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FlightRisk Loyal user North Carolina 294 Posts 
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For any of you that use it to pace your practice, how do you use it? If you could give an example, perhaps I could follow how it might help me.
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Atom3339 Inner circle Spokane, WA 3242 Posts
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Good question. I looked at two Channing Pollack performances on YouTube; discovered he performed SLOWER than most magicians these days; BUT also realized his pacing was VERY even! Set a metronome to his pace and it was less than 60 beats per minute (slower than one second per beat). I believe it was 58. It was SO accurate, I wouldn't be surprised if he used a metronome for practice (as Slydini and his students). It was also interesting to find that Pollack used the SAME tempo (pacing) for each effect!
Another great aspect of using a metronome is that it gives you a sense of the "off-beat", the "and", as in "One and Two and Three and Four and"; mentioned throughout our literature.
TH
Occupy Your Dream |
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tomsk192 Inner circle 3894 Posts
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Quote:
On 2013-08-29 13:09, Atom3339 wrote: Great answer, right there. Tom |
Magician Shaun Special user Huntington BCH, CA 924 Posts
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Take a one coin routine. The first vanish happens on a tick. Then the production on the next tick. This continues. Slow down or speed up the metronome for desired effect.
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CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts
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Using the off-beat is a very effective tool in music, I don't see why this can't be applied to coin manipulations. If you stick to a natural 4/4 rhythm, slow and even, then add an off-beat or triplet to increase interest.
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Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts
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All of the Slydini students like Pete Biro, Tony Clark, ... and, more modestly, myself had to suffer under the law of the metronome
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
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Mb217 Inner circle 9530 Posts
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I never used a metronome but would routinely practice with the backbeat of smooth jazz. Y'know, it gives it that NYC sorta feel.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb 
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CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts
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To attempt to answer Flight's the initial question, use the beats to accent each move. For example, count '1 - and - 2 - and - 3 and - 4 and' for each measure (the ticks of your metronome fall ON the beat, or on the numbers, 1-2-3-4). Then, time your hand action to match the beat, so the movement starts or ends on a beat. Think of it as dancing with your hands, for lack of a better analogy! If you read music, you have four quarter notes to a bar in 4/4 time. You can also have one half note and two quarters, two triplets, etc. Use that knowledge to spice up your timing and flow. Oh, and don't forget you can add a 'rest' and pause for a beat as well.
Mb has a good alternative, practice to music. Smooth jazz is perfect; not only do many pieces have a relatively slow tempo, it's 'real' music 
Hope this helps. |
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Atom3339 Inner circle Spokane, WA 3242 Posts
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Two insights / clarifications:
1) Throughout our literature, sleights are done on the off beats (the "ands"); very essential to convincing misdirection. 2) Rene Lavand refers often to how pauses are ESSENTIAL to presentation. When I draft up a routine, I indicate where larger motions will be; off beats to help cover sleights and pauses in patter for better presentation. Learning Magic is very much like learning music. The first part is mechanical. In music, a student learns the names of notes and time, the simple basics. Then the sudent evolves to the stage of expressing the music as MUSIC. In Magic, the student learns the basic effect and sleights. Then the student evolves with a routine, patter and presentation to the stage of expressing the magic as MAGIC. This is my opinion but seems consistent.
TH
Occupy Your Dream |
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gallagher Inner circle 1168 Posts
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This is a concept,. `the Metrome´, that I simply don´t get.
,.. wish I did,.. but,.. and, I earn my living , ...as a musician. "I THINK",.. and not humbly,.. we should be talking `Tempo´ here. Good Music,.. Music that `works´, developes "a feeling", NOT thru a steady, 1, 2, 3, 4. There´s fast bits, slow bits,.. all create moods,.. and the mixing of tempos,.. well,.. I can imagine, Metronomes, for the most part, could help Performers to slow down, keep it in grip,... ,..hey, that WAS Channing Pollack´s Magic, ,very difficult. Maybe, help with ´smoothness´,.. but hmm, how to really build it in ,.. as a tool,...? wondering easy, gallagher. Vinny? What are your thoughts? |
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Atom3339 Inner circle Spokane, WA 3242 Posts
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Gallagher, I'm also a musician. Over time, I've realized Music embodies two things: 1) Tone, and 2) Time. As musicians, we learn to control Tone and Time.
In this Topic's case, we're talking about controlling Time, specifically pace, rate of speed for beats / pulse, tempo. A metronome helps regulate the tempo to a specific rate of speed per beat or group of beats. Yes, we can certainly use our own tempo without a metronome, but, IMO, it will not be as specific (measured). Considering a metronome as a tool helps us know our pacing, adjust our pacing and discover off beats to use. As far as Music goes, you are right; we can play without a regulated beat (rubato, improvisation), especially pertaining to specific genres (Jazz, Contemporary). But a straight beat a tempo is a very strong aspect to Baroque, Classical and, to a certain extent, Romantic Music. I find STARTING with a measured beat and tempo ala metronome is ALWAYS excellent. Because you can always adjust from there.
TH
Occupy Your Dream |
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CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts
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Quote:
On 2013-08-30 20:22, Atom3339 wrote: Thanks muchly for this Atom, I was unaware of the off-beat being the accents of a routine - good to know! Playing music, or I'd imagine running a routine, is 99.9% of the time done using the appropriate time signature. Yes, there are uses for non-traditional syncopation, but I would hesitate to recommend doing this more than once in a great while, as it tends to throw people off. Even in fusion and jazz you won't find too many artists who stray into an abrupt tempo change. Off the cuff, the only song I remember that does this is a weird piece by a weird guy - Frank Zappa, called 'Dancin' Fool', where he sings"I may be totally wrong, but I'm a" ... dancin' foooool.... lol! |
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Eric Caldwell Regular user Kentucky 156 Posts
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Can anyone recommend a routine available on youtube, outside of Slydini, that would be good to set a metronome to, allowing me to further understand the concept? A routine, not necessarily coins, that actually incorporates music would be nice, as well.
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tomsk192 Inner circle 3894 Posts
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How to use a metronome is an easy one. Wind up the little key, then set it to the desired speed, then swing the little pendulum. It will go, "Tick, tock, tick, tock," until it needs rewinding.
Important: make sure it is on a level surface for best results. |
| The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Nothing up my sleeve... » » How to use a metronome? (0 Likes) | |
Posted: Aug 29, 2013 04:57 pm 
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