NEW MAGICIAN ALERT

[d_llusionist]

I am 23 years old. I have only been studying for about a months time. I started with card magic because I feel as though it is more intricate. Begin with the more difficult things, then everything else will be easier. I'm based in Temecula , CA. Which by the way has NO other magicians but one it seems so I have no one to practice with. I just want to know what things should I mandatory learn first. I learn very quickly so I've gone to back palming and things of that nature , but am told that's way ahead of where I should be. Because I'm not even able to handle the basics. Please tell me your thoughts folks.

 

[Gabriel Z.]

Can't say it any better than this guy. So here is about the third time I post this video.

Welcome to Theory11

 

[obrienmagic]

I am 23 years old. I have only been studying for about a months time. I started with card magic because I feel as though it is more intricate. Begin with the more difficult things, then everything else will be easier. I'm based in Temecula , CA. Which by the way has NO other magicians but one it seems so I have no one to practice with. I just want to know what things should I mandatory learn first. I learn very quickly so I've gone to back palming and things of that nature , but am told that's way ahead of where I should be. Because I'm not even able to handle the basics. Please tell me your thoughts folks.

If you do not mind an hour or so drive, you are welcome to join the "Monday night Jams in Tustin" or the Wednesday night jams" in Duarte. PM me for the DEETS my man!

 

[Tower of Lunatic Meat]

I am 23 years old. I have only been studying for about a months time. I started with card magic because I feel as though it is more intricate. Begin with the more difficult things, then everything else will be easier. I'm based in Temecula , CA. Which by the way has NO other magicians but one it seems so I have no one to practice with. I just want to know what things should I mandatory learn first. I learn very quickly so I've gone to back palming and things of that nature , but am told that's way ahead of where I should be. Because I'm not even able to handle the basics. Please tell me your thoughts folks.

Let's start with this: what kind of magic interests you?

 

[leumas1960]

You can also learn off of Youtube like I did, which can certainly expand your horizens, but it's just hard not to learn things in a haphazard order, but some suggestions: classic pass, hermann pass, pinky count, block push over. Those are the things you need to be really good at starting off.

 

[Timewise64]

Don't be afraid of sponge balls, when you start out they seem hard, but he basics you learn apply to coins, cards and many other tricks that rely on eye hand coordination, repetition, and knowledge. Also the information is readily available and the sponge balls are inexpensive.

 

[d_llusionist]

Let's start with this: what kind of magic interests you?

I am a very big fan of close up magic. Don't be misconstrue though I want to learn everything. I like to take the statement "Jack of all trades, master of none." and make if "master of all things magic." I believe card magic to be some of my favorite though.

 

[d_llusionist]

You can also learn off of Youtube like I did, which can certainly expand your horizens, but it's just hard not to learn things in a haphazard order, but some suggestions: classic pass, hermann pass, pinky count, block push over. Those are the things you need to be really good at starting off.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that uses Youtube as well at Theory 11 as my primary source of knowledge.

 

[d_llusionist]

Don't be afraid of sponge balls, when you start out they seem hard, but he basics you learn apply to coins, cards and many other tricks that rely on eye hand coordination, repetition, and knowledge. Also the information is readily available and the sponge balls are inexpensive.

See I always treated sponge balls as "childish" and not needed. Now that you tell me to learn it I think I will. Was that the first thing you did ?

 

[d_llusionist]

If you do not mind an hour or so drive, you are welcome to join the "Monday night Jams in Tustin" or the Wednesday night jams" in Duarte. PM me for the DEETS my man!

I would love the opportunity !

 

[d_llusionist]

Can't say it any better than this guy. So here is about the third time I post this video.

Welcome to Theory11

Thank you very much for posting this I am excited to watch it then practice. Thank you again truly.

 

[Nexeriz]

DEFINITELY learn the classic pass. It is a bit of a knack, but once you get it down, you open a door to a lot more things. So many people teach it over the media and there are different variations to it also.

 

[Mr.Book]

Cups and balls, I say again , cups and balls. Even a basic routine will teach you how to manipulate pretty much anything you can hold. In my opinion, it is the most important thing to learn, even if you never perform it.


Book

 

[RealityOne]

You can also learn off of Youtube like I did, which can certainly expand your horizens, but it's just hard not to learn things in a haphazard order, but some suggestions: classic pass, hermann pass, pinky count, block push over. Those are the things you need to be really good at starting off.

Don't learn off Youtube. Most of the technique taught by the popular channels is crap.

You don't need to learn the classic pass. It's like killing a fly with a baseball bat. It might work, but there are simpler ways.

@leumas196 - what effects fo you use the pass for?

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that uses Youtube as well at Theory 11 as my primary source of knowledge.

Not a good source. Get a book or video. Learn from a professional, not an internet hack who exposes magic.

DEFINITELY learn the classic pass. It is a bit of a knack, but once you get it down, you open a door to a lot more things. So many people teach it over the media and there are different variations to it also.

Again, @Nexeriz, what do you use the classic pass for and what doors does it open? It really is a useless move unless you need to reverse a cut. As a control, it is probably one of the least effective.

Cups and balls, I say again , cups and balls. Even a basic routine will teach you how to manipulate pretty much anything you can hold. In my opinion, it is the most important thing to learn, even if you never perform it.

Classics never go out of style.

 

[d_llusionist]

Don't learn off Youtube. Most of the technique taught by the popular channels is crap.

You don't need to learn the classic pass. It's like killing a fly with a baseball bat. It might work, but there are simpler ways.

@leumas196 - what effects fo you use the pass for?



Not a good source. Get a book or video. Learn from a professional, not an internet hack who exposes magic.



Again, @Nexeriz, what do you use the classic pass for and what doors does it open? It really is a useless move unless you need to reverse a cut. As a control, it is probably one of the least effective.



