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Right. I have piles of tricks, alot of card tricks, but then things such as SMS which i can use for coin vanishes and also my masters time machine. [Also my elevator coming soon.]
i havn't actually got any routines though. How would you guys describe what a routine is, just a load of trick linking together? Do they need to be the same, eg Card tricks?
I mean, you can't just go from a crad trick to a mentalist effect [time machine] to a levitation can you? I REALLY want to get some routines down so i have something that i know off by heart to show people, instead of doing the odd trick.

ANY help will be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks all

This depends what kind of show you are doing. But lets assume you do a table-hopping show. You would normally do about 10-15 minutes per table. So i mix the effects up, for example:

1. Card effect
2. Prop
3. Coin
4. Mind reading trick

This depends on the table, for example i have had people say they like card tricks and can i do just cards. So i do what they want. Every table will see different effects. As i hardly use gimmick cards i can just use a regular deck.

If you have say 30 tables to do i will group my effects up. For example lets call them A,B,C,D. Each group has different effects. So table 1 sees group A etc. When i get to table 5 they are so far away that they will not have seen anything. So i go back to group A etc. If you know what i mean.

If you are doing a static show then you may want to link the effects with little stories or a common theme.

A routine can also be described as the patter you use for the trick. For example lets consider the haunted key. Here is one of my routines:

The Key to Your Heart

A couple are choosen to assist. You take a ring from the lady. The gentleman is given a key to examine and hold. He is told to think of loving thoughts and imagine this is the key to his lady's heart. The ring and key is taken in your left hand. During the routine the key turns over and is attracted to the ring.

"I would like to conduct an experiment in the power of love"

"I need a loving couple to help me, you must be deeply in love!"

Select the couple and ask their names

"Ok (gent's name) i want you to take this key, examine it and when you are happy hold it tight in your hand. Imagine this is the key to your lady's heart!"

"Now (lady's name) i would like to borrow your ring, please take it off and hold it tightly in your hand. Imagine this is your heart!"

You now take the ring and place it in your left hand, by your fingers should be fine. Now place the haunted key in yout left hand as well. Put it in your normal performance position

"So this is your heart and your man has the key to your heart!. I want you both to stare at the key and think loving thoughts!"

The key begins to move

"Great! now think harder, really transmit your love and the key will be attracted to your heart!"

"Your love must be really strong, the key is being attracted to your heart!"

"Don't stop thinking loving thoughts, really scream them in your mind"

When the key hits your palm, hand both items out to be inspected.

"You see, love really is a powerful thing..and you (man's name) really do have the key to (lady's name) heart!

(c) Stephen Ward 2006

See? i could have just said "look a key turns over in my hand" but instead i have written a little story, this gets the audience involved in the trick

Henning Nelms's book "Magic and Showmanship" is good for routining tips too.

Okay, thanks for that That was really helpfull. At the minute, I'm not sure if I'm going to be doing table hopping [all the restaurants around me are so small everybody would see everything].
I might just stand on our band stand in the park and flick some cards about. Its in the middle of the park and plenty of people walk by. In fact, its basically a small sort of concrete stage. I might just try like levitationg there to get some people to come over maybe and i could show a few card tricks. I need to get practising at an ambitious card routine i think.

EDIT Thanks for that Cardza, i'll try and see about buying it soon.

i agree with stephen. the best kinds of routines are ones that have a little story running through them. just like a DJ doesn't want you to know when a song is finishing a magician shouldn't want there to be gaps in there performance. you ideally want to take your audience on a rollercoaster of a ride that they leave going oh my god i have no idea what just happened there but it was awsome. Your routine then should consist of a beginning a middle and an end these have to be clear within any routine that you do each bit should be linked to the last and the end should technically lead back to the beginning. everything simple everything in it's place and everything linked

The way I look at routines is the same way I look at building a set list for a music gig. Once you find an audience or arrive onstage, the first effect has to be the most amazing effect of all time. The next one has to be even better. You do a few more effects in the middle and whip out your most memorable effect for the closer. You last effect has to top everything and be totally unforgetable. I've found that this way of thinking creates great routines. To make your last effect the most memorable, it has to be pretty dramatic, like the card on the ceiling. Although this effect is not that impressive to magicians, it will create the most lasting impression in the mind of a layman. Thouse are the kind of effects you want to close your performance with you. The basic point is this: you win the crowd over with your first effects, you continue to amaze them with your middle effects and you blow their minds with the closing effect.

Hope this helps and good luck!

So, how many tricks exactly would you think a good routine should have, something like 5? Or would it be higher like 20. At the minute i wont be table hopping, just for family and friends but then i feel i might go and do some magic in the street.

For street work, I probably wouldn't go higher than 2 or 3. Remember, most of the people you're going to approach will be heading somewhere. You've interrupted them - and while some will be more than happy to stop, they may not want to watch your entire 30 minute routine. A few effects, hit hard and fast and let them move on. Trust me - they'll remember you (and probably send some friends and family down the street if they were close to their destination).

For table hopping, same kind of deal. Be respectful of their personal space - come in and do a few effects. Be mindful of their reactions and body language. You'll know from that whether you should move on or pull out a few more effects.

For friends - just do it until they yell at you or go home