If you do card magic: READ THIS

[J:G]

Well the reason I am posting this again is that I don't think to many people

read it last time so i gave it a more spiffy title. so here you go:



Its been awhile since I have started a thread with some good content so I

decided to just do this. I have been wanting to say this for a while so I guess

I'll just say it: Card magic is being Really watered down. All i see nowadays is

"Watch my Tivo variation" or "How do like my sandwich routine?" People aren't

treating card magic with the respect it should deserve. It seems like all people

do nowdays is impromtu card magic, and theres nothing wrong with that but

they play it down so it's almost dead. (Or at least mortally wounded) And

other non-card tricks i see people preforming live for people, but when it

comes to card magic (80% of the time) people just do it for the cameras, not

the audience. It's not that the tricks aren't hard hitting, its the people

performing them make them "non-hardhitting" if that makes any sense at all.

lets put it this way: Daniel Madison has some amazing hard hitting card

magic. I would much rather perform his tricks than say, somthing like the

biddle trick (bleh). And usally somthing like Burn is going to much better than

the biddle trick. but you can make the biddle trick look incredible and burn

look terrible by your performance. here are some examples:

1) Get your audience involved. have them hold the card while it changes,

have them push it in. have them look through the deck to see its not really

there. Do anything, but it helps to get them involved.

2) Don't rush it. rushing is the worst thing you can do (other than messing up)

the audience with think you have to pee or get somewhere if you rush. take

your time and let the magic sink in.

3) Hype them up. You need to get your audience exited to see your magic,

this goes hand in hand with taking your time.

4) Get exited with them. Dont be the dull monotone magician who knows

exactly whats gonna happen. get exited with them, this will also do number 3

hyping them up.

5) And finally, i wouldn't open with cards. (or any other classic magic, like coins)

start with something like a coin in bottle, or extreme burn (just a few

examples) people will regard you as more of a magician then, the guy who

does card tricks.



this is just my two cents this thread could go on, and on, and on...... but i want

people to start respecting your cards (in a theoretical sense) I will end with

a short story and be gone:

I saw a video on Youtube of a magician who just did this: he had the

spectator select a card, "insert it into the deck" he gave them an indiferent

card (double lift) and then i changed, the Croud exploded. he just did a

simple trick but he used all the elements I mentioned to make a "boring trick"

simply incredible.


so stop doing card tricks and start doing card magic.


thanks for listening,

 

[Joey Ro]

This should be stickied. Its a shame that the idea for this thread had to even cross someone's mind.

 

[GosuTricks]

Cool, but the card change thing you mentioned at the end of your post isn't boring at all... I use it all the time and it get's the best reactions out of any trick. My patter is pretty simple too: "Pick a card. Remember it. Put it back in the deck"
They put it in, I smack the deck jokingly and say "Is this you card." They say "no (laugh or chuckle)." I go "oh sh!t" as though I genuinely mess up. "Uhhhh. Hold this." I look through the deck and say "What was your card" They say the name of the card and I say "Did you see it change? The card in you hand."

EXPLODING REACTIONS. HOLYY ****.

It's one of those tricks that pretty much always work regardless of the presentation.

 

[J:G]

yeah I know. But how the heck do you get a stickie.

 

[J:G]

Yeah i know i was just using that as an example. (Because its very simple in

its nature)

 

[Bonnermagic]

It seems like what you are referring to is magic on youtube, and sites like theory11 and ellusionist. There is a big, big world of card magic out there and a LOT of great cardmen. I agree with you that there is an overwhelming amount of youtube videos of kids doing bad card tricks. But this is a very, very, very small portion of the magic community. The internet magic world and the "real", live performance magic world seem to be two different things. Card magic is suffering on youtube, but not in the real world.
-Alex

 

[tally-ho]

What, may I ask, is wrong with the biddle trick?

 

[Rmana]

The Biddle Trick is a really strong trick... and that last "boring trick" is one the tricks that gets the biggest reaction for me.

You're right, your performance is more important than the actual trick or the method behind the trick, but really, it's all a matter of preference. I think most people perform the way they would want to be entertained, so it's really up to them, how they choose to present their character.