Classics never go out of style.

There is nothing that I enjoy more than brutal honesty thank you sir. What books do you suggest?

 

[leumas1960]

Don't learn off Youtube. Most of the technique taught by the popular channels is crap.

You don't need to learn the classic pass. It's like killing a fly with a baseball bat. It might work, but there are simpler ways.

@leumas196 - what effects fo you use the pass for?



Not a good source. Get a book or video. Learn from a professional, not an internet hack who exposes magic.



Again, @Nexeriz, what do you use the classic pass for and what doors does it open? It really is a useless move unless you need to reverse a cut. As a control, it is probably one of the least effective.



Classics never go out of style.

I entirely disagree with you, and the pass is useful for false cuts, top changes, top vanishes, AND controlling a card, and in my opinion, it's more fun to do, so I think it's good to be able to do a good pass. And what I use it for is usually just a simple trick on it's own (I'm mostly a cardist now) where I show that a cards buried in the deck (face up) tap the deck's end on my hand briefly, and when they see the top card, it's the card I buried.

And as far as Youtube, saying that what most of the channels teach is crap, is really mean to anyone who has good tutorials (and there are excellent Youtube teachers out there). As a general rule of thumb, if they taught poor technique, the moves wouldn't work, and that usually isn't the case. Have you checked out 52kards or disturb reality?

 

[KatarinaJ]

Magic books are the best thing i can suggest, youtube is great but if you want to learn the good stuff, magic books are the way to go. Might i suggest The Expert At The Card Table by S.W.Erdnase and if you want to learn about presentation and showmanship you should read Magic and Showmanship by Henning Nelms. All these books are great and are highly valueble lessons , their great.

 

[RealityOne]

There is nothing that I enjoy more than brutal honesty thank you sir. What books do you suggest?

For card magic, Roberto Giobbi's Card College series. Start with the first two books (if you can't afford all of the series) and Card College Light. If you are on a budget, start with Royal Road to Card Magic, Scarne on Card Tricks, Fulves Foolproof Card Tricks and Expert Card Technique. Later, check out the Art of Astonishment books, any of John Bannon's books and any of John Gustaferro's books.

For general sleight of hand, the best starting place is Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic. For coin, Bobo's Modern Coin Magic.

If you give me examples of the types of effects you like, I can give more specific recommendations.

I entirely disagree with you, and the pass is useful for false cuts, top changes, top vanishes, AND controlling a card, and in my opinion, it's more fun to do, so I think it's good to be able to do a good pass. And what I use it for is usually just a simple trick on it's own (I'm mostly a cardist now) where I show that a cards buried in the deck (face up) tap the deck's end on my hand briefly, and when they see the top card, it's the card I buried.

Actually, false cuts are good for false cuts, a simple top change works for a top change and there are a lot more controls that work in the context of most effects. Your idea that it is more "fun" shows that you don't understand how to construct an effect using the most suitable sleights for the situation so that the audience isn't aware that anything happens. Most passes that I've seen learned off the internet have too much unnatural movement so the audience thinks "something" has happened. If I ever use a pass, it will be in the context of keeping a stack after a spectator makes a cut or some other similar need for moving the packets - not just a single card.

And as far as Youtube, saying that what most of the channels teach is crap, is really mean to anyone who has good tutorials (and there are excellent Youtube teachers out there). As a general rule of thumb, if they taught poor technique, the moves wouldn't work, and that usually isn't the case. Have you checked out 52kards or disturb reality?

Again, you are assuming that the tutorials are good because you probably don't know the difference. I've seen the channels you mention and (besides their presentations using awful say-do-see patter) their technique is usually not the best. Most of the others are copying what they learned incorrectly from those guys. The key is not being able to figure out what they did, but not even knowing that they did something. Their focus is on the "move" without the depth of understanding that is necessary to properly performing the move. Physical dexterity is only a small part of the performance.

Magic books are the best thing i can suggest, youtube is great but if you want to learn the good stuff, magic books are the way to go. Might i suggest The Expert At The Card Table by S.W.Erdnase and if you want to learn about presentation and showmanship you should read Magic and Showmanship by Henning Nelms. All these books are great and are highly valueble lessons , their great.

Expert at the Card Table is difficult to understand without knowing a good amount of background. Most people who recommend it haven't worked through it and can't perform most of the material in it. They just recommend it because others recommend it. If you do work through it, you should have a couple of years of experience and go through it using Darwin Ortiz's Annotated Erdnase.

 

[WolfSage]

Well I was gonna say cups and balls but I guess ol' Mr. Book got here faster haha. I recommend dabbling in cardistry also. It may not be magic but it teaches you dexterity that is paramount in slight of hand and it makes you more familiar with the cards.

 

[Timewise64]

See I always treated sponge balls as "childish" and not needed. Now that you tell me to learn it I think I will. Was that the first thing you did ?

My initial magic was limited to tricks that required limited skills and practice, mainly learning to tell the story, be animated, and entertaining, developing my own style of presentation. (e.g. Cups and Balls, rope tricks like professors nightmare, cut and restored rope, Chinese Sticks, Svengali deck, many simple card tricks that use no gimmicks or slights, etc. etc.). Realize now that my focus is kids shows, although I do perform for adult family members when I have the opportunity. Sponge balls was my first attempt to learn a trick that requires lots of practice to get it right. Like most all tricks what you can do with these is unlimited and kids and adults are amazed when they cannot figure out what you are doing. I am now working on adding more complexity to my routine and mixing it with cups and balls and my chop cup so that all props are used and linked together...like I said it has unlimited potential.

Next I will work on using these techniques with coin magic.....throwing in my PK ring to add some real interesting transitions....

Good luck, magic is like learning to paint, it never stops and you can add color and depth at any time....!