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I'm a recent new member to TM and while I was reading a review of a book I am thinking of buying I read a post from you. In it you said that you were partially sighted. I am too and was wondering how do you learn tricks?? Do you find it easier to "get" a trick from books or DV?? I have a few basic card trick books that I can't get into but recently got a DVD. I would appreciate yours (or anyone elses) thoughts on this

Cheers

Rushie

I'm guessing here but are there any Large Print versions of books available??

Print size isn't a problem, it may be trying to get the jist from diagrams I think. DVD's seem easier to get the tricks (rewinding, pausing etc) Just don't want to waste money buying books that may just go to the bottom of a drawer somewhere

Ahh, the immortal book vs dvd debate!! Well TBH I always find it easier from DVD's. You can spend a day reading 20 pages of instruction on how to perform a sleight when half hour with a dvd visual description of the move works just as well if not better. I thgink whether you are partially sighted or not it is always better to have a tutor so to speak than to read it all from books.

MagicDiscoMan however will be able to answer much more honestly as my only disability is my brain...... sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't!!

Thanks Jordan C. I think DVD may be easier so I'll have to start saving my pennies. I've noticed that a lot of tutorial DVD's come in sets of 3 or more. Maybe buying one a month or a Lottery win may help

There are advantages to both..

Books : You read them.. spend ages trying to get the technique right from the sometimes convoluted diagrams.. until eventually you get it. However.. on the way you may have actually considered many things such as..

Working out methodically (or in my case chaotically) the actual technique from scratch almost based on your ability and hands (I seem to have small hands so I usually adapt slightly to get things to work)
or..
How would I do this normally.. (do it normally.. then add the slieght)

All this gives you a better understanding of the principles and a more indepth understanding of how things develop.

DVDs : Provide someone showing you exactly how "they" do it and allow you to study every tiny detail over and over again. They also provide a visual example of "it looks like this.." etc.. DVDs can also encourage you to adopt your own handling if you can't get it to work but more often than not provide a sense of "Ah.. that's where I'm going wrong.

Both approaches have their good points.. but to be honest I personally prefer DVDs as I can see exactly what I'm trying to do and how to achieve it.

Basically it's upto you (unfortunately) to see which you prefer but at the end of either method it's really all about practice, practice, practice.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Slippery

Thanks Slippery. I'm thinking DVD's may be the answer for me. I'm trying to get into as many aspects of magic as I can until I settle on one. At the moment, very basic card tricks. I only got the bug after watching that Faking It programme on Channel 4 a few months ago

I don't have a serious eyesight problem other than getting a bit short-sighted in my old age but many of the instruction leaflets with tricks seem to use the smallest font available so they can get everything on to one or two sheets of paper. I usually enlarge them on a photocopier which means not only can I blow the text up to a size easy to read, I can also scrawl notes etc on the sheet without spoiling the originals. Best tip I ever had was to use some Blu-Tac and stick the enlarged instructions on the wall and then practice the trick whilst looking at them. It means I have both hands free to handle the props and it's also a sort of discipline to keep the head up instead of always looking down.

I don't have a serious eyesight problem other than getting a bit short-sighted in my old age but many of the instruction leaflets with tricks seem to use the smallest font available so they can get everything on to one or two sheets of paper. I usually enlarge them on a photocopier which means not only can I blow the text up to a size easy to read, I can also scrawl notes etc on the sheet without spoiling the originals. Best tip I ever had was to use some Blu-Tac and stick the enlarged instructions on the wall and them practice the trick whilst looking at them. It means I have both hands free to handle the props and it's also a sort of discipline to keep the head up instead of always looking down.

rushie sorry for the lateness of my reply ive been haveing a few bad days with the shakes (benine parkinson's tremor) which effects the focusing of my eyes rather than the eyesight persay but mandrake has covered exactly what i do complete with smudges of blutack all over my wall .
i like dvd's but have to admit to a bit of editing to make looping tracks of certain moves a good example was sankeys version of the tenkie pinch (i know its technicly illegal ).
the other thing i do is scan and display the text on a computer in large format and / or make up page slideshows to go on my 42" tv.

Thanks for getting back to me. I've only just "dipped" in and out to read the replies I've had (thanks to all) Sorry to ask for you by name, but when I saw your post I just wondered how you managed as I think DVD's will be better although photos in books rather than diagrams maybe of some use. I've only just got into magic despite being 38 and I've got a lot of learning to do

Thanks again

Rushie