I'm new to magic, but after buying color monte I have learned 2-3 sleights that I find useful. Sometimes I don't do them perfectly, like on the part where you put the top and bottom cards together to make it look like the top it might stick out just a tad. If I'm doing this to an audience would they even notice it if I had a good performance/quick moves or do I need to get it PERFECT? It seems things that seem kind of obvious to me go right through a spectator's mind. So just let me know what your thoughts are.

You really need all that you said: performance, quick moves, and you need to have it perfect if you want it to be just right. Yes, maybe you can fool people otherwise but I suggest getting it all the way down before you try it out. I know it is hard not to because you just want to get out there and shock people but you will get them all the more the better you have it down.

They may not tell you if they see something suspicious and many people will not notice, but it is far better to practice and rehearse until you are able to perform smoothly and without error. Accept that fact that you will make mistakes from time to time, but practice will minimize the risks.

Also, PLEASE, forget about speed. There are relatively few sleights that benefit from quick movements. Misdirection is far more important than speed. Sudden, quick moves will draw attention precisely when you do not want it and will raise suspicion. Even if nothing is seen, your audience will convince themselves that they saw your move. This will lower the mystery value of your effect. If, however, every action is smooth, casual, and above suspicion, you will find yourself collecting much more laundry from those whose socks you've knocked off.

Paul Menzel writes: "Sudden, quick moves will draw attention precisely when you do not want it and will raise suspicion. Even if nothing is seen, your audience will convince themselves that they saw your move. This will lower the mystery value of your effect."

AMEN!

Excellent advice.
The hand simply cannot be quicker than the eye.
And, as Vernon said, confusion isn't magic.
So that only leaves misdirection (or, more properly, direction) and skill.

One of the reasons I developed my marketed Mirror Monte was that I simply didn't like the unnatural moves of Color Monte. You wouldn't do those moves if you were really doing a "monte scam" and why on earth would you change moves in the middle of the routine, anyway?

What I was trying to say about speed was that if your doing the moves at one speed you can't slow down. Because that will also make them spot you so you have to keep it at 1 speed. Sorry if I didn't get my words out right the first time.

On top of the good advices given earlier, I'd say it's important to practice to perfection because you loose a certain part of your sleight of hand when performing for an audiance.

Second reason as Peter mentioned, not only you don't want them to see the move, but you don't want them to suspect a move is taking place. Even if you keep the same speed for all your moves, but the pace is too fast (and I'm not saying it is only you can judge of that) then the spectators will suspect something even when no move is taking place, and your effect will be less strong!

Best luck in magic

B-Nelley:


Try to take a look at penguin magic site. There is a nice performance of the color monte.

Mago Mai

Make sure to get it perfect. I know you have the temptation to go and try it out right away. The last trick I performed without perfection was a flop. If it's not ingrained in your memory, you will become very nervous.

No effect can be practised to perfection. You can get the handling down (very advisable) but you won't get it even close to perfection until you iron it out during performance.

I also think the word "perfect," or any of its derivatives, should be forever banned from the language of magic. Perfection is a myth, better to shoot for an attainable goal..."performance ready." To bring an effect to performance readiness is far better term.

"Performance readiness" is achieved when you can go through the effect without trying to remember the handling or the plot (patter).

"Performance readiness" isn't the highest plateau..."performance honed" is that which is finally achieved. You'll find the majority of effects, while performing, will guide you (if you pay attention) to the places where a pause, a look or some resting state may punch up the effectiveness.

This got longer than I intended it too.

Bryan

I agree with what has been previously said.
Practice and make yourself look good when you perform the trick.
I like color monte, and haven't been "caught" by anyone on this one...
But even after being in magic for years, I performed NFW and was nearly caught on the Elmsley just because I hadn't rehearsed for some months...ugh.
Sometimes when you do the move really slow it is just as amazing or more amazing than if you perform it quickly.