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Sometimes, when magicians practise, they practise alot and get routines or sleights near perfect but when performing, it's different and sometimes the magician may mess up.

A little tip and a very useful tip I learnt from T.G. Murphy's Imagication is to practice whilst performing! Let's say you've got a routine down perfectly, and one part of the routine requires you to deal cards onto a table. During that time, you could be doing a second deal or a bottom deal or a centre deal. It allows you to practice whilst performing under pressure.

A pass is also something good to practise whilst performing. Just casually as you handle a deck, perform a riffle pass as though you are just riffling the deck normally.

I'm sure most coin magicians know that the classic palm is a very useful sleight and when used correctly, it's an amazing concealment. The classic palm could be practiced in everyday life whilst doing everyday things such as watching TV (if you're lazy), or writing, or even whilst doing some card flourishes. Try doing a sybil while having a coin palmed! I can't do it .

I hope many magicians already do this. Just made this thread to point this out to some magicians who don't do this, or for beginner magicians.

Hope this thread helps people!

Steve

I think that they're some great tips. One that I heard Daryl talk about was practising the classic force with the backup of a trick in mind where a fair selection could be used in case you missed. With my poor attempts at classic forcing this backup is essential! I also found that practising difficult cuts whilst on the tube or train heightened my concentration as the embarrasment of dropping 52 cards in front of rush hour commuters is hard to live with.

James

When I was starting to use cards, I used to get them out at people's houses or in the pub and explain that I'm not going to force magic on them, I'm just mucking about or doodling on my own, unless of course they want to see something. It got me comfortable handling decks around people without the pressure of being watched.

I do this to Tomo. When there are people in my house I'll still pick up a deck and start practising. Usually just FS's, some controlling and the odd fancy flourish.

I find that even if your not doing magic people will still be watching out the corner of their eye to try and spot something. Its also good to chat away about nothing in particular while practising as I find its great for learning to perform and give patter when showing a trick.

Just another one I thought of.

Maybe practising Elmsley Counts during a normal routine that doesn't involve the Elmsley. e.g. There was a situation where you have the four kings in your hands and you want to display the four. Just perform a Elmsley count there.

Steve

Recently I have been taking a deck of cards with me everywhere and practicing. If I'm on the bus/in the car I'll practice palming/elmsley count. If I'm in the pub I'll practice flourishes and the like. This can also get attention from other people and you may well end up performing a trick or two, which is great practice for a "real" performance.

I'm not sure I like the idea of practising while performing. I think you perhaps owe your spectators your full focus on delivering the effect you are performing.

I'd also hate to get caught doing a second/bottom deal etc when it's not even necessary for the effect. That would spoil both your own performance and the spectators' experience of magic, completely unnecessarily.

Mr Toucan wrote:I think that they're some great tips. One that I heard Daryl talk about was practising the classic force with the backup of a trick in mind where a fair selection could be used in case you missed. With my poor attempts at classic forcing this backup is essential!

On the flip side, you can practice the Classic Force whilst performing a standard issue "pick a card". This way you can view a success as an Out or remove the need to peek.