Helo there...
Do you guys prefer learning from books or DVDs?
I find that most 'experienced' or established magicians choose books rather than DVDs...
I'm not sure whether this has to do with the generation gap as the older generation seems to prefer books whereas the younger generation of magicians prefer DVDs...
What do you think? Which way will one benefit from more?
thanks

I personally think DVDs are better for learning sleights and to understand the look and feel of the effect, however, I also think DVDs take away to much from the imagination of the viewer and pigeon hole one into thinking that is how the effect SHOULD look.

Books are much more useful in terms of value, and explaing the meaning behind the moves and the effect.

Overall, I think a good combination of both is healthy, if I had to pick one, I sadly would say a DVD

Use any tool you can to learn from and that includes both books and DVDs. Books do give you more information for the money and buying DVDs can be expensive. I would suggest that you buy mostly books but purchase several DVDs to help you visually understand a difficult sleight or trick.

I mostly buy books but I've had to buy several DVDs to understand a couple of sleights that my books did not explain very well. I could not understand what the book was trying to explain but after watching the DVD I understood the moves. I then went back to my book and continued from there.

My advice is to buy mostly books because of the value for the money but there are times that you may have to buy a DVD or two to understand or learn a magic trick or sleight.

While some say dvds are better because you learn how to do the effects like they are supposed to look, I like books more for the reason that when I learn something from a book I can add my own creativity to the effect; I am not being forced to learn and perform something in the same way the performer does

The creativity arguement supporting learning from books is complete nonsense - if you are creative you can also be creative from a DVD. Books just make it easier to go wrong with the explanations. Trying studying rubberbands tricks from books, or the sylvester pitch or any other sleight which is relying on timing heavily. on the other hand see it one time on the DVD and know how it should be done - if you don't like it you can be "creative" and modify it as well.

the two major points for buying books are that you get more effects per dollar invested and the fact that most goodies are still hidden in books rather than DVDs.

Books.

I'm 16 and I enjoy books as well as dvd's so I wouldn't say its the generation gap. Books generally give you a lot more tricks and in particular sleight where as dvd's (any video) let you see the moves and tricks leaving out the guessing work that is required from many books. I also belive that with a dvd you can automatically see what the trick looks like when being performed. While in a book you might read the effect and explenations and think the trick is bad when if you would've seen it performed you might like it. Also it doesn't soley depend on the medium as some dvd's are taught very badly making it hard to understand aswell as books that are written in a complicated manner and vice versa.

Books. It keeps me from mimicing the teacher.

Hear, hear!

BOTH

I like both.Looking at videos/DVDs,you can see how it looks in action.After this you can read(even in bed)the explainations and extra thoughts from the books,which are many times different from the more visual medium.
Andre

I think the committed student of magic should use all available mediums for exploring and advancing his craft. Books provide a high volume of information for the least amount of money. Also, as VCRs and DVD players are a relatively recent invention, most of the best that magic has to offer is most likely to still be found in books, which have been around so much longer.

However, DVD is the only medium so far that strives to duplicate the process of learning from a mentor. Many magicians have no teacher to guide them; they drift through an endless world of lifted ideas and advertisement hype. DVDs allow you to learn visually, first-hand, from a performer whose work you admire. That is nothing to sneer at, my friends.

Books.
DVDs are great for learning sleights,with slow mo,zoom etc but I think Books somehow capture the magical,learning experiance.U can take your time,relax and take more in when reading.
I find learning from the computer quite tricky too,the info's there but for some reason it just doesn't go in my tiny brain!!!

And the flip side is also true: If you are uncreative, you can also be uncreative from a book. The only problem with DVDs from this point of view is that if you're disasterously uncreative (a redundant phrase in my opinion), with a book you can only parrot another's words, with video you can parrot gestures and mannerisms for a truly horrible experience.

The bottom line is, books are tools. DVDs are tools. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and each has its perils in the wrong hands.
:carrot:

I personally prefer learning from Books