How to Inspire a Spontaneous Swing Dance on the streets of New York City

One day while street performing in NYC a couple started dancing and this is what happened...

The Subway Pianist in Buenos Aires (El Pianista Del Subte)

The Subte in Buenoes Aires is one of the coolest places to explore. You pay 50 cents and you get a ride around the city and the opportunity to see hundreds of musicians and performers.

One of my experiences in the subte stands out above the others. I came across a man who was sitting on the floor playing some of the most difficult classical pieces on a basic Casio keyboard. 

There was no sustain pedal, no fancy gear, just a Casio keyboard and his 2 hands. 

He was no Lang Lang but it was still impressive to watch.  

Watch this video to meet this extraordinary man and learn how he survives playing piano in the subway of Buenos Aires. 

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Why I Love Street Performing Around the World

I remember my first time street performing. As I wheeled my piano out onto the street, I felt the fear creeping slowly in from the periphery. As people gathered to watch me, I felt the pressure of putting myself and my true passion on display, open to the judgment and critique of every stranger that passed. It’s been over five years since I started performing in public places all over the world, and I know most street musicians will agree with me that playing music out in the open is one of the most rewarding experiences a performer can have. Some people believe that it takes a certain type of personality to be a street performer, but that’s not necessarily true. 

No matter who you are and what kind of experience you have in life, getting started performing on the street can be a lot easier with some of these skills under your belt. Obviously, you’ll want to hone your craft and become ever more masterful with whatever performance you’re doing, whether it’s singing, playing an instrument, dancing, acting, or doing magic.

Then, with hours or even years of practice under your belt and a desire to bring your art into the world for all to enjoy, here are a few skills that will help you enjoy street performing, and even make some money from your show.

1. Courage: you’ve got to go for it

Let’s get one thing straight: it takes a lot of guts to get out there and put your heart on display in front of countless strangers. There’s no doubt about that. But when it comes down to it, that courage you’re waiting for to get you started isn’t going to come from somewhere external to you. I was terrified when I set up my piano for my first street performance. And while fear is normal in a situation like this, don’t be fooled into believing that having fears makes you a coward. Being courageous doesn’t mean you’re never afraid or intimidated, it means that even when you’re scared out of your wits, you take action anyway. Get out there and share your gift, even if your hands are a little shaky at the start!

2. Confidence: even if you’re faking it

At first glance, it may seem like confidence would be an outcome of street performing, not a prerequisite. Unfortunately, a lack of confidence is usually what keeps people from performing at all. And if you’re on the street sharing your art with the expectation that it will build your confidence, you may be sorely disappointed.

The truth is, you never know how people will react to your music. They may love it, they may hate it, they may not understand it. There are any number of reasons people react the way they do to a street performance, and relying on strangers to boost your confidence is a dangerous gamble.

Instead, do what you can to show up to your street performance with confidence. If you’ve made your way to a busy park or public square with your instrument or your art, chances are you’ve already got some skill. At the very least, you probably have something to share with the world. Go for it! Share your craft with all the enthusiasm and passion that got you there in the first place, and the rest will follow. If all else fails, there’s always the trusted adage: “fake it ‘til you make it”.

3. Resilience: take the good with the bad

Street performing is a tough gig, and chances are you’ll get some negative reactions no matter how talented you are. Not every kind of music pleases every ear, and you’ll see that different people will react to every street performance differently. 

People will like you or they won’t, or they’ll stop and listen or they won’t. Maybe they’ll react, maybe they’ll cheer for you, maybe they’ll be rude and heckle you. The truth is, you have to be able to take the good reactions along with the bad when you perform, perhaps even more so as a street performer.

You never know what’s going to happen when you open yourself up to strangers, but there will also be people who love what you do and the very fact you’re doing it in the open where the world can share your love for music and the joy you’re spreading. If you can learn to bounce back from negativity, you’ll be able to take the good with the bad and continue performing for those who do appreciate you, no matter what unpleasant reactions you might get.

After performing hundreds of times in over 100 cities in 20 countries across the globe, it’s safe to say that I love playing music on the street. There’s no better feeling for me than giving it my all out in front of a big public crowd, spreading the music that I love to the world and sharing that joy with people. Street performing is a different beast than most kinds of professional performance, and some of the most exclusive and advanced training can’t prepare you mentally for what it’s like to put yourself out there. If you’re just getting started with street performing or if you need a bit of a boost in your street performing journey, simply remember these three tips and you might just find the joy in playing for the public all over again.

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I Surprised my Biggest Fan!

I took my mom on a roadtrip from NYC to Colorado to see the wonderful mountains and in between I stopped in Oklahoma to visit my biggest fan! 

I've been speaking with Ame for a few months and she is really passionate about the piano and about doing something extraordinary with her life. I showed up, we talked about life and going to college, and then we played some piano! Enjoy! 

How to move a 500 lb Piano by Yourself!

Here is a video that will show you how to move a 500 lb piano by yourself.

Good luck and always be safe!

