Saturday, December 16, 2006

Idea: iBusking

Today I was in Rundle mall; and I saw a busker with a drum machine. He had a pretty decent setup, and a funny shaped guitar - obviously; it's not a guitar, but that's the easiest description for it.

He'd tap away; and the drum machine would pick up a rhythm; then he'd chime in with his music.
It was good enough to have people walk up; pull out their earplugs and start to tap their feet; dance a little even.

One lady with her ipod tips a few $ and wanders off.

I found myself wondering: why does her experience of this music have to stop there? How hard would it be to have the busker give her a copy of his music right there and then? What if the busker had a Really Cheap Device that let him record to MP3 and transfer that to a USB device.
Certainly the busker would solicit more donations; because if you are face to face with someone and getting their music; you are far more likely to put your hand in your pocket.
There's also no issues with trusting money over the internet; or DRM; or any of that junk.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's why most buskers in NYC sell their own CDs when they busk.

Dan said...

I know buskers already sell their own CDs; but they don't have the ability to record as they play right there and then.

Dan said...

(easily; cheaply; and in a way that won't get their work used as a coaster)

Anonymous said...

How about if the Busker got a Sima "Hitch"...cool little device that transfers music, photos, etc between MP3 players (iPods, and others) or between a camera/camcorder and a thumbdrive..you get the idea.