What to buy as beginner

[Hgagnon]

I have been doing magic for 2 and a half months now and I am in the middle of reading royal road. I have used youtube to get tricks but none of them are pleasing. I am curious on what a good beginner magic dvd with sleight of hand tutorials and tricks I should get. Would how to be a magician from ellusionist? I also have been watching Harry Lorayne and I love his style and types of tricks. Should I get his set of 4 dvds called Harry Lorayne's best ever collection? He has awesome tricks in it and tons of sleights. Thanks

How to be a magician http://www.ellusionist.com/how-to-be-a-magician.html

Harry Loraynes dvd http://www.llpub.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2312

 

[DisasterTheory]

It would depend on what type of magic you want to focus on. I'm assuming cards according to your references.

What I would suggest is to stick to books for now and a regular deck of cards. Learn the common sleights (the pass for example), etc. Learn magic with a simple deck of cards and progress from there.

Encyclopedia of Card Tricks is decent for beginners for example. You are actually pretty certain to find some effects in there that can be made pretty astounding with the right presentation.

Once you have mastered a few common sleights and tricks, then move forward. Magic is a skill that takes time, patience and practice. Knowing how something is done, doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to actually do it. For example, if a trick you purchase requires the Herman Pass, or an Elmsley Count...unless you know those sleights, the trick is useless until you do.

 

[Maaz Hasan]

The Royal Road has a huge amount of amazing tricks in it, I don't understand why you wouldn't just use them.

If buying DVDs right off the bat will just end up wasting your money because you wont really know what to perform, when to perform, and how to present it. Work with some of the stuff listed above and with the books. Then you can move into DVDs if you need them. For the most part, DVDs focus on 1 - 5 or sometimes even more tricks in great detail. Make sure you are actually getting something you will use.

If you want a free beginner's DVD, penguin Magic has one with about 12 tricks in it, and I don't think it uses any props.

 

[Hgagnon]

It would depend on what type of magic you want to focus on. I'm assuming cards according to your references.

What I would suggest is to stick to books for now and a regular deck of cards. Learn the common sleights (the pass for example), etc. Learn magic with a simple deck of cards and progress from there.

Encyclopedia of Card Tricks is decent for beginners for example. You are actually pretty certain to find some effects in there that can be made pretty astounding with the right presentation.

Once you have mastered a few common sleights and tricks, then move forward. Magic is a skill that takes time, patience and practice. Knowing how something is done, doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to actually do it. For example, if a trick you purchase requires the Herman Pass, or an Elmsley Count...unless you know those sleights, the trick is useless until you do.

Yes I am interested in card magic. Okay I will check out encyclopedia of card tricks. I have been working on stuff like the pass (don't know herman pass yet) but I will definitely try and master sleights and then go into tricks more. Thabks for the help

 

[Hgagnon]

The Royal Road has a huge amount of amazing tricks in it, I don't understand why you wouldn't just use them.

If buying DVDs right off the bat will just end up wasting your money because you wont really know what to perform, when to perform, and how to present it. Work with some of the stuff listed above and with the books. Then you can move into DVDs if you need them. For the most part, DVDs focus on 1 - 5 or sometimes even more tricks in great detail. Make sure you are actually getting something you will use.

If you want a free beginner's DVD, penguin Magic has one with about 12 tricks in it, and I don't think it uses any props.

Okay thanks for the tips. I just feel like the royal road tricks are a little outdated but i am currently only on the overhand shuffle part 2 so maybe I haven't gotten into the tricks that combine everything. I will totally work with books for now and maybe I havent really tried the tricks enough to get them. I will also look at penguin magics tricks!

 

[DisasterTheory]

One thing to remember is that you never have to do an effect the way it's described in the book. It's all about the way the spectator perceives the trick. As magicians we often find a trick to be mundane or even "too simple" over a period of time of performing it over and over. The thing that makes a simple trick amazing, is how you perform it, how you present it...the setup and patter.

 

[TylerScottIllusionist]

For Card Magic:

• Royal Road to Card Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue (there is also a DVD tutorial of the book by R. Paul Wilson)
• Card College by Robert Giobbi (whatever your budget will allow there is Light and Lighter)

For Mentalism:

• Practical Mental Magic by Anneman
• 13 Steps to Mentalism by Corinda (Richard Osterlind also has a DVD set tutorial of this book)

For Coin Magic:

• Modern Coin Magic by Bobo (DVD tutorial of this book is also available)

For General Magic:

• Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic (DVD is also available)
• Joshua Jay's Complete Course in Magic (DVD comes with the book)
• The Secrets of Magic by Rick Lax
• My First Magic DVD by Gary Darwin (easy, outdated magic but it's all practical stuff)

 

[Hgagnon]

One thing to remember is that you never have to do an effect the way it's described in the book. It's all about the way the spectator perceives the trick. As magicians we often find a trick to be mundane or even "too simple" over a period of time of performing it over and over. The thing that makes a simple trick amazing, is how you perform it, how you present it...the setup and patter.

Wow! Great advice. I never really thought about tricks that way. I guess the entertain is mostly from the commentary not the trick itself. Thank again

 

[Hgagnon]

For Card Magic:

• Royal Road to Card Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue (there is also a DVD tutorial of the book by R. Paul Wilson)
• Card College by Robert Giobbi (whatever your budget will allow there is Light and Lighter)

For Mentalism:

• Practical Mental Magic by Anneman
• 13 Steps to Mentalism by Corinda (Richard Osterlind also has a DVD set tutorial of this book)

For Coin Magic:

• Modern Coin Magic by Bobo (DVD tutorial of this book is also available)

For General Magic:

• Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic (DVD is also available)
• Joshua Jay's Complete Course in Magic (DVD comes with the book)
• The Secrets of Magic by Rick Lax
• My First Magic DVD by Gary Darwin (easy, outdated magic but it's all practical stuff)

Thanks alot I will look into these.

 

[Maaz Hasan]

The Royal Road tricks are not at all outdated. You just need to fit them in with your own personal style.

 

[Hgagnon]

The Royal Road tricks are not at all outdated. You just need to fit them in with your own personal style.

Ok thanks. I will try to find some I like and possibly change them a little!

 

[RyanMagician]

I think a really good DVD for beginners is Born to Perform Card Magic by Oz Pearlman. Oz does a great job teaching. Also I highly recommend the Card College series by Roberto Giobbi. Roberto also put out a DVD series!

 

[Hgagnon]

I think a really good DVD for beginners is Born to Perform Card Magic by Oz Pearlman. Oz does a great job teaching. Also I highly recommend the Card College series by Roberto Giobbi. Roberto also put out a DVD series!

Awesome! I will check out Oz's DVD and the card college series.

 

[eternalredking]

A good set of things for beginning magic, to me, would be to give yourself some variety. Learn a little about coins, a little about cards, a little about mentalism if you like. Try all the flavors, and find what you like.
The royal road is an amazing resource, and if you want some more great ideas, probably check out S. W. Erdnase. The things outlined in his book, The Expert at the Card Table, are a bit more modern than royal road, and are equally useful, especially in gambling demonstrations. Beyond that, I would strongly stress not limiting yourself to just cards, as each style of magic lends itself different skills, the likes of which are absolutely essential for more advanced tricks later on.

 

[Lord Magic]

Get Complete Idiot's Guide to Street Magic by Tom Ogden. That is an underrated piece of gold for beginners and beginner-amateurs.
Modern Road to Coin Magic
and also get Tricks of the Mind by Derren Brown. Not serious secrets there as such, but the simple theory told by Brown in a simple manner should be enlightening.
Incidentally on the link you have given for the ellusionist, 'How to be a magician', isn't that Chris Ramsay on the picture?!?
Also check out Sankey's and Ramsay's AND Asad's channel on You Tube. Great work there...

 

[Hgagnon]

Get Complete Idiot's Guide to Street Magic by Tom Ogden. That is an underrated piece of gold for beginners and beginner-amateurs.
Modern Road to Coin Magic
and also get Tricks of the Mind by Derren Brown. Not serious secrets there as such, but the simple theory told by Brown in a simple manner should be enlightening.
Incidentally on the link you have given for the ellusionist, 'How to be a magician', isn't that Chris Ramsay on the picture?!?
Also check out Sankey's and Ramsay's AND Asad's channel on You Tube. Great work there...

Yea it isn't Ramsay on the picture. He used to work for ellusionist and they still sell one of the things he did with them

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

*IS Ramsay.

Ramsay quit Ellusionist a few months ago to pursue his YouTube channel full time. We parted on good terms and look forward to working with him again in the future. That being said, we still have some of his projects to sell, obviously.

 

[Hgagnon]

*IS Ramsay.

Ramsay quit Ellusionist a few months ago to pursue his YouTube channel full time. We parted on good terms and look forward to working with him again in the future. That being said, we still have some of his projects to sell, obviously.

oops lol mean is not isn't thanks for correct

 

[Lord Magic]

*IS Ramsay.

Ramsay quit Ellusionist a few months ago to pursue his YouTube channel full time. We parted on good terms and look forward to working with him again in the future. That being said, we still have some of his projects to sell, obviously.

Blue mementomori?

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Ha! That wasn't us, that was Murphy's.

We did the red Knights but Ramsay worked on those with the company before he left.