talkmagic.co.uk

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and magic in general. I am rather quick with cards, can perfect gimmicky tricks in a matter of minutes and am willing to spend money (if necessary). Just wondering if you guys could give me any tips or books I should read to get my magic on to a better level that just amateur stuff. I know/have:

In terms of slights:
- Pretty much anything from Royal Road to Card Magic, (haven't perfected the pass).
- Forces
- False Counts
- Flase Cuts / Controlled Shuffles

In terms of props:
- Coin Unique
- Coinvexed
- Strange Travellers
- ID
- Many, many bicycle decks

I'm hoping to learn some new slights and general technique and maybe some new interesting reveals. Thank you,

Adam

you're better off reading the stickies first, then having a browse through the review index of each category to be honest...

If card magic is your thing then I would suggest re-reading royal road a dozen or more times, Expert at the Card Table is a good read and I believe that it is avaliable for free online, a quick lookie on the Google Machine should help.

Chris Tennant

Hi Adam. After reading your post several times i must admit im a little confused. I hope this doesnt come across as harsh as its certainly not meant to be. Let me explain. You say you are new to magic yet you can perfect 'gimmicky' tricks in a matter of minutes - no you cant. To 'perfect' any trick takes time, and hiding the gimmicked nature of something effectively usually takes alot of thought. To be honest you could do a very effective performance with the items you have listed. What you must understand is that it is PRESENTATION and SHOWMANSHIP that lifts an effect from being a mere trick, into an impossible piece of magic. There is an introductions section where you can introduce yourself and let the magicians here know a little bit about yourself ( age, status, where your from etc) although not compulsary this can help us to answer your questions and offer more suitable advice. Again i hope i dont sound harsh. All the best, Jim

I'd like to recommend something as your next investment in learning materials.

Get Paul Wilsons DVD teaching companion to RRTCM.

In my opinion, there is no better resource as a basis for learning high quality card magic. Like the book, which is required reading anyway, it will teach you many important principles and Paul Wilson's technique - and teaching style - is second to none.

Thanks all,

I admit I was a bit careless in my statement, I know that magic is majorly showmanship and that 'perfecting' a gimmick is not the correct thing to say. what I meant to imply was that gimmicks would not be hard for me to learn, and that I would not have any trouble if using an 'expert' gimmick. So if any were to be suggested that would be great.

In terms of myself:

I'm Adam, I'm 15 years old and I live in London, I have been practising magic for about 6 weeks now, and have always been interested in it. I am also going to join the young magicians club, and would love to try and 'proffessionalize' my act.

Thanks Nessfest and Chris for recommending the material, I will try to find it asap, and am already reading through royal road for the third time.

IAIN thank you, I have taken it upon myself to read through the other threads and have found the content useful. thank for the heads up.

Adam

its very hard to recommend things sometimes, depends on taste and fancy for the most part...i hate pretty much all packet tricks, other will love them...who should you listen to?!

thats what i meant by reading the sticky posts - you'll get some tips, and some ideas to help you formulate your own opinions...

apart from The Royal Road to Card Magic, everything is up for discussion...

Hi Adam, and welcome to TM The advice from Chris and Nessfest is very good. Royal Road to Card Magic is a classic book and is the first magic book i ever read. I dont have the dvd although i have heard it is very good. Paul Wilson is a good teacher and youve probably seen him on the Real Hustle. Another classic worthy of note is Mark Wilsons Complete Course In Magic which is widely available. This has everything from cards and coins to illusions, and ive heard from someone on this forum that its now available for under a tenner.

Jim Ferguson's posts make good advice.
Try Mark Wilson's book and, later, the Tarbell set.

I'd totally agree with the boys and recomend Mark Wilson's book, a brilliant book that's well worth a read.

Lady of Mystery writes, in part: ". . . I'd totally agree with the boys. . . ."

Boys? BOYS? it's been a long time since I was called a "boy" and I am flattered! <G>

Peter Marucci wrote:Lady of Mystery writes, in part: ". . . I'd totally agree with the boys. . . ."

Boys? BOYS? it's been a long time since I was called a "boy" and I am flattered! <G>

My kids seem to think im as old as some of the effects i do, and thats really saying something

Tanks for all the support guys, it was more than I asked for. I have recently purchased Mark Wilsons Complete Course in Magic and am looking for the Paul Wilson book. Thanks a lot

Adam

In hopes that you will listen.

SLOW DOWN!

Put away all those decks, put away all the gimmicks, put away all the books dvd's whatever.

Pick up your ID. Pick up Mark Wilsons Course in Magic and peruse the card section and pick a few effects, learn them, get a feeling of how to really handle a deck of cards, take your time. (I'd recommend also looking into coins, ropes, silks, sponges, because being a magician usually requires one to be come a little more well rounded)

Go out and enjoy the magic and entertaining your friends and family using the ID and the svengali but don't overdue it, relax breathe enjoy.

Once you really understand how to handle a deck of cards and understand what magic is about, ( intellectually you may know what it is, but from your post you seriously don't understand what it is really about) sorry I wish I could explain it better. But if you slow down and give it time and watch other's perform and watch audience reactions and how they react differently to different presentations. From the "oh my how did you do that" to the magician that really creates a sense of wonder you will begin to understand.

If you continue to fly through the way you are doing. I can promise you will be out of magic in a year or less and all that energy and money will be for nothing.

Prove me wrong, please.

And there is no such thing as an 'expert gimmick' there is a gimmick and there is NOT a gimmick, the expert is the performer.

Ok.

I agree with what some of the other people have posted - take your time and learn things one at a time.

Cards are a great start and a nice easy prop to get hold of and find effects to practice - but i would say you should also look at the other suggestions give - coins / ropes / silks / etc...

I actually find Royal Road to Card magic - and Modern Coin Magic - and those other older books a little hard going.
I prefer to learn from a dvd - but that's just me.

If you're the same i would recommend you get a introductory dvd - maybe one about cards (Daryl's Encycolpedia of Card Sleights) - one about coins - one about impromptu magic with items you can pick up anywhere?? - is what i would start with.
Problem with dvds is you pick up other people's patter and learning style - sometimes even their voice and mannerisms - try to find your own style if you can.

Good Luck.
Ed.