Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Can You Play Piano With Your "BALLS"???

This is topic Can You Play Piano With Your "BALLS"??? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 07-17-2004, 02:55 PM:

This guy can!!!

Right Here!!!

This guy is amazing.

Need Windows Media Player

Posted by Rachel Gilardi (Member # 1016) on 07-17-2004, 05:43 PM:

Hes coming to the Capital Civic Center here in Manitowoc. Don't know when though...

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 07-17-2004, 05:48 PM:

And I thought it was impressive just to be able to juggle.

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 07-17-2004, 05:49 PM:

What is his name?

I'd like to maybe order a vid of it to be clearer

Posted by James B. Openshaw (Member # 1310) on 07-17-2004, 06:12 PM:

Very interesting hidden talent. [Big Grin]

Yes, I did watch the video. Sort of sad that I can only edit, but not play music.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-17-2004, 06:24 PM:

Actually, there is a audio engineering "trick" to it which is not too hard to figure out. I've worked that act as a stage electrician many times as part of the the Splash show at the Riviera Hotel here.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 07-17-2004, 06:34 PM:

So, Paul, are you saying he's really not playing the piano with his balls? The whole thing is an illusion?

Even if that is the case, it is pretty difficult to juggle four balls downward off an object such as a possibly fake electronic piano.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-17-2004, 06:42 PM:

"Hes coming to the Capital Civic Center here in Manitowoc. Don't know when though..."

Something tells me he has been double billed with the Da Yoopers on the same show.

Mark

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-17-2004, 06:53 PM:

Not a total illusion, but not as difficult as it looks either. Think about how you would go about "automating" at least part of the act to make it easier to achieve consistent musical results. [Wink]

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 07-17-2004, 07:11 PM:

Basically it seems Paul is saying that after one note is sounded, the next note, whatever it may be, is programmed to be the next note. So it doesn't exactly matter where he hits the balls. Just as long as they hit. Correct?[av=k]

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 07-17-2004, 07:21 PM:

Unfortunately the video doesn't show enough closeups of the balls hitting. Otherwise it would be possible to correlate where they hit with the notes and see if it's consistent. I'd bet it's true that he is controlling the timing of the notes only, not what notes are played, which is pre-programmed.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 07-17-2004, 08:17 PM:

That's exactly what I was thinking while watching it. There's a couple of scenes where the balls don't seem to move down on the keyboard and yet a lower note sounds.

It's still fun to watch though!

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 07-18-2004, 12:17 AM:

Dat's it. The keyboard is a series of touch pads, all of which trigger a MIDI sequencer. Touch any pad and the next note of the melody plays. Still a fun act to watch though, one of the more popular specialty acts to have played here on The Strip over the years.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-18-2004, 05:40 AM:

quote: Steve Kraus
Unfortunately the video doesn't show enough closeups of the balls hitting. Otherwise it would be possible to correlate where they hit with the notes and see if it's consistent.

There's enough close-ups for a musically educated person (like me) to see that where he is hitting the keyboard has nothing to do with what notes you hear.

Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 07-18-2004, 02:42 PM:

Michael,

You're educated about everything, are you not?

Rest assured, you are nowhere near as great as Joe.

We all know that Joe kicks ASS. [thumbsup]

Posted by Daniel Alt (Member # 2303) on 07-19-2004, 01:35 AM:

Speaking as someone musically educated who CAN juggle, I wasn't really all THAT impressed. I know better jugglers, and, as has been pointed out, there really wasn't any corellation involved in where he threw the ball and what note sounded.

However, if you want impressive, go see the Flying Karamazov Brothers. I watched them play the Bach two part invention in d minor on a marimba while juggling the mallets. No electronics, no fakery.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-19-2004, 07:17 AM:

I on the other hand can not juggle. Hopefully that makes Jason feel less bad about himself.

Posted by Alexander Smith (Member # 1769) on 07-19-2004, 03:18 PM:

Is there a free-to-download (MIDI) of "Bach two part
invention in d minor"? Just to give us an idea of how it
ought to sound.

I could google, but I want to make sure I get the right
piece.

Alex.

Posted by Robert Stawiarski (Member # 1842) on 07-19-2004, 04:58 PM:

http://www.songtrellis.com/sounds/viewer$368

Posted by Daniel Alt (Member # 2303) on 07-19-2004, 10:49 PM:

That's not it. I don't know what it is, but Bach only wrote one set of 2 part inventions, and that isn't the d minor one I'm familiar with.

THIS, on the other hand is:

Bach Two Part Invention in d minor, #4