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scottthegreat New user 96 Posts |
Im new to magic. I was wondering how much should I practice. Im takeing lessons at a local shop. Also working with mark Wilsons complete course in magic. Learning sponge balls and some Ellusionist stuff. Is this all to much of a work load to work on.Should I learn one thing at a time then move on. Whats the best way to get motovated about learning. Should I buy some more tricks ect. I want to see waht every one thinks. Just because everybody has to start somewhere
Scott |
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DomKabala Inner circle I've grown old after diggin' holes for 2827 Posts |
Dude you need to look at the sticky up above this forum about practicing in order of importance. seek and ye shall find!! Charlie Miller once quoted... "serious students practice, practice, practice...the novice only glances".
Cardamagically, <<<KRaZy4KaRdZ>>>
We don't stop playing when we grow old...we grow old when we stop playing.
God is enough, let go, let God. Gal 2:20 "Anything of value is not easily attained and those things which are easily attained are not of lasting value." |
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Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-01-11 14:17, scottthegreat wrote: You don't "get" motivated - you either are or you're not! If magic is just a cool little thing to pass the time and impress people, then you probably won't have the patience and grit (translated "motivation") to reach for the cards or books or whatever to get everything down *right*. If you are content with "good enough", you're not hungry enough, and you won't be motivated. It's possible you have the wrong kind of effect to hold your interest. Or your learning or personality style won't let you focus on one thing for too long. But if you're not eager to find what works and deal with the things that keep them from working (translated "motivation"), then you may be in the wrong hobby. If you are taking lessons and going home and practicing what you were shown, you probably have some motivation (spending money and time to learn new things is a good sign of being motivated). But people do get tired, frustrated, "hit the wall", etc, especially new learners. At that time, walking away for a bit is a good thing to do. Quote:
Should I learn one thing at a time then move on. Should I buy some more tricks ect. Sometimes learning two or three things at once is not bad, as long as one won't distract you from the other. But don't forget that magic is more than just learning moves for a trick. Spend some time with a good book about the thinking that must go into a good act, whether that's speech, theatrics, audience psychology, stage and lighting, or the history of and biographies of great performers. Don't just alternate between learning manipulations for various tricks - alternate between your mind, your body, and your hands. Buying a new trick just to spur motivation is good once in a while - but if you learn how to learn, you'll wind up with a closet full of tricks started but never finished. Ed |
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Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6111 Posts |
If there are routines or sleights that you particularly like then you should focus on those until you feel comfortable.
That's not to say that you can't explore other things. Doing the same thing repeatedly can get boring and sometimes a change is a good thing. |
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Richard71 New user Cheshire, UK 54 Posts |
I use a rather holistic aproach to practice- practice as long as you enjoy it....if you stop enjoying it, have a rest. Don't forget the reason we all got into magic, because it's fun. If it stops being fun, it's just like any other day job! Or am I wrong?
Rich |
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Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
Practice is very necessary but not punishment. For me a lot of short sessions really accomplish more than a real marathon. The main thing is DON'T perform before you are really ready to do it perfectly. That can mean a day or a lifetime.
Good Luck! Bob Sanders Magic By Sander |
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
Practice can be very much it's own reward. I 'LIKE' to practice and it's a pleasure to do so. Magic like playing a musical instrument is very much a craft that takes a certain amount of practice.
Buy the book: The Inner Game of Tennis Read it and it will give you some GREAT direction on how to make your practice more efficient and more of a pleasure at the same time. Best,
Brad Burt
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Julie Inner circle 3936 Posts |
Al Schneider has very definite thoughts on how to practice and learn sleight of hand. It's worthwhile to consult his early writings (e.g. the Matrix manuscript for starters and lecture notes) for the regimen he suggests. Yes, it's tough, but it worked in his teach-ins...
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Geoff Weber Inner circle Washington DC 1384 Posts |
As far as card magic goes, check out the Learning by order of Importance thread. For non-card magic, you just got to pick and choose, what strikes you as an interesting trick when you come across it and work on it whenever you have time. In answer to your question, yes, I think you should just work on one thing at time. Don't buy more tricks until you've already gotten a handle on the ones you already have. You said you were working through Mark Wilsons course. I suggest you spend some time with his spongeball routine and his cups and balls routine. These routines are good, but more importantly they are excellent building blocks to help you grow as a sleight of hand artist.
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Trekdad Elite user Telford, PA 445 Posts |
I'm a beginner amateur, and I've seen that practice and competence occurs on many different levels. For example, one can immediately buy the Invisible Deck and perform it with almost no practice tothe shear amazement of friends, family and yourself. But, the risk of exposing the method of this trick without some nominal physical handling practice is great; it would cause our audience to lose the sense of amazement. That said, it doesn't take a lot to master the technical aspects of this phenomenal trick. Incorporating it into a routine, though, and playing around with different presentations of it could take a long time of fun experimentation.
