I want to open up a conversation about gigging and busking. Not from a “making money” angle, but from a musical growth perspective. For a lot of us, public playing feels like a line we haven’t crossed yet. It can seem intimidating, inconvenient, or even unnecessary if your main goal is just to enjoy the music and play better at jams. Totally fair. But here’s what I’ve noticed, both personally and watching other players over the years:playing in public changes how you play in ways that practice alone never quite does. Gigging teaches: - How solid your time really is when nerves kick in - Whether your repertoire actually holds together without stopping - How well you can recover when something goes sideways Busking teaches: - How to start and finish tunes cleanly - How to project rhythm and melody without a band safety net - How to keep going when no one is clapping (or listening) Neither requires virtuosity. In fact, simple tunes played with good time tend to work better than fancy ones played nervously. I’m curious where everyone here stands: - Have you ever gigged or busked, even casually? - Does the idea excite you, scare you, or feel totally unnecessary? - What do you think playing in public might teach you that practicing at home doesn’t? No right answers. I’m less interested in outcomes and more interested in how you’re thinking about it right now.