Fundamental moves

[pressure]

What do you guys consider the basic moves every magician should start to learn?

Here's some of the move that I think it's very important so start with, please add some to the list

-False cut
-Double lift
-Bottom card to top, Top card to bottom

 

[TeeDee]

Are you only talking about card moves? I think everyone who wishes to describe themselves as a magician should learn a false transfer of a coin or other small object, even if they intend to specialise in cards. To my mind, the archetypal magic effect is to make something disappear. It's the one laypeople always joke about with us ("Can you make my bill/my wife/this rain/that drunk guy disappear?"). A false transfer is the simplest and most basic way to achieve a vanish as well as having the potential to be incorporated into a multitude of other effects.

 

[pressure]

Are you only talking about card moves? I think everyone who wishes to describe themselves as a magician should learn a false transfer of a coin or other small object, even if they intend to specialise in cards. To my mind, the archetypal magic effect is to make something disappear. It's the one laypeople always joke about with us ("Can you make my bill/my wife/this rain/that drunk guy disappear?"). A false transfer is the simplest and most basic way to achieve a vanish as well as having the potential to be incorporated into a multitude of other effects.

I am not only talking about card moves, basic moves in general. I totally agree with the vanish effect^

 

[ChrisWiens]

I agree with TeeDee. Probably the most fundamental effects are vanishes and productions. And therefore any move to achieve these effects is a move a magician should know. There are hundreds of variations. So I don`t want to be specific here.
But Palming I think is something that is useful in any form of close-up with physical objects (Coins, Cards, Balls, <insertprophere>).

 

[krab]

Above all else timing.
The version of the french drop that Vernon teaches in The Magic of Dai Vernon. Also a great effect to learn a ton of great basics is the Cups and Balls. You learn palms steals vanishes misdirection audience management timing.

 

[LarryX]

In terms of card magic, I would go with:

Really fundamental moves:
-Card Force
-Palming

And for really versatile controls:
-Cull
-Key Card (utility)
-a double lift/false deal
-Pass
-Cardini Change (I personally really like this control/change)

 

[WyattSB]

I'd like to add in the peek, whether its a card or billet, way less obvious than almost any force with an equal amount of possibilities.

 

[Randy]

The Art of flying under the radar. If you fool people into believing you are clumsy, then you can use that to your advantage when performing (Passes, Palms, Steals, loads. etc) and they will have no idea how you were able to do anything.

 

[12234]

It's not a move but misdirection is for sure one the most important things in magic

But also a move I use all the time mercury card fold I think is a great move every card magician should know

 

[magicdamadude]

I'll add in my two cents to this post if no one minds. I'll also leave some sources so people can get their learn on!

Coin Magic:
-Thumb Palm
-Finger Palm
-Classic Palm

**These are the fundamental palms in many magicians' opinion. If you can do a great thumb, finger, and classic palm (not necessarily in that order), then you will already be a huge step ahead of many magicians out there who do coin magic. After learning these three, its great to branch out to other sleights and subtleties. Learning these three first just provides a fantastic foundation for a knowledge in coin magic.**
DISCLAIMER: I'm not talking directly about any magicians here that do coin magic. Many magicians can do amazing coin magic. I can't even do my classic palm to a point where I am comfortable. I just believe that in general, students beginning in coin magic do not start with a good basis.

Good Reads in Coin Magic!
-David Roth's Expert Coin Magic
-J.B. Bobo's Modern Coin Magic

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Card Magic (that hasn't already been mentioned):
-Hindu Shuffle and Force
-Any practical control of a card or multiple cards
-Marlo's Tilt

**Learning how to correctly hold a deck of cards is also a great thing to know. I didn't learn the exact correct way of holding a deck until 2 years into doing magic. Learning to feel comfortable with a pack in your hands is key, regardless of your style, if it be smooth and elegant, or clumsy and messy.**

Good Reads in Card Magic!
-Hugard and Braue's Royal Road to Card Magic
-Roberto Giobbi's Card College Series

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These theories and ideas about magic may not be something that a lot of beginners really think about (I sure didn't), but now that I've really started to read a lot more than I used to, these are some of the things I think about a lot nowadays in regards to my magic:

-Misdirection
**When I say this, I don't just mean "Hey, look over there!". I mean this down to tiny details. My fellow psychology aficionados out there will understand this greatly. This is down to your body language, eye contact, and much more. There is a lot more to magic than some may realize. When you break it down and you listen to the greats in magic talk, you realize there is a lot more than meets the eye.**

-Tension
**This is big for me. This is based heavily on how you portray yourself to your audience. I won't get into too much detail, but tension is a huge factor on how your audience receives the effect.**

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There are a lot more things out there we still haven't mentioned, but that's what comes to mind when I think about it.