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I have been involved in magic since the early 70's and I have been in the magic business most of that time, including having my own magic shop I've known hundreds of effects from having to do demonstrations in the shop and at conventions. When I perform I only do a very small handfull, Sure I can keep the ambitious card going until my audience and myself fall asleep but that is still one effect. What kills me is when I go to the local magic club and the members go on forever. Granted most don't perform all that well and many don't 'perform' at all they just show a trick with almost no patter except, 'and now I put the card into the deck and now here it is up my...", (self edited) and I don't consider that a performance. I'm asking, how many effects do you perform in your actual performance routine. What got me thinking about this was a practice tip I got. Take a deck of cards on each card write down the name of the effect to practice, then cut the deck and practice that effect. I got through about 8 cards and then resorted to adding subtleties, and methods as I almost felt guilty about how few I actually perform.

It's the old saying isn't it about how the pro does a few tricks for many people, and the amateur does many tricks for a few people.

When working I will stick to what I know inside out, and yes it is a short list.

1. Readings.
2. Billet work.
3. Swami work.
4. Spoon/fork bending.
5. Envelope/card revelations.
6. A selection of card tricks, my fave being OOTW.

A short list it may be, but there's enough there to keep anyone busy for a lifetime. Number 1 - readings - is a lifelong study in itself.

Oh, and I forgot:
7. Balloon modelling. Well I can do a dog, a giraffe, a cat (sorta), a hat, and a sword. Does that count?

i have about 30 - give or take - card tricks

then i have one coin trick and two rubber band tricks

i would like to point out that the only gaff i use in any of my trick is a duplicate... for some reason i am very proud of this fact... as well as about 75% of my tricks require no set up the other 25% i can set of in front of my specs while talking to them

Im in a commun situation i think, i have dozens of dvd and plenty of books but i do use only a couple of effects out of em. Im also only performing for fun and free so i dont have to build many diferent show.

I fall in love with drawn appart so this is something i use often to close a performance when people are asking for more.

1)Else i have 1 full coin routine taking around 1 1/2-2 minutes.

2)I used daryl Ambitious card routine dvd for building my own and i also made my own tricked deck for the perfect ending of ACR i believe.

3)I do a small funny routine with my sharpie when i take it out, i think its from "A pot of Jam" or from a sankey's video.

I have some other effects with cards i took from Micheal Ammar wonderfull collection "Easy to Master Card Miracles"

4)-Las vegas Leaper vol.1
5)-Red Hot Mama vol.1
6)-Card on Ceiling vol.7 (i think)
7)-Triumph vol.1

The last 2 i perform less often because im always outside but i really likes em. *I always tell myself i should find some more from the 8 other volumes but its time consuming! :-X

-1 cigarette vanish then when its lighted i repeat using my TT. I dont do much more with my TT.

Ive order a PKring and a ITR so while im waiting im training on warp one and a classic change (with the base of thumb palm) i dont remember the name. :-X Ill probably just do the haunted pack with the ITR while my expectation from the pkring are a bit high, i hope it will help me to complete my coins work using new effects like coin in glass.

I think it pretty much resume what i can do.

apart from eddie burkes ACAAN and OOTW, mine fall into these categories..

swami work
billet shenanigans
muscle reading and currently breaking in stuff from Maue's Imagine
pendulum stuff (see muscle reading)
one book test
tarot work
some card stuff, but with two advantages for me that i cant really mention out in the open...
esp testing

but as for definates and names, it kinda changes dependant on what the gig is...and sometimes my mood...

but only around 8 "things" in any one timescale...oh and occasionally i'll have an ID in my jacket somewhere..

I only have about 8 to 10 effects which are completely practised which I would use in a working environment but I know about another 10 which I would never use in a working condition but keep them for family and friends because there only 85% practised and I know possably about another 30 tricks which I just use for my own amusment but are there and ready to be practised if ever needed. On the whole thoe I only have about 8 to 10 effects which I'm completely happy with and would use.

As far as my card routines go, I've got my main routine which has 5 tricks in it.

I do use a few other tricks wioth sponges, TTs etc every now and again but my main close up routine is always the 5 trick card routine.

In my current routine I start with a deck production, 3 card tricks, a deck vanish, and 2 coin tricks.

If I'm table hopping and time permits I also have my chop cup and a couple of bits of fruit stuck in my pocket for good measure

In walkaround I have two 'sets' each with 4 effects in and then one or two extras in case of a particularly enthusiastic audience.
these both consist of cards, ropes, rings, fork bending.
Overall I would say I regularly only perform 12 effects in all.

It depends on the sort of show I'm doing, with my variety/comedy troupe I do about three stage effects (usually gag ones or visual as it's on a stage), about fifteen for children's shows, for close-up about seven card effects and three or four others and for a psychic demonstration I just use ESP cards, billets, pendulums, book tests, BIP book and readings with tarot cards. The length this can vary depending on the subjects.

I know nothing, honestly.

I know my sleights and practice them well but have very few effects I perform. But because I perform few effects often, I peform them well too.

I add one or two new things every couple of months to my performance, everything else is held back until perfected which can take a few months or at least week when you consider routining, timing, patter etc.

These days I tend to play it by ear and respond by using techniques rather than performing set pieces. Having the gift of the gab helps immeasurably in that I can keep it fluid, figure out what the specs want and find that resonant frequency that gives them a thrill. My overall style is of presenting mysterious tests of esoteric ability in both me and the specs. It's an ideal context for Naked techniques, as well as more guaranteed methods.

Kemo wrote: I would like to point out that the only gaff I use in any of my trick is a duplicate... for some reason I am very proud of this fact...

You should be proud....it takes work, comittment and a beleif in what you are doing to stick with it!

3 is the magic number

3 effects in each routine, and you can make them longer or shorter how you please via patter.

I use between 8 and 12 depending on what the function is and some of those will change depending on the function.

As an example, I may use 8-10 for table hopping at medium size wedding or 10-12 for a large wedding. I would still do 8 to 10 for a trade show but half of them would be different routine.