Could anyone give me advice on the best way to learn mentalism. Been researching a lot and I'm just getting more confused on how to begin this journey. Thanks.

Not really my area but Corinda's 13 steps to mentalism is generally regarded as THE tome for mentalists. Other than that find a routine you like, practice and perform. If you join a magic club you will likely find people who will be happy to help.

also see the link here: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......um=41&10

Best wishes,

Danny

Hop down to the "Penny for your thoughts" forum, that is where the mental types hang around. Corinda and Anneman are the two basic books, you will find them heavily recommended down there.

Get a set of Tenyo's Fortune Sticks. This will get you started. It's the only mentalism bit I do, and it's a killer.

I think it certainly helps to see other mentalists and watch their style. I learned a lot actually from watching the DVD that came with Peter Nardi's Director's Cut. Most of that trick is really in the presentation and he demonstrates a number of ways to present it. Often the difference between a magician and a mentalist is purely in the presentation.

eg The Magician says"You chose the 3 of hearts!"
The mentalist says.... "I don't think ist a face card... no... I definitely see spots... is it a red card? Okay then those are hearts I'm getting... not too many... mostly white space.. .two or three... no definitely three.. the three of hearts!"

Okay, Im not much of a mentalist myself but you get the idea

Beyond that, mentalism I suppose is really about focusing on the psychological aspects of magic more then the physical ones, though there is *heavy* overlap. (Even hypnotists use some physical trickery to get the subject started.)

Go to a magic shop if possible. : I

Another vote for "A Penny For Your Thoughts."

There are some great people there.

David

Hi, GB. Just starting this journey myself. Although I’ve done straight magic for quite a while, the single most important difference is in your own mindset. When you’re doing magic, everybody pretty much knows there’s a trick involved somewhere; they may not be able to catch you, but they know there’s something “funny” going on.

With mentalism (and I’m discovering that there is a significant difference between mentalism and “mental magic”; you’ll need to discover that for yourself), but with mentalism, it touches a very personal and visceral core with each participant. Even with a disclaimer (and there is much debate in the community about whether disclaimers are good or bad) some people will still believe that the “powers” you possess are real.

While some mentalists loudly proclaim they don’t use gimmicks, I’m discovering that many of the great ones do. The distinction is in the type of gimmick and in the way that it’s handled. You won’t see any grand flourishes or “ta da” moments in mentalism; the magic happens TRULY in the mind.

(And you’ll be spending more time at Office Depot than at your local magic shop!)

Nothing in this post says anything you won’t read in the open forum, but before you head into the "Penny" section you should know that there are a wide range of attitudes regarding magicians as well as “newcomers”. Almost everyone there is extremely helpful IF you ask the right questions (and avoid the wrong ones!)

Read EVERYTHING!

And then take a look at The Thirty-Nine Steps to Mentalism by Bob Cassidy. Mr. Cassidy is a regular here at the Café and a true professional. Thirty Nine Steps is a list of the books he considers most valuable to the mentalist.

With all that said, Welcome to the Café!

Beautifully put, DW.

David

Read:

Practical Mental Effects by Theodore Annemann (Available now in a Dover edition as Practical Mental Magic I believe)

The read,

13 Steps to Mentalism by Tony Corinda

The read,

Practical Mental Effects by Annemann again.... this time attempt to understand the WHY of Annemann's thinking. You may never use anything from the book, although with some minor restructuring many of the items could be brought into the 21st Century. But, again, try to understand HOW it is that Mentalism differs from 'magic' and why Annemann routined the way that he did.

Annemann was a truly brilliant thinker. Scary almost.

For patter ideas, etc. find a used copy of Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain...you can still find this on Amazon if no where else. GREAT way to orient your mind to the overall 'script' of what Mentalism is all about.

Once you start to get an overall 'Gestalt' of what mentalism entails look at the work of Bob Cassidy, Richard Osterlind and Docc Hilford.

Best,

Brad, great references.

Burling Hull also!

Practical Mental Magic gets my vote

Out of interest has anyone used Ben Harris' silent running, how did your audiences find it and would you recommend it for a beginner?

Thanks,

D

I've played with it. its very clever.

Having said that, the deckless routine isn't for beginners, it involves fishing and some spectator reading/manipulation. I'm just learning how to do it myself and am not yet confident enough to perform it. The rub is, I need clean people who havent seen it before to really learn to do it and I'm running out of those in my tester-circle.

