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arthur stead Inner circle When I played soccer, I hit 1773 Posts |
Why do you need music?
First and foremost, music adds drama. It creates an intriguing mood or atmosphere. That's pretty good to start with. But music is beneficial in so many other ways. You can use it to highlight key moments in a routine. Music can paint a picture, evoke a time period, and energize your act. Mysterious pre-show music suggests an air of expectation. "Volunteer music" fills dead space while you're waiting for a helper to reach the stage. A personal theme song underscores and defines your character. And from a purely technical standpoint, music is extremely useful for disguising unwanted noise caused by "talking" props. Perhaps the most magical capacity of music is that it can command the attention of a whole room full of children. For that reason alone, we can't afford NOT to use music! |
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bowers Inner circle Oakboro N.C. 7024 Posts |
You are so right Arthur.It can double
a magical moment. |
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
I disagree. I think it is just a distraction. I have never enjoyed magic to music, and much rather straight patter.
I know music means something to a lot of people, but it does not mean something to everyone. When you put on music there will be some in the audience that you lose because of that. Some will not be into music, others might be into music, but not the sort you are playing. Just as easily as it can double a magic moment, it can half one.
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
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arthur stead Inner circle When I played soccer, I hit 1773 Posts |
Try a little experiment: Turn on your TV and channel surf for a little while. Check out as couple of dramas or reality shows. Watch a tasteful movie. Look at soap operas, sitcoms, news programs, and even product commercials. Also, think about all your video games. What common thread runs through all these visual distractions? Music!
All these forms of entertainment use music to connect with their audiences. Their producers understand that music affects people on a subconscious level. Just think about it: Music can make you want to dance. It can inspire you to sing. It can cause you to feel happy, sad, forlorn, or invigorated. Scary music gives you the creeps. Joyful music makes your spirit roar. In essence, music is what feelings sound like. It "speaks" what cannot be expressed. Competent film composers use this knowledge to write music which draws the viewers in, allowing them to experience the on-screen action on a deeper, subliminal level. Well, I'm here to tell you, you can accomplish the same thing in YOUR live performances! With careful forethought, the right piece of music complimenting the right routine will involve your audiences profoundly and touch them emotionally. The secret is in knowing WHAT the right music is for your magic routines, and WHERE and WHEN and HOW you use it. |
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-02 21:31, TonyB2009 wrote: Imagine Jeff McBride's, David Copperfield's and Lance Burton's acts performed without music. Music helps add to choreography. They would not be where they are now if it was not for music. |
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smullins Special user United States 678 Posts |
Music can also be done poorly... I've seen far more acts with bad choreography, song selection and effects... just looks like cheesy central...
When it's done right... It's great... When it's bad... It's REALLY bad. |
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arthur stead Inner circle When I played soccer, I hit 1773 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-02 21:46, smullins wrote: Absolutely right, smullins. That's why I stressed the need for finding the right music for the right routine, and knowing where, when and how to use it. |
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arthur stead Inner circle When I played soccer, I hit 1773 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-02 21:43, Dynamike wrote: Well said, DynaMike. I honestly believe music can make or break an act. Music provides an atmosphere which influences people in a subliminal way. I've already described the power of music as used in media entertainment. As magicians, we can incorporate those same techniques and use them to our advantage. No matter what sort of shows you do, music ... (used properly) ... will add a whole new dimension to your act. It will turn your performance into a theatrical experience as opposed to being just an ordinary magic show. Whether your performance venue is living rooms, classrooms, theaters or TV ... music can enhance your visual actions and let your audiences experience your magic on a deeper level. |
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Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
Why even talk. Talking is so overrated. There will always be someone in the audience who can't stand listening to someone talk all the time. They may even hate the sound of you voice. Not to mention some might just be deaf and be distracted by your lips moving.
:)
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
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danfreed Inner circle West Chester PA 1354 Posts |
Choose songs carefully, and in my personal opinion (that you are welcome to disagree with), please dear god, don't use those overused popular songs with "magic" in them. You know the ones they use in every cheesy magic show or magic themed movie. I saw a magic show this summer in a tourist place, a guy with his own permanent show. The show was pretty good, but before the show he had a music loop plaing over and over with all those songs with "magic" in them, and I thought, oh no, this guy isn't big on being original. Of course he's way more successful than me, so what do I know.
