Performing after 3 months and guess what...

Jul 13, 2009
424
0
Edmonton, Canada
So basically i had a problem couple months which you guyz probably know about, i was getting bored of doing magic everyday for people at school. Most replies suggested that i should take a break, so thats what i did ... didn't touch a deck in 3 months, and today i was asked to perform by a couple of friends, there was also some new people there. And whenever i see new faces, i would like them to know that what i do is "magic" and not "tricks" (if that makes sense). So i proceeded to do a basic transpo. effect.

1st failure: The guy wanted to see the card under his hand (after i switched it), he thought he saw something fishy after i eliminated any doubt that what he was holding was really his selection.

[BTW, after the trick he came to me and said "I know how you did that, you took my selection, slide it back in the deck and took a different card somewhere from the bottom. I wanted to say "No you dirty ****, i just did a DL]

BUT the other guyz wanted to see the trick and told the kid to shut up

2nd failure: I do a DL to show the card i was gonna change it to and a girl beside me said "Are you holding two cards?"

I didn't respond and completed the trick, everyone was amazed but the guy and the girl ... and for me, this was a fail :(

So what the hell am i doing wrong, i know my DL was good. Is it my 6 months deck which is giving the trick away ? I have never messed up SUCH an easy trick and failing my first trick after a long break wasn't a good start. Like i saidm i didn't practice/perform in 3 months ... could that be the problem ?

Any advice would be appreciated ?
 
Apr 27, 2010
229
0
baller08.blogspot.com
Obviously you didn't "eliminate any doubt" because he had doubt. Ironically this sounds like you weren't able to achieve exactly what you said you try to do, which is to show people you do "magic" and not "tricks". This sounds like an audience management problem.

To be fair look at it this way, it's like a guy saying, "I took 3 months off from playing ball, didn't workout, didn't run, didn't shoot and during my first game back I got picked, I felt winded, and I couldn't get to the hoop the way I wanted.....what do you think it is?".
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Not a big deal, the guy will most likely completely forget about it after a few days. Unless you ended up making a big deal out of it. The thing with card magic is that even you screw up or get caught, you can simply go "Whatever." and move on. People will forget about it later on.

The other thing with transpos is that when you do the switch, just name the card you in his hands with confidence. If that doesn't work, then move on to something or somebody else.
 
Jul 13, 2009
424
0
Edmonton, Canada
Not a big deal, the guy will most likely completely forget about it after a few days. Unless you ended up making a big deal out of it. The thing with card magic is that even you screw up or get caught, you can simply go "Whatever." and move on. People will forget about it later on.

The other thing with transpos is that when you do the switch, just name the card you in his hands with confidence. If that doesn't work, then move on to something or somebody else.

Okay but my first impression for the new faces was bad ... my friends were like "This guy (me) is crazy" so i'm pretty sure they were expecting something better than what i did. I hate failing the first time so tomorrow i'll unleash some of my best effects ...

For the transpo, i guess i just need to redo my patter because i think i try too hard to make them believe everything is legit which i believe arises more suspicion
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
If you are going to do something. Do something that you know for sure won't screw up. Something without cards, like Extreme Burn or whatever. Though I would suggest that you don't do anything for them tell some time next week. You don't want to see like a tool who always HAS to perform just because people ask. Remember. "No" is a very powerful word.
 
Jul 13, 2009
424
0
Edmonton, Canada
lol i get what you're saying, i've been doing the basic transpo for years now, it's an easy effect ... However i have no clue where i screwed up while doing it today. And i will perform tomorrow regardless if they ask me or not, i would re-write today's event if i could but i can't ... so i will overwrite it tomorrow ( LOL, does that make sense to you )
 

James Wise Magic

Elite Member
Dec 28, 2007
1,021
13
It doesn't really sound like you just got rusty because you haven't practiced. It sounds more like audience management problems. There have been a few times where the people I perform to ask if I picked up 2 cards or ask to see the card between their hands, the way you disprove what you're doing is to know another method to do a similar effect. Instead of doing a DL, do like top change or 4for4 switch(well technically 1for1 switch in this case lol) And in the case of them asking for you to do it again and see the card in between their hands; easy, don't do the same trick twice, you're not really suppose to anyways. lol. Every-now-and-then I'll get people that are on to me so I'll just continue and do a different trick that I'm confident with.

If you see those people again, do something else that will blow them away. Hope this helps man. Good luck! =)
 
Apr 5, 2009
874
1
29
Illinois
ok slicke. i sympathize with you i really do, i've been there. taking a break only gave me a slight boost. but i did a french drop for a seven year old girl with no front teeth. how can i a guy not enjoy magic when he hears "dossh itsh aasshhggain!!"


i recommend this, work on performance skills. pick up strong magic. and from what i'm reading here (which really isn't enough to give perfect advice) is you need to strengthen conditions. theres a big ole chapter on it in strong magic by darwin ortiz.

when you become a better performer, performing will be more fun.
 
honestly you probably did nothing wrong, its just some laymen know a few tricks and they will just guess random stuff to prove themselves right. Almost everytime I do a show I'll always get someone to ask if im holding two cards. They just want to feel smart. My best advice would be dont ALWAYS do a DL, but sometimes do a top change or a 4-4 switch with one card, etc.

Another tip is DONT stress the fact that you have one card. Dont parade it around and be like "you see its only one card!" because then when you do a DL and you DONT parade it around, the spectator will automatically cue in on the fact that something is different. Its like saying "here i have a NORMAL DECK OF CARDS" you are basically asking the spectator to believe the deck is somehow not normal. Essentially reverse psychology.

Like Jennings always said, dont give the spectators too much information, let them figure it out for themselves.
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
So basically i had a problem couple months which you guyz probably know about, i was getting bored of doing magic everyday for people at school. Most replies suggested that i should take a break, so thats what i did ... didn't touch a deck in 3 months, and today i was asked to perform by a couple of friends, there was also some new people there. And whenever i see new faces, i would like them to know that what i do is "magic" and not "tricks" (if that makes sense). So i proceeded to do a basic transpo. effect.

1st failure: The guy wanted to see the card undUQUOTE=Slicke;324259]So basically i had a problem couple months which you guyz probably know about, i was getting bored of doing magic everyday for people at school. Most replies suggested that i should take a break, so thats what i did ... didn't touch a deck in 3 months, and today i was asked to perform by a couple of friends, there was also some people there. And whenever i see new faces, i would like them to know that what i do is "magic" and not "tricks" (if that makes sense). So i proceeded to do a basic transpo. effect.

1st failure: The guy wanted to see the card under his hand (after i switched it), he thought he saw something fishy after i eliminated any doubt that what he was holding was really his selection.

[BTW, after the trick he came to me and said "I know how you did that, you took my selection, slide it back in the deck and took a different card somewhere from the bottom. I wanted to say "No you dirty ****, i just did a DL]

BUT the other guyz wanted to see the trick and told the kid to shut up

2nd failure: I do a DL to show the card i was gonna change it to and a girl beside me said "Are you holding two cards?"

I didn't respond and completed the trick, everyone was amazed but the guy and the girl ... and for me, this was a fail :(

So what the hell am i doing wrong, i know my DL was good. Is it my 6 months deck which is giving the trick away ? I have never messed up SUCH an easy trick and failing my first tri.ck after a long break wasn't a good start. Like i saidm i didn't practice/perform in 3 months ... could that be the problem ?

Any advice would be appreciated ?

Hi slicke,

It sounds like youre having a number of problems, so ill try to go through all of them.

First, It sounds like youre trying to perform too much. Why are you performing everyday? no wonder you needed a hbeak! Doing so devaoles your magic. It also mrans that you will be known as the magician, which Is not a good thing, because magic comes from the performer. if youre being stereotyped, then theyre not getting to know you. If you perform everytime you see someone, then their first and only impression of you Is magic. That means that you're not giving them a chance to. get to know you as a person which will always make your magic weaker. It also makes them more likely to Heckle you because they don't see you as a person, they just see tricks. It also makes you a monkey.

Another problem it sounds like youre having is texcnical difficulties. of course you're going to be rusty , you cant possibly expect to be perfect after not practicing for three months! You have to practice. Its like the gym, If you dont use it, you lose it.

People think double lifts are easy, ill tell you though that Ive seen far more bad ones than good ones. If you don't practice, you will do poorly and will Invite suspicion.

