Jackson Avocado wrote:Cardza wrote::shock: DVDs would be a far better way of learning than Youtube IMO.
If you came across any tutorials of marketed effects I seriously suggest you report them to the creators - they're cracking down on Youtube exposure more and more now.
I disagree with this to an extent. I began learning magic off of YouTube, and it's a great resource for beginners like me who like to get a feel for what they're getting into before investing in DVDs. A couple widely practiced card tricks, namely Red Hot Mama and Jumping Gemini, have some GREAT tutorials online. The 'copyrighted' tricks, I agree, shouldn't be exposed, but age old card tricks- come on, you can't get mad at that.
Youtube isn't a great resource. Nine times out of ten the emphasis is on the tricks themselves and the presentations are absolutely atrocious; the handlings are sloppy and awkward and, to put it plainly, the idea that the people in these tutorials are in a position to teach others is laughable. The only thing you'll learn from them is how to do the thing awkwardly and you sure as heck won't learn about the finer points of presentation.
"it's a great resource for beginners like me who like to get a feel for what they're getting in to"
Yet these are all things that a simple book like The Royal Road To Card Magic will give you an excellent start with.
Jumping Gemini isn't age-old. You must have heard of Darwin Ortiz, a man who is still very much active in the magic scene? It's his. It's one of them 'copyrighted' (i.e. published) tricks. A lot of people have put up tutorials of it, sure, but just because it is now one of those 'widely practised' effects that doesn't make it right to learn it off Youtube.
Very generic effects - key card pieces and such (to an extent of course) I don't think there's a problem ethically, but I do maintain that there is a problem because of the 'performers' they can spawn.
End of the day: if you want to get off to a good start in magic, avoid Youtube because a lot of what's on there ain't good at all.