talkmagic.co.uk

hi, as you may have noticed by my previous posts I have not got loads of experience but I have performed at payed gigs a few times. I'm only 18 and I am about to really start marketing myself trying to hopefully become a full time magician. This involves making my own website, street performing more often and making a demo video. Before I start marketing myself I want to start off well so I was thinking of learning really advanced card magic and some amazing tricks to put on my site. Any suggestions for where I could learn this stuff would be greatly appreciated and I have up to a year to learn and perfect these things before I NEED to start marketing. Thanks in advance!

I don't know your level so sorry if I'm patronising you, but give Royal Road a shot

I'd say I'm probably intermediate but I'm not sure. I just wanted to know any books that would help me make the step into the advanced magic.

I don't think I'm the only one to say this, but 'advanced magic' needn't be oriented towards mega difficult sleights and 50 packet cuts !

You can make even the simplest of all effects and make it a miracle. It's up to you to connect with the audience through the effect.

However, if you are looking for advanced maneuvers, Erdnase has a lot to offer ( I've cheated at cards thanks to him ! ). Another book worthy of mention is 'By Forces Unseen' by Ernest Earick .It's got an amazing collection of new sleights and visual card magic.

Another really 'advanced' set of card effects can be found in 'Impossible Card Magic' by Ray Kosby.

loljacob2 wrote:I'd say I'm probably intermediate but I'm not sure. I just wanted to know any books that would help me make the step into the advanced magic.

When you say advanced, what do you mean?

Like the kind of juggling, flourishy stuff the yout' seem to like? All cuts and pop out moves etc?

Or actual magic?

If the former, than Dan and Dave might please you, if the latter then The Inner Secrets Chronicles by Vernon would be my recommendation, if you think you are of an intermediate level.

The step after Beginner is performing your material well and effectively to strangers.

Absolutely Lenoir.


I think we try and amaze ourselves and our peers, and often forget the public.
Powerful card magic works not because it is complex, but because it amazes people. There is no substitute for working with real people and seeing their reactions. That's how you find out what is amazing and what isn't.

They don't care if you can do a perfect faro, bottom second deal and a multiple shift. They love a trick because it contains mystery, suprise, narrative, comedy or whatever - not complexity.

Also, be aware that we constantly seek to learn ever more difficult work because we have become bored with what we do, not because the specs have. Don't perform the things you know well as though it were the thousandth time - perform every trick, big or small, as though it were the first time they;d seen it and last time you were ever going to do it. That's how to stay fresh.

Al Goshman said "The difference between a professional & an amateur is that an amateur does ever-changing tricks to the same people, and a professional does the same tricks for ever-changing people."

To answer your question though; although I wouldn't bother much with vols 3 & 4, vols 1 & 2 of Roberto Giobbi's Card College might be what you need.

It's hard to recomend anything without knowing what level you're at now. People's opinions of what's advanced magic can vary from anything that's not a self worker to some silly complex trick requiring double jointed fingers.

I don't really think that you need much more than Royal Road to start perfoming professinally. There are more than enough very very good effects in there to build a routine with.

loljacob2 wrote:Before I start marketing myself I want to start off well so I was thinking of learning really advanced card magic and some amazing tricks to put on my site.

I would say don't bother, you'll never perform it at a gig. One thing I'm always ranting to magicians about is how you spend your first year in magic learning all the basics, the next year learning all the fancy advanced stuff, then you go out performing and revert back to the basic stuff because it's just so much easier and gets the same result.

Yeah, you could use a 'clip shuttle double ironing board push through slip shift', or... you could use a gimmicked deck. I know which I'm using!

Lawrence wrote:I would say don't bother, you'll never perform it at a gig. One thing I'm always ranting to magicians about is how you spend your first year in magic learning all the basics, the next year learning all the fancy advanced stuff, then you go out performing and revert back to the basic stuff because it's just so much easier and gets the same result.

Yeah, you could use a 'clip shuttle double ironing board push through slip shift', or... you could use a gimmicked deck. I know which I'm using!

As a beginner daunted by the long road of learning ahead, that is a breath of fresh air to read! I think this should be said to all beginners as it is re-assuring to know that we might be learning stuff that is used by professionals (who obviously deliver it better).

I'm sure professionals also do more involved material too of course, but knowing the above will give me more confidence and makes the goal posts of performing for crowds seem closer for me.

I agree, that being entertaining is the most important thing. Not knuckle busting sleights.

However, I do suggest a mastery of sleights.

I was doing a gig last week. Had the card controlled to the bottom of the deck, where I needed it. Bloke on table say "If I was rude I might ask if I could shuffle the cards". So, I palmed off the card. Smiled, handed him the deck. Waited. He shuffled. I added the card back and carried on.

Now, if I was just relying on trick decks, I couldn't have done that.

Trick decks are awesome and I love them. But, I don't think it's a substitute for learning the basics.

If you're already performing for money, you probably know enough tricks for the time being.

I'd suggest the next step in "advanced magic" would mean advancing as a performer. Showmanship for Magicians, Strong Magic, The Books of Wonder are titles that spring to mind, but there are lots of others. Work on making your magic as real and engaging as you can.

If you're aiming to be a professional, you need a solid grounding in business, too. Make sure you know how to run a business as a freelance, including conforming with all relevant laws (e.g. tax registration as self-employed), and doing all the necessary admin and finance work (job logging, record keeping, running a filing system, budgeting, bookkeeping). You really need to have all this infrastructure in place before you start marketing yourself and taking on work.