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I only took magic up as a hobby this January, so I've only been doing it a short while. Now I have bought quite a few tricks and things already but at the moment I have just been performing the odd trick here and there mainly to friends and family. The question I have is about putting together a short routine of a few tricks. How do you guys decide which tricks to put where, when to perform them etc? So without being specific about any particular tricks what kind of structure do your routines have? Is it as simple as a beginning, middle and an end?

Basically I go through the effects I know and try to find a theme or recurring concept in them. You don't want to just do one trick, then another, and so on. It gets boring VERY fast. Try to give your trick a theme. Find one effect that you like, then see if you know something that can begin where that last one ended.

For an example, here's a routine I do that focuses on the four aces:

4 Ace Production - VERY simple production sequence that blends a deck-cutting to the aces routine with a variation of Dr. Daley's Last Trick. This ends with the four aces shown face up on the table.

From here - I go into Twisting the Aces

After Twisting the Aces - I will lose the aces into the deck and ask the spectator to choose another four of a kind. Then from here I go into an NFW-esque effect where the four cards picked by the spectator turn over one by one (bringing back the concept of the Twisting the Aces from before) then suddenly they become the four aces.

I'll then close it off with Spelling Collin's Aces.

Basically I've built patter about the magical nature of the Aces. You can use concepts of mysticism, superstition, etc. Things that give a purpose to the effects, beyond just the effect itself. Twisting the Aces is a killer effect - but when you tell the story of how someone (you) can make cards turning over BETWEEN the cards - that takes it to another level.

Find the structures. If a trick leaves your deck with two kings on the top of the deck - find an effect that STARTS with those kings on the top of the deck. As you learn more and see more tricks and effects, you'll start to see how certain things can be pulled together into routines. Hope this helps a little.

Sounds great! I'll have to start thinking then of what I link in together, and find a theme thanks Demitri

You may also need to think about deck changes if you're into using some gimmicked decks, such as an ID that's the same colour as your ungimmicked deck. You can use a packet trick to achieve this, such as twisted sisters etc.

Just something extra to consider if you need to

Also, try and build the routine up. I know its hard, but try starting with a weak effect. From here on, just keep building up to more levels of impossibility, and end with a big showstopper that rounds everything up.

I don't think there is ONE way to build a routine.....I have a general sequence of things to do that flow (Like Demitri Said) but I am not a big fan of a sequence that is so structured that I HAVE to stick to it....I like to have a few ways to head after a trick......that allows me to feed and read off of the audience.

For example........Like Demetri started, with an ace production, then an ace effect, and may go into some type of monte type trick using audience participation, or may move into another ace trick like the "Asher twist" wich is stunning, but doesn't have any audience participation....so depending what I feel the specs want to see (I try to read them)


Sometimes I will take into consideration the specs comments, like........"I saw a guy do a trick one time where he.........." if I have a similar effect, but can "One up" the ending, I will try to move into that effect......I think alot of it depends on what situations you perform in, and what style you use.......for Example, Jay Sankey often appears to be flying by the seat of his pants, and making it up as he goes.......I am sure he some type of structure, but his style is almost to appeart "Scattered"

I sometimes link card tricks with coin tricks and vice versa. for example do an ace production then onto a version Dr Daleys last trick. Then using the aces I do a coin production that is straight out of bobo's coin book. Followng that a small vanish/reproduction routine and i take a bow.

It's good to sometimes change over in this way to coin tricks from cards as it splits it up a bit and if they want any more theres always the deck there ready and waiting for that classic that is Triumph.

Sam - this is something I've always had trouble with (as far as linking) - but I'd love to hear your insight.

When you switch over to coin work - do you have a linking theme/purpose - or do you just pull it out and go into it? I do the latter and was wondering if you had ideas for giving purpose and linking themes.

Demitri wrote:Sam - this is something I've always had trouble with (as far as linking) - but I'd love to hear your insight.

When you switch over to coin work - do you have a linking theme/purpose - or do you just pull it out and go into it? I do the latter and was wondering if you had ideas for giving purpose and linking themes.

How about gambling and making money with cards? "Gambling is risky but if you're a magician you can always make money with cards...". Or something of the sort. I may be getting the hang of this

Demitri.....

How about from a card to wallet effect.......you have an open wallet when done, and simply pull a couple coins out and go!

Wow - simple but effective. I'll look into that Moodini. Thanks!

Demitri wrote:Sam - this is something I've always had trouble with (as far as linking) - but I'd love to hear your insight.

When you switch over to coin work - do you have a linking theme/purpose - or do you just pull it out and go into it? I do the latter and was wondering if you had ideas for giving purpose and linking themes.

As i said in the the previus post i do a coin production straight from Daleys last trick, which leaves you with the two cards in your hand. straight after it i give it some patter " yeah that was a great trick etc. etc. but with these two cards you can do something alot weirder than that" and then produce a coin.

For a coin production from 2 cards buy BOBO's Book. and i will give you a set up to it from Daleys last Trick if anyone wants to pm me.

There are many different ways to link routines through the use of themes and you sometimes need to think outside of the box.

As an example, I link the haunted key into my liquid metal routine and start off with the key and explaion about physics and mind over matter etc. whilst the key moves. People want to see the key afterwards which isn't too much of a problem as they won't duplicate what you've just done (if you got the presentation right) but then say something like "if you think that the key was weird then watch the effect that I have on the forks" before they begin to melt.

People will then lionk the two effects together in their head when talking about it afterwards and both routines support one another.

You're only limited by your imagination.