How do you go about practicing. Like say I wanna buy the Card College volumes and work through them, or work on a pass etc. How do you practice? Like do you just put a timer on, so you know you get the most out of your time? or do reps of each? Im sure everyone's different, and I hope this isn't a dumb question, I've always pretty much winged it.
Practice
- Thread starter Jdb1d
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It’s a good question, I’m a novice still but here are some links with good free advice I've used…
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-tricks/articles/how-to-practice-magic-tricks/
www.michaelvincentmagic.com
cardmagicbyjason.com
There are other blog type posts from well known performers too, I just listed a few I like, your mileage may vary. I really like Michael Vincent’s take on wanting to practice and the stages he goes thru. I personally have been following something close to his structure in that link. I think he has a great mindset about this stuff. I like Ladanye’s advice for setting up an area to practice, Giobbi has similar advice…McBride too…I might be mixing up the source but one of those guys puts pictures of faces in his practice area so he gets used to making eye contact with the audience.
I start with learning the mechanics of a trick or routine from point A to B. I usually don’t just practice a move without putting it in context, intent matters. I will break things down to manageable portions though.
Once I get thru the mechanics of it then I start to develop a script and the finer logistics; my posture and motions… blocking for myself and props (cards coins etc), so does contingency plans for areas that can mess up get addressed too….I’ve been trying to minimize these areas lately but they still exist.
Then I apply what I’m practicing to a participant (perform), note any adjustments needed… wash rinse repeat.
I think that’s the part I needed to just do to advance…Perform! Mr. Vincent’s point on this I think is really great. My cut and restored string changed quite a bit after a just a few performances. The subtleties I missed during the first rounds of practice have been incorporated into the following rehearsals. Now I’m getting better interactions and reactions with that trick since I addressed the issues that cropped up in people minds when I first started performing it.
Card College has good advice strewn throughout the volumes, Giobbi has good practice advice I think that can be applied to not just cards.
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-tricks/articles/how-to-practice-magic-tricks/
Practice vs Rehearsal vs Performance - Michael Vincent Magic
This is an interesting topic. The title alone communicates a lot. Three different contexts and yet they sound the same, However, they each mean three different things. Practice This is all about learning, collecting information, testing, refining and adjusting. This can take months of study and...
www.michaelvincentmagic.com
Tips on Practicing from Jason Ladanye
Jason Ladanye explains how he practices more efficiently. Learn how to manage your practice and make it more fun.
cardmagicbyjason.com
There are other blog type posts from well known performers too, I just listed a few I like, your mileage may vary. I really like Michael Vincent’s take on wanting to practice and the stages he goes thru. I personally have been following something close to his structure in that link. I think he has a great mindset about this stuff. I like Ladanye’s advice for setting up an area to practice, Giobbi has similar advice…McBride too…I might be mixing up the source but one of those guys puts pictures of faces in his practice area so he gets used to making eye contact with the audience.
I start with learning the mechanics of a trick or routine from point A to B. I usually don’t just practice a move without putting it in context, intent matters. I will break things down to manageable portions though.
Once I get thru the mechanics of it then I start to develop a script and the finer logistics; my posture and motions… blocking for myself and props (cards coins etc), so does contingency plans for areas that can mess up get addressed too….I’ve been trying to minimize these areas lately but they still exist.
Then I apply what I’m practicing to a participant (perform), note any adjustments needed… wash rinse repeat.
I think that’s the part I needed to just do to advance…Perform! Mr. Vincent’s point on this I think is really great. My cut and restored string changed quite a bit after a just a few performances. The subtleties I missed during the first rounds of practice have been incorporated into the following rehearsals. Now I’m getting better interactions and reactions with that trick since I addressed the issues that cropped up in people minds when I first started performing it.
Card College has good advice strewn throughout the volumes, Giobbi has good practice advice I think that can be applied to not just cards.
It’s a good question, I’m a novice still but here are some links with good free advice I've used…
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-tricks/articles/how-to-practice-magic-tricks/
Practice vs Rehearsal vs Performance - Michael Vincent Magic
This is an interesting topic. The title alone communicates a lot. Three different contexts and yet they sound the same, However, they each mean three different things. Practice This is all about learning, collecting information, testing, refining and adjusting. This can take months of study and...Tips on Practicing from Jason Ladanye
Jason Ladanye explains how he practices more efficiently. Learn how to manage your practice and make it more fun.
There are other blog type posts from well known performers too, I just listed a few I like, your mileage may vary. I really like Michael Vincent’s take on wanting to practice and the stages he goes thru. I personally have been following something close to his structure in that link. I think he has a great mindset about this stuff. I like Ladanye’s advice for setting up an area to practice, Giobbi has similar advice…McBride too…I might be mixing up the source but one of those guys puts pictures of faces in his practice area so he gets used to making eye contact with the audience.