I don't have X-ray yet but I believe that's a lot more "automatic" and might be more appropriate for a beginner...

Btw... first mentalism trick I learned was Nardi's Director's Cut and I do believe that is appropriate for beginners. It isn't "self working" but his instructions are excellent and as long as you don't mind spending a little time doing memorization drills its pretty easy.

Thank you

The guys at the Wizard Product Review looked at the DVD set Modern Mentalism by Matt Mello. Their recommendation convinced me to get them and I have to say it is a very good introduction to close-up mentalism. It's definitely worth considering.

Consider the book called Mischief Radical Hypnosis and Mind-Control by Harling and Nyrup.

May I suggest this list by Master Mind Reader Mr Bob Cassidy?
http://www.lybrary.com/thirtynine-steps-mentalism-a-10.html

A wealth of information for anyone interested in the field of Mentalisim.

Before any further comments let me say that, while I know others will disagree, IMO mentalism is NOT for beginners. While there are certainly exceptions, most of those who have become successful mentalists started with a firm foundation in magic.

Having said that, here, for the umpteenth time, is the same advice that I usually post to the "Penny For Your Thoughts" forum for anyone who is contemplating undertaking the transition from magic to mentalism (or adding mentalism to their repertoire) and that I wish someone had given to me when I was at the same point in my development. The great thing is that both my advice and the source material that I recommend are free. I know that regular readers are already saying to themselves "here he goes again," nevertheless it apparently bears repeating.

Although others will be quick to refer you to the books by Annemann and Corinda, I strongly suggest that before you invest in any other books, DVDs, CDs or effects, you would be better advised to read Bob Cassidy's "The Thirty-Nine Steps: A Mentalist's Library of Essential Works." I believe you can still download it for free from http://www.mastermindreader.com/The39Steps.html or http://www.Lybrary.com. You will also find it in Cassidy’s “Fundamentals of Professional Mentalism” which is a downloadable manuscript available at http://www.Lybary.com. While “Fundamentals” is not free, at only $29 it is one of best bargains in mentalism and IMO there is no better preparation for further study of the genre. IMO there is more valuable "real world" information packed into the 88 pages of "Fundamentals" than any other single source I've found in my 60+ year association with the magical arts.

For someone who is really a "beginner" in the truest sense of the word, I would recommend 2 books. Like Bob, "The Amateur Magician's Handbook" by Henry Hay is at the top of my list. The second, although not on Bob's list, is "The Handbook of Mental Magic" by Marvin Kaye.

Hay's book is step 1. It provides the broad based practical foundation in the psychology and techniques of magic that is essential for anyone before they even consider tackling mentalism.

Kaye's is step 2 and covers many of the essential basics of mental magic -- the precursor to mentalism -- from the layman's perspective, presupposes zero prior knowledge or experience, and introduces the beginner to the important fundamentals in a more contemporary context.

IMO those who will be quick to bypass those and direct you first to the works of Annemann, Larsen, Nelson, Newman, Corinda, etc. -- all of which BTW are more than worthy of study and, in fact, are among the sources recommended by Cassidy -- are putting the cart before the horse because most beginners lack the foundation needed to really "get into" those pioneers of mentalism whose writing and presentations will seem dated to anyone lacking the knowledge base to recognize and fully appreciate the timelessness of the principles underlying their work.

I am a firm believer in the idea that one should first learn to crawl, then to walk and that only after lots of experience running is one ready to tackle a marathon. I know that seems like a long, slow and arduous process. It is, but if you really want to learn, you should read the books. Mastering the basics will give you the foundation on which to build. Once you have laid a proper foundation, you will be ready to graduate to the works of the contemporary luminaries of mentalism like Maven, Waters, Cassidy, Becker, Banachek, Osterlind, Bernstein, Brook, Nyman, Looch, Quinn and others.

But before you even order "Fundamentals" you should understand and bear in mind that although many consider mentalism a subset of magic, it also has roots in spiritualism and mediumship and IMO it is one of the most demanding type of performing and requires a totally different mindset and skill set than magic as it responds to the totally different mindset of the audience. So be forewarned that it is NOT an easy transition for most magicians to make and can be even more difficult for those lacking a solid background in magic.

Just my $0.02