Buying New Effects
- Thread starter Reapx
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I'm not sure where it is in the threads but I remember someone posting a great deal of information on this topic about the "ins and outs of purchasing new effects". Guidelines, questions to ask oneself, etc.
It is weird for me. If I see two or three things out and know that I will put time into them and utilize them...I bite the bullet and buy them all at once. On the other hand, sometimes I can go 6 months and not see a thing that I will incorporate into a routine.
Do not get me wrong...I love watching all of the new material that comes out but I try not to get too caught up in the hype and I normally try to wait on some honest reviews before making expensive purchases.
If someone can find the article / thread please post.
It is weird for me. If I see two or three things out and know that I will put time into them and utilize them...I bite the bullet and buy them all at once. On the other hand, sometimes I can go 6 months and not see a thing that I will incorporate into a routine.
Do not get me wrong...I love watching all of the new material that comes out but I try not to get too caught up in the hype and I normally try to wait on some honest reviews before making expensive purchases.
If someone can find the article / thread please post.
It just really depends on context... what has been released... how much cash do you have to spend... whether or not youre busy... etc.
I havent bought anything since the beginning of summer 2009... so yeah...
haha. There were the occasional Bikes and other decks but magic product wise... none.
But lately, nothing interests me incredibly anyways. There isn't much new material which I feel I have to have. I dont feel that my money should be spent on material I think I might like. Magic products are quite expensive so I only buy if I am 100% sure I want it.
I havent bought anything since the beginning of summer 2009... so yeah...
haha. There were the occasional Bikes and other decks but magic product wise... none.
But lately, nothing interests me incredibly anyways. There isn't much new material which I feel I have to have. I dont feel that my money should be spent on material I think I might like. Magic products are quite expensive so I only buy if I am 100% sure I want it.
?
i usally buy a bunch of tricks at once like 5 or 6 and practice them all and learn em all good but i dont make rountine bc i show people a trick and just walk away or maybe two but i dont preform like a mini show for them
hope that helps
i usally buy a bunch of tricks at once like 5 or 6 and practice them all and learn em all good but i dont make rountine bc i show people a trick and just walk away or maybe two but i dont preform like a mini show for them
hope that helps
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I buy effects when I'm inspired. When I know I'll use it. If I need it. If it fits me. And a whole lot of other reasons.
Books, I have an infinite list that I try to add to my library whenever I can.
Having reference material is very important in my opinion. Just because you aren't studying one effect for performance purposes, or book for that matter, doesn't mean you can't take something from one of those, put it into the effect you are studying and create something more spectacular due to the knowledge you gain.
Just be smart about the actual study and practice of each thing.
Books, I have an infinite list that I try to add to my library whenever I can.
Having reference material is very important in my opinion. Just because you aren't studying one effect for performance purposes, or book for that matter, doesn't mean you can't take something from one of those, put it into the effect you are studying and create something more spectacular due to the knowledge you gain.
Just be smart about the actual study and practice of each thing.
Here is a thread I posted a while back on the subject. Hope it is helpful,
"I am certain that all of us at one time or another have watched the demo for a trick and said "Wow thats amazing I have got to have that!!! Then got it played with it for while then threw it in the useless trick drawer.
It happens alot where we see a demo get all pumped up then when we finally get the trick never use it. I want to discuss some ideas of how we can avoid this. I would really like to hear your thougths on this topic here are a couple of things I have found helpful.
1. When you first watch a demo for a effect ask your self "Will this fit into my style?" Is this effect going to be something that will work well with other effect you do. It would seem very strange if you are a serius card guy performing a trick like Sick By Sean Fields.
2. Second NEVER pre-order the effect unless you are abusolutly sure it is something you will use. Wait for some reviews see what others think.
3. Ask your self "How am I going to use this?" You may buy the effect, it may even fit your style but if it does not fit into your routine or it takes to much reset you will probably never use it.
4.Of course always see if the effect has instant reset if not will you have time to reset it during a gig?
5 Where will you perform this effect? If you are a street magician something with lighting limitations is going to be something your not wanting. Same goes with being a stage magician by all means make sure the effect isn't too small.
6. Make sure your not impulse buying. Their have been so many times that I have been like "Wow that is totally amazing I have to have it." Then realize that is something I would never use.
7. If your buying a one effect dvd make double as sure it is something you will use because obviously you are not going to find other useful stuff on the dvd.
8. Remember some effects look amazing in the hands of the creator but just arn't the same in your hands just something to keep in mind.
I have learned this stuff the hard way and I hope it helps you guys. I still have alot to learn lol. I would like it if you added to the list. What is a good criteria to measure weather a effect fits your style? What is a good way to tell if the effect is real world worker for you?"
Thanks
Christian
"I am certain that all of us at one time or another have watched the demo for a trick and said "Wow thats amazing I have got to have that!!! Then got it played with it for while then threw it in the useless trick drawer.
It happens alot where we see a demo get all pumped up then when we finally get the trick never use it. I want to discuss some ideas of how we can avoid this. I would really like to hear your thougths on this topic here are a couple of things I have found helpful.
1. When you first watch a demo for a effect ask your self "Will this fit into my style?" Is this effect going to be something that will work well with other effect you do. It would seem very strange if you are a serius card guy performing a trick like Sick By Sean Fields.
2. Second NEVER pre-order the effect unless you are abusolutly sure it is something you will use. Wait for some reviews see what others think.
3. Ask your self "How am I going to use this?" You may buy the effect, it may even fit your style but if it does not fit into your routine or it takes to much reset you will probably never use it.
4.Of course always see if the effect has instant reset if not will you have time to reset it during a gig?
5 Where will you perform this effect? If you are a street magician something with lighting limitations is going to be something your not wanting. Same goes with being a stage magician by all means make sure the effect isn't too small.
6. Make sure your not impulse buying. Their have been so many times that I have been like "Wow that is totally amazing I have to have it." Then realize that is something I would never use.
7. If your buying a one effect dvd make double as sure it is something you will use because obviously you are not going to find other useful stuff on the dvd.
8. Remember some effects look amazing in the hands of the creator but just arn't the same in your hands just something to keep in mind.
I have learned this stuff the hard way and I hope it helps you guys. I still have alot to learn lol. I would like it if you added to the list. What is a good criteria to measure weather a effect fits your style? What is a good way to tell if the effect is real world worker for you?"
Thanks
Christian
For me, it's not a specific time in which I buy new magic products. I wait a long time, maybe a year or about 9 months (Christmas time or Birthday). I occasionally purchase some decks of cards, but that's for practicing purposes and of course performing purposes. For right now, I try to create or think of new stuff, rather than wait for something new to come out from either E, t11, Penguin, or any other place. I don't give into the hype they set for new products. It also might "look" cool, but maybe the method is impractical or that the trick itself just doesn't fit my style of performing. I would just go by what you're into and if it fits the category. If it's something that would fit great, and when I mean think about it I mean actually think about it by reading other reviews first. That's how I decide when to purchase new material, but other than that I practice what fits me already or try and create something on my own.
Cheers,
Casey Rudd
Cheers,
Casey Rudd
http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?t=22541&highlight=Sherlock
check this out. even though sherlock wasnt a real person. it still good advice
check this out. even though sherlock wasnt a real person. it still good advice
.
i havent bought much stuff in a while bc alot of the stuff i bought reacently ive been disapponted
i havent bought much stuff in a while bc alot of the stuff i bought reacently ive been disapponted
I really think it just depends on the effect. Sometimes I'll only buy one effect for several months, others it seems like every other week.
I just try to limit my purchases to things that I am certain I'll be adding to my act. I try to keep impulse buys to a minimum.
I try to buy as little as possible because somewhere in my mind i know i wont use most of the stuff that i buy even if i belive i will at the moment.
I have so much material in my magic drawer that i dont use but i was sure i would when i did order them. Why? Most of the time you see something that really fools you and just looks awsome and you just feel that you have to have it but thats just because you were fooled by it. Most of the times theese effects does not play as strong for real people as you would have hoped for.
I have so much material in my magic drawer that i dont use but i was sure i would when i did order them. Why? Most of the time you see something that really fools you and just looks awsome and you just feel that you have to have it but thats just because you were fooled by it. Most of the times theese effects does not play as strong for real people as you would have hoped for.
I keep a list of things that I want to purchase and every once in a while I'll go through and see if anything on it still seems like a good buy. Most of the time I have books (I'm so poor) that I want to purchase and can't afford off-hand every single day so I have to decide what book to purchase when I do have the extra money.
