Good evening, for those who perform the cups and balls I was wondering if any of you use music during your routines and what kind of music would go with a cups and balls routine. Also, what is an average time for a routine. 5, 10, 15m, or is it just up to te performer how long it is. I want to throw a routine together involving the small kids cups and end up with some large aluminum cup routines.

Thanks!

Learn a routine first. Then find the music for it. The music must fit not only the routine, but also your character. A 10 minute routine would be awfully long, if you are just starting into doing the cups and balls. A five minute routine -- OR LESS -- would be much better.

Regarding the music, itself -- most cups and balls routines have patter. If you are speaking, the music will get in the way of your script. However, a good silent routine to music would be refreshing. Selecting the music would be a very personal thing. If you are supposed to be a 16th century conjurer, then you might want to pick some baroque or early music. If you are a 21st century conjurer, then you would want to pick something much more modern.

Another thing to think about is the way the audience will react to the music. If you choose certain types of music, you will automatically polarize half of your audience or more against you. Some people hate hard rock, some people hate hip-hop, some hate blues, some hate Baroque, some hate C&W. So pick something that the fewest people will hate.

Bill, "People hate Baroque."

Obviously, you've heard the saying, "If its baroque, don't fix it."

Myself, I grew up on Baroque music. I awoke to the sound of Wanda Landowska playing The Goldberg Variations, the Inventions and the Sinfonias on her harpsichord. Perhaps that's why I play bluegrass banjo.

And that just gave me an idea for a routine.

A wonderful example of c&b to music is by John Schyrock. His can be seen on his DVD. Just an example though, find your own piece, don't copy him.

I like Baroque.

Go for baroque.

Many pieces of music, and popular segments of some of the classics, average around 3 minutes, with some a bit more and some a bit less. I tend to think there is a reason for this time length, and as many audiences are in tune (no pun) with that time frame, perhaps a music-backed magic piece would do well to follow the lead, provided negative elements such as redundancy are avoided.



Music can be used to color the background and still allow for a degree of patter. Perhaps though, not with the rapid-fire comedy presentations that we often see. In balance, and each at an appropriate volume level, I can see it as working.



If the music is there just for the sake of being there, I would agree. If however, the music was simply another element to flesh out a theme, it may be much more tolerable to the masses. The correct amount of apparent contrivance can defuse many bombs. It becomes more theater and less reality.

I would though, be tempted to experiment with many styles to get the best fit.

~michael

That's a good point. Dan Garrett does an excellent linking ring routine that he worked out for the Atlanta olympics. The music has special emphasis when certain things are done in the routine. It needs to be more than just chase music.

Precisely! That which does not add, detracts.

~michael

OK, I'll be the first to point this out - if you use someone else's music there is an issue of royalty payments. I have found that magicians, as a whole, are a very ethical group of people and this should extend to doing the right thing as regards the composer of our music.

There is a lot of music though that is royalty free. You just have to look for it.

Since I do private shows I am not worried about the music. The music just plays in the background as if you were listening to the radio or something. I'm not worried. Now if I built a big illusion and and put music to that and coreographed my routine to that, then that's different. Sorry to steer away from the topic at hand. That's my gripe.

Thanks!

If it is just playing in the background, then it really doesn't add anything to the performance. Don't use it.

Regarding royalties on music -- the size of the trick has nothing to do with royalties, it's the venue involved. As long as you are performing in someone's home, at a church or at a school, you don't have a problem. But if you go into a hotel, a trade show venue or a restaurant that does not pay for music, then you may have a problem, and it doesn't matter whether you are doing close-up, stage or parlor magic.

That's why Rick suggested royalty-free music.

I don't know why you would have a "gripe" with that.

Again, learn a routine, and then if you feel you need music, find the music that fits it. Don't go the other way around. It's like purchasing a costume. Figure out the character first, then put him in costume.