I have a strolling/tablehopping gig coming up. I've only done one of these so far and I had a problem with resetting tricks. I performed tricks that I thought would be easy to reset and then of course I had the "instant reset" tricks. The ones that come to mind though as far as being a quick reset but not instant are Mc Donald Aces, Parellel Worlds and work I do with a Jumbo coin (held under my belt.) Some of my tricks, I only ended up performing once because I couldn't find any time to reset them. Especially since the particular event was a father-daughter banquet and the girls were following me around! For those who work this kind of environment regularly, when and where do you reset your tricks out of site of the guests? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Dann

Only experience will teach you "where and when".
To give you an idea, I reset my Jumbo coin directly in front of my viewers as I am reaching into my coat for a deck of cards. Never been busted on it yet. Try combining a "reset along with retreving something needed from your coat or pocket for the next effect. This will take time to figure out but it will be worth it. Keep thinking about this everytime you perform. It will come to you. Good luck.
Magically,
KW

Before you decide to be a walk-around magician, sit down and come up with a list of commercial tricks that require NO reset and NO table. There are many that fit this criteria. Now the horse is in front of the cart. Your magic life will be easier.

As far as returning the jumbo coin to it's hiding place, I always pretend like I'm trying to put it in my shirt and sleeve, acting as if it is too big to easily go anywhere. Then I give it to a spectator to hold, retrieving it only when I'm leaving. Once I'm out of the picture, I slip it back into my left coat pocket, which is where it needs to be for my routine. However your routine is structured, the audience should never see you put it away as they'll think, "Ah, that's where it came from!"

I don't know what to tell you except that experience will teach you. Some of the regulars that I use are sponge bunnies, chop cup, paul green's pygmy paddle routine, the pothole trick, Kennedy's Mystery Box 2, my version of a no palm signed red hot mamma in wallet, invisible deck, kolossal killer, coins across, Doc Eason's Impossible Opener, and Sankey's Bigger FInish, along with Anniversary waltz for the special tables.

Oh and McDonald's Aces can be instantly reset if you routine it right.

Hmmm... interesting advice. I will try to stick with tricks that reset instantly. Mc Donald's Aces and Parallel Worlds are two tricks I REALLY want to keep in my set for the reactions they always get. I'll work on routining Mc Donald's Aces in a way that can be easily reset. If you're familiar with Parallel Worlds, you know that it resets very quickly, but it is not the way I would put the cards away normally after doing a trick. (if you know it, this should make sense) so I was looking for a way to quickly reset this. Other than that, I should be able to think of plenty of instant reset tricks. Thanks for the help
Dann

All you have to do after you finish McDonald's aces is to remember which are your 3 cards then as you gather up the cards at the end, place those 3 cards on the face of the pack. Simple as that.

Yeah. That makes sense. I'll try it. Thanks for the help.
Dann

Here are just a few ideas for some effects that can be reset automattically for the next table. You can also do some throwaway effects in which you leave the prop at the table as you go on to the next. These could include the "Flash Printer" for businees cards or "Enjoy Your Meal Compliments Of _______ (you)" cards, or "Card Warp" where you tear the cards in half at the end and leave them with the table, and use a new set of cards for the next table.

Try

Predicta
Color Monte
$1 to Mismade Bill
Hotrod
Invisible/Brainwave Deck
Out Smokin'
Sponge Balls
Crazy Mans Handcuffs


I hope this helps!!

S. Patrick

Hey S. Patrick,
that helps a lot! Thanks so much! I'm not familiar with:
predicta or hotrod. The others are ones I can get into my routine! Thanks again
Dann

Stann,

You should get both Predicta and Hotrod. They both play extremely well.

Predicta is a mentalism test about numerology. A person calls out 4 two-digit numbers and you and another spectator write those numbers on piece of paper divided into 4 squares. The object is to try to match up the papers phsycically. When you don't succeed you off a consolation prize. You tear open an envelope revealing a lotery ticket. When the person scratches off the squares the called out numbers are printed underneath. The spectator keeps the lottery ticket as a souvenier.

The hotrod is basically a rod with different color gems on it. You do a paddle move to show both sides of the rod. have a color chosen and then show all the gems have turned to that color. Small, takes up no space, no reset, easy to master.

You can get both from any online source, or in a good magic shop

S. Patrick

Cool. I'll check it out! Thanks
Dann

If you plan on doing this a lot... get duplicate sets of tricks and/or plan things out so you can re-set as you work.

The wonder pen from Tannens is a great trick and resets instantly. The fire wallet is also cool and a great way to start interacting with any group of kids or back kids up away from you!!

Can anyone tell me where to find crazy mans hancuffs or desribe the effect?

Crazy Man's Handcuffs is in "The Magic of Michael Ammar".

Ian

Basically. CMH is where 2 rubber bands magically penetrate each other.

That's where sleight of hand is really a benefit. There are any number of effects that can be done with a deck of cards that you really don't have to worry about resetting.

One of my favorite card trick for walk around would be Stand Up Monte from Garrett Thomas.

A man after my own heart. Over in the Tricks & Effects section I was preaching about the tendency of young magicians (I once was one) to concentrate on buying and buying and buying all this magic dealer garbage that fills the junk drawers of older, more seasoned performers. (Unless they know about eBay!) I admit that the Tricks & Effects section may have been the wrong place for this. After all, those people are there to read and salivate about the latest magic dealer garbage.

It seems to me that when these kids think they need a new trick, they think they need a new device. A new toy. A new piece of plastic with a mirror or an elastic band attached to it. A new brass object with secret moving parts. "Ooohh, it's so much fun to do it and undo it. And the audience will never know about these clever mechanics. Only I will know! Bwahh ha ha ha!! I can't wait to try it on my wife or girlfriend or the guy at work that thinks I'm as good as those magicians on TV."

These people aren't magicians. They are toy collectors. They love pulling out their newest strange object in hopes of impressing someone with their newest strange object.

Watch the real guys at work. Bill Malone. Whit Haydn. Eugene Burger. Doc Eason. Roger Klause. Michael Ammar. Their material isn't about the gimmick. You probably won't see them pull a Hot Rod out of their pocket. Or a little plastic folder with four cards with a yellow duck on three of them and a black duck on the other one. You know what I mean.

Anyway, I'm much happier in my magical life, doing magic for laymen, using mostly ordinary (sometimes only seemingly) things like cards, coins, pens, wallets, rubber bands, knives, handkerchiefs, rings and ect. Yes, I'll cop to the use of sponge balls, particularly for young people. But I maintain that, aside from being a time-tested classic, sponge balls aren't all THAT unusual. You know, not Coin Casket unusual. True, most people don't carry them around, but a sponge ball is just a ball. Something everyone is familiar with. (And anyway, the Magician's Union insists that I carry them at all times. At least that's what I tell the audience.) And, unlike something like the Hot Rod, I can, and do, hand it to a spectator as soon as I produce it. So there's no awkward, "Let me see that" , "No sorry, not until I'm through" business.

Anyway, food for thought to those of you who are waiting for the next box of useless magic thing-a-ma-bobs to arrive at your doorstep. Sorry, but that box probably doesn't contain the reputation maker you hope it does. More than likely that's in one of those books or tapes or DVDs you read/watched once just to "see how it's done" and then relegated to a dusty shelf.

I'm just sayin...

So how does that help me reset walk-around tricks?
Dann

If you use a Scotch and Soda, you should get the magnetic version for walk around. Silent reset. Johnson's are around $60, but you also get a Steel Core Centavo.