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PowerThirst New user 1 Post |
Hello! I'm fairly new to magic. My interest is mainly in close up magic, specifically cards. This forum was suggested to me by a co-worker who is quite a skilled magician. I expressed my serious interest to learn and he pointed me here. I'd greatly appreciate any tips, tricks and sources to buy tricks suitable for a beginner to practice.! Thanks in advance!
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PowerThirst New user 1 Post |
Since, posting my introduction, I stumbled across the beginner's section. Lots of great stuff in there! I've started by ordering Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic, Robertos Giobbi's Card College Volume 1, and J.B. Bobo's Modern Coin Magic Book. That should keep me busy for a while yeah?
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Doug Trouten Elite user Minnesota 471 Posts |
Powerthirst -- It sounds like you've made some great starting choices. Good luck -- and welcome!
It's still magic even if you know how it's done.
Terry Pratchett |
Boomer Special user Prosper, TX 666 Posts |
@PowerThirst,
You've just made a gigantic steps. Welcome to TMC. Dave |
RiffClown Inner circle Yorktown, Virginia (Previously Germany) 1579 Posts |
Welcome my friend.. I can personally vouch for PowerThirst as a new and eager apprentice.
I'm taking him personally under my wing.. (We work together) Don't buy anything else until you know what you can borrow from me.. For everyone else, this is a guy that is quickly going from audience to performer.. The chosen username is appropriate when it comes to magic.. In retrospect, he can also vouch for some of my outlandish claims in the past for closeup card, coin and maybe even rope work since he was often part the target audience. He's seen TestaCroce and some of my original effects on numerous occasions..
Rob "Riff, the Magical Clown" Eubank aka RiffClown
<BR>http://www.riffclown.com <BR>Magic is not the method, but the presentation. |
Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Welcome Power Thirst,
I started with Cards and I still love 'em. My best tip is put a few decks around the house where you may find yourself sitting for a while, near the computer, easy chair and near a phone where you might be on hold. It all adds up. Whenever you think about learning a trick, think about why you like it and where you could do it. Does it need a table layout? Will it connect with the spectator or does it feed your ego? It is possible to do both but no man can serve two masters, so know your priorities on this. Keep a journal with some dates or video to keep track of your progress. It can help when you need some encouragement. Best of luck. I've seen people who started as Adults make remarkably fast progress because of voracious curiosity and directed practice. Because you are older, your choices in projects are important to eliminate some of the unproductive sidelines that can waste time. Read some of Dick Oslund's posts about choosing Magic that will make the final cut and stay in your repertoire. He is not so into cards but his advice is good all round. -Mary Mowder |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Hey! That's a good intro! I met Mary about 30 years ago, when I was on the road playing school assemblies with National Assembly Service. (She must have been in second grade, then!) hee hee. Of all the magicians whom I've met (i.e. of the opposite, er, s*x, she stands out! I attended a few of the magic club meetings in Sacramento, and she more than "held her own", when the boring business meeting ended, and, the props came out.
Yup, I'm not a cardician, but, I've known most of the top card men in the "CONUSA", in the past 50 years (men like Vernon, Elmsley, LePaul, Jay, Miller, Racherbaumer, et al, and, enjoy(ed) their work. I do all the standard card flourishes in the act, I just never got fascinated with performing anything but the "21" cards. I read your first two posts. Welcome, etc. You asked about buying tricks. You CANNOT B U Y TRICKS. TRICKS, somewhat like music, only exist while they are being PERFORMED. You can buy PROPS ("apparatus" is an archaic term from the 18th century) and/or SECRETS, with which you can PERFORM a TRICK. An EFFECT is what the spectator PERCEIVES. If you have PERFORMED the TRICK, WELL, using your PERSONALITY, and a good PRESENTATION, the spectator M A Y be ENTERTAINED, by the EFFECT. >>>(MAGIC IS N O T INHERENTLY ENTERTAINING!!!)<<< There is an ancient acronym: K I S M I F. "Translated", it means: "KEEP IT SIMPLE MAKE IT FUN". --It's the ESSENCE of ENTERTAINMENT!!! If you tattoo THAT on the end of your nose, you're not apt to forget it. (hee hee) There's a LOT MORE to performing magic than what I've said, but, it will serve to get you started! You've selected some good books to begin with --ooops! I did a "Charlie Miller". (I used a PREPOSITION to end a sentence WITH!). I knew the late Walter Gibson (he was the "ghost writer" of Mark Wilson's "CCIM". Walter wrote more books about magic than anyone I know (and, I know a lot of magicians, and authors of books on magic.) It's far from a "CCIM", but it is "close". Tarbell wrote the complete course, in 1927. (I knew Tarbell, also.) After a hundred years, Tarbell's patter and presentation is a bit archaic, BUT you will learn PRINCIPLES (that's more important than TRICKS!) I don't KNOW Mark, but, we've met several times. The late J.B. BOBO, was a dear friend for fifty years. "Nuf said! I would suggest that you add one more book to your bookshelf: Ken Weber's "Making Magic Entertaining". Ken KNOWS! --and, he communicates exceptionally well. BTW, you can read Tarbell (the original 1927 course) in pdf, for free! I'm retired from 70 years (50 as a nationwide touring professional). Eons ago, I set some critical criteria, for what to perform. Those criteria kept me working continuously for those 50 years, and, SAVED ME A LOT OF $$$$$! (and, HEADACHES in PERFORMING!) I've written them here and there in the Café. One final thought: S.H. SHARPE, who understood magic, once wrote: "Those who think that magic consists of doing tricks, are strangers to magic. Tricks are only the crude residue from which the lifeblood of magic has been drained."
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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PowerThirst New user 1 Post |
Quote:
On Jul 18, 2017, RiffClown wrote: I can absolutely vouch for his claims in regards to closeup magic, he's already begun teaching me, and I'm having a blast with it. I sincerely love these elements of magic. |
PowerThirst New user 1 Post |
Thank you for the advice Mary Mowder & Dick Oslund! I've started keeping decks all over the house, and I've started watching Daryl's encyclopedia of card sleights. I'll be looking to add Ken Weber's "Making Magic Entertaining to my collection! Thanks again!
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