I start with learning the mechanics of a trick or routine from point A to B. I usually don’t just practice a move without putting it in context, intent matters. I will break things down to manageable portions though.
Once I get thru the mechanics of it then I start to develop a script and the finer logistics; my posture and motions… blocking for myself and props (cards coins etc), so does contingency plans for areas that can mess up get addressed too….I’ve been trying to minimize these areas lately but they still exist.
Then I apply what I’m practicing to a participant (perform), note any adjustments needed… wash rinse repeat.
I think that’s the part I needed to just do to advance…Perform! Mr. Vincent’s point on this I think is really great. My cut and restored string changed quite a bit after a just a few performances. The subtleties I missed during the first rounds of practice have been incorporated into the following rehearsals. Now I’m getting better interactions and reactions with that trick since I addressed the issues that cropped up in people minds when I first started performing it.
Card College has good advice strewn throughout the volumes, Giobbi has good practice advice I think that can be applied to not just cards.
Is that you performing on that Instagram link??
Yeah, but that’s mostly not what I perform in person. I mostly quit posting Instagram stuff because the short form format isn’t what I like or am mostly learning. Some of the coin stuff is the exception. But what people like in person is different than 30 second bits that I do on Instagram, for instance Ive been getting some mileage out of a Haunted Key routine this month🤣
Whatever gets me to practice more is what I do.
I try to keep a place on the table for a mat.
I use a little lotion (O'Keefe's working hands is good for cards among other options) to make things easier and this also makes practice more enjoyable.
Have fresh decks available as worn-out decks can also make things more difficult. If you are having trouble with something, try a new deck and see if it makes a difference. Though some things need the deck to be broken in a bit as well. The point is that sometimes the problem really is the deck and not you! And not all cards are the same! Try different decks and brands etc. For example, Bees and Bicycles handle differently in a number of ways.
Beyond that I just practice as much as I can get motivated to, though sometimes you do have to take a break and give your hands a rest. I've actually managed to sprain something practicing and my hand was out of commission for a while.
I like to have 1 thing I mainly practice, a secondary thing for when I get tired of that and a third thing I get to sometimes when I really want something different to do.
Let us know what you're working on, we can offer useful advice. Card College is definitely the best place to go, but a few of the things in there are a bit non-standard so it's helpful to check in and see what others think. I'm thinking bottom deal here but more to the point, just let us know how it's going.
I try to keep a place on the table for a mat.
I use a little lotion (O'Keefe's working hands is good for cards among other options) to make things easier and this also makes practice more enjoyable.
Have fresh decks available as worn-out decks can also make things more difficult. If you are having trouble with something, try a new deck and see if it makes a difference. Though some things need the deck to be broken in a bit as well. The point is that sometimes the problem really is the deck and not you! And not all cards are the same! Try different decks and brands etc. For example, Bees and Bicycles handle differently in a number of ways.
Beyond that I just practice as much as I can get motivated to, though sometimes you do have to take a break and give your hands a rest. I've actually managed to sprain something practicing and my hand was out of commission for a while.
I like to have 1 thing I mainly practice, a secondary thing for when I get tired of that and a third thing I get to sometimes when I really want something different to do.
Let us know what you're working on, we can offer useful advice. Card College is definitely the best place to go, but a few of the things in there are a bit non-standard so it's helpful to check in and see what others think. I'm thinking bottom deal here but more to the point, just let us know how it's going.
I appreciate the kind words! Sometimes there is a gap though between being entertaining to general audiences and what hobbyists and magicians like to do or watch... My performances on Instagram leaned more towards things for me and maybe things other hobbyists/performers would like.
I think that you start by walking through the motions of each sleight slowly and then doing each phase of an effect separately. Then pick up speed and put the pieces together. Once you get the effect down, rehearse by saying what you intend to say and going through the whole effect without stopping. Then, start other sleights and effects while every so often going back to the earlier effects that you have learned. After a while, you will be able to go through several effects together.
Practice when you want to for as long as you want to. Beyond that, you will likely burn out because it stops being fun.
Practice when you want to for as long as you want to. Beyond that, you will likely burn out because it stops being fun.
That's how I do it, too. Get the physical movements down individually, work on them in a streamlined fashion, work on doing them with words, then continue to run through the entire thing until everything flows naturally without ever having to pause to think about what you need to do next.
The key to a seemingly improvised, natural performance is rehearsing until the script and movements become muscle memory. A reference I use is that I will, occasionally, perform a sleight without thinking to the point that I am not actually sure I did it until I check.
The key to a seemingly improvised, natural performance is rehearsing until the script and movements become muscle memory. A reference I use is that I will, occasionally, perform a sleight without thinking to the point that I am not actually sure I did it until I check.