Top 10 Affordable Cities for Musicians and Singers

Take from a guy who traveled the world playing music on $2 a day, it can be done.  The prospect of becoming a professional musician can seem daunting when given the economics of living in America.  However, the internet has shrunk the world and where you live matters less now than ever.  For many musicians, New York is the dream and as a native New Yorker, let me tell you that you will pay for the dream.  I often find it hard to gather with other musicians to make music because everyone is working so hard just to pay the rent and keep living in New York.  But the music must go on and if you have the soul of a musician and the budget of one too, let me present you with top 10 affordable cities for musicians today.

10.  Los Angeles 

Calm down and don’t spit your drink out.  I’m picking L.A for a reason and to prove a point.  While it is obviously not a cheap place to live, various cost of living calculators will tell you otherwise when you compare it directly with New York.  The figure we will use for the rest of this article is to presuppose you make $50,000 a year in NYC.  Which by the way, let me tell you, that won’t take you far.  But utilizing various internet tools, I will tell you the commensurate salary you would need to make were you to move to one of our top 10 cities.  And for L.A., that is but a mere $30,000.  Are you beginning to see just how expensive it is to live in New York?  But let us proceed.

9. Seattle 

Once again, you might be surprised.  Not surprised that Seattle is an expensive city with a happening music scene in which to live, but just that it is so much cheaper to live in than New York.  $28k would be the mark you would need to hit. However, we in the music world know much about the sounds which emerged from Seattle and there is no reason we can’t jump right into it ourselves at a New York discount.

8.  Miami

That’s right, the various metrics tell us that if you made $50k in New York, you would need to make $25k to have the same standard of living.  And much like L.A. and Seattle, Miami is no cheap place to live.  However, the music scene is hard to deny.  Mixed with Latin influence, hip-hop, and the Caribbean, there is a place for every musician in this city.  From playing the local clubs, to the major music scene, you can get it done in Miami.

7.  Atlanta

The magic number to make a similar living in Atlanta versus New York, $23,000 and we are starting to talk about serious discounts now.  The Atlanta music scene might be best known for hip hop, but it is as eclectic as the music industry itself.  Nestled in the South, it provides a major hub of music for small towns throughout the South as the kid with a rhyme or rhythm seeks to pursue a dream.  

6.  Salt Lake City

It is time to head out west and start getting to the true discounts with a cost of living comparison at $22k.  Musicians come from all walks of life and all across America.  And while the industry might be concentrated in a few key cities, the soul of music is not.  Salt Lake City is a hub of life surrounded by dry lands and the music sense is no different.  Find your rhythm here and stay close to the oasis of sound.

5.  Austin

Big hats, big Texas, and big music.  Take it from one who traveled Central America playing music, wherever such Latin music influences the American music scene, it is a win for music.  From Cowboy to Mariachi, Austin is more diverse than you might imagine.  And with a $22k cost of living comparison, it is quite affordable for the musicians who just want to hear that sound.

4.  Nashville

An endless line of kids seeking their fame in country music have made the leap to Nashville and it is hard to argue with its music scene.  Clubs throughout the city beam with the next country music star and if you feel that to be you, it won’t be hard to make the leap.  With a cost of living comparison at $20k, it makes Nashville one of the most affordable places to chase the dream.  Consider Nashville the path to musical freedom at a cost that is over half less than the rest of the industry.

3.  Pueblo

 A short hop from Denver, consider this location a weigh station towards greatness.  But also consider it a weigh station towards financial freedom.  With a cost of living comparison at $19k, you can be crooning about the Rocky Mountains at night and then still writing music in the morning.  With a surprising music scene for a smaller town, its proximity to Denver makes it a much more affordable option to live and still hit the bigger market.  John Denver might never have sung about it, but I’m adding to my list.

2.  Memphis

Without a doubt, hands down, the biggest bang for your buck you will ever see.  To get the economics out of the way, it rings in at $19k cost of living comparison compared to $50k in New York.  It’s not even close.  But lest you think I am just budget hopping here, let me remind you about Memphis.  Home to Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, STAX, and if you want to go more modern, yes, even Justin Timberlake, music oozes throughout Memphis as if it were water.  There is no comparison when you consider you could almost live on a third of the income in Memphis, TN while exploring music in the home of the Blues.  Music at its finest ladies and gentlemen.

1.  Anytown, USA

Finally, the most affordable place for musician is wherever you are at.  A key point I picked up while travelling the world with my piano is just how universal music is.  Ladies and gentlemen, don’t wait until you get to New York to get serious about music.  Because honestly, you will likely just spend your time busing tables to pay for living in the city where you finally plan to get serious about your music.  Just pursue the sound, your sound.  YouTube has made stars out of unassuming kids with a webcam and a grooving sound.  The internet can make your sound travel to the ends of the earth before you even wake up in the morning.  Pursue the music from the backwoods of Kentucky to the shores of the Pacific.  Pursue the music and the rest, including your audience, will take care of itself.

Watch how I use Youtube to boost my musical career and produce my own TV show!