theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

Remembering Tricks

nivek yeh

nivek yeh

Sep 9, 2007
14
0
South San Francisco
I dont know about you but over time i seem to forget about tricks so i started to write them down and keeping em in the wallet etc.

And i was just wondering what you guys do? if you guys do do that..
 
a while back i found this old chunky leather note book. it looks so....vintage. i keep all of the names of tricks in that book and the methods to my creations. for the tricks that wernt created by me, i just put little key point on the method of the trick. although ur idea is pretty gud to.

-M.
 
.Molawin said:
a while back i found this old chunky leather note book. it looks so....vintage. i keep all of the names of tricks in that book and the methods to my creations. for the tricks that wernt created by me, i just put little key point on the method of the trick. although ur idea is pretty gud to.

-M.
Click to expand...

Mm. Thats cool. Im just wondering because i really want a real on the go typa thing.

I use to have a sidekick and took notes on it. it was perfect. Till it broke -.-
 
well what i used to do was, i had these little square pieces of paper. u can probably get them from office supply stores.i wrote all the names of the tricks that i knew and just kept that paper in my pocket. whenever i wanted to do a trick but cudnt remeber wat i was gna do, i just look at the paper and look at the name of a trick and the method usually comes back to me. also, try and practice every single trick, sleight, control that u knw.practice them all on a regualr basis.

-M.
 
I keep a list of names of tricks in my room. Next to each name is a symbol. + means completely impromptu, - means minor set up required, and * means you need a completely different deck.
 
I had the exact same problem a while back. I did not find a good solution to it however.

After a while I realize that if you actually need to think about what effects to do most likely means you haven't practice or perform those effects frequent enough to be able to perform them smoothly for a spectator.

It is like playing sport or a music instrument, if you actually have to think about what to do, most likely you will not be able to perform the task to the best of your abilities.

With magic, you get one chance, and one chance only, little flash here and there ruines the effect and your image forever. There are no do overs. You will always have to learn how to transition form situations like those, but that's for a completely different topic.

So when all in doubt, don't perform until you are sure you're ready. Over time, you will be able to remember more and more effects to perform with out a real time aid. Practice, practice, practice.
 
nayost said:
I had the exact same problem a while back. I did not find a good solution to it however.

After a while I realize that if you actually need to think about what effects to do most likely means you haven't practice or perform those effects frequent enough to be able to perform them smoothly for a spectator.

It is like playing sport or a music instrument, if you actually have to think about what to do, most likely you will not be able to perform the task to the best of your abilities.

With magic, you get one chance, and one chance only, little flash here and there ruines the effect and your image forever. There are no do overs. You will always have to learn how to transition form situations like those, but that's for a completely different topic.

So when all in doubt, don't perform until you are sure you're ready. Over time, you will be able to remember more and more effects to perform with out a real time aid. Practice, practice, practice.
Click to expand...


I know but i seem to forget tricks i dont practice anymore because ive got it down. you know? like Search and Destroy by Aaron fisher. You barely need to practice but i forget i even use it.

Its like i usually practice the tricks im having alot of trouble with then move on.
and then i forget about them sometimes. so if i have a list i can keep practicing it so i wont forget.
 
Well, in that case... I do have a small black notebook I usually carry around with me. Listing all the effects I know in categories.

I usually review them right before I meet my potential prospects. I carry a messenger bag at all times so the small notebook is not a bid deal. I also use that to write down different routines/effect ideas. Along with lessons learned from not so successful performances.

Hope this helps.
 
I have a word document I'm constantly updating. The first page is all the tricks I'm currently performing. They're broken up into the categories: Cards, Other, and Set-Up/Situational. This list is my current performing repertoire. Anything in italics on the list means it requires a gimmick, otherwise it's impromptu.

On the second page of the document is a list titled "Reserve." On this list I put effects down I've performed in the past but haven't been using lately, don't use often enough to consider them part of my regular repertoire, or effects I'm just playing with but have yet to decide if they're going to be something I want to keep.

The pages below those two have a couple scripts or notes on some of the effects, alphabetized.

I think it's really important to keep your effects organized. It helps you look at your magic as a whole and can really help you in deciding where you want to go, where your repertoire is weak, and how your magic might be perceived by others. It also helps give you a "big picture" on your magic--do you notice you need more opening effects? Impromptu material? Too many transpositions? Etc.. I bugged a magic friend of mine to make a list for over a year and he never did it. One day he called me up and said he'd done it and told me how much it helped him focus his repertoire and how he wished he'd done it a long time ago. So if you haven't done it yet, DO IT! :)

Also, it's really help me cut down on what effects I want to perform and really focus on a select list. Over the past two years I've noticed my list has gotten smaller and smaller, and I'm really proud of that. I remember reading or listening to an interview with Eugene Burger saying he used to perform 40 effects and he now had it down to 29. He said, "If I can get it down to 20 effects I think I can be a real star." Great advice.
 
To an extent I agree that if you practice them enough, you don't forget them, but I don't think the OP meant forgetting how to do it, I think he meant forgetting his repetoire. Often times you perform your newer stuff more and forget some old gem. Then you get bored, and there's a great "oh yeah!" factor when remebering an old trick.

I suffer from the same affliction. Here's my personal system.

Since I keep all my magic supplies in my room, I have a list there with all the things I'm comfortable performing. Before go out I'll pick one at random and then pair it with tricks that are good lead-ins or use the same props. I solo dry run through the patter, the prep and potential ins as I get ready.

For me, it's part of my getting dressed ritual.

The nice thing is this keeps you rotating, and you only need to remember 3 or 4 of yor repetoire at a time. Undoubtably, you'll remember more, but it's nice to have a fet preset fallbacks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.