Walking down the streets of Lansing or East Lansing, different people can be seen playing music for money known as busking.
Lansing resident uses viola to strum up business
Lansing resident Gary Butterwick plays his viola June 3, 2014, in Washington Square in Lansing. Gary has been playing viola for five years. This was his first time busking with his viola in Lansing. Corey Damocles/The State News
Lansing resident Gary Butterwick said he decided to spend his day enjoying the nice weather and trying his hand at busking in downtown Lansing.
“My goal was just to be outside, enjoy the beautiful day, if anybody stops and appreciates it that’s great,” Butterwick said.
In the past, Butterwick said he has lived and busked in other cities, including San Francisco.
Butterwick said busking is distinct from panhandling in the sense that the person is entertaining people as they pass on the street.
Busking is a legal activity because it is considered artistic free speech.
Originally from Michigan, Butterwick said he attended Eastern Michigan University. Now he is again living in the area, but is currently unemployed.
Butterwick said he has played the viola for five years, but it was his first time busking with the viola in Lansing.
“One thing I like about the viola is it’s sort of the neglected middle child of the string family,” Butterwick said. “A lot of people play cello, a lot of people play violin, but the viola ... a lot of people see it and they say, ‘what is that?’ they just don’t know.”
Both the viola and violin have four strings but the lowest note on the violin is a G, where on the viola the C string is below the G.
Butterwick said he has been a musician his entire life and has always been fascinated by music.
“When I was a little kid my parents had an organ in the house so I learned some keyboards,” Butterwick said.
Butterwick’s musical repertoire extends to five instruments — the viola, keyboard, guitar, banjo and bass. In addition to those instruments, Butterwick said he occasionally tries his hand at the mandolin.
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“I’m not really a mandolin player, but I know my way around on it well enough to sit in and play the right notes if I know the key,” Butterwick said.
Although Butterwick often plays alone, playing music with others is one of his favorite activities. He said he had previously played in bands.
Of all the different types of instruments, Butterwick said those in the string family are his favorites.
“Strings — strings I can handle, winds are quite a challenge,” Butterwick said.
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