And finally its something I mentioned above but audience control is a big thing you need to work on. It they're suspicious, it may be both you as a performer and also your moves. Start with fixing your image, if you're being called a magician, then nothing of your personapity is shining through which means that you cant possibly create magic, because magic doesnt come from a trick, It comes from you. Spectators respond to you! Give them nothing, they will respond only to your tricks, and they are far more likely to heckle the latter as opposed to someone they like. If they see you as a generic magician how can you hope for them to follow your instructions?

I'm on my phone so Ill stop there but might address it more later.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Aug 4, 2010
167
0
i recommend this, work on performance skills. pick up strong magic. and from what i'm reading here (which really isn't enough to give perfect advice) is you need to strengthen conditions. theres a big ole chapter on it in strong magic by darwin ortiz.

when you become a better performer, performing will be more fun.

I wont sugarcoat it like this guy....

You got caught doing a DL?... that just means you arent good enough or they know the move...anyways some "smart" spectators have also challenged me...What to do?...don't do a DL...There are many ways to replace a DL...I use a Terry LaGerould Control variation...Essentially you need to learn new moves or get good at the one you know....Or you can you know do as the guy said and take the easy way out.....or "misdirection"...

fyi my one handed Dl is flawless...that takes away the suspicion of a DL in an instant...
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Here is an idea. Only perform every once in awhile. IE: perform maybe 1-2 effects for that day. Then don't perform at all for another 3 weeks or more. Then perform another 2-3 effects. Do this enough times, and it should hopefully give them time to actually get to know you besides the magic guy and also it will make them appreciate what you do more.

The idea of performing all the time everyday for your friends is like having Christmas everyday. It will get old and boring fast. You don't want to spoil them and your magic.
 
Jul 13, 2009
424
0
Edmonton, Canada
Hi slicke,

It sounds like youre having a number of problems, so ill try to go through all of them.

First, It sounds like youre trying to perform too much. Why are you performing everyday? no wonder you needed a hbeak! Doing so devaoles your magic. It also mrans that you will be known as the magician, which Is not a good thing, because magic comes from the performer. if youre being stereotyped, then theyre not getting to know you. If you perform everytime you see someone, then their first and only impression of you Is magic. That means that you're not giving them a chance to. get to know you as a person which will always make your magic weaker. It also makes them more likely to Heckle you because they don't see you as a person, they just see tricks. It also makes you a monkey.

Another problem it sounds like youre having is texcnical difficulties. of course you're going to be rusty , you cant possibly expect to be perfect after not practicing for three months! You have to practice. Its like the gym, If you dont use it, you lose it.

People think double lifts are easy, ill tell you though that Ive seen far more bad ones than good ones. If you don't practice, you will do poorly and will Invite suspicion.

And finally its something I mentioned above but audience control is a big thing you need to work on. It they're suspicious, it may be both you as a performer and also your moves. Start with fixing your image, if you're being called a magician, then nothing of your personapity is shining through which means that you cant possibly create magic, because magic doesnt come from a trick, It comes from you. Spectators respond to you! Give them nothing, they will respond only to your tricks, and they are far more likely to heckle the latter as opposed to someone they like. If they see you as a generic magician how can you hope for them to follow your instructions?

I'm on my phone so Ill stop there but might address it more later.

Well i used to perform too much, there was a time where i couldn't take it anymore, lol ... Also, i get to meet new people by performing, i perform and get to know them at the same time and vice versa.

Also, how do you deal with people who knows the basic bout cardistry like DLs, false cuts .. etc because yesterday i doing a cool color changing effect, i had my gaffs on top so i did a simple yet complex looking false cut so that i wouldn't disturb the top packet or if it was complex, there was a possibility that the card could fly out or something as it was a thicker card .... Anyway, that guy was like, "that's not fair, the order didn't change" and i was like "Ah Shut up" because the false cut wasn't really necessary at this phase.

So what do i do at this point, i'm not there to remove EVERY suspicion that there is, i just wanna entertain and when some noob try to catch me every now and then , it gets really annoying ...
 
Jun 20, 2009
627
3
near paris
2nd failure: I do a DL to show the card i was gonna change it to and a girl beside me said "Are you holding two cards?"

if someone say to you "are you holding two cards , "just say:
no , 52 cards
 
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results