I play a variety of mood music, burn incense or sage, and turn on the fountains to help remove me from the normal setting.

This opens my mind up to differing moods which help me to "be in the moment"....

I don't like to study myself in front of the mirror at all times... so I run the camera and watch the film a few days later... most times I laugh but, some days I pick something up I missed that particular day...

My space is lined with a varying array of magical themed items.... this to offers some visuals to inspire my emotions.... in the backround I can hear some of the cackling and cooing from my doves.... perhaps they laugh much...!~rr

When studying I like it quiet. I close myself up in my room and just sit there and read with my coins or cards in hand. Same goes for when I am creating.

But when I actually practice my routines and acts, then I turn up the music and create noise around me. At first it was extremely hard to concentrate. This just proved that I obviously didn't know my effects well enough to perform with distractions going on. After a while it got to the point where I could tune out the music and noise and focus on presentation and the effects.

Just goes to show you that being able to do your routines in your sleep doesn't mean a thing. It is quiet when you sleep.

Create noise and work around it...or better yet work with it. Then you will be ready for anything that comes up.

Chris

I agree, Seismic. I've also hired a little girl to heckle me non-stop during my practice. This has helped me improve greatly.

Seriously, I usually play music when I create and practice. I find it helps stimulate creativity.

I usually practice in front of my wife. She looks for the angles and is honest about what "just doesn't look right." She has come in handy when performing and has helped me cover some mistakes.

At first I didn't let her "in on many of my tricks" but having her involved has really helped. There is much that she doesn't know. The only way that she finds out the "secret" is when I screw up. Once again, I would rather have someone that I trust figuring out the secret instead of an audience...

Anyone else use a "trusted" observer when practicing? Is this taboo in the magic community?

Later,
Gambit242

Usually other magicians. I really understand why you do it. I used to do it too but lately my family is sick of me showing them something and I HATE performing for magicians so it is rare these days!

Chris

The first post strikes a chord here. I have set aside regular practice slots for myself every other day. I make a point of closing the curtains, putting on a certain CD and burning incense (must be sandalwood). This isn't for any mystical reason but rather this "ritual" gets my mind and body ready for hours of solid practice. After repeating it a few times it becomes ingrained and when you do all this my body just kind of settles down to practice for an hour.

For me, this little ritual serves to separate life and "practice time," not as a mystic or lifestyle thing, but rather as an aide to practice.

Practice for Lucy and me is in a special room only for that purpose. It has correct stage lighting, remote sound, curtains, and the real props on the real tables, etc. We also can video or watch in a mirror. Lucy and I both try to rehearse in costume. (She does this better than I do. I get hot so often I only put on the coat.) We also try to keep things not in that act out of that room. There is also space behind the curtain. We use video for angle studies and we keep the sound on the tapes to help timing. By having the whole stage set up there, we know where to look for things and it helps with actual time we will need to go from point to point. That helps measure the music. We cannot hear the telephone in that room.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander