The Golden Rules of Magic

[Joey]

The Golden Rules of Magic​

1. Never reveal the secret of an effect
You are more popular as a magician when the audience does not know how it is done. There is simply no benefit or gain in sharing the secret, in fact it kills the magic and you will not be able to perform the effect again to the same audience.

2. Never repeat a trick to the same audience
Repetition forces the audience to concentrate on the method, not the effect of the magic, and the performance is lost.

3. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Make sure you know what you are going to do and what you are going to say before showing a trick. Practice your moves and rehearse your routine. Do this in front of a mirror, or use a video camera as you will see exactly what the audience sees, and hears. Practice refers to repeating individual moves over and over again until flawless. Rehearsing includes using your script and performing your routine non-stop from start to finish.

4. Find your own style
The most natural style is own. Adopting the personality of a magician you saw on TV does not make the magic unique, and in many cases makes the audience uncomfortable.

5. Have fun
If you are enjoying the magic, the spectators will too. Part of having fun is being confident in your routine (including patter and misdirection) and that comes from practice.

6. End on a high
Several strong effects with a logical progression to a climax guarantees to leave your audience asking for more. That is the best time to end your routine.

 

[harapanong]

Hmm... I still believe that there's only one rule in magic:

1. There are no rules.

Yeah, it's a paradox, but that's what I believe.

- harapan. magic!

 

[Mickfreak]

nice rules

 

[Jack The Magician]

The Golden Rules of Magic​

1. Never reveal the secret of an effect
You are more popular as a magician when the audience does not know how it is done. There is simply no benefit or gain in sharing the secret, in fact it kills the magic and you will not be able to perform the effect again to the same audience.

2. Never repeat a trick to the same audience
Repetition forces the audience to concentrate on the method, not the effect of the magic, and the performance is lost.

3. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Make sure you know what you are going to do and what you are going to say before showing a trick. Practice your moves and rehearse your routine. Do this in front of a mirror, or use a video camera as you will see exactly what the audience sees, and hears. Practice refers to repeating individual moves over and over again until flawless. Rehearsing includes using your script and performing your routine non-stop from start to finish.

4. Find your own style
The most natural style is own. Adopting the personality of a magician you saw on TV does not make the magic unique, and in many cases makes the audience uncomfortable.

5. Have fun
If you are enjoying the magic, the spectators will too. Part of having fun is being confident in your routine (including patter and misdirection) and that comes from practice.

6. End on a high
Several strong effects with a logical progression to a climax guarantees to leave your audience asking for more. That is the best time to end your routine.

I would add an extra rule:


1a. Never reveal the name of an effect
You are more popular as a magician when the audience does not know how it is done. There is simply no benefit or gain in sharing the name, in fact it kills the magic and you will not be able to perform the effect again to the same audience because they can simply google it, thereby revealing the secret of the effect, and violating rule 1.

Cheers,
JTM

 

[Jack The Magician]

Oops, I posted it twice; sorry.

But, we should add to this list, and then compile it, submit it to the forums rules, and have every member abide by it; or, face the consequences .

Cheers,
JTM

 

[silent]

looks good, I agree with the rules.
now only if we could get some of the
magicians out there to go by them

 

[aznofspades]

Keep it Real (kinda broad but this is what it means to me):

Don't change your personality for magic.
Respect magic history and those before you by not ripping them off or disgracing them.
Respect your spectators.

In the words of Justin Miller: "If you are a magician then you use EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER to CREATE A MOMENT." (but I don't think that means he advocates using video editting to deceive your audiences)

 

[drorange]

what about pen and tellers rule of magic
'never do the cups and ball routine with see through cups'

great rules btw i will stick to them

 

[Shodan]

The most important rule of magic:

"Only ever use your powers for good - resist the temptations of the dark side"

Just look at what happened to Anakin, thats alllll I'm sayin...

 

[xandernova]

Fight the urge to slap every idiot that asks you if you can make their girlfriend dissapear.

 

[Jack The Magician]

Fight the urge to slap every idiot that asks you if you can make their girlfriend dissapear.

I've been asked to make teachers, parents, and me dissapear, but never girlfriends .

what about pen and tellers rule of magic
'never do the cups and ball routine with see through cups'

great rules btw i will stick to them

A book about Penn and Teller's rules for magic would great -- all one has to do is follow the opposite.

Also, another rule:

1c. The Three Ps: Practice it in the mirror, Practice it for friends/family, and, then, Perform it for an audience.

Cheers,
JTM

 

[-Ty]

Hmm... I still believe that there's only one rule in magic:

1. There are no rules.

Yeah, it's a paradox, but that's what I believe.

- harapan. magic!

Well what you believe is sadly wrong. There are rules, and people should respect them.

Good rules. But most are part of the official (and unofficial) Magicians Code of Ethics. But it's always good to get a reminder every once in a while.

Ty

 

[Icy]

Hmm... I still believe that there's only one rule in magic:

1. There are no rules.

Yeah, it's a paradox, but that's what I believe.

- harapan. magic!

I guess its alrite to break rules, but it's generally not a good idea. Rules are there in the first place probably because this is the tried and tested route.

Penn and Teller break rule 1 (and rule 2 if I remember correctly) but they are one of the most well known magicians. I suppose audience like them, too, I guess, since they get so much TV appearance, much to the dismay of magicians.

 

[LuckyDog]

6. End on a high
Several strong effects with a logical progression to a climax guarantees to leave your audience asking for more. That is the best time to end your routine.

The best rule ever, this is what magic is all about, you fire off your best to the point where you don't have to bow for applause... where they're all pleading to have you "do it again!" and you pretend to blush as you say "I'm sorry, thank you so very much, you're all awesome!"

There seems to be a new breed of magician out there, I call them the "youtube illusionists" that can't wait 2 minutes to show off the secret to how a trick was performed... they spoil the craft for the rest of us and cheapen the artform that we all love so much...

If I find them, I promise to string them up like a WalMart pinata and let everyone here take potshots at them...

 

[BlueBackedBikes]

You put together a nice list of rules, there. All very true. I'm saving this page so I can copy-and-paste it to beginners.


And remember! The ones with the gold make the rules; it's the golden rule.