talkmagic.co.uk

I guess most of us are aware of the must-have magic books: Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic, Bobo's Modern Coin Magic and RRTCM or Card College.

But what about magic tricks? I'm thinking of effects where the general consensus is that the trick in question is just too good to pass up and is highly recommended by most people who have purchased it. Tricks like Knock 'Em Dead, Beyond ESP 2, Spongeball Toolbox and Coinvexed (to name just four) have all got rave reviews. I'd be grateful for any others as it will be of enormous help when browsing through the review indexes and will give some idea as to what to read up on!

Colour Monte,
ID,
Hot Rod

All three should be cheap as chips, and make their way into alot of workers routines (With good reason). Every magician should have them.

ID, although I don't use it much.
Mental photo or Nudist deck again I don't use it much
colour monte
Scotch and Soda or any of its other names.
cig through coin or any variation of it
card on ceiling

Now to clarify. I am assuming that we are talking about store bought ready to go effects. I don't use all the above and I use some I have not listed but don't fit into your catagory, althought the catagory is highly subjective.

edit, hot rod or any variation of that as well. I have to agree.

I suppose it's all down to personal preference and matching effects to your performance personality.

My personal "must haves" would be some kind of transposition like Time Machine or (as I've started regularly performing) a take on Tivo 2.0, but that's because I really adore visual effects that are right under people's noses - eg. cards changing when they're face up and your spectator is staring right at the face. Lovely!

Replicant wrote:But what about magic tricks? I'm thinking of effects where the general consensus is that the trick in question is just too good to pass up and is highly recommended by most people who have purchased it. Tricks like Knock 'Em Dead, Beyond ESP 2, Spongeball Toolbox and Coinvexed (to name just four) have all got rave reviews.

I usually run a mile from any trick that everyone is doing, no matter how good. However, of the four items you named, only one is actually a trick. The other three are props (or, in the case of the Toolbox, props plus instructional DVD) that can actually be used for many different effects.

I agree with queen of clubs and bmat that tricks come down to personal preference (and also your audience, performing venues and style), but I think suggestions for utility devices are a bit more meaningful. Things like a TT, or a Himber Wallet, are much more worthy of labelling as 'must-have' than even a very good effect.

Off the top of my head, the only trick I think almost every magician should own is the ID. It is so versatile, in terms of when you can use it, rather than the end result, as effectively to be a utility prop.

queen of clubs wrote:I suppose it's all down to personal preference and matching effects to your performance personality.

i vote for what Queen of Clubs said above...

can't recommend must-haves...what is gold to one person, is dog-dirt to another...

I go with the theory that you have to follow your own style for tricks you should have at your arsenal.

If had to point someone in the right direction though I'd say that every aspiring magician should learn a few of the classics first before looking up "the next big thing that will take your magic to the next level". Classics are classics for a reason and have stood the test of time.

I agree with everyone else; that it's all a personal preference, but one of my must have magic tricks is Saw. I love this trick and the effect it gets. That's just my thoughts.

Surely the ultimate must have trick/illusion would be one of those boxes for sawing a lady/person in half... imagine that on the street!

There are NO must-have magic tricks.

The only MUST HAVE parts should be that:

a, it is something that you can entertain with
b, it has a magical effect.
c, it is right for the situation/audience.

( I know there are alot more than this, but the point is that a routine can be excellent, but if your performance lets you down, it will still seem like a c*** (not the best) effect.

I know you were asking for a general feeling, but even if 95% of people said that "X" was the best, it still might not be right for you.

The best thing is to work out what style suits you, then have a look for things you can perform in that style.

Maybe if you had said " I am looking for some classic effects for stage"......
Or " I do comedy close up, has anyone got ideas what can be used to work into a routine?"

When I look at props/effects, I now look at what the effect is, but try and work out how I can use it and where I can take the routine.

Ignore what the EFFECT is supposed to be. (Funny, serious, etc) then work out if you can come up with something you can USE, your way. It only needs to be a very rough idea at this time.

If you can't figure out how you can use it, WITHOUT reading the routine that comes with it, don't buy it!!!!!!

I think what's been said is exactly right, you have to buy what suits you.

Take for example saw, someone said that for them it's a muist have trick. But can you imagine me performing saw? It'd look silly and just wouldn't suit me. "now when I've pulled this wire though my neck, I'm going to pluck pink sponge balls from the air". There you go, there's a must have for me, some pink sponge balls, but I really can't see many people on here getting away with using them.

When you buy a trick you really have to think to yourself, who am I and how can I use this.

Lady of Mystery wrote:Take for example saw, someone said that for them it's a muist have trick. But can you imagine me performing saw? It'd look silly and just wouldn't suit me. "now when I've pulled this wire though my neck, I'm going to pluck pink sponge balls from the air".

Lol, that made me laugh.

I have never owned a nudist deck . I don't really like ID but a must have for me is...Profs. nightmare