uke and starting to strum and sing.  But I’m pretty good at convincing people so it was no problem convincing myself that I had to get out my comfort zone and just do what needed to be done.

So I found a hallway that was free and set up my stuff. But by the time I had done so, my hands were shaking like crazy – both from the cold and the street fright – and I didn’t know if I could actually go ahead and do it!  But I knew that I needed to so that  in a couple of weeks I would be able to perform in front of a real live audience.  Otherwise, I would buckle in front of them and that would not be a good thing.  So I took a deep breath and started strumming and playing.

Popular songs make the most money although I'm sure a mini skirt would make more 😀

And I have to say, that even though my hands were shaking and the chords weren’t turning out quite right (will have to practice much much more in these next couple of weeks), my voice was ringing out loud and clear and I made 60 kunas in an hour (that was all the time I had and my fingers were almost in the first stages of frostbite by that time anyway) and had a pretty swell time doing it.

So here are some lessons that I learnt today: 1. always bring a peg or paper clip with you if you put your music on a music stand (I did and thank God because the wind would have blown all my notes away!), 2. if you play a stringed instrument and it’s cold, buy yourself some hand warmers (I know I will!) and be prepared to tune your instrument in between every song 3. popular songs like “Imagine”, “Creep”, “Perfect Day” make the most money although I’m sure a mini skirt would make more :D, 4. if you need experience performing, the street is a perfect area for getting it, 5. don’t have any expectations, 6. get out of your comfort zone because, in the words of Brian Tracy, you can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.

 

Happy strumming and singing!

One Comment

  1. […] I first started busking. It all started innocently enough (you can read about my first experience here) and has grown and grown since then.  I can even begin to describe all the experiences I’ve […]