I like to busk and share my music. I got started at it because we lived in a condo in Puerto Rico in the winter and I would make a drink and go out to a little park a couple blocks from our house to practice and play songs. One day some ladies stopped to listen to a couple songs and gave me some money. After that I put a tip jar out while I played. That's about as complicated it needs to be.

If that is what you have in mind you don't need a lot of songs because people aren't going to stick around for a set, maybe a song or two and then they leave. Too few and you will bore yourself singing them over and over, but it won't make any difference to anyone else. More important than what you are playing and how many songs you can do, you really need to be able to play them well enough to engage with people walking by. At least make eye contact, nod and smile. If you know a few well enough to put them on hold while you trash talk a little and then go back to them, those are golden.

I played my first open mic 4 months into my guitar journey . I did play with a keyboard player. The next month he was traveling so AI went solo. This year I have only played solo. I always try to bring 3 new songs to,the open mic which forces me to learn three songs. I used to use backing tracks but my last couple open mics last year, I went with no backing tracks. Yeah soloing can be nerve wracking, but all the fellow performers were great supporter. Only once did get harassed by a singer from a band, but it wasn’t at an open mic. Just remember that all those you play with were also beginners at one time.

By this, do you mean being able to play the chord progressions for a few minutes and making small talk over the top, rather than singing the lyrics?

If so, then I think I've got a bit more practicing to do. :)

Fair play! How many songs did you play and how much practice did you manage to accumulate in four months? I've been practicing relentlessly for the past ten months and I would still be terrified to perform now. Albeit, I'm contradicting myself a little. I've written my own humorous version of "Yellow Submarine" and I'm gonna walk around the neighbourhood to make a music video for it this week.

Well not for minutes, long enough to get someone's attention. If you can stop on a chord and strum it while your talking for just a moment or two, just be ready to pick it back up. Be familiar with what you are playing and be prepared to be interrupted. Honestly, the best way to prepare for busking is to busk. I encourage you to go for it and see what happens.

As it happens, I went out to record footage for a music video the other day; I did a daft rewrite of a Beatles tune. Whenever I was playing and singing in crowded areas, I kept forgetting the lines.

This sums it up best for me.