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when you learn magic tricks do you learn more than one trick at the same time? so you can swap to practise the other one after a while instead of just practising the same one again and again all the time?

The way I learn if I buy a new book is to work through the book performing each trick. Then go back through it and make a list of the ones you like. From this list I'd then pick ones that I can fit into my routines and learn these well.

As a great magician once said, it's better to know a few tricks well than many badly, or something along those lines.

I will only learn one trick at once, and I won't move on to any new material until I have mastered it, but that doesn't mean it's the only thing I'm practicing. I find keeping my repertoire sharp to be something like plate-spinning. Everything needs maintenance constantly, whether it's making sure my Elmsley is steady, staying razor-sharp with my Osterlind BCS calculations or just on top of the scripts for the effects I perform. Then there's the 'lifetime's work' stuff; improving my passes bit-by-bit, false deals etc.

I find I just don't have room in my head to learn more than one thing at once.

mathsgeek wrote:when you learn magic tricks do you learn more than one trick at the same time? so you can swap to practise the other one after a while instead of just practising the same one again and again all the time?

I wouldn't try to learn two tricks at once from scratch (my head's not designed to do that), I find it can help if you have a second trick you're familiar with but just need some extra practice on that you can use when you get bored of learning the new one.

When I first read a book, I learn one trick at a time but I practice just enough so that I know the basics. After I've gone through about five tricks, I go back and practice each one more intensley

I've always got tricks and moves and ideas floating round my head, but I try to stick to practising two or three that I'm working on getting a feel for. About once a week I'll sit down in front of a mirror and practise routines. I think it's important to get used to running from one trick to another, and to thinking about what tricks compliment each other.

It's good to have more than one trick you are practising at a time, as otherwise you may become bogged down in it, and unable to see ways to improve or adapt it. By moving on to something else for a while you can come back to things refreshed and see things in a different way.

If you're talking about a 'trick' in the sense of rehearsing it - patter, timing, angles etc., then I'm definitely in the 'only one at a time' group. If, however, you're talking about learning a 'move' then I will sometimes have two or three on the go - including the ones that I do well, but would LOVE to be able to do perfectly.

Lee

I uaually stick to learning one trick at a time. If I'm working through a book, then I'll learn the tricks enough to know the basics, then pick the ones I like the most out of the book and learn them well. As for moves and sleights, I usually have one or two "new" ones on the go at once, and am always practicing these, as well as the ones I already know in between the new trick.

I learn just one trick at a time as it's better to learn a few tricks like second nature than a dozen tricks badly kind of like lady said.

I read a book, and get the tricks down so I can perform them. Then I read the book over again to see which ones I remember. Than I narrow it down to which ones I like.

I learn mine one at a time and constantly peform it again and again until it is perfect and smooth, only then does it go into the show.

I learn one at a time, reading though my books.

I will look through, until there seems to be one i like the sound of. When i come accross one, I will sit down for about 20 minutes getting to grips with it. Then if i like the way it is going to be performed, i will sit down for several hours perfecting it.

Then, i work into my routine. I will then spend hours working my routine, getting to know where it is located, and just keeping my routine going, so i won't "forget" to perform one of the tricks.

But I do one at a time, and make sure it is perfect.

I am like Munker59, I may buy 3 or 4 tricks then go through each one, work out the level of difficulty then work on each one until confident I can do it. One I have perfected it I then perfect the routine to go with it, I think that is equally important when performing in public for friends ,family or Paying public.
I hope this helps.