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The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » The magic vocabulary (0 Likes) Printer Friendly Version

emeline
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Regular user
135 Posts

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Hey everybody!!

I would like to know what are the main words to know about the tricks with coins, cards etc. and if it's possible, some explanation? thanks!! Smile
alextsui
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Malaysia
155 Posts

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Hi Emeline.

I'm afraid you asked a question that cannot be answered completely in just 1 message on a forum.

Magic, like other hobbies, has its own set of terms or special words with special meanings for those involved. There's no short cut and it takes time to learn these words.

I would recommend you check out:

  • Daryl's Encyclopedia Of Card Sleights
  • David Roth's coin dvds (he's the authority on coin magic)
  • Michael Ammar's Easy To Master series on coins/ cards


They are all great teachers. However, don't worry if you don't know a lot of sleights or terminology at the beginning. You'll pick them up along the way.

You don't need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of magic terms to be a good magician. All you need is just to master a handful of good tricks and be able to entertain people with them. Hope this helps.

Magical Regards,
Alex Tsui
The Best Magic Effects to Take Your Performance to the Next Level
https://FireBirdMagic.com
TheChris
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Iowa City, IA
10 Posts

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If you want I found this site a while ago. It's not exceptionally good but it's not bad. Design is poor but it's got quite a few definitions http://www.montysmagic.com/dictionary.html
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion,
It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed,
The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning,
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.
Rob Johnston
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Inner circle
Utah
2060 Posts

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Nice site....for reference.
"Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable." - Margot Fonteyn
TheChris
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Iowa City, IA
10 Posts

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It's a pretty basic site but it got the job done for me. And most importantly it's the only magic term glossary I found that wasn't for the card game. Smile
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion,
It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed,
The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning,
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.
ashah
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Elite user
474 Posts

Profile of ashah
If you actually wanted to get a book that explains this sort of stuff well, I think Harry Lorayne's "The Magic Book" is the best general intro to magic!
King of Diamonds
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139 Posts

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That site had a lot of words which didn't seem 'magical'. Why did it include words such as 'hula' - a Hawaiian dance?

King of Diamonds
King of Diamonds
Reis O'Brien
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Inner circle
Seattle, WA
2467 Posts

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Ah... yes... nothing like a violently green background! Candy for the eyes!
Homo vult decipi; decipiatur

http://www.myspace.com/liar_4_hire
rgranville
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Boston area
463 Posts

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Quote:
That site had a lot of words which didn't seem 'magical'. Why did it include words such as 'hula' - a Hawaiian dance?


Haven't you heard of misdirection?
:banana:
blindbo
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Bucks County, PA
790 Posts

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Quote:
On 2004-05-14 13:03, Firedice27 wrote:
Ah... yes... nothing like a violently green background! Candy for the eyes!


You can't really knock a magic dictionary that includes the "weke" move for the color-changing edible goatfish effect.
Jonathan Townsend
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Eternal Order
Ossining, NY
27366 Posts

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The main words I learned were:

Read, Practice, Watch, Try
...to all the coins I've dropped here
treysdaddy
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92 Posts

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Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic is like a dictionary of sorts for most of the terms used in Magic.
It does not have a glossary but is divided into different areas with a good table of contents to help you find what you are looking for.

Bill
RxGregory
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St. Charles, MO
65 Posts

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The book "Magic for Dummies" includes a nice glossary of definitions, and has nice great tricks for magicians of any level.
If it was easy, everybody would do it, and if everybody did it, it wouldn't be magic.
David Roth (Ultimate Coin Magic Vol. 11)
Jordan Piper
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British Columbia, Canada
309 Posts

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The Illustrated Magic Dictionary, by Geoffrey Lamb. Over 150 pages of definitions and illustrations for magical jargon.
GypsyPirate
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110 Posts

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As far as "abracadabra" words to enhance a performance, you need to go off your personality and reaction from your audience. Magic can be done "grammtically correct," where you come up with bizarre complex impossible explaniations for what you did, or you can pull a Blaine act and say very little and let the trick speak for itself. I use "crazy" and "insane" alot.... "watch this, it's crazy" ... "whoa... that's insane, how the heck did I do that?"
Magic Mark

"How'd you do that?" ... "Very carefully."
SonSHINE
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Mesa, Az.
37 Posts

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Acquitment: The sleight involved in showing both hands empty where an object is concealed. The Changeover palm is a popular "aquitment".

