talkmagic.co.uk

Hello

I just wanted to introduce myself before leeching all of the advice I can.

My interest in magic has been recently rekindled, although my previous experience was when I was young with the usual no-skill-required gimmicks. My interests lie in card magic, specifically cheating at card type routines and my ambition is to avoid all the usual stereotypes. I know this isn't the best way to introduce myself, but I do cringe when magicians use magic words, waves or ridiculous claims because it just seems incredibly condescending. I am aware that most people understand how many sleights work (or they know it is a sleight even if they miss it), so I want to build this in to my performance to use it against them. So I can ackowledge that nothing trully magical, psychic or otherwise is necessary whilst still fooling them and leaving them entertained. Sorry if this rubs anyone up the wrong way, I mean no offense to any classic performers.

I have literally 1000's of magic books at my disposal but so far I just don't know where to start. I like Darwin Ortiz as a role for the types of sleights I am practicing at the moment, which is around an hour or two a day. So if anyone can suggest the very best close-up magic books to learn from I would appreciate it. I also find 'the royal road the card magic' helpful and have been working on what I have learnt, so really I am about as new as you can get but keen to learn. I really need to start putting a routine together and refine my misdirection and patter now I have a few moves up my sleeve.

Anyway, that's a slightly longer summary than intended of why I am here!

Thanks

J

hi j

im the same i get overwhelmed by how much there is to learn in magic so my way is to find a trick i want to do and learn all the moves/slieghts for that trick gives me something to aim for hope you enjoy tm

m

Hi and welcome to TM. The best way to learn is to just take things slowly, Royal Road will give you enough to work on for a long time. I'd suggest putting the other books away for now and really studying that for the time being.

So I can ackowledge that nothing trully magical, psychic or otherwise is necessary whilst still fooling them and leaving them entertained. Sorry if this rubs anyone up the wrong way, I mean no offense to any classic performers.

Not many performers these days pretend that it's real magic, those days are long gone.

Welcome to the forum

Weasel wrote:My interests lie in card magic, specifically cheating at card type routines and my ambition is to avoid all the usual stereotypes. I know this isn't the best way to introduce myself, but I do cringe when magicians use magic words, waves or ridiculous claims because it just seems incredibly condescending. I am aware that most people understand how many sleights work (or they know it is a sleight even if they miss it), so I want to build this in to my performance to use it against them. So I can ackowledge that nothing trully magical, psychic or otherwise is necessary whilst still fooling them and leaving them entertained.

First up welcome to the forum.

Your introduction brings up some interesting points that could perhaps serve a full discussion else where. In fact I think I will start a thread about it.

Weasel wrote:Sorry if this rubs anyone up the wrong way, I mean no offense to any classic performers.J

Don't be sorry for having an opinion - many may agree or diasagree but as long as you put your case over without being rude then I will look forward to your posts

Alright mate,

I'm always happy talking gambling, send me a message if you fancy a chat about gambling magic

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I hope I can add some value to certain discussions and will be making a thread very soon on something I am keen to discuss.

J

mrz0mbie wrote:Alright mate,

I'm always happy talking gambling, send me a message if you fancy a chat about gambling magic

That is a generous offer, but I am so new to this that I don't have much I can discuss yet! But I am on the right tracks so bear with me a little while and I will surely pester you for a few opinions. I don't want to be like the youtube cringe-factors but I have no-one to show any tricks to, so it would be helpful to get an expert opinion.

Although any advice you can give on performing the greek strike deal would be great, I haven't even attempted it once yet but it is my end-goal in card manipulation.

Karma wrote:

So I can ackowledge that nothing trully magical, psychic or otherwise is necessary whilst still fooling them and leaving them entertained. Sorry if this rubs anyone up the wrong way, I mean no offense to any classic performers.

Not many performers these days pretend that it's real magic, those days are long gone.

Welcome to the forum

Poor old Robert Houdin who famously wrote,"A conjurer is not a juggler but an actor playing the part of a magician", must be spinning in his grave!
Whatever happened to 'theatrical illusion'? What do actors do but pretend? If your right and "those days are long gone" I really feel very sorry for you and all of us.

Acolophon wrote:

Karma wrote:

So I can ackowledge that nothing trully magical, psychic or otherwise is necessary whilst still fooling them and leaving them entertained. Sorry if this rubs anyone up the wrong way, I mean no offense to any classic performers.

Not many performers these days pretend that it's real magic, those days are long gone.

Welcome to the forum

Poor old Robert Houdin who famously wrote,"A conjurer is not a juggler but an actor playing the part of a magician", must be spinning in his grave!
Whatever happened to 'theatrical illusion'? What do actors do but pretend? If your right and "those days are long gone" I really feel very sorry for you and all of us.

Personally I think it is a good thing you aren't likely to be burnt as a witch for performing a trick! Illusion is one thing, but pretending you are using real magic just smacks as cheesy and a bit of an unhelpful stereotype in my opinion. Don't you still enjoy watching tricks and being fooled, yet still knowing it is a trick? Creating magic with the performance is far more important to me than trying to force magic using words.

Hi! Weasel,
Its difference of opinion that makes horse racing possible. I have no intention of duplicating what I've said but I think we have our wires crossed. Please go to 'Micellaneous'>'Performing Magic as Magic'. You can then send me a PM if you like.