Hi Richard,

Thanks for being here and for all of your contributions. I have just a two questions that I will try to keep brief:

1) Do you, for the most part, have all your routines (order included) set beforehand for your performances or do you make substantial adjustments to what you perform (and how you perform) based on things your discover about the audience after the show starts?

2) Are there any "mainstream" psychology books that you have found particularly useful in your career as a performer? By "mainstream" I mean the types of books you might find in a college pscychology course as opposed to a magic shop.

Thanks again!

Hi Muddy,

I have some parts of my routines "set", but I am always ready to change them to adapt to the circumstances. I also have about 4 or 5 other routines ready to go if I decide to "go in a different direction" during the show. Even the patter I use is written in "chunks" that I can use or not depending if something happens or someone says something funny. Sometimes some of the best "moments" are the result of a little side comment made by a spectator.

As far as "mainstream" books, I am going to sound corny, but "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Carnegie is one of my all time favorites. Although I did study psychology in college for 4 years, I don't have a single volume from back then that I have saved!

Thanks for all your kind words.

Richard

Richard, I didn't know you studied psychology for 4 years, have you got a degree?

That was not my major. Music was. I am far more adapt at playing paradiddles than discussing Freud!

Right-Left-Right-Right, Left-Right-Left-Left!
L. Zaslow

Another drummer! Outstanding! Even though I was a vocal music minor, one of my heroes was Joe Morello of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. His 2-volume set The Independence of Hand and Foot is a classic!

It made Swami work much easier, too! No joke!

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Lee,

You know, I often think that if someone had to study the basic rudiments of any instrument, as a prelude to magic, they would not complain about sleights, nail writers, etc.!


Richard

Richard wrote:


And maybe they'd be less likely to have business cards printed up proclaiming that they're professional entertainers six months after they got started.

I think you might have uncovered something that could help everyone...