Sound Systems for Magicians 2023

By David Reed-Brown Welcome to the wonderful world of sound systems for magicians. When audio doesn’t work well in a show for me, it’s my nightmare! Audiences, in fact, will forgive many things, but not poor audio, whether it’s live or online. Unless you are a silent act, what is the point of all your preparation if they cannot hear you? Good audio can make magical performances by 2 or even...

Stabilizing

Recently, I talked about a bit about using a smartphone camera to shoot quality video. If you missed it, you can read it HERE. It can certainly be beneficial to those looking to shoot something on the fly without the need for a lot of expensive equipment. In this month’s newsletter, I would like to add to that and share a few options for stabilizing your camera and preventing your footage from...

Creating an iPod Cue Sheet

Like a lot of magicians, you might use an iPod to play music during your show. It’s no surprise that this is so popular because you can carry multiple versions of your show’s music — along with your regular tunes — and nearly any assistant or show tech who hasn’t been living in a cave for the past 9 years will know how to operate the device. However, even an experienced iPod...

Build your own Home Magic Theatre!

I have a lovely little theatre in my home and I really appreciate the luxury of having a permanent theatrical space to rehearse! The project was inspired by Jeff McBride who has his own home theatre and who teaches his Masterclass students that this is a sure-fire method to improve one’s magic performance. It’s the easiest way to try out new stage material to a friendly audience and...

The Magic Tech Road – Commando Show Bags & Audio

As technology advances, new systems come while others go to their home up yonder.  As a 40 year old father of two very active little boys, I had to create my own Commando Show out of necessity.  I needed a highly visible one-hour show that packed flat and was ready to go at a moment’s notice.  I carry it in a $50 shoulder bag that can be carried on a plane.  It sets up in less than 15...