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Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
I know it may seem strange for a deaf guy to think of something that uses sound but the fact that I am deaf is probably why I thought about it. The unknown is always interesting.
I remember years ago before my hearing decreased to deafness (I was profoundly Hard of hearing back then). A magician friend and I where recording each other performing tricks with our camcorder. We where basically just goofing around but it was great to be able to see ourselves perform. Anyway, when we where watching the video my friend told me a few times that the phone was ringing. Back then I could talk on the phone with the use of an amplifier but I couldn't hear the phone ring (couldn't hear high pitched sounds). The first two times I answered the phone there was no one on the other end. I figured someone just hung up before I could answer. The third time my friend made a strange face then started laughing. It turns out the phone wasn't ringing. The phone rang while we where shooting the video so every time that scene of the video was played on the TV you'd hear the phone ring. My friend was kind of amazed because the TV was in front of him and the phone was behind him. Yet he said it sounded like the sound of the phone ringing was coming from the phone instead of the speaker on the TV in front of him. My question about this is if you record a sound that comes from one direction then play that sound back will it sound like it came from that direction in the play back? Or is it more of a brain teaser. In other words if you know where the phone is and you hear the sound of it ringing (even from another location) does your brain register the sound and subconsciously make you think it came from that direction simply because you know where the phone is? I obviously can't test this myself but it did get me thinking. There might be some magic applications for this. Ron Jaxon |
RandyStewart Inner circle Texas (USA) 1989 Posts |
I think the context it is played back in is most useful. When I'm driving and hear a 'car horn' as part of the commercial, I immediately look about thinking someone nearby is honking at me! Same with a siren! That'll really get your head turning and looking when it's really coming from the radio.
I never thought such sounds were a good idea on radio commercials as they may be heard and confused by a driver. |
airship Inner circle In my day, I have driven 1594 Posts |
A lot depends on the frequency of the sound. Lower sounds are less directional. And your brain also combines visual cues with auditory ones to determine where the sound is coming from.
Ron, if you want to understand how sound works, and how it might apply to magic, check out the non-magic book 'Mind Hacks'. I'm really pumped on this book right now - it talks about the hardware and software of perception in our brains. Cool book. There's also some interesting work being done right now with focused ultrasound, in which two directed ultrasonic beams interfere to make audible sounds that sound like they're right next to you. The effect, I'm told, is very spooky. Look for it soon in a vending machine near you, as I understand it.
'The central secret of conjuring is a manipulation of interest.' - Henry Hay
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
If you had mirror in a room and were looking into it and some one walked up behind you, then you would see them in the reflection and they according to the reflection would be in the room. If you turned around and no one was there, that would be scary. However you did not actually see anyone in the room but only a reflection of someone there.
If you film an empty chair in a room and then sit in the chair and watch that film will you feel invisible. Well not really but if you film yourself in the chair and you then sit in that chair and watch the film, then that would be almost be like looking in a mirror. That film would seem more real than watching a film of some other room. Which might explain why when the phone rang in the film it seemed like it was ringing in the room for real. I haven’t got any idea what I am talking about it’s just a thought.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Tommy, those are very provocative images and ideas. Are they yours? If not, where did they come from?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
I just thought of it Jon, if that's your question. They spring from reading Rons question.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
The click pass uses this concept on a small scale. And so does ventriloquism. I used to be an audio engineer in a recording studio. There are tricks using panning and simulated sound reflections, that allow you to place the sound in a 3D space. I think the assumptions about the environment are critical. If you played the same video to someone but prefaced it with "Guess where the sound of the phone comes from", it would lose all effect.
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
Seance Elite user Talking on the other side with 427 Posts |
Sounds are important in seances. With whispers, bells and raps, the medium can suggest that the sounds are coming from where they are not. I'm not going to go into specifics here, but the "squeaker" and sponge ball are illustrative of what I mean.
It is very easy to "misdirect" the spectator's hearing, especially if the spectator is not expecting it. |
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
Mirror, mirror on TV
I wonder if you could make a spectator think he had become invisible with this: http://www.luxist.com/2005/08/02/eli-wil......-mirror/
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
kregg Inner circle 1950 Posts |
Sounds can enhance or ruin an effect. If the coins talk, if doves coo, if the load thumps... it tells.
I can't count the number of times that I have stunned a person, with a handful of change or a ring of keys, using a simple retention. Sound, not slight (not a typo). After all, I haven't found a way to perform magic for the blind, otherwise my great grandfather would have seen my magic show. Kregg
POOF!
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Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
Thanks everyone. I know that sound is used in magic (I do a click pass but it would be a waist of time for you to do it for me.. ). I was mainly wondering and the 3D effect of sound as described in that little story about the phone ringing on video tape. After reading all your posts and putting some thought into it. I'm pretty sure the case of the video playing back the phone ringing is a matter of the subconscious telling him where the sound came from because this was over 10 years ago and we didn't have surround sound on my TV back then. I'm pretty sure it would be possible if you have the modern technology though. I'm not familiar with that because it's been so long since I've been able to hear.
I can imagine how useful it could be. Making them think something is behind their left shoulder when it's actually behind their right can be strong misdirection. Seeing things can make them "appear" real but I think other senses are more likely to be convincing on a subconscious level. I think the eyes are the easiest sense to fool. Ron Jaxon |
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