I'm a beginner in magic and interested in learning more, so I was wondering if there are any good resources out there that teach you stuff for free? Anything will help! Thanks. 
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- Thread starter The Magic E
- Start date
Welcome to the forums.
It is not my intention to sound rude or unfriendly. This is my best advice for you.
Find your local public library, go to the 793.8 (Dewey Decimal) section.
There is an entire world - for FREE - that can show you the possibilities and opportunities.
Now, I will allow everyone else to provide you links on YouTube where you will get tutorials on a bunch of random 'stuff'.
It is not my intention to sound rude or unfriendly. This is my best advice for you.
Find your local public library, go to the 793.8 (Dewey Decimal) section.
There is an entire world - for FREE - that can show you the possibilities and opportunities.
Now, I will allow everyone else to provide you links on YouTube where you will get tutorials on a bunch of random 'stuff'.
Just a little friendly reminder that we don't allow exposure on the forum. That includes sharing links to YouTube videos.
Of course, those who want to guide newcomers to legitimate free resources are welcome to.
We have some awesome free tricks in the Marketplace.
Of course, those who want to guide newcomers to legitimate free resources are welcome to.
We have some awesome free tricks in the Marketplace.
I'd either suggest going to the library or investing in a few cheap books. Mark Wilson's Complete Course and Royal Road to Card Magic are great and cheap.
YouTube is hit or miss (I guess they never miss huh?). There are a few people on there who are legitimately good teachers and you can tell they're coming from a good place. But like 99% of it is crap. I'd avoid YouTube for the most part.
Even though you can learn from YouTube, the good stuff is in books.
Plus, I'm assuming you're young so I'll say this from personal experience. If you learn tricks from YouTube, your peers can and will Google it and expose your tricks. This was a good thing for me though because it encouraged me to change my patter and learn new tricks that haven't been revealed online.
YouTube is hit or miss (I guess they never miss huh?). There are a few people on there who are legitimately good teachers and you can tell they're coming from a good place. But like 99% of it is crap. I'd avoid YouTube for the most part.
Even though you can learn from YouTube, the good stuff is in books.
Plus, I'm assuming you're young so I'll say this from personal experience. If you learn tricks from YouTube, your peers can and will Google it and expose your tricks. This was a good thing for me though because it encouraged me to change my patter and learn new tricks that haven't been revealed online.
Russian genius on YouTube 52 cards u can message me here or on fb and iiol shate what I know with u joeskip
Also, spending time at your local I.B.M. or S.A.M. or similar club costs you only some time. If you find value in the time spent you can (should) then make the small investment to join.
A local club provides far more than "how to perform magic".
A local club provides far more than "how to perform magic".
Plenty of good magic advice out there for free.
Plenty of good sleight tutorials out there for free.
Plenty of good ideas out there for free.
ZERO good *magic learning* sources out there for free.
If you want though, I can pm you some mediocre stuff which will amaze your friends till they google it.
If that's okay, I'm game.
Plenty of good sleight tutorials out there for free.
Plenty of good ideas out there for free.
ZERO good *magic learning* sources out there for free.
If you want though, I can pm you some mediocre stuff which will amaze your friends till they google it.
If that's okay, I'm game.
Since when? Just because some "magic learning" sources are old, doesn't mean they're not good.
Harlan Tarbell's Mail order course is available for free at http://magicbunny.co.uk
Free Magic Periodicals are available with a free account at askalexander.org
Periodicals
Conjurer's Monthly Magazine
Conjuror's Magazine [William Locke]
Gibecière Supplementary Material
Goldston's Magical Quarterly
Jinx
Journal of Magic Research
Magic Hands
Magic [Ellis Stanyon]
New Conjurors' Magazine
Seven Circles
Free Magic Books from the The Learned Pig Project are available with a free account at lybrary.com Lots of great stuff.
