Before I get too far along, I wanted to do a little post about the technical side of my summer project! Here is how I designed my portable live-looping busking setup.
Guitar – Taylor Acoustic/Electric 114ce – $899
This is the first ‘nice’ guitar I’ve ever owned, and it’s my most prized possession. I’ve had it for a year and a half at this time, and it’s really taken my playing and stage presence to the next level. It gives me an incredible, rich sound in my performances. It has layered walnut sides and a solid Sitka spruce top. I had always heard great things about Taylor once I started getting into music, and now I understand why.
This guitar has also accompanied me in my travels across Korea and been with me for some amazing photo ops!
Amp – Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge – $459
I recently purchases this lil bad boy at the start of the summer, and I’ve already been really impressed. It’s main appeal to me was the fact that it has a rechargeable battery and an affordable price. It’s lightweight and easy to carry out on the boardwalk, and I’ve never had a problem with the charge running out. I’ve only used it on about 1/3 of the full volume so far, and it’s been plenty loud. I’m really happy with this choice.
Loop Station – Boss RC 300 – $559
This is the centerpiece of my busking act – the Boss RC 300. Boss is renowned for quality pedals and looping gear, and this station is a juggernaut. It allows me to loop and record three separate tracks that can be toggled at will. It also has a bunch of other features I’ve barely even delved into yet.
How I use it – when I construct a loop live, I usually track some percussive guitar and beatboxing into track 1. I’ll add some high-hat or shaker sound beatboxing for track 2, to create the option of bringing a section down while keeping the rhythm. On track 3, I’ll record a leading riff or vocal harmony that I can sprinkle throughout the song. Now that I’m getting the hang of it, I’m surprised how many different songs I can cover, creating a bangin’ full sound, with just this method.
Vocal Effects – Boss VE 8 Acoustic Singer – $299
This is a smaller but very important gizmo. I run my vocals and guitar through it as a pre-amp. On the vocal side, I can add standard effects like reverb, but my favorite is the harmony feature, which allows me to harmonize with myself in real time! Based on my programming selection, I can have a perfect third or fifth laid over my live vocals, matching my words and tone. As a solo performer, it really helps me add complexity and presence to my sound.
Mic – Shure BLX14 Wireless Headset – $249
I decided to go with a headset mic to give myself more flexibility performing live. As I’m carrying my gear every night, I wanted something lightweight and convenient. I’ve also always been bothered by the lack of mobility when I have to stand right in front of a mic stand with my guitar. With this wireless mic, I feel much less restricted, and if I need to peek down at my loop pedal to monitor the timing closely, this mic lets me do that.
The mic fits around my head and is wired to a transmitter that clips on my belt or in my pocket. It sends the sound to this receiver, from where I run the XLR cable to the vocal effects pedal.
Power Supply – Schumacher Electric Car Battery Jump Starter – $140
I know what you’re thinking – so the amp has a rechargeable battery, but how do I power the other pieces of the rig? This was one part of the puzzle that I was worried about at the beginning of the summer, until I stumbled across this guy at Lowes. It’s intended as a car battery jump starter, but it’s the perfect size and power capacity for my electric needs! I charge it overnight, and it acts as a portable battery. At most, I only ever have three things plugged in – the loop station, mic receiver, and vocal effects pedal. I’ve never run out of power and all my electronics work just fine!
Transportation – Ozark Trail All-Terrain Wagon – $64
I have no roadie, and it’s a long way to walk from parking to the spots on the boardwalk where I perform. This all-terrain wagon has been a great solution for that problem! It folds up and easily fits in the back of my Trailblazer, and has sturdy wheels that work great along the boardwalk planks.
I also whipped up a retractable banner using VistaPrint, that I can set up next to my zone for marketing!
Here’s everything I can fit in the wagon – my amp, power station, bag with pedals, music stand, retractable banner, water jug, and tarp. I carry my guitar on my bag, and a tip jug in my hand. And that’s everything!
All Together
All in all, it’s a modest setup when you consider all the things possible in the musical world, but I can carry it all in one trip and it only takes me about ten minutes to set up! It fits my needs for now and gives me room to grow in the future.
In my assessment of the total cost, I’ll include a few other auxiliary things like cables and harmonicas that I’ve collected over the years.
Total cost –
Guitar – $899
Amp – $459
Loop Station – $559
Vocal Pedal – $299
Headset Mic – $249
Power Supply – $140
Wagon – $64
Retractable Banner – $80
1/4″ Cables (2) . – $38
XLR Cables (2) – $38
Harmonicas (4 – C, D, E G) – $120
Egg Shakers for kids – $8
That gives me a grand total of $2,953. For a busking set up. Phew. It definitely looks like a lot when I write it all out like that. But! I had already collected many pieces of this over the years and as Christmas presents, so all I bought going into this summer was the amp, mic, power supply, banner, and wagon. So, I’ll count the startup cost as $992. That’s more palatable.
However, I’ve already made $477 in the 9 nights I’ve played so far. And this has only been the beginning of the summer season. The audience has been mostly high school kids on senior week. I have a feeling my earnings will only increase in July and August, when the crowds are larger and more diverse.
As another note, after my nights busking, I’m usually too wiped out to go out and spend money in bars, so it’s also helping me save a bit of money in that way. I’ve made an investment, but it’s already paying off, and it allows me to grow in skill doing something I love every night. I’d say it’s absolutely worth it.
If you’re musically-inclined, I hope this post gives you some insight, and if you’re not, thanks for sticking along for the ride. Now that I’ve got the technical stuff out of the way, I’ll have more room for narrative and musings in forthcoming posts. Stay tuned!