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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
A friend of mine is just getting started on cups and balls. He was in our session (with David Williamson, Shoot Ogawa and Dean Dill.) We were all showing him various moves and noted he wasn't comfortable doing them
I then asked "Are you going to work standing or sitting?" He said, "Standing." Williamson immediately chimed in, saying, "You should always stand." So we told him, then why are you practicing sitting. You should practice the way you are going to work... STANDING.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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Father Photius Grammar Host El Paso, TX (Formerly Amarillo) 17161 Posts |
Simple advice, but very good advise.
"Now here's the man with the 25 cent hands, that two bit magician..."
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SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
Great advice Pete (well, as usual).
It can also be pointed out that there is a distinct difference between “practice” and “rehearsal” and that when getting to the rehearsal phase the correct setting, costume you wear, music, etc. should all be part of the equation. Always simulate your environment. The less you leave to chance the more success you’ll reap. Magically, Walt |
walid ahumada Special user sinaloa, mexico 892 Posts |
Sounds very logical to me.
“Magic becomes art when it has nothing to hide.” BEN OKRI quote
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
Exactly.
Here's more. When you are in the learning phase, first learn all the moves that you are going to do in context. That is, if you do a Wand Spin vanish, once you have the mechanics of the spin, etc., practice it from the point before the vanish starts to the point that the next move begins. That way, you don't have to think about where your hands come from and where they are going. There will be no wasted movement. Once you know what your routine is going to be, go through the whole thing once, taking notes as you go. Find the spots that are the most difficult and mark them somehow. Then learn those spots only, in context. Once you have done that, learn the routine. To learn the routine, if you have patter, record it and practice the moves along with the recording. This will give you a change to fit the pieces together properly. If you are working on a long routine, something with several phases, learn one phase. Then learn the next. Then practice the two of them together. Then learn the next phase and the phase after that in the same way. Then practice all four of them together. If you have an eight phase routine, practice the phases as follows. 1,2; 1+2; 3,4; 3+4, 1+2+3+4; 5,6; 5+6; 7,8; 7+8; 5+6+7+8, then 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8. This is a practice system that my father used to teach for learning to play pieces of music on various instruments. Most people practice tunes by playing until they mess up, and repeating this until they get past the "blockage." Then they start over, and continue that way. The result is a piece of music that is well-practiced at the start and not very well-practiced at the end. The method I have outlined above gives you a routine that is strong all the way through.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Mobius303 Inner circle Lakewood, Ohio 1309 Posts |
Practice the way you work is the best most simple advice here.
Overthink it and you will stumble ofton before coming to your comfortable practice spot. Williamson also says: "be comfortable in front of your aduience and it will be a more natural show for them and you. " Mobius |
SpellbinderEntertainment Inner circle West Coast 3519 Posts |
Hey Bill and Pete,
Let's get together and write the book on this <grin>. Walt |
Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Williamson also noted and commentd "You can't palm something and then set your hand down or hold it in one spot... you have to keep a flowing activity going, like pick up wand, set down wand, move cup etc.."
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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spatlind Special user still moving 863 Posts |
Great advice gentlemen, thank you
Actions lie louder than words - Carolyn Wells
I believe in God, only I spell it Nature - Frank Lloyd Wright. |
walid ahumada Special user sinaloa, mexico 892 Posts |
One more thought.
Are you going to work for the mirror or for real people? I agree with Bill palmer and I like his method, but after that you are only half way through, then you have to start practicing for real people, I belive it does not matters if you do it for your wife, friends or strangers, you should not loose a chance to practice for real people.
“Magic becomes art when it has nothing to hide.” BEN OKRI quote
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
First, you work for yourself. Use a mirror, videotape or neither of the above. Just get the routine into place. Once you have the whole thing down, where you can do it without thinking about it, then put it in front of the real world.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Magikrn Veteran user 333 Posts |
Another thing that Daryl does is to place sets of eyes on the wall in front of you for when you are pattering. You can then hold eye contact with those sets of eyes, rather than concentrating on your moves and making it look suspicious.
My wife actually does this as she is a Mary Kay consultant. I told her about the eyes idea and she put full head shots up and it has helped her tremendously in gaining confidence in her speeches she has to make while selling makeup. |
RachelMilano New user United States 83 Posts |
Great suggestion Mr. Palmer on that practice routine using the music analogy. I studied piano as a teenager and you are absolutely right. A musical piece practiced the traditional way does generally have a weaker ending than the beginning. Great advice for studing music and magic. Thank you. Rachel.
I'd much rather regret something I've done than something I was too afraid to do. Have a great day. Rachel.
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
My dad wrote several excellent books on playing the piano and other instruments. He taught me that system. I have used it for guitar students, banjo students and even students of theatre, to help remember lines.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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