Dan Freed
AKA The Amazing Spaghetti https://www.magiciandanfreed.com/birthday-party-magician-for-kids http://thecaricatureartist.com http://danieljayfreed.com |
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-02 21:35, arthur stead wrote: True. But I prefer live theatre, which rarely features music. To me the greatest magician of our era has been Paul Daniels, and he does not use music in his life performances. Music moves many people, but it does not move everyone. It is a mistake to assume that because we like it, everyone will like it. Many of us - particularly childrens' entertainers - have strong comedy skills. We play to our strengths, and do not use music in our acts. And our acts do not suffer from that. Copperfield and McBride, in contrast, are great movers. It makes sense for them to use music to enhance their performances. Neither will make us laugh out loud without careful routining, but they are playing to other strengths. Music will not make a bad act good. It could in fact make it worse, adding a layer of cheesiness to the lack of ability. If you have a good act you probably have enough sense of showmanship to know whether music will or will not enhance it. And the answer is not always yes.
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
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bowers Inner circle Oakboro N.C. 7024 Posts |
Ha Dan
Are you talking about Terry Evanswood in Pigeon Forge. If so I think his pre-music show get's the audience hyped up for the show. Todd |
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bowers Inner circle Oakboro N.C. 7024 Posts |
There also some that would do better with music.
Because their patter lacks so much in in their routeining. Todd |
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danfreed Inner circle West Chester PA 1354 Posts |
Bowers, I'd rather not say who he was. But I have a big pet peeve about songs with "magic" in them, to me it says cheesy and unoriginal. I admit that the audience probably doesn't care or think too much about it, and may enjoy the music, but I just think magicians can do better.
Dan Freed
AKA The Amazing Spaghetti https://www.magiciandanfreed.com/birthday-party-magician-for-kids http://thecaricatureartist.com http://danieljayfreed.com |
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wwhokie1 Special user 512 Posts |
Depends on your style, performance, routine, and audience. Music is a tool like every other tool we use, if used properly in the right place and the right way it can be an asset. It can also be a real distraction when used poorly. I watched a guy use it very poorly once. He had music for every routine he did. At the end of each routine he would turn his back to the audience, walk the the back of the small stage a fiddle with his music to set up the next track. Many times when he talked he was clearly either trying to talk over the music, or should have been trying to talk over the music. It was a great yet unintentional seminar in what not to do with music. I don't think every performance needs music, but when appropriate and when done properly it can add a dramatic and emotional element that is difficult to achieve in other ways.
Anything that helps the performance is a great idea. But what works well with one performer may not fit well with another. |
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wwhokie1 Special user 512 Posts |
A couple of examples. Charlie Frye performs without speaking and just music and it is a fantastic show. Pop Hayden just talks and it is a fantastic show. It just depends on the routine and style.
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Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-02 23:14, wwhokie1 wrote: I agree. Nicely put.
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
I too never use music. Mostly because the majority of the venues I started working in wouldn't allow it. So I just got used to not using it. Using music also would means that I'd have to drag a soundsystem around with me. Which is something I really don't want to have to do. For house parties I arrive with a valise and a chair. Having a boom box or sound system for my show would mean another trip to the car.
Choosing music for me also would be difficult. I don't really listen to music and only own a small handful of CD's. I can't remeber the last time I put a CD into the player and sat down and listened to it. So I would be hard pressed to find music that would fit into my show. If you like music and feel it enhances your program then go for it. But for me it just doesn't work.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
Tablets , phones Ipads etc...with those great small wireless blue tooth type speakers are calling me.
So far I haven't picked up. Though my show used to use a lot of other peoples music, I now use my own, created by my fingers and breath. Latest toy/instrument is a 2 or is it 3 octave melodica. I am thinking of creating a large cup and disguising the tube/mouth piece as a straw. Got it for my 60th b/day. My wife sure knows how to throw a great surprise party. Some of my talented friends put on a show for the event. By the way Arthur S, has a lot of great royalty free music available. If you are going to do it, do it ethically. musically yours Harris
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
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LMLipman Elite user Falls Church, Va. 443 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-12-02 23:14, wwhokie1 wrote: I agree that it needs to be used in the right place and right way. I generally use music in my opening routine and maybe my closer, but not for every routine in between. Also, don't ignore the use of musical sound effects. Arthur has a CD that is just a bunch of sound effects suitable for magic. I use a few of them throughout my show to either enhance a trick or as a tie-in when calling on volunteers. For example, one sound effect is a trumpet flourish. I use that every time I call on a volunteer, get the person's name and say let's hear it for So-and-So. Ta-Daah! I also use it in a cards-across routine in which each card travels (with musical kazoo sound) from one person to the other. Sure I could do it without the music, but the sound effect just makes it so much stronger. |
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