Getting started in mentalism

ChaseC6 · Mar 28, 2020

I have been in magic for a couple of years. However recently I have been interested in mentalism. Does anyone have suggestions for mentalism material or any tips for getting started.

Liderc · Mar 28, 2020

Depends on what kind of Mentalism you want to do, are you looking for effects, or do you want theory, or do you want principles/methods etc

ChaseC6 · Mar 28, 2020

I have read books like Prism, practical mental effects, 13 steps etc. and have picked up a good bit of theory. I'm looking more for effects. My style is more classical like Dan White, Oz Pearlman, and the like.

Liderc · Mar 28, 2020

once you have certain... "tools" and "techniques" you can pretty much do anything, because you can apply them and combined them

I would recommend the "Acidus Novus" as a peek to learn and work, also Peek Performances and Peek Encores by Richard Busch is a quality source for various "peeks"

I would also recommend Bob Cassidy who has some high-quality work in routines and "theory", also Richard Osterland has a wide range of quality work as well

if you are looking for more routines or "effects" to do, anything in particular? are you working with cards? more PSI? are you looking for Mind reading, Predictions, stage, walk around?

MohanaMisra · Mar 28, 2020

It sounds like you've already got 'started' per se. Well, pick up Tricks Of The Mind by Derren Brown.

ChaseC6 · Mar 28, 2020

Thanks guys I will definitely check those out

Liderc · Mar 28, 2020

there is a lot of.. outdated material out there... and also a lot of "modern" material that is overpriced and just redoing "older" principles/methods

it really depends on what kind you want to perform, and what you are willing to "sacrifice" to get there... meaning: understanding what you need to use that is visible and invisible to achieve your desired result

ShenkermanDavid · Mar 28, 2020

Get the Artful Mentalism of Bob Cassidy Volume 2: Fundamentals. Don’t let the title throw you off, it’s the fundamentals of PROFESSIONAL mentalism. Not only does it teach powerful effects, but it’s teachings are essential to the mentalist. It even has a list (the thirty nine steps) of books that cover everything you will ever need.

ChaseC6 · Mar 29, 2020

Thanks a lot for the help. I will definitely check it out, heard it was really good.

ChaseC6 · Mar 29, 2020

ShenkermanDavid said:
Get the Artful Mentalism of Bob Cassidy Volume 2: Fundamentals. Don’t let the title throw you off, it’s the fundamentals of PROFESSIONAL mentalism. Not only does it teach powerful effects, but it’s teachings are essential to the mentalist. It even has a list (the thirty nine steps) of books that cover everything you will ever need.

I have been looking for this book but it is no longer avaliable on Penguin magic. Do you know where else I could find it.

Liderc · Mar 29, 2020

ChaseC6 said:
I have been looking for this book but it is no longer avaliable on Penguin magic. Do you know where else I could find it.

http://marketplaceofthemind.com/products/artfment2/

ChaseC6 · Mar 29, 2020

Is this website reliable?

Liderc · Mar 29, 2020

yeah, I believe him and Bob were friends before Bob died

ChaseC6 · Mar 29, 2020

Thanks again. Will definitely check it out

ChaseC6 · Mar 30, 2020

MohanaMisra said:
It sounds like you've already got 'started' per se. Well, pick up Tricks Of The Mind by Derren Brown.

Does this book actually teach any secrets ?

RealityOne · Mar 30, 2020

Liderc said:
http://marketplaceofthemind.com/products/artfment2/

I've actually been looking to pick up a copy of the book. Thanks for the link.

MohanaMisra · Mar 31, 2020

ChaseC6 said:
Does this book actually teach any secrets ?

It explicitly teaches the METHOD to 2 magic tricks.

It also explicitly teaches the METHOD to cold reading.

It ALSO teaches explicitly the METHOD to hypnotise people.

The book explicitly teaches the METHOD to retain information for much, much longer. Even if you don't use it to do magic (you could) you can still apply it to other spheres of your life. I'm pretty sure you don't ONLY perform magic (?).

But the book's importance is implicit. It teaches how to make a coin vanish, but the book's advice will take it from 0 to insanely good. The book teaches about the mentality one needs to have to perform, and to perform well.

In short, remember this :- I myself, and many other people, gauge a magician's ''coolness'' or ''charmingness'' or ''market value'' by how well they can hold people's attention and appeal to them WITHOUT magic. If somebody is amazing when doing magic, but you take away their cards and coins and sponge balls and ropes for them, and then they are reduced to uninteresting, boring people tiring to have conversations with, such people are not good enough performing magicians for me. This book will teach you how to retain the 'power' even without constantly asking your friends to pick a card. This book is gold (even more valuable than another book written by Derren, the Confessions of a Conjuror, in my opinion).

ChaseC6 · Mar 31, 2020

Sounds like a great book. I think I'll pick that and fundamentals up.

MohanaMisra · Mar 31, 2020

So

MohanaMisra said:
It explicitly teaches the METHOD to 2 magic tricks.

It also explicitly teaches the METHOD to cold reading.

It ALSO teaches explicitly the METHOD to hypnotise people.

The book explicitly teaches the METHOD to retain information for much, much longer. Even if you don't use it to do magic (you could) you can still apply it to other spheres of your life. I'm pretty sure you don't ONLY perform magic (?).

But the book's importance is implicit. It teaches how to make a coin vanish, but the book's advice will take it from 0 to insanely good. The book teaches about the mentality one needs to have to perform, and to perform well.

In short, remember this :- I myself, and many other people, gauge a magician's ''coolness'' or ''charmingness'' or ''market value'' by how well they can hold people's attention and appeal to them WITHOUT magic. If somebody is amazing when doing magic, but you take away their cards and coins and sponge balls and ropes for them, and then they are reduced to uninteresting, boring people tiring to have conversations with, such people are not good enough performing magicians for me. This book will teach you how to retain the 'power' even without constantly asking your friends to pick a card. This book is gold (even more valuable than another book written by Derren, the Confessions of a Conjuror, in my opinion).

Sorry for my grammar there. What's ''charmingness''? It's charm. Me and my...

Idiotness.

Scodischarge · Apr 1, 2020

MohanaMisra said:
It explicitly teaches the METHOD to 2 magic tricks.

It also explicitly teaches the METHOD to cold reading.

It ALSO teaches explicitly the METHOD to hypnotise people.

The book explicitly teaches the METHOD to retain information for much, much longer. Even if you don't use it to do magic (you could) you can still apply it to other spheres of your life. I'm pretty sure you don't ONLY perform magic (?).

But the book's importance is implicit. It teaches how to make a coin vanish, but the book's advice will take it from 0 to insanely good. The book teaches about the mentality one needs to have to perform, and to perform well.

In short, remember this :- I myself, and many other people, gauge a magician's ''coolness'' or ''charmingness'' or ''market value'' by how well they can hold people's attention and appeal to them WITHOUT magic. If somebody is amazing when doing magic, but you take away their cards and coins and sponge balls and ropes for them, and then they are reduced to uninteresting, boring people tiring to have conversations with, such people are not good enough performing magicians for me. This book will teach you how to retain the 'power' even without constantly asking your friends to pick a card. This book is gold (even more valuable than another book written by Derren, the Confessions of a Conjuror, in my opinion).

All right, you've got me convinced, I'm buying. But it's got a heck of a job to live up to the expectations you built