A back palm, on the other hand (no pun, it's the same hand, right? ) takes "forever" in my meager experience and really shouldn't be used in and of itself as a trick, but as a utility. BUT, the payoff is huge and would justify long sessions of practice. Bill Tarr, in "Now You See It, Now You Don't", has a great intro. section with some fundamental tips, in which he repeats the often heard, "the three basic rules in magic are prctice, practice, and practice again!" In this text, he has separated the various sleights into phases, and encourages us to master one until it comes naturally before moving to the next phase (which typically is the actual sleight being learned). Seems like a lot until one day the sleight "clicks" and you surprise yourself. The same concept really applies to anything in magic -- practicing applications of magician's choice, honing the misdirection at the right moment in the most natural presentation, perfecting the technical move, refining the natural look of the move -- all of these occur on different levels and separates the tricks from the magic.
Barnhardt: You have tested this theory?
Klaatu: I find it works well enough to get me from one planet to the next. The Day the Earth Stood Still |
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DStachowiak Inner circle Baltimore, MD 2158 Posts |
Trekdad, I'm glad to see you have found Bill Tarr's fine book, it's a great place to start. Sadly I think it's out of print, you are lucky to have found a copy.
Congratulations on finding a doorway into the worlds greatest hobby.
Woke up.
Fell out of bed. Dragged a comb across m' head. |
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Brad Burt Inner circle 2675 Posts |
It's been stated on the Café a great many times, but it bears repeating for anyone attempting to aquire a skill: Practice as such does not make perfect. 'PERFECT' practice makes perfect. That's why I recommend the Inner Game of Tennis above.
Even practice using something like the Invisible Deck noted above needs to be done carefully and with a great deal of thought. The 'apparent' easy nature of some effects often leads one to failure...BECAUSE it was easy to not put in the work required to guarantee a perfect outcome 100% of the time. What is needed is NOT a love of magic effects, routines, sleights, etc., but a respect and love for the 'Craft' itself. A desire to see 'magic' elevated at each and every performance opportunity no matter how minor it seems. Best,
Brad Burt
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Andy the cardician Inner circle A street named after my dad 3362 Posts |
Regarding the timing and duration -
The amount of practice depends a lot on yourself - especially on how long can you concentrate. People with a high concentration endurance can practice longer, while people with short concentration periods are adviced to practice in smaller intervals, matching their concentration ability. In essence, none is superior - you just need to understand your own nature in order to be succesful. We have same situation regarding the time of practice. Some people learn and perform best in the morning, some in the late afternoon. Posted: Jan 16, 2007 1:49am Just to add some more. As far regarding how to practice, I can recommend Gerald`s book, the OSTRICH FACTOR http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......forum=37
Cards never lie
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MagiCanada Regular user Vancouver 140 Posts |
I found the best way to practice is alone, sitting on the floor or at a table - depending on the effect. I think this whole "in front of a mirror" thing is okay, but it doesn't always show you the magic at the SAME angle you may present it to your audience.
I like to just work on something all by myself and just imagine I'm presenting it to an audience. Part of practicing is knowing where your audience will be and knowing where and when to look at them. After working on sometime alone it's nice to have one layman (usually spouse) to present to. If you use your spouse or significant other it's nice because they'll usually tell you exactly what you're doing wrong. There is no specific amount of time to practice - just until you are comfortable with it. One side note: Heavy jumbo coins, fast new moves, and mirrors don't mix. Neil |
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Andy the cardician Inner circle A street named after my dad 3362 Posts |
To add to it - there is a great thread about practicing with mirrors vs. cameras in the Café.
Cards never lie
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Ethan the emazing Elite user anywhere but here USA 454 Posts |
Practice,practice,practice! If you need motivation, you most likely don't have the "built-in" motivation, if you do have the "built-in" motivation but are to lazy to practice and commit yourself to practicing then learn one trick practice it 100 times perform it, and if you performed it correctly you should get motivated by the reactions and responses you get.
Just my 2 cents, Ethan the Emazing |
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DT3 Inner circle Hill Valley 1920 Posts |
Practice is important, of course, but don't forget to practice the important things that have nothing to do with the sleight of hand. I think you know what I mean, wink wink.
Cheers, D.T.3 |
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Manny New user 57 Posts |
Start with:
Bill Tarr, in "Now You See It, Now You Don't" The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey And then practice ..... ,practice. Best wishes and Good Luck |
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JamesTong Eternal Order Malaysia 11213 Posts |
The reward of practising is that you also get to discover new things on the effect you want to do well. New ideas or insights do crop up as we analyse what we are doing during the practise.
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
It all depends on the tricks you perform. Some tricks require more practice than others. Once you can do the basic take it to a higher level. Practice it as you play with it. I started in elementary school. I would always show the basic to a lot of friends. My favorite are sponges. Just do the retention pass until you can put a whole rountine together. For example, walk up to some worker in a store you are about to shop, or restaurant you are about to eat in. As you are handing the person a sponge, say "Throw this away for me." Do the retention pass. As that person puts out his/her hand, open your hand to show it is empty. That helped me get a lot of practice. It was fun for me as I saw the person's face light up. I really still do that now because it is fun. A lot of times I follow up with a rountine. I do that too with cash as I am paying for my order. I end up pulling the money back out my pocket saying, "Oh, here it is."
Go to a magic shop and request self-working tricks, for example Brainwave Deck, and Lethal Tender. They require less practice. Once you get the self-working ones operating, keep busy practicing the sleight-of-hands tricks. Watch performances from professionals to help keep yourself inspired. |
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