I'm looking to improve my performances. Drastically. I want to grab people's attention and have complete control of the situation the entire time. Start to finish...
I Need the BEST Bang for My Buck...
- Thread starter mattjones
- Start date
I voted but I am not sure you are going to be able to buy drastically better performances. Can I ask what you are performing now or what you own and use regularly?
--Jim
--Jim
Well, I mostly do card stuff and ACR and 2CM are what I do mostly... I own Stigmata, Crash Course 2, The Trilogy, Sinful, Fraud, and a few others... I'm aware that practice will help, but I'm going to start trying to gain more experience performing for real people, and get my confidence up. I've been into magic since July of 2006.
Bang for buck = books pretty much all the time
The most bang for buck from the items you listed would be 13 steps.
Don't get the Mindfreak book for the effects. Just don't. Please.
David Stones Dvd's are meant for restaurant magic, but you could apply the stuff to other occasions.
You seem to like card magic, but I don't see a card magic product up there. You don't own the bible of card magic. Get the Royal Road to Card Magic. Get that. Study it for a month or two. Slowly take yourself through that book.
Also if you want a great book on card tricks, after you read the Royal Road, Cause and Effect by Paul Gordon is great. But make sure you have the basics down. It requires intermediate card skill.
Also, Maximum Entertainment will help your performances or Strong Magic by David Ortiz.
The most bang for buck from the items you listed would be 13 steps.
Don't get the Mindfreak book for the effects. Just don't. Please.
David Stones Dvd's are meant for restaurant magic, but you could apply the stuff to other occasions.
You seem to like card magic, but I don't see a card magic product up there. You don't own the bible of card magic. Get the Royal Road to Card Magic. Get that. Study it for a month or two. Slowly take yourself through that book.
Also if you want a great book on card tricks, after you read the Royal Road, Cause and Effect by Paul Gordon is great. But make sure you have the basics down. It requires intermediate card skill.
Also, Maximum Entertainment will help your performances or Strong Magic by David Ortiz.
That is some incredibly advanced material you are suggesting for a guy who has been in magic alittle over a year. I would say something more along the lines of Royal Road or Card College at this point would be more appropriate in all honesty.
--Jim
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I'm having trouble finding/making good presentations to enhance my magic. I'm looking to improve my showmanship. A simple trick presented in a powerful way can astound. Would The Real Secrets of Magic be a good choice?
For some reason I was thinking that this thread might have something to do with one of the Buck twins... Oh well... 
Personally, I would go with David Stone, or 13 Steps.
Personally, I would go with David Stone, or 13 Steps.
It depends on what type of magic you like, but when when it comes to showmanship definitely get david stone volume 1 and 2
True. I'm sorry- I should've given more info so you guys would know where I'm coming from. I've been into magic since july of '06. To me, magic is more of a serious hobby than an art or possible carreer choice. I sometimes have trouble performing for others because I'm somewhat of an introvert and I'm trying to change that. I just want to use magic to make it easier to make conversation with strangers. A way to get to know people. I mostly do card magic, but I like all forms of magic and would be interested in braching out. Right now I've got about 10 effects that I find work best for me as far as performing and fitting my style. Speaking of style, I'm still so new I don't have a set style... I mostly improvise what I say in every trick with the exception of a line or two.
I don't own it, but like I said before look in to Maximum Entertainment and Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz. It will give you insight on how to become a better performer.
Matt,
I realize you are not a total beginner but I think some of the bits in this video are for anyone in all honesty. I am not sure if you have even seen it yet but there is some INCREDIBLE advice given in some of these interviews with the T11 guys.
No slight on the other guys but Dan and Lee really had some points that really stuck with me here:
http://www.theory11.com/beginners.php
Check it out and let me know what you think. They may not be telling you anything new but coming from some top pro's out there performing on a daily basis I feel it carries a bit more weight in all honesty.
--Jim
I realize you are not a total beginner but I think some of the bits in this video are for anyone in all honesty. I am not sure if you have even seen it yet but there is some INCREDIBLE advice given in some of these interviews with the T11 guys.
No slight on the other guys but Dan and Lee really had some points that really stuck with me here:
http://www.theory11.com/beginners.php
Check it out and let me know what you think. They may not be telling you anything new but coming from some top pro's out there performing on a daily basis I feel it carries a bit more weight in all honesty.
--Jim
royal road to card magic is a great book for any skill level read it perform then read it again. I'n you're arsenal you already have tricks that would amaze and awe any lay audience so i am going to tell you that you need to sit and think what is your favorit
e trick to perform not what is cool and what gets good reactions find what you like and practice the hell out of it where you never look at your hands and your just interacting with your spectator and build build build every chance you get all you need to do is have THREE tricks that you do better than anyone else and you be there in notime
Yeah, I've seen that video before and I just got done watching it for like the 3rd or 4th time. There is some really good advice in there. There were three pieces of advice that hit me the hardest. I thought what Lee Asher had to say was pretty interesting. "Learn three great pieces of magic and do them better than everyone else." That is good advice. The two other great pieces of advice were 1.) Be yourself. Nobody likes a performer that is trying SO HARD to be someone that he/she is clearly not. And 2.) Do the effects you want to do. Have your own set of tricks that fit your style/personality. Good advice to anyone.
Thanks for posting, Jim.