|
|
Muddy Elite user 449 Posts |
I am new to this art and and having a great time with it. The problem is that the best magic is so simple I have a hard time convincing myself that I can fool anyone with it. False cuts and double lifts just seem too obvious to pull off .. but they work and I come to realize this more and become more comfortable with more practice.
I remember the first time I put a thumb tip on and wondering how on earth anyone could get away with one of these without getting caught. Someone suggested just wearing the thing all day (no magic just through the normal course of a day). This helped immensly! Does anyone have any similar exercises that help for these types of problems ?? |
pepijn Regular user Utrecht (the netherlands) 134 Posts |
I have to admit that I have never looked at a double lift and thought, Wow now that's easy but okay I get what your saying. But I believe it is so important what you say not as much as what you do, I mean if your telling them 'look I take this ONE card' and try a double lift It better be flawles (mind you I think working towards that goal is pretty good no matter what misdirection etc.) but if you just casually take the card and talk there is not going to be any thing to make them think you have one card and in that case two. I mean if you stress you have one they are going to think of ammounts etc. and that may give them an idear.
So I guess what I am trying to say is that they may seem obvious to you but if there is no one to question that how are they going to know?! and about the thumb tip I think I'll Put it on right now and go shopping! bye! Pepijn |
Mustang Veteran user London, England 316 Posts |
The best bit of advice... is to tell someone something without saying it
This is a big thing with me and magic, I always tell people if you want to show your deck is a normal deck... handle it like one, and fan it, maybe spring it, cut it, never claim "this is a normal deck." Likewise, as mentioned above, as important as the handling (and it is I admit an easy sleight to learn - but a very very hard sleight to master) is showing you are only holding "one" card. You should be able to fool magicians with your DL since it should look just like your single. That's when you've mastered it, when you hold the card in such a way that not only do you not have to prove youre not holding two... but the thought never occurs to the observer. Other exercises to try? Coin palming - 24/7, start with it watching TV... then I worked up to playing Beethoven/Rachmaninov on the piano with a coin palmed hehe. Same with palmed cards, spend a day with a card in palm (if you can play piano palming a card I would like to see it haha). Practice your passes and false cuts, faros etc. when your on the phone so you can talk and do them subconciously. You'll then find when you come to performing and you ONLY have to palm the card/coin or ONLY faro the cards... you're like "hey this is easy, I don't even have to talk on phone." that's just the start, a little rant that has just flowed out. I suggest the article in the back of "Come a Little Closer" too hehe
"A magician is one who appreciates the difference between knowing how a trick is done, and knowing how to do a trick."
|
eddieloughran Special user 942 Posts |
A lot of the stuff we do is easy; when we know what we are doing, but there is a load of very hard stuff out there.
Try learning the pass, or some side steals, the classic fan force, etc. Get the books of Marlo or any number of other other card-men. A memorised deck routine ? You don't have to stick with false cuts and double lifts; although in the real world we have to perform effects the audience can follow, and we can do with shaking hands and hecklers. Just keep working - you will settle down soon and begin to enjoy it ! |
BerkleyJL Veteran user Chicago, IL 397 Posts |
Don't worry about how easy your effects are to perform. If the audience enjoys them, keep performing them! The president of my local magic club gets PAID and he almost never performs any technically difficult tricks. The thing is...make sure your audience enjoys what you do. A lot of people forget that we perform for them and not for ourselves.
The audience should never notice the difference between something difficult and something self-working. Present it well, and you're a great magician. Don't, and you should keep your day job. Good luck!
I need a stage name.
Joe Berkley |
zur Special user California 671 Posts |
Whats more important is what the audience thinks. Although sleights may seem simply, it is most important that the magic happens in the spectators mind.
|
irossall Special user Snohomish, Washington 529 Posts |
BerkleyJL said it so well. I can only agree and tell you that I don't use much in the way of sleights but do effects that are self-working. The Magic is in the mind not in the method.
I think one of the most important rules in Magic is very simple, if YOU have fun the AUDIENCE will have fun. It's just that simple. Iven
Give the gift of Life, Be an Organ Donor.
|
Muddy Elite user 449 Posts |
I absolutely agree 100%. However, taking the TT as a good example, even though I was quite connvinced that great looking magic could be performed with it, I felt awkward using it because my eye was telling me it looked like a big ole fake plastic thumb with a neon sign on it.
After wearing it for the normal course of a day I forgot it was there and behaved more naturally with it on ... this was a great exercise for me. Someone suggested palming a coin 24/7 which sounds like a great exercise that I plan to try. I was wondering if anyone else had any other helpful exercises that conditions your subconcious to believe what your concious mind already knows (eg the spec wont even notice the big plastic fake thumb). My problem with the TT was that I felt awkward for stated reasons which reflected in my handling of it. The 24/7 wearing of it all but erased the awkward feeling (showing yourself that you can wear it 24/7 without so much as a second glance from anyone is powerful). My TT effects are greatly improved now. So is there any other exercises that anyone uses to condition themselves in this regard for any type of magic? Thanks for the replies! |
BerkleyJL Veteran user Chicago, IL 397 Posts |
In that case, try walking around with C&B final loads stashed all over and see if anyone comments on the bulge!
I palm pretty much everything that is of appropriate size at some time when handling it. It gives me a good idea of what I can and can't palm, and what I can and can't do whilst something is palmed in that hand. One thing to NEVER do is actually forget you have something palmed. It's an easy way to flash. You have to get to the point where you don't feel guilty about it. Your energy should be directed elsewhere at that time anyway (where the audience THINKS the coin is). Hmmm - we're getting dangerously close to exposure in this thread...