 

[J:G]

It seems like what you are referring to is magic on youtube, and sites like theory11 and ellusionist. There is a big, big world of card magic out there and a LOT of great cardmen. I agree with you that there is an overwhelming amount of youtube videos of kids doing bad card tricks. But this is a very, very, very small portion of the magic community. The internet magic world and the "real", live performance magic world seem to be two different things. Card magic is suffering on youtube, but not in the real world.
-Alex

Trust me i have seen plenty of people preforming live who do a *cough*

incredibly ugly *cough* job *cough* And yes probably over 60%-70% is youtube magic but

you cant put all the blame on youtube.

 

[magyk11]

i too, am ashamed to see this thread posted... but i think that everyone should takd some time to read it thouroughly, and actually take it in... because card magic is going down the drain. there are too many mediocre card tricks out there. if you want to be recognized, and have people like you as a performer, then at act like one. don't act like someone who just learned a trick 5 minutes ago and is already out performing it. that says one thing about you. that you do not take your magic seriously, and that you are doing it just to do it.

you want your magic to please everyone around you. so make it exiting, don't say everything in a monotone voice, that makes people bored, and they won't want to listen to you. make the spectators part of the magic, have them be involved and not just waiting there for something cool to happen. they should be exited all the way through the trick.

make sure that you like your magic. be surprised WITH the audience, act as if you don't know what is supposed to happen.. because if you act like "im so cool, because i can do a flashy trick that doesnt really mean anything...and i already know what is going to happen and you don't" then people will think you are stuck up and just doing magic to get yourself credit, and for people to think that your cool.

basically, what im trying to say, is to believe in your magic. act like it is real magic because isn't that what it is supposed to be? not just some flashy crap that may get you notice for ten seconds.

well, either take this into account, or don't, that is your decision. but just think about it.

Magic is an art, and it should be treated like one.

 

[Jacob L]

This is a great thread and I fully agree. One other element I would add would be PRACTICE. Yes that dreaded word again. Practice will improve all the other elements that were posted at the beginning of this thread. The better your slights are for a trick, the more you can focus on presentation more and not be thinking about getting caught or anything, because the audience will be involved with you and want you to succeed, so they won't (or at least shouldnt) be looking for the move, but for the entertainment.

When I learn/make up a trick, I practice it for hours on end each day to make sure I get it right. I don't perform for people (except family for advice) until I feel 150% confident with what I have.

People should listen to this thread and really take it into account, weather you do what he said or not. There is always room for growth.

 

[ace18]

I would first like to say that this post is oozing with bias.
The beginning paragraph sounds like some brown-nosing of Daniel Madison. Why are you hating on Biddle trick? Its a classic of magic for good reason.
Then you bring up awful youtube wannabe magicians, honestly if you look hard enough there are good people on Youtube, just disregard the rest, because that flock of awful will consume you. And really all those "magicians" that do that stuff don't care about furthering their magic anyway, so why bother.
And your #5 is bad, you can open anyway you want. Don't throw a random non card trick into a set of card magic, because then it looks bad. Open in a way that flows with the rest of your routine.

Alright thread, but nothing this forum hasn't seen before. Just another "go out and perform" thread.

sorry.

 

[Sinful07]

Biddle is an absoloute godsend. The fact that the card is visually lost and has the potential to be reproduced anywhere (when coupled with a force) is more than enough to make your spectators pass out in orgasmic astonishment. (if there is such a thing)

I dislike the fact that you think biddle is a boring trick. You're not using your head. I mainly skip the traditional climax at the end and use it for a ****lot of things for instance, Card onto sealed deck, card to impossible location, Stained skin. Etc.

May i also point out, you're not really being creative if you perform off the shelf tricks. I'd much rather watch a versed tivo variation than madison's Burn with every step copied.

 

[visualartist]

Even so,ones spectators will get very sick and tired of only card tricks.
Now im waiting for someone to say "oh well I do some coin stuff and mentalism if i dont have my cards"..geez..

 

[ace18]

Even so,ones spectators will get very sick and tired of only card tricks.

Yeah, if you perform for the same spectators everytime. And if you do then its up to you to keep them interested/excited.

God, this thread makes card magic sound like the most uninteresting thing in the world for a spectator. No, you don't have to do straight cards, but if you want to then you will be just fine.

 

[J:G]

Even so,ones spectators will get very sick and tired of only card tricks.
Now im waiting for someone to say "oh well I do some coin stuff and mentalism if i dont have my cards"..geez..

thank you! point in case.

 

[J:G]

Biddle is an absoloute godsend. The fact that the card is visually lost and has the potential to be reproduced anywhere (when coupled with a force) is more than enough to make your spectators pass out in orgasmic astonishment. (if there is such a thing)

I dislike the fact that you think biddle is a boring trick. You're not using your head. I mainly skip the traditional climax at the end and use it for a ****lot of things for instance, Card onto sealed deck, card to impossible location, Stained skin. Etc.

May i also point out, you're not really being creative if you perform off the shelf tricks. I'd much rather watch a versed tivo variation than madison's Burn with every step copied.

can you hold up for just one sec. I personally love the core mechanics of

the biddle trick. I just have a dislike for everything else in it ok!

 

[J:G]

I would first like to say that this post is oozing with bias.
The beginning paragraph sounds like some brown-nosing of Daniel Madison. Why are you hating on Biddle trick? Its a classic of magic for good reason.
Then you bring up awful youtube wannabe magicians, honestly if you look hard enough there are good people on Youtube, just disregard the rest, because that flock of awful will consume you. And really all those "magicians" that do that stuff don't care about furthering their magic anyway, so why bother.
And your #5 is bad, you can open anyway you want. Don't throw a random non card trick into a set of card magic, because then it looks bad. Open in a way that flows with the rest of your routine.

Alright thread, but nothing this forum hasn't seen before. Just another "go out and perform" thread.

sorry.

oozing with bias! first of all i was just using Daniel Madison as an example

i could have used, Daniel Garcia, Wayne Houchin, or a number of others so

will you just let up! also Joe Paschal doesn't like the double undercut, IS THAT

BAD? no. yes it is a classic in magic but he just doesn't like it. that's not wrong.

Hating a trick is not wrong, its just personal preference. OK? geeze, give it a

rest!

 

[RDChopper]

I would first like to say that this post is oozing with bias.

Agreed.

I would first like to say that this post is oozing with bias.
The beginning paragraph sounds like some brown-nosing of Daniel Madison. Why are you hating on Biddle trick? Its a classic of magic for good reason.

Agreed.Again.

.
And your #5 is bad, you can open anyway you want. Don't throw a random non card trick into a set of card magic, because then it looks bad. Open in a way that flows with the rest of your routine.

.

And I agree...again.

Alright thread, but nothing this forum hasn't seen before. Just another "go out and perform" thread.
sorry.

WTf!?

 

[RDChopper]

And other non-card tricks i see people preforming live for people, but when it
comes to card magic (80% of the time) people just do it for the cameras, not
the audience. ,

I would love to see a video of you performing and demonstrating what you are telling us to a live audience, I'll wait for the link.

its the people performing them make them "non-hardhitting" if that makes any sense at all.

Lets put it this way: Daniel Madison has some amazing hard hitting card
magic. I would much rather perform his tricks than say, somthing like the
biddle trick (bleh). And usally somthing like Burn is going to much better than
the biddle trick. but you can make the biddle trick look incredible and burn
look terrible by your performance.

I don't see the point of using the biddle trick as an example, you contradicted yourself like two times there.

5) And finally, i wouldn't open with cards. (or any other classic magic, like coins)

start with something like a coin in bottle, or extreme burn (just a few

examples) people will regard you as more of a magician then, the guy who

does card tricks.

I actually agree with your other points except this one, as you said before, its not about the tricks, at the end, it's all about the performer and how you present them, that's where patter and SHOWMANSHIP comes in, I don't really see a problem using card tricks as a opener, but as I have said in the past SUIT YOURSELF, if you think that opening with other things rather than with cards it's better for you, stick to that. We all are different, what works for you may not work for me, as said before by jrobart in other thread, it all comes to trial and error.

That's why I agree with ace in that matter.



It's so easy to talk....