Expanding my magic

Nov 27, 2009
456
3
I am looking to expand my magic beyond where I am now. Currently I do mostly card magic, I can also pull off a few coin tricks and other things. My main interest is close up.

What books and dvd's do you recommend? I've got Mark Wilson's book and a few other old books. (Scarne's magic tricks, Hugard's magic manual)
 
Sep 2, 2007
1,186
16
42
London
Close up encompasses a broad spectrum. If you're looking to go further with cards, then the Holy Trinity of essential books are Hugard and Braue's Royal Road to Card Magic and Expert Card Technique (you'll find a bit of crossover with Hugard's Magic Manual, but they're still vital), and Erdnase's The Expert at the Card Table. For a broad base of classic close up, you'll need Stars of Magic, which is a great starting point for the journey into Dai Vernon's work.
 
Mar 30, 2009
25
0
If you want to expand on coin magic, Metal and an Extension of Me by Eric Jones (if you're beginner for other types of magic I wouldn't recommend Sick by Ponta the Smith just yet because you really want the basics down solid before). Metal would be your best bet.

Rope Magic: Fiber (Fibre?) Optics by Richard Sanders
Mentalism: This Is Mentalism by Rich Ferguson, 13 Steps to Mentalism (Book) by Tony Corinda.

Or if you want just a plethora of different subjects that aren't too hard but with great impacts Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic (Book) and Joshua Jay's Magic: The Complete Course.

This is assuming that you are a beginner in other fields, and this list might get bashed by others but in these books and dvd's are techniques and routines that spectators (which are the people you're trying to impress) will be blown away by (assuming you practice and perform well.)

Hope that sort of helped?
 
Oct 20, 2008
273
0
Austin, TX area
I branched out by going to a magic auction then later TAOM. I bought whatever was in my budget but wasn't cards.

Anyway, I'll try to stay to less expensive effects / books /dvds.

Abbott's Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks for Magicians You will want some good magician's rope to do most of this as well. This book presents one trick after another in rapid fire succession. I did one of them in my driveway this Halloween and got all kinds of good reactions, plus a scare or two. If you go this route then you may want to look elsewhere to learn the Professor's Nightmare as well. A lot of this can be done closeup or in small groups. Even if you pay the full cover price of $17 and learn only four effects, that's cheaper than four video downloads.

Pressure here at T11 is good if you can make a big deal out of the little moves. Make sure you stop by protected forum for the additional information there.

I've seen people get really good reactions with the rubber band magic in the Mark Wilson book. Stairway by Marcus Eddie is a great 1-on-1. Crazy Man's Handcuffs is a classic.

These are my experiences, and things I'm even comfortable doing after leaving my cards behind.
 
Nov 27, 2009
456
3
Thanks for the help!

I've got Mark Wilson's Complete Course and Royal Road. Cards have been my specialty for a while now. I think I could do most of the effects in Royal Road if I just sat down to learn them. I know the moves, but I've chosen to do a few particularly good effects well instead of a half a million badly.

I will definitely try to get Metal and a few of the others. I've got In the Beginning There Were Coins. My problem with coins is that I get caught. Granted, I don't practice coins like I should. I also think my getting caught has to do with my timing.

Mentalism has always been in the back of my mind as something that would be fun. I've got an effect that I'm gonna try on some friends that's a mentalism effect. We'll see where that takes me.
 
Apr 2, 2010
23
1
Louisiana
For coins:
Sleight of Hand Secrets with Coins by Jay Sankey
Cards:
Talk About Tricks Joshua Jay
Michael Ammar Easy to master Card Miracles 1-3
Ordinary Object:
Sankey's Best with Ordinary Objects
 
Aug 17, 2010
411
4
Coin magic is tough - it does take practice, lots of mirror time, and a lot of attention on angles. And many of the sleights depend on timing. But once you get a grip on it, you're ready whenever anyone has some change.

Some books to consider;

David Roth's Expert Coin Magic
Richard Kaufman's Coinmagic
The Dai Vernon Book of Magic
Stars of Magic
John Carney's Carneycopia
The Annotated Magic of Slydini
Magic by Gosh
 
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