How to talk like a magician?

May 23, 2010
15
0
Hi there,

I've been watching many magicians (DB, DW, DG, ME, etc.) perform and I am astonished how their voice can influence the people around them. I would want to be able to capture my audience not only with the magic, but with my voice. Is there any resource I can learn from in how to talk like a magician?

Magic is an art, I respect it, I want to audience to feel what I am feeling when I perform (in the future).

Suggest.
 

CaseyRudd

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Team member
Jun 5, 2009
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Charleston, SC
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Hi there,

I've been watching many magicians (DB, DW, DG, ME, etc.) perform and I am astonished how their voice can influence the people around them. I would want to be able to capture my audience not only with the magic, but with my voice. Is there any resource I can learn from in how to talk like a magician?

Magic is an art, I respect it, I want to audience to feel what I am feeling when I perform (in the future).

Suggest.

I agree with others here, as to check out The Five Points in Magic by Juan Tamariz. He covers the Five Senses and how to utilize them to maximize your performance. The Voice is covered and gives great and important tips you need for utilizing the voice to make your performances a lot better. Clarity in your voice is key because you do not want to mumble or have them misunderstand you. If they misunderstand you and what you said, the effect is pretty much lost. You can't gain the interest back in full because they are already thinking about something else rather than the effect.

-Casey
 
Nov 15, 2007
1,106
2
35
Raleigh, NC
Magic is a performing art. Your performance is just as, if not more, important than your sleights and effects.

My bartending instructor(just took the class) told us that bartending was 95%+ social interaction, 5% knowing how to pour the drinks.

I think the same is true for magic, even if it takes 100 hours of work to get a routine ready from a technical standpoint, it's only a fraction of what your presentation is going to end up being. I don't have exact percentages, each person is probably different, but a large chunk of close-up magic is interaction; a small part of it is perfecting the moves.

Edit:: I didn't put any solutions to the problems.

My advice:: watch the videos of about a dozen people, every video you can find of them. I wouldn't limit this to magicians only, maybe watch 6 magicians, 3 comedians, and 3 other people who have to relate to a general public. Watching others and trying to imitate them will help at first and will eventually progress into you doing it with your own tone and inflection.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dec 10, 2007
204
0
If you want to be a great performer, try to talk NOTHING like a magician. Look to other performing arts. Typically magicians are among the worst performers. People like Daniel Garcia are great performers, but that is because they do not perform like typical magicians.

Just be yourself and try to interact with people. don't just recite a script.
 

RickEverhart

forum moderator / t11
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Sep 14, 2008
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Louisville, OH
I normally try to enunciate more clearly, slow down the rate of speech (which is hard to do when your adrenaline is pumping), and make sure you have eye contact which is imperative.

Do not look down at the ground or your cards. Do not mumble.

I took a few speech classes in high school and then another one while I was in college.

I guess I am used to speaking all of the time though being a teacher and doing presentations at meetings and such.
 
Dec 20, 2009
672
9
Massachusetts
Make jokes... It really helps... One that I always use when I'm at my house and someone wants to see magic:

Stand over there, yeah, right on top of that trapdoor.

:)
 

Luis Vega

Elite Member
Mar 19, 2008
1,838
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Leon, Guanajuato Mexico
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It's all about character. The voice is especially important when it comes to connecting with the audience. I suggest you to read this thread. It will help you a lot.

MagicHat "Building Your Character"

I concur with the voice thing...

don´t rush your voice...talk in a normal pace, but making sure everybody understand
talk loud without screaming...
always talk politely (NO dude, f-bomb´s, sh*t or things like that)
when talking look at the spectators eyes...try to not look your hands or stop talking while doing a sleight
 
Mar 27, 2010
136
0
If you want to be a great performer, try to talk NOTHING like a magician. Look to other performing arts. Typically magicians are among the worst performers. People like Daniel Garcia are great performers, but that is because they do not perform like typical magicians.

Just be yourself and try to interact with people. don't just recite a script.

Sorry, but a patter and a character are the MOST important things on a magician. The worst advice i have ever heard is "Be yourself". I will make a whole post about this later.
 
Nov 15, 2007
1,106
2
35
Raleigh, NC
How does DJDonkeyPuncher's post say that patter and character are not important?

Oh! Pick me! Pick me! I know!

It doesn't!

But it does leave a lot to speculation. He means don't be like 'that guy' who uses stock patter to deliver a worn out trick in such a way that your audience doesn't care and you don't connect.
 
Dec 10, 2007
204
0
Patter is important, but patter does not mean that you need to be bound to a script either. The worst presentation, to me, is a guy that rattles off patter with no interaction with the audience or deviation in the presentation. Instead of reciting what you practice in your room everyday, adapt your presentation to the audience you are working with at that time.