I also try to complete my study of books (well, I'm always going back and forth but I try to at least finish a book) before buying a new one. Right now I'm working through Scripting Magic by Pete McCabe. Putting formal scripting into practice hasn't become second nature so I'm still experimenting. A good example of back and forth study would be putting Darwin Ortiz's Strong Magic beside Scripting Magic and compare the ideas and thoughts on the same subject.
I'm currently working on my own material, setting up a show, and am Trying to not get sucked into buying something new. Impulse buys have diminished over time for me and I still tell myself that I don't need certain things (trick the brain!!!).
Overall I like to put as much time as it takes to get what I recently bought performance ready before thinking about new things.
I also try to complete my study of books (well, I'm always going back and forth but I try to at least finish a book) before buying a new one. Right now I'm working through Scripting Magic by Pete McCabe. Putting formal scripting into practice hasn't become second nature so I'm still experimenting. A good example of back and forth study would be putting Darwin Ortiz's Strong Magic beside Scripting Magic and compare the ideas and thoughts on the same subject.
I'm currently working on my own material, setting up a show, and am Trying to not get sucked into buying something new. Impulse buys have diminished over time for me and I still tell myself that I don't need certain things (trick the brain!!!).
Overall I like to put as much time as it takes to get what I recently bought performance ready before thinking about new things.
One of the best ways to do this is to simply sit there and decide for yourself "Do I really NEED this?" If the answer is "Yes". then buy it.
But, like most things in magic. A lot of these new DVD's out and whatnot, are just rehashes on old effects have been around for ages and can be found in those cheap books.
I will say though that are SOME books and DVD's out there that ARE good. But they are rare to find. Just remember the old saying "Don't Believe the hype."
I used to fall for that too and man was I annoyed when I bought David Stones Window, to find out that I paid 70 bucks for a small device and a DVD that only has like 4 min of performance and teaching. =/
But, like most things in magic. A lot of these new DVD's out and whatnot, are just rehashes on old effects have been around for ages and can be found in those cheap books.
I will say though that are SOME books and DVD's out there that ARE good. But they are rare to find. Just remember the old saying "Don't Believe the hype."
I used to fall for that too and man was I annoyed when I bought David Stones Window, to find out that I paid 70 bucks for a small device and a DVD that only has like 4 min of performance and teaching. =/
My basic rules are as follows:
Never buy any effect/product when you first see it. Research it, read reviews, etc. If you still think it'll fit into your style and act after a month or two, then buy it.
Never buy anything new until you've studied/mastered everything you already have.
These two rules will eliminate almost all impulse buys.
Never buy any effect/product when you first see it. Research it, read reviews, etc. If you still think it'll fit into your style and act after a month or two, then buy it.
Never buy anything new until you've studied/mastered everything you already have.
These two rules will eliminate almost all impulse buys.
I usually buy things that I know I can use in multiple routine or tricks, like the master levitation system, the loops, stigmata, prophet...
the more options the trick has...the better!!!
the more options the trick has...the better!!!
Its hard to not get sucked into the hype with some effects etc. When something is released that is "new and revolutionary" that you dont have any idea of how it works its hard to resist.
But then i usually say to myself, who cares if its new or revolutionary? It does not matter because my audience have probably not seen a magician before so it does not matter if i do something that is 100 years old or something that is new. Because it will be new to them no matter what i do.
I remember when such new things as the clip shift was released and EVERYBODY just had to have it.. I dont see that many people using or talking about it now. Most people are pretty happy with a good classic color change or something.
But then i usually say to myself, who cares if its new or revolutionary? It does not matter because my audience have probably not seen a magician before so it does not matter if i do something that is 100 years old or something that is new. Because it will be new to them no matter what i do.
I remember when such new things as the clip shift was released and EVERYBODY just had to have it.. I dont see that many people using or talking about it now. Most people are pretty happy with a good classic color change or something.
It might also depend on whether the product is a concept that you can apply or whether it's a trick in and of itself. Usually gimmicks are in a separate category for me, because they can achieve a wide variety of tricks (Raven,etc) as opposed to effects (Control, etc.)
I wouldn't buy bulks of effects, the sheer amount would cause you to be distracted while studying just one of the effects, and reduce the amount of effort you put into just ONE effect.
I wouldn't buy bulks of effects, the sheer amount would cause you to be distracted while studying just one of the effects, and reduce the amount of effort you put into just ONE effect.