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everytime i perform infront of people i am fine for a little while but after three or four effects i begin to shake with what i assume is nervousness (what with my heart beating faster and everything). in a lot of the card tricks that i have practiced so many times this is a problem as the slights don't work at all unless i really concentrate or am plain lucky. i know it comes down to practice but it feels like i have done so much of it. any advice?

That IS a tricky one. I think plenty of people (me, for sure) have the shakes to begin with and then shake (!) them off. But getting them a few effects in is odd.

The most obvious solutions are:

1. Only perform three or four effects. Depending on your circumstances of performing, that could be plenty.

2. Once the shakes hit you, perform sleightless and/or foolproof effects. If that helps the shakes to disappear then perhaps you can finish with whatever 'sleighty' effects you like.

3. Keep trying, and perhaps with more experience it will stop happening.

It does get better, much better with experience. The shakes when performing isn't a lack of practice as just pure nervousness which is natural. It happens to us all at some time or another so you're not alone.

As stated, perform a couple of self workers to start off with where you only need to concentrate on presentation and not sleights. You will soon settle down as your confidence grows and you get the measure of your audience. If they are receptive then keep going and then introduce the routines that rely on sleights. At this stage you will be far less lilelyto 'fluff' them.

There was an episode of the podcast "Go Magic Go" discussing this

Ill try to find it sometime

I guess it all comes down to confidance, the more you perform, the easier you'll find it.

Have a routine scripted and practiced that you know like the back of your hand. When you perform it, it'll just flow naturally.

pluxus wrote:i am fine for a little while but after three or four effects i begin to shake with what i assume is nervousness (what with my heart beating faster and everything).

Pluxus, i think you are having a kind of adrenalin rush. adrenalin makes your heart beat faster and can make you shake and make you feel nervous. it happens to me and just thinking this at the time can make you feel better. suck it in, enjoy it, adrenalin is your friend.

Even after all this time I sometimes get an attack of the shakes. It can happen at the most un-opportune moments, but as a magician you should be able to bluff your way into turning it to your advantage. Here's how:

Recently in London during a close-up engagement for a very high powered corporate client, I was performing out of this world with a psychic angle (what else?) at a table. My spec was a very analytical "suit", and he was surrounded by other yuppie types. Half way through the routine my hands started to shake very slightly.

The routine worked perfectly and everyone was blown away. The spec then says "Your hands started to shake while you were doing that. Were you nervous?" "No," I replied, "it's just that demonstration takes an awful lot of concentration and effort from me. I have to be really tuned in on a psychic level to help you select the right colour. I find it quite draining." "Ah," said the spec, "that makes sense."

What had started out as an attack of the heebie-jeebies was turned into evidence of the exhausting effect my psychic powers have on my mortal vessel. Damn I'm good. Is there no situation I can't turn to my advantage?

Try having a beer or two to settle the nerves. Any excuse!

Hade wrote:Try having a beer or two to settle the nerves. Any excuse!

I usually have about 12 or 13 pints - I find this pretty much always stems the shaking off until the following morning

I'd not say it's a lack of practice, I say it's plain old stage nerves and adrenalin. Take glucose before the performance, it just works.