It is important for your patter to be outlined, but if you get asked a question in the middle of a bit and you have no idea what do from there, you are unprepared. If you can only recite general phrases describing what is happening in your performance, with an inability to interact with your audience, then there is an obvious air of artificiality to the whole performance that your spectators will feel.

As far as "character being one of the most important aspects of performance", that doesn't mean that you have to become "Paul the Pirate" in order to present your material. You can be YOU. You simply need to define who "you" are and what portion of yourself you will be presenting. Being a sincere magician and acting like a human being instead of the guy that walks around with a playing card neck-tie, pulling coins from kids ears, will get you quite far.
 

Luis Vega

Elite Member
Mar 19, 2008
1,838
278
38
Leon, Guanajuato Mexico
luisvega.com.mx
Patter is important, but patter does not mean that you need to be bound to a script either. The worst presentation, to me, is a guy that rattles off patter with no interaction with the audience or deviation in the presentation. Instead of reciting what you practice in your room everyday, adapt your presentation to the audience you are working with at that time.

It is important for your patter to be outlined, but if you get asked a question in the middle of a bit and you have no idea what do from there, you are unprepared. If you can only recite general phrases describing what is happening in your performance, with an inability to interact with your audience, then there is an obvious air of artificiality to the whole performance that your spectators will feel.

As far as "character being one of the most important aspects of performance", that doesn't mean that you have to become "Paul the Pirate" in order to present your material. You can be YOU. You simply need to define who "you" are and what portion of yourself you will be presenting. Being a sincere magician and acting like a human being instead of the guy that walks around with a playing card neck-tie, pulling coins from kids ears, will get you quite far.

Glad you clarified that...

sometimes we just jump to bash somebody..maybe we should ask first if they could elaborate...anyway I think you could had elaborated from the beggining..
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
I think it's good to have a script memorized and down pat to the point where you don't have to think about it. But much like Eugene Burger has said, it's pretty much your map and it allows you to go off the path and then easily find your way back onto it.
 

Luis Vega

Elite Member
Mar 19, 2008
1,838
278
38
Leon, Guanajuato Mexico
luisvega.com.mx
I think it's good to have a script memorized and down pat to the point where you don't have to think about it. But much like Eugene Burger has said, it's pretty much your map and it allows you to go off the path and then easily find your way back onto it.

I beg to differ...

I think sometimes a script so memorized can sound fake...

let´s say you have an exact script for a 3fly...so you are talking and then some spectator asks you something that you weren´t planing...you cannot foresee the answers or questions that the spectators might say...also I don´t like to hear memorized patter

I like to use patter, but it´s like some general patter or idea and then I elaborate in the moment, I would say I have 50% memorized and 50% impromptu...

that gives plenty of room for the audience to participate and it doesn´t break the performance...since everyone is feeling part of the show
 
Apr 1, 2009
1,067
1
33
California
A good speaking voice is critical in my opinion. I can't tell you how often I watch magicians who have their routines down perfectly, yet, watching them is almost a chore to me. Their voice crackles in an annoying way. monotone. unclear mumble. irritating. etc... etc... The power of your voice will win over an audience before your effect does. your image and your voice are two of the most important aspects of magic to me. Sleights and routines are second to that. Derren Brown has such a powerful presence with his image and voice, that if I never saw him do one effect, but saw what he looked like and heard him speak, I'd swear he could turn water into wine. David Blaine also has a very powerful presense. As well as many others. This is a lot to consider. But I highly recommend picking up books on training your voice. This doesn't mean you have to take voice lessons. But putting time into your voice as you would a double lift, is important. It can be just as valuable to you as a double lift, especially in the world of mentalism.

Roger Love "Set Your Voice Free" is something I highly recommend. It is great for speakers, as well as singers. He puts a great deal of emphasis on speaking with authority.

Jaime Vendera "Raise Your Voice" is also very highly recommended. This focuses a great deal on vocal power. He's a rock vocal coach, but his advice is invaluable.

There are plenty of other sources, but I thought I'd list a few that wouldn't be investments, yet, will get you where you would like to be.
 
Jul 10, 2010
277
0
30
McAllen, TX
www.wix.com
I beg to differ...

I think sometimes a script so memorized can sound fake...

let´s say you have an exact script for a 3fly...so you are talking and then some spectator asks you something that you weren´t planing...you cannot foresee the answers or questions that the spectators might say...also I don´t like to hear memorized patter

I like to use patter, but it´s like some general patter or idea and then I elaborate in the moment, I would say I have 50% memorized and 50% impromptu...

that gives plenty of room for the audience to participate and it doesn´t break the performance...since everyone is feeling part of the show

I agree completely
 
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