Beginner - Should I focus on one discipline?

Sep 18, 2017
62
22
So.. I am a beginner currently learning card magic using RRTCM and Card College! Really enjoying it and moving slowly through it.

I find that when performing(at the moment only in the mirror or to family) I feel that card trick after card trick is a bit dull and so I have started exploring coin magic (Basic coin vanishes, matrix etc) and spongeballs / cups and balls.

I wanted to know your opinion as to whether I should rather stick only to card magic and once I have that down, then move onto coins? Or is it Ok to learn multiple disciplines at the same time? Does one distract or affect muscle memory and take away from the other?

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
Oct 20, 2017
5
2
25
Belgium
I am no expert in coin magic, i myself only do cardmagic but want to start doing coin magic. We all began with magic because we find it fun, so keep it that way. if you want to do coin magic to switch it up go ahead, its not that you will b terrible with cards suddenly.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
I'm a believer in variety. I actually find a full set of card tricks, even by the masters, to be boring (with some exceptions like Dani DaOrtiz).

Get a copy of Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic. It has lots of variety - coins, bills, rope, sponge balls, etc (just don't point at the hand that doesn't have the coin or ball). For coins, get Eric Jones's Metal. It is a great starting point along with a copy of Bobo's Modern Coin Magic.
 
Jan 26, 2017
2,173
1,338
23
Virginia
Variety is the spice is life. This is true for your performances too (to an extent). Think about it, would you rather watch 10 similar card tricks, or a routine with a mental trick, a couple card tricks, And a coin trick.
 
Sep 18, 2017
62
22
I agree with all of you. I am just worried that If I don't commit to practicing just cards, then I will be taking on too much? Kinda like either Jack of all trades, master of none. Doing average magic of all types instead of really good of one type.

I am more asking about whether it is doable to work on multiple types etc...
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
The actual saying is,

Jack of all trades, master of none,
though oftentimes better than master of one.


It really comes down to your learning style and capabilities.
Personally, I focused on cards for about 2.5 years because that was all that interested me. To this day I haven't learned most "classic" magic, and now I focus on so much psychologically based work that very little of it even suits me.

Learn what you enjoy learning. Perform the stuff you can turn into art. Don't worry about other people's opinions.

Though as a caveat, it can be very good to at least peruse other genres of magic than your main focus, as you can often find little bits here and there that you can apply to what you enjoy doing in unusual ways that no one else is doing. Some of my best routines came from this practice.
 
Dai Vernon once said, ".....take one thing and do it better than any one else!" (Exact words unknown, but I think I'm pretty close).

Personally I believe this to be true. However, you must find that "one thing" first. As a beginner, I encourage you to study a PLETHORA of material!!! When I started out, I did card, coins, cups and balls, sponge, some IT work, etc. Then after a little while, I began to focus on what I truly liked.

While starting out, please, please, PLEASE try everything! I feel so disheartened when I hear beginners tell me, "I'm a card guy." But they've only been practicing for less than two years!

Coin magic, cups and balls, etc is very fun. You just have to find the material that attracts you. Patience is key. You may have to go through several books/DVDs before you find something that really clicks with you. Do not get discouraged! Magic is a journey.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
I am more asking about whether it is doable to work on multiple types etc...

I probably have studied and perform a larger variety of magic than most of the magicians on these forums. So, I can tell you that it is possible.

I read a lot of magic books so that I know and understand a lot of the methods and principles. However, I only put the time into learning the effects that I'm going to perform.

As a result, my performances have a variety of effects using a variety of props.

While starting out, please, please, PLEASE try everything!

That is the best advice. You might be surprised what you like.
 
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WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
To add to that - Circle back to things occasionally. Stuff I thought was super boring when I first started, has occasionally come back to be interesting to me later.
 

Josh Burch

Elite Member
Aug 11, 2011
2,966
1,101
Utah
I'm constantly trying new things all of your knowledge will help you out.

I think specialization is important, but I believe it takes years to specialize. Years of study.
 

Josh Burch

Elite Member
Aug 11, 2011
2,966
1,101
Utah
On card tricks.

There is an idea that all card tricks ask you to pick a card and the magician finds it. If that is what you are doing you have a lot ahead of you, and it's no wonder that you are bored. There is much, much, much more out there.

Experiment with every thing
 
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Aug 31, 2007
689
12
33
Lacey,Washington
There is no problem sticking to Card Magic, lots of performers can make money or be happy with it as a hobby with just a pack of cards. Jon Armstrong appeared to be strictly cards for a while and the last few years he's gone into the stand up realm and has seemed to expand his repertoire past cards for his stand-up/cruise acts.

Do you want to do stage, parlor, or close-up magic?
How are you going to make those routines play for the sizes you want"
What is your short term goal? And what is your long term goal?

The best thing to do is to make your big long term goal and work backwards from there.


Here is the thing, if you get bored with just card tricks, your audience will tell that. Do you and your audience a favor and learn some other routines without cards. I am mainly a card guy (most are), I've expanded my act with a plethora of props and such. And I've been very happy with that result. Don't be ashamed of being a general practitioner and exploring. You might find you switch to something completely different just for the love of it.

Like RealityOne, I have purchased a lot of books based on gambling, pyshcics, mentalism, hypnosis, coins, just to learn all about the methods out of curiosity and the love to learn. But reach down deep and try a few out from each and see if it's for you.
 
Sep 18, 2017
62
22
Thanks everyone for the advice.
I am not bored by card tricks, and I am very much working through a variety of effects - not just picking a card and finding their card.... but... I am thinking that for a nice full routine, I should include other aspects like Coins, sponge balls etc.

So I have just ordered Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic as my starting point. I also ordered Bobos Coin magic since it was so cheap, so now I will have RRTCM, Card College and those, which I think will be a good start to get a good all round idea of the different disciplines, and then I can decide which direction to go in. I think I will probably land up being more of a card guy as I really enjoy it. But coins intrigue me.. I am just afraid of coins.. seem so much harder than cards... but I will begin the journey and see..

Thanks again to everyone for their responses! Such a great helpful community!
 
Oct 29, 2017
52
12
43
Norway
do you have a good changeover from Cards to coins ? or coins to cards?

it looks alot more professional if you can make it flow naturally into eachothers with a good vanish and production
 
Sep 18, 2017
62
22
I don't at the moment... 'but will look out for one and work on that. First need to get some skills and basic coin routine going...

Great idea though!
 
Oct 29, 2017
52
12
43
Norway
J.b Bobo is a Excellent start...LOTS of great stuff there that will get you started, but very few changeovers...these you have to invent yourself.

also if you want to get into coin magic, get coins of different sizes and experiment until you find the size you feel comfortable with palming, rolling, etc etc with.
 
Oct 19, 2015
317
220
Like doing card tricks some require little practice (self working) others require tons of work to get stage ready. Coins also have some that are 'self working' and other that require lots of practice to get correct. Sponge Balls do require practice to get down for a performance, but sponge balls, coin magic, and card handling all require similar techniques, to doing all of these builds on skills that are needed for all. (e.g , hand dexterity and strength, timing, and a creative story are all part of these types of magic.) Other tricks that are easy to add, cups and balls, Chop Cup, and Rope tricks....many routines can be developed fairly quickly of course in time, you can move each of these into more complicated routines that do take lots of practice to get them ready for a show.....
 
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