202 Methods of Forcing by Theo Annemann
A Half Hour of Magic by Sicnarf
A Real Magic Show by Lane
Al Baker Book No. 1 by Al Baker
Al Baker Book No. 2 by Al Baker
Annemann's Buried Treasure by Annemann
Annemann's Card Miracles
Annemann's Full Deck of Impromptu Card Tricks
Annemann's Mental Mysteries
Annemann's Miracles of Card Magic
Annemann's One Man Mental and Psychic Routine
Annual of Magic 1937 by Jean Hugard
Annual of Magic 1938-39 by Jean Hugard
Behind the Scenes with the Mediums by Abbott
Card Manipulations No. 1 by Jean Hugard
Card Manipulations No. 2 by Jean Hugard
Card Manipulations No. 3 by Jean Hugard
Card Manipulations No. 4 by Jean Hugard
Card Manipulations No. 5 by Jean Hugard
Casting New Light on the Stripper Deck by Jean Hugard
Chap's Scrapbook
Coin Magic by Jean Hugard
Conjuring with Cards by Ellis Stanyon
DeLawrence Manuscript by George DeLawrence
Drug Store Magic by Eli B. Johnson
Effective Tricks by Louis F. Christianer
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks by Gravatt/Hugard
Exclusive Problems in Magic by Edward Bagshawe
Fire and Chemical Magic - Second Series by Ellis Stanyon
Frank Lane's Book of Patter
Frank Lane Ideas No. 2
Frozen Alive by Valleau
G and M Magic Course by Grant and Menge
Golden Jubilee Book of Magic by Sphinx/Christopher
Great Handcuff Tricks by Ellis Stanyon
Great Paper and String Tricks - First Series by Ellis Stanyon
Half-a-Dozen Hummers by Bob Hummer
Hand-Book of Magic by Colonel Stodare
Handkerchief Manipulation Act by George Stillwell
Handkerchief Tricks for Boys by Alfred C. Gilbert
Here's How by Lane
Hermann the Magician by H. J. Burlingame
Indian Conjuring by L. H. Branson
Knots and Splices by Alfred C. Gilbert
Latter Day Tricks by Roterberg
Magazine Memorizing by Bernard Zufall
Magic or Conjuring for Amateurs by Ellis Stanyon
Magic for Magicians by Percy Abbott
Magic from A to Z by Arthur Leroy
Magic Handbook by Science and Mechanics
Magic of the Hands by Edward Victor
Magic of Tomorrow by Mole-Medrington-Hammond
Magical Deceptions by Crayford
Magical Notions by Louis F. Christianer
Magical Originalities by Noakes
Making Magic Pay by H. Syril Dusenbery
Mechanical and Electrical Tricks by W. T. McQuade
Mental File Index by Bernard Zufall
Mental Magic with Cards by Jean Hugard
Miracle Methods Number Two by Hugard and Braue
Miracle Methods Number Four by Hugard and Braue
Miracles in Modern Magic by Whiteley
Miscellaneous Tricks and Memory Feats by Ellis Stanyon
Modern Card Effects by DeLawrence/Thompson
Modern Coin Magic by Bobo
Modern Mysteries by G. C. Hines
Money Magic by Jean Hugard
More Card Manipulations 1 by Jean Hugard
More Card Manipulations 2 by Jean Hugard
More Card Manipulations 3 by Jean Hugard
More Card Manipulations 4 by Jean Hugard
More Magical Mysteries by Edward Bagshawe
Natural Magic by Phillip Astley
New Billiard Ball Sleights - First Series by Ellis Stanyon
New Card Tricks by Ellis Stanyon
New Card Tricks - Second Series by Ellis Stanyon
New Coin Tricks by Ellis Stanyon
New Coin Tricks - Second Series by Ellis Stanyon
New Fire and Chemical Tricks - First Series by Ellis Stanyon
New Handkerchief Tricks by Ellis Stanyon
New Miscellaneous Tricks - Second Series by Ellis Stanyon
"One Man" Mind Reading Secrets by Ralph W. Read
Original Explanatory Programmes by Ellis Stanyon
Our Magic by Maskelyne
Our Mysteries by Various
Over the Coffee Cups by Martin Gardner
Paper Magic by Houdini
Paper Magic by Will Blyth
Paul Rosini's Magical Gems by Rufus Steele
Practical Conjuring by James Carl
Practical Mental Effects by Annemann
Practical Mindreading by Atkinson
Prepared Cards and Accessories by Jean Hugard
Problems in Mystery by Max Sterling
Programmes of Famous Magicians by Max Holden
Radio and Nite-Club Mindreading by Larsen-McGill
Sealed Mysteries of Pocket Magic by Jean Hugard
Secrets by U.F. Grant
Si Stebbins Card Tricks by Si Stebbins
Some Modern Conjuring by Donald Holmes
Some New Magic by J. F. Burrows
Sports and Pastimes by F. M.
Spirit Slate Writing by William E. Robinson
Stage Illusions by Will Goldston
Stanyon's New Silent Thought Transmission by Ellis Stanyon
Ten New Pocket Tricks by Charles T. Jordan
The Conjurer's Vade Mecum by J. F. Orrin
The Discoverie of Witchcraft by Reginald Scot (Conjuring chapters only)
The Dramatic Art of Magic by Louis C. Haley
The Expert at the Card Table by Erdnase
The Expositor by Pinchbeck
The Fifty Best Conjuring Tricks by Charles T. Crayford
The Great Mysteries by Oudini
The Magician's Handbook by Selbit
The Novelty Act De-Luxe with Watches and Clocks by Heverly The Great
The Original Tricks of Clement de Lion by Ellis Stanyon
The Sharper Detected and Exposed by Robert-Houdin
The Shower of Sweets by Tom Osborne
They're Off! by Lane/Grant
Three Six Bits by Franklin M. Chapman
Three-to-One Rope Trick by Osborne
Tricks in Magic, Illusions and Mental Phenomena by J.H. Burlingame
Vaudeville Magic by David Lustig
Visible Magic by Verral Wass
Volume Six by Percy Naldrett
Weird Wonders for Wizards by Sidney E. Josolyne
Wrinkles by S. Willson Bailey - Harold A. Osborne
"I see your moving the goal post"
First you wrote this:
When I took it upon myself to correct you, you responded with this.