Accordion Pleat: To fold a handkerchief or paper in such a fashion as to appear like an accordion when viewed from the side. The purpose of which is to allow the object to expand in a rapid manner during production.

Afghan Bands: A unique effect in which cloth or paper bands are torn in half along their length producing different and amuzing results at the conclusion of each tear. The effect uses the mobius principle.

Angles: The viewing path of the audience.

Apparatus: The equipment used by a performer to present his magic.

Appearance: The production of a single article apparently out of thin-air.

Assistant: That person or persons who assists or helps in the performance, either directly or indirectly.

B
Balloon Worker: A novelty or speciality act in which different style balloons are inflated in entertaining ways, often coupled with the creation of balloon sculptures.

Billiard Ball: In magic, the name of an object used by magicians in the art of manipulation. A small ball of sorts.

Bill Tube: A tube and cap made to hold a rolled up dollar bill, often with a screw on or locking cap. Apparatus is usually machined of brass. Vanished bill appears in tube.

Billet: A small piece of paper upon which information is written, used in mental effects.

Bizzare Magic: A form of the magical entertainment that relys on occult, supernatural, or offbeat presentations to add drama to a magic effect.

Black Art: An old, and very deceptive method of stage magic in which the fact that black on black background is almost inperceptible. A near perfect form of visual camouflage and concealment.

Blendo: Usually referring to an effect in which items such as silks or bills are caused to magically blend together in various ways.

Blindfold Drive: A very risky form of X-ray vision act in which the perfomer's vision is obscured with layers of gauze, bandages, metal shields etc., then an additional blindfold and possibly a cloth sack for good measure. Still, in some mysterious way, the person is able to drive and navigate a car through streets he has never seen before.

Blue Room: A Principle in magic as well as a classic illusion in which the graduated reflective properties of a mirrored cheet of glass are employed.

Book Test: A specific routine in mentalism in which chosen lines or words in a book are divined by the medium.

Botania: Effect in which an impressive feather flower bouquet is produced from under a large tube previously shown empty.

Bow Knot: A specialized knot used during certain rope sequences.

Bridge Size Deck: The smaller of the two American sized playing cards. Width measures 2-1/4 in.

C
Card Discovery: The act of revealing a selected card after being lost in a deck during a magical routine.

Card Index: A pocket file which separates certain cards from one another so they may be instantly located and openly removed from the pocket.


Card Location: The act of revealing a selected card after being lost in a deck during a magical routine.

Cape: Rarely used apparel of a magician. Early on used as a cover for the concealment and production of articles.

Center Tear: A method for secretly obtaining a message or image from the folded piece of paper upon which it has been written as the paper is being torn into pieces.

Change Bags: Cloth bags which have secret compartments to switch one object for another. Some bags have attached handles, others do not, some are even made of clear plastic, but the principle remains the same.

Chapeaugraphy: A specialized form of entertainment, not necessarily magical, in which a large, donut shaped ring of heavy felt is manipulated to form a wide variety of hats for the performer to wear. The changes are rapid, and the patter witty.

Classic Palm: The standard method of concealing an object in the hand unaware to the audience.

Clatter Box: Comedy prop box which falls apart when handled by a spectator.

Clippo: Term used for a unique cut and restored effect employing a strip of paper and principles of adhesion.

Close-up: The term for magic that is performed less than ten feet from an audience.

Coin Fold: A vanish of a coin or small object involving a small piece of paper coupled with sleight of hand.

Coin Roll: A Master Flourish involving a coin to travel in between each of the performers fingers over the back of his/her hand.

Confederate: A secret assistant in the audience, who plays the roll of an ordinary spectator, and relays information to you needed for the completion of certain effects.

This is only a partial list............Pm me and I'll try to get you the rest !!! Smile SonSHINE
Quote:
You can only keep, That which you give away........
Holy Spirit
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