One Trick Decks

[slicksleights]

Apart from the invisible deck I don't use any tricks decks when I'm working, and saying that I use almost no gimmicks when working close up. This is for a few reasons, one pocket space. I like to have as little on me as possible, I don't like have my pockets full of bits and pieces that I have to fish around for to find. And I would never use a bag walking up to tables, I like to look smart and elegant when working and carrying a bag around spoils that image. Re-set time, I will never do a trick that requires a lot of reset time if its not instant reset then i wouldn't use it. Imagine if your performing for a table and the table next to you sees whats going on and calls you over, but before you can perform you have to re-set? What do you say, sorry give me 10min and I'll be back? You do that you've killed the moment, your performance started the second they called you over. Who's to say they will still be interested in you when you come back to them? The only things i have on me are a couple of utility devices, IT, loops, CTW and thats about it.

 

[Toby]

Apart from the invisible deck I don't use any tricks decks when I'm working, and saying that I use almost no gimmicks when working close up. This is for a few reasons, one pocket space. I like to have as little on me as possible, I don't like have my pockets full of bits and pieces that I have to fish around for to find.

Hmm, are you sure you're a working magician? I hear this "excuse" all the time "I don't want to carry a lot of stuff because I don't want to look for them for ages" or "I don't want to carry more then one trick deck because I don't want to mix them up and grab the wrong one" or "I don't want to fiddle around my pockets to try and find things, it takes time and looks unprofessional". Well let me tell you something, as I said before I always carry 2 decks on me, 90% of the time I carry 3, and then from time to time even 4. Apart from those decks I have regular coins, gimmicked coins, 10 different packet tricks, ring and string routine, billets, mentalism props, sponge bunnies, sharpies, and couple of other bits and pieces. NOT ONCE did I mixed up the decks, or did it took me more then a second to take out a prop I need. I mean it's your own pockets, you must know where you keep every prop. If you need to fiddle and TRY to find a prop, then you either have Alzheimer's or not enough experience or just very poor preparation.
I'm not advertising that you have to carry tons of props like I do, but if I can find everything I need instantly, so can anyone else.

And I would never use a bag walking up to tables, I like to look smart and elegant when working and carrying a bag around spoils that image.

I agree. But I carry all that stuff I mentioned above just in my suit without anything extra, still looking smart. So it's very possible to carry more stuff on you without carrying a bag. Hence the term pocket "management".

Re-set time, I will never do a trick that requires a lot of reset time if its not instant reset then i wouldn't use it. Imagine if your performing for a table and the table next to you sees whats going on and calls you over, but before you can perform you have to re-set? What do you say, sorry give me 10min and I'll be back? You do that you've killed the moment, your performance started the second they called you over. Who's to say they will still be interested in you when you come back to them? The only things i have on me are a couple of utility devices, IT, loops, CTW and thats about it.

I'm sorry, but again, are you sure you're actually working? If you did, you would know that you should never do the same trick twice for two tables right next to each other, or in close proximity. Why? Because of the golden rule of magic "never do the same trick twice for the same audience". This means that if the people saw you do something at another table, by the simple law of physics, it means that the first table will also be able to see everything you do for that other table. So you will be doing the same trick twice for both tables. So if you do a trick that requires a re-set, it doesn't matter because you shouldn't do it at the next table anyways.
And you say you don't want things that require a re-set and/or a set up, but you're using IT and loops which can brake and then you still need to go and re-set.

 

[slicksleights]

It just my opinion that you don't need to burden yourself down with loads of trick decks, and gimmicks to feel prepared for a gig. With a normal deck of cards, a few coins, bit of rope,a sharpie and some IT i have enough material to last a whole gig, and without needing to repeat effects.

Ive been doing magic for 13 years, and when i started out working yes i would take out a lot of stuff with me. But over the years and as I gained more knowledge and experience Ive learned that I don't need all that to be able to perform. Im not saying your wrong in wanting to take all that when you go and perform, all im saying is that i dont have the need for it.

As for your comment about thread and loops and re-setting, your right every now and again it may break, although since i have been using thread for a long time im very used to using it and very very rarely break it. But on the odd occasion that it may break im already hooked up with a spare so i can just carry on, its just simple pre planning.

 

[Toby]

It just my opinion that you don't need to burden yourself down with loads of trick decks, and gimmicks to feel prepared for a gig. With a normal deck of cards, a few coins, bit of rope,a sharpie and some IT i have enough material to last a whole gig, and without needing to repeat effects.

Ive been doing magic for 13 years, and when i started out working yes i would take out a lot of stuff with me. But over the years and as I gained more knowledge and experience Ive learned that I don't need all that to be able to perform. Im not saying your wrong in wanting to take all that when you go and perform, all im saying is that i dont have the need for it.

As for your comment about thread and loops and re-setting, your right every now and again it may break, although since i have been using thread for a long time im very used to using it and very very rarely break it. But on the odd occasion that it may break im already hooked up with a spare so i can just carry on, its just simple pre planning.

The only reason why I carry so much is because my working conditions are a lot more different than a regular gig, so I have a reason for it. But like I said, I'm not advertising that people should do that, but it is possible to pull off.

 

[darkharden]

for me doing tricks with a regular card pack is worthawhile

 

[4ofClubs]

I think a big issue that is in the background of all this is the concept of things being "examinable". Tommy Wonder's ambitious card + ringbox is an amazing trick, not because he is doing anything finger-shattering, but because, as always, he has complete control over the audience's attention. If you watch that on youtube, they "derail" him several times demanding to see the card. But the reality of the situation is that he only leaves them the time to do that when he WANTS (and can) show the face of the card as a convincer. Otherwise, he manages his audience so that they do not even think about "examining" the situation. Of course, TW was an expert at controlling his audience.

The danger of showing things as "examinable" is along the same lines as overproving..."I have in my hands a completely ordinary, standard, not magic at all, deck of cards". I think that the important thing to consider here is how we can subtly demonstrate things rather than inviting/allowing our audiences to demand total scrutiny. If in my first trick, I let an audience member examine the deck, then I am implicitly allowing them to stop me and check things out whenever they want. Building "convincers" into our routining can help avoid some of these problems, at least in my humble opinion and limited experience.

In summary, Trick/Gimmicked Decks good, overproving bad