For a beginner I would recommend
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
Card Manipulations Series
More Card Manipulations Series
Modern Coin Magic
Practical Mental Effects
Harlan Tarbell's Mail Order Course
First you wrote this:
When I took it upon myself to correct you, you responded with this.
For a beginner I would recommend
Encyclopedia of Card Tricks
Card Manipulations Series
More Card Manipulations Series
Modern Coin Magic
Practical Mental Effects
Harlan Tarbell's Mail Order Course
@ID4 - I think most of us were thinking of "free YouTube tutorials" but your response changed the context and, as a result, is very helpful. The free books at Ask Alexander and Learned Pig Project are great resources. I'd add the Jinx to your short list. There is some great material buried in there.
I agree with @ID4 , specifically about Ask Alexander:
It's essentially a giant library of magic resources. Lots of periodicals and magazines in there. My personal favorite is Jinx Magazine. There are over 100 volumes of Jinx on there, a lot of which are great, easy to learn, standalone tricks. Just know that because a lot of stuff on there is old, it does take a little bit to get used to the writing style.
Also, like Antonio said, theirs a ton of great stuff on YouTube, but it's all hidden behind layers and layers of absolute garbage. You'll have to dig around. Once you get the basics down, you can always search for specific techniques you're having trouble with to improve on them (ie. if you learn a move from a book and learn how and where to use it, you can then find a YouTube tutorial to see it more visually and possibly find any flaws in your technique. But if you go straight to YouTube, you won't know what to do with the moves).
Your Local Library might have a ton of stuff, depending on where you live. But make sure you also check out their website, as they'll probably have a ton of great e-books for free. The problem is finding them as "magic" doesn't always yield all results, or it comes back with books with the word "magic" in them.
I honestly think the best bet for you right now is to buy a very cheap book to learn from. It won't set you back too much and is more useful than any standalone trick. Here's a list I made a while back, see if any intrigue you. https://www.theory11.com/forums/threads/cheap-books-for-beginners-list.49213/
If you have any questions feel free to PM me!
It's essentially a giant library of magic resources. Lots of periodicals and magazines in there. My personal favorite is Jinx Magazine. There are over 100 volumes of Jinx on there, a lot of which are great, easy to learn, standalone tricks. Just know that because a lot of stuff on there is old, it does take a little bit to get used to the writing style.
Also, like Antonio said, theirs a ton of great stuff on YouTube, but it's all hidden behind layers and layers of absolute garbage. You'll have to dig around. Once you get the basics down, you can always search for specific techniques you're having trouble with to improve on them (ie. if you learn a move from a book and learn how and where to use it, you can then find a YouTube tutorial to see it more visually and possibly find any flaws in your technique. But if you go straight to YouTube, you won't know what to do with the moves).
Your Local Library might have a ton of stuff, depending on where you live. But make sure you also check out their website, as they'll probably have a ton of great e-books for free. The problem is finding them as "magic" doesn't always yield all results, or it comes back with books with the word "magic" in them.
I honestly think the best bet for you right now is to buy a very cheap book to learn from. It won't set you back too much and is more useful than any standalone trick. Here's a list I made a while back, see if any intrigue you. https://www.theory11.com/forums/threads/cheap-books-for-beginners-list.49213/
If you have any questions feel free to PM me!
Uh...well...I did say that I ate up my own words after your reply?
Welcome to the forums!
First of all, check out your local libraries, as others have suggested.
While you CAN search YouTube for free stuff, you get what you pay for. And that usually comes in the form of people who mean well, but teach bad habits. And then you find out that you learned something improperly, wasted your time, and now have to unlearn bad habits and learn the trick again.
The Lybrary should have some free books available, especially this time of year.
First of all, check out your local libraries, as others have suggested.
While you CAN search YouTube for free stuff, you get what you pay for. And that usually comes in the form of people who mean well, but teach bad habits. And then you find out that you learned something improperly, wasted your time, and now have to unlearn bad habits and learn the trick again.
The Lybrary should have some free books available, especially this time of year.
Watching and learning from YouTube also means that people who don't respect magic and Google to see how things were done are watching the same videos and you never know when one of them pops up during your routine with 'oh I saw that on YouTube. The ace of spades is second from the top' or 'i know how you did that prediction! Lolz' or some other equally asinine comment.
I watched a young street magician, who was doing a great job, get burned by some petty jerk who wanted to show off how clever he was with his awesome Google skills.
Made me feel really bad for the kid.
You can also look online though for Expert at the Card Table by Erdnase and Hocus Pocus Junior, both of which are free through Project Gutenberg, as they are old though to no longer be copyrighted.
Jason Blackstone
I watched a young street magician, who was doing a great job, get burned by some petty jerk who wanted to show off how clever he was with his awesome Google skills.
Made me feel really bad for the kid.
You can also look online though for Expert at the Card Table by Erdnase and Hocus Pocus Junior, both of which are free through Project Gutenberg, as they are old though to no longer be copyrighted.
Jason Blackstone