I need a stage name.
Joe Berkley |
Muddy Elite user 449 Posts |
Oh yeah! Guess I should start utilizing the SS's some now that I am able to ...
Hope I didn't cross the line ... hopefully a mod will edit/delete if I did ... |
Ziggy New user SW Washington State 51 Posts |
What helps me is to focus on the misdirection. I rather do a double lift while I have the spectator focused on getting the cap of a pen or I look them straight in the eyes while talking to them. I do not point out that I have one card in my hand, that will one focus their attention to the card.
Here is a short article on misdirection. http://www.card-trick-magic.com/article8.html Also I like Lessons in misdirection by John Carney
"The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.."
Oscar Wilde |
Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
In my years in magic I've worked hard to master those hard moves. you know what? I've never used the hard moves in a show. I think the ahrdest card move I've ever used in a show is an Elmsley count and that's not to diffacult.
I do feel like I made an accomplishment when I master a hard move and you never know when I move will come in handy. That's why it's good to master and move you learn no matter how hard or simple they are. Some of the best tricks out there are very simple in technique. Ron Jaxon |
saxmangeoff Veteran user Moscow, ID, USA 353 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-12-15 13:12, Jaxon wrote: Which, of course, is the crux of the problem. Once you know the secret, it's hard to see the magic any more. That's why exposure is bad, and that's why performing magic (as opposed to doing tricks) is hard. Geoff
"You must practice your material until it becomes boring, then practice it until it becomes beautiful." -- Bill Palmer
|
Frank Tougas Inner circle Minneapolis, MN 1712 Posts |
The fact that so much of what we do is easy, is exactly what hides the method. Most adults tend to see life as more complicated than it is and they see our tricks the same way. The more complex they think the solution or mode of operation must be the more hidden lies the actual method.
It is one of the reasons kids are harder to fool than adults. Their world has not yet been cluttered with complexity. If it isn't in your right hand it has to be in the left. Adults think, "how the heck did he get that out of his right hand without my seeing?" The best advice I got was in a book and I have no idea what book it was. The simple advice was about the use of mechanical tricks vs skill. Make the mechanical ones look like it takes great skill and the skill ones like they work themselves and people will be fooled. Then put your attention on entertainment factor and not so much on the technical part. Frank Tougas
Frank Tougas The Twin Cities Most "Kid Experienced" Children's Performer :"Creating Positive Memories...One Smile at a Time"
|
zur Special user California 671 Posts |
It really depends who your target audience is. If your goal is to fool magicians, then learn more advanced sleights and master them. If it is for laymen than make sure that solid foundation is extremely solid and practice every day.
|
BerkleyJL Veteran user Chicago, IL 397 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-12-17 13:17, zur wrote: I find that other magicians spot the advanced sleights easily. That's what they practice all the time. I fool magicians with very simple gaffs...and while they're trying to figure out what sleight I performed, I can ditch the gaff and be totally clean!
I need a stage name.
Joe Berkley |
Lord Anacho Regular user Kessel-Lo, Belgium 157 Posts |
That is why practicing with a mirror can be helpful. The first time I tried a slip cut I thought: "no one, but absolutely no one is going to fall for this. It is so visible and obvious!"
Yeah, to me, looking down on the cards it was. Then I finally got myself a decent mirror and did it in front of it. Perfectly invisible. And that was without presentation and misdirection, just the sleight. Add presentation and misdirection and your chance of succeeding grow exponentially. Ciao for now Erik
"The secret impresses no one. The trick you use it for is everything" (Alfred Borden in The Prestige)
|
Erdnase27 Inner circle 2505 Posts |
Also, the tricks fooled you... they fool other people aswell. They fooled me.. they fooled many on the Café. Now that we know the secret... ofcourse they don't fool me anymore. Its like with any con. Once you know it, you cant be conned.. if you don't know it.. you can.
Don't let this get into your head too much. Tricks are DESIGNED to fool people(at least good ones are.. read the classics!)!! Game on ! |
MarekSokal New user Jasper, AB (Winnipeg, MB [hometown]) 18 Posts |
I'm gonna lay some Bruce Lee on you guys...
The late Bruce Lee once said: The second-hand artist blindly following his sensei or sifu accepts his pattern. As a result, his action is and , more importantly, his thinking become mechanical. His responses become automatic, according to set patterns, making him narrow and limited. · Please do not be concerned with soft versus firm, kicking versus striking, grappling versus hitting and kicking, long-range fighting versus in-fighting. There is no such thing as " this " is better than " that. " Should there be one thing we must guard against, let it be partiality that robs us of our pristine wholeness and make us lose unity in the midst of duality. · There are styles that favor straight lines, then there are styles that favor curved lines and circles. Styles that cling to one partial aspect of combat are in bondage. Jeet Kune Do is a technique for acquiring liberty; it is a work of enlightenment. Now I know this has to do with martial arts. But magic can be seen the same way. What was Bruce saying? Well not learning to adapt and not creating your own style makes you mechanical, just because you can do a hard move doesn't mean it's the best move to use. I spent years learning the hardest moves that I could find, I've only ever found one application for the one hand bottom palm, never used the curry turn over, etc. etc.. What all of us need to follow this teaching, harness it. Bruce also once said be water my friend, you pour water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you pour it into the teapot it becomes the teapot, now water can flow or it can CRASH, be water my friend. Hope this helps. Be like water my friend |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » New to magic? » » My biggest barrier in magic (1 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |