The perfect routine

Feb 24, 2013
26
0
England
I've often asked myself what the "perfect routine" is and I think it's a question that changes by circumstance. For example, someone's mentalism routine would be different to their card magic routine. I'd like theory11 forum members to post what they think is the best routine for a certain type of magic. At the top please write what type of magic your posting about (just five tricks please). Here's my personal opinion: (There aren't necessarily the best tricks just ones that flow together well.

Card magic routine:

Victoria (Zach Mueller is a genius)
Smash (Hugo Luccioni)
Regeneration (Blake Vogt)
Marbles (Once again Zach Mueller is a genius)
Distortion (Wayne Houchin)

or alternatively...

Mentalism routine

Fate (Geriant Clarke)
Psycho (Spidey is awesome)
Out of my mind (Spidey is awesome)
Sneak peak (Spidey is awesome)
Celebrity match (I hope you've already realised, Spidey is awesome!)

Go on, get posting!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Spidey_magic

Elite Member
Mar 5, 2008
19
1
LOL wow, thanks so much for including me in 4 of your 5 favourite routines :D I hope that my upcoming stuff extend your list to a top 10 !!!
 
Here's what I often use for street magic. It's great for walking up to random strangers and blowing their minds.

Pressure
The Invisible Deck
Two Card Monte
Ambitious Card Routine
Dresscode (Providing you're wearing it that is.)

That's my favourite Street magic routine. :)
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
A routine is not a list of tricks you perform in the order you perform them, being tied together by the common theme of here is some stuff I bought at a magic shop that I can do and you can't.

A routine is a number of effects tied together with a common theme and presentation. I see no reference to how you present the listed tricks, so they are not routines. Oh, and if your response is "I present them the way they were taught" you need to answer the ever present question of "why should the audience care?"
 
Apr 20, 2013
71
0
A routine is not a list of tricks you perform in the order you perform them, being tied together by the common theme of here is some stuff I bought at a magic shop that I can do and you can't.

A routine is a number of effects tied together with a common theme and presentation. I see no reference to how you present the listed tricks, so they are not routines. Oh, and if your response is "I present them the way they were taught" you need to answer the ever present question of "why should the audience care?"

I basically agree to R1.
A routine is now a list of tricks. It is a continuation of one trick to the other through the same presentation.
It is what differs your performance from other's.

My routine?
I start by introducing the subject of "Instinct" to the audiences. Saying that "Instinct" is a rare phenomena when the brain (logic) and the heart (feeling/psychological) agreed on one solution or answer. I go on with my own variation and interpretation of Spidey's Psycho, and ended up at Oil and Water using cards ( some people prefer by the term "Red and Black" ).
I use NO MORE than 3 set of tricks per group or audience, since in my opinion, longer than 3 tricks and the audience will lose interest eventually.

That is all.
-LYE
 
Feb 24, 2013
26
0
England
A routine is not a list of tricks you perform in the order you perform them, being tied together by the common theme of here is some stuff I bought at a magic shop that I can do and you can't.

A routine is a number of effects tied together with a common theme and presentation. I see no reference to how you present the listed tricks, so they are not routines. Oh, and if your response is "I present them the way they were taught" you need to answer the ever present question of "why should the audience care?"

Perhaps I should have phrased it better: What tricks do you combine to make up a certain routine? I hope this helps you answer the question.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
There really is no such thing as the "perfect" routine. Every routine as it's flaws. It's really all down to your own personal style and what works for you.
 
Feb 24, 2013
26
0
England
There really is no such thing as the "perfect" routine. Every routine as it's flaws. It's really all down to your own personal style and what works for you.

Yes, but I'm asking you what works for you! That is the point. Please read my post before you make replies that just repeat what I said or make comments that you think makes you looks funny or something, when in fact it makes you look ridiculous. That is all I have to say.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
I use NO MORE than 3 set of tricks per group or audience, since in my opinion, longer than 3 tricks and the audience will lose interest eventually.

Well, yes, the audience will lose interest eventually. 3 tricks is a decent rule of thumb, but keep in mind it's a guideline, not a rule. If you find your audience losing interest on a regular basis, you're doing the same thing too much. Keep in mind what the audience is experiencing instead of what you are doing. They see many of our tricks as being the same thing.

The important thing is to constantly pay attention to your audience. You'll be able to tell when they are losing interest. Stop before this is significant. Always leave them wanting more, as they say.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
So, Just Jamming, not trying to be a jerk here but what's the goal of this thread? What are you looking to get out of it?

My 'perfect' routines, on top of being extremely situational, are usually only one or two tricks because I tend to have more involved presentations. Routines I've gotten pretty powerful are usually just the things I've done for a long time.

I have a mind-read using cards that always gets strong reactions. Coins I've bent are sitting in a lot of people's houses as souvenirs. The way I do Poker Player's Picnic has even gobsmacked people.

I think the point RealityOne was trying to make is it's not the tricks you do. It's how you do them. A good performer can take what many see as a simple or basic trick and turn it into a miracle. A poor performer could take the most powerful thing on the market and turn it into Uncle Ralph pulling a coin out of a kid's ear with a cheesy grin for presentation. That's the only real difference between the top guys and the bottom ones. One takes the time an energy to create a meaningful presentation and the other thinks just doing the trick is enough.
 
Feb 24, 2013
26
0
England
I understand what R1 one was saying, what bugged me was that he didn't state his favourite routine at all, he just made an annoying comment, and when I replied civilly, he threw it back in my face. All I'm looking to get out of this thread is some ideas, what you wrote in the second paragraph was a fine answer. Your'e not a jerk because you actually answered the question as well as posing another one which I have no problem with.
 
Apr 20, 2013
71
0
So, Just Jamming, not trying to be a jerk here but what's the goal of this thread? What are you looking to get out of it?

My 'perfect' routines, on top of being extremely situational, are usually only one or two tricks because I tend to have more involved presentations. Routines I've gotten pretty powerful are usually just the things I've done for a long time.

I have a mind-read using cards that always gets strong reactions. Coins I've bent are sitting in a lot of people's houses as souvenirs. The way I do Poker Player's Picnic has even gobsmacked people.

I think the point RealityOne was trying to make is it's not the tricks you do. It's how you do them. A good performer can take what many see as a simple or basic trick and turn it into a miracle. A poor performer could take the most powerful thing on the market and turn it into Uncle Ralph pulling a coin out of a kid's ear with a cheesy grin for presentation. That's the only real difference between the top guys and the bottom ones. One takes the time an energy to create a meaningful presentation and the other thinks just doing the trick is enough.

This is certainly true.
A top Magician would turn a simple card force into something that blew off people's mind.
One of an example, I believe is Daniel Madison's performance in Penn and Teller's Fool us. As well as Shawn Farquhar's performance in the same show. ( didn't remember which season and which ep.)

but a poor magician, as Christopher has said, would turn even a good and extremely well prepared game such as the Tarantula, into a cheesy and boring trick. (personal experience)
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
I understand what R1 one was saying, what bugged me was that he didn't state his favourite routine at all, he just made an annoying comment, and when I replied civilly, he threw it back in my face. All I'm looking to get out of this thread is some ideas, what you wrote in the second paragraph was a fine answer. Your'e not a jerk because you actually answered the question as well as posing another one which I have no problem with.

Things you may not have considered -
This question (or variations thereof) is asked daily on various forums. Anyone that's been around for more than a few months has probably seen it and answered it a hundred times. It gets repetitive. Hence why people with higher post counts tend to give short or seemingly unhelpful answers.

I actually gave you less useful information than he did. Knowing what I perform does next to nothing to you because you're not me. You don't need more tricks, you need to learn to perform what you already have better. Most magicians end up with a vast store of tricks which they never use. I'm guessing less than 1% of the material the long-timers own is actually performed. Even I have tons of stuff I never use because I wasn't interested or it stopped working with my style or whatever.

The key to good magic is not finding the next awesome trick. It's making what you already have a miracle, which comes from doing it over and over and making subtle adjustments which make it more powerful. Those adjustments are very personal. If someone tried to do the force-and-mind-read thing the way I do, mimicking me exactly, it would probably fall flat because the way I perform is directly tied to my personality. Which is why I never give out scripts or blocking when I talk about my tricks. It would just make me mad to see someone else try to do what I do and butcher it.
 
Sep 1, 2007
3,786
15
I understand what R1 one was saying, what bugged me was that he didn't state his favourite routine at all, he just made an annoying comment, and when I replied civilly, he threw it back in my face. All I'm looking to get out of this thread is some ideas, what you wrote in the second paragraph was a fine answer. Your'e not a jerk because you actually answered the question as well as posing another one which I have no problem with.

This set off a warning bell or two in my head. It communicates a beginner's perspective on magic, but also the delusion that you're not a beginner. Believe me, if you're big question is, "What tricks do you do?" then you are most definitely a beginner. And no, these are not the questions you should be asking.

So let me pose a question to you. Suppose I tell you what I do. What are you going to do with this information?
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Yes, but I'm asking you what works for you! That is the point. Please read my post before you make replies that just repeat what I said or make comments that you think makes you looks funny or something, when in fact it makes you look ridiculous. That is all I have to say.

I already answered the question. There is no such thing as the "Perfect Routine". The more you perform, the more your style and persona will (hopefully) change. And thus so will your routines. Things that you considered "Flawless" or "Perfect" for you back then, will now be completely different.

As it has been mentioned, the general rule of thumb is 3. Either have 3 different effects, or have one routine that has 3 different things that build upon each other. How you achieve this goal is entirely up to your own personal style and taste.

Another thing to think about is this. Any rule can be broken as you get more experienced with this.
 
Aug 25, 2012
174
1
There is no such thing as a perfect routine, it's what works best for you and gives the spectators the reactions you want out of them, you said those are the perfect routines but what would somebody who focuses on coin or even rope magic think? I think every routine is a great routine for it's own specific reasons (some better than others). It all depends on your style as a performer, I can honestly say that some of the mentalism routines you stated are not that great (not saying that I could create better). I really recommend for mentalism checking out some of Bob Cassidy's material, Spidey is somebody that I talk to quite often and he most likely knows that some of his routines aren't the greatest but they are awesome in the same sense. Zach Mueller has a creative mind but he doesn't create full routines except for 3 that I can think off of the top of my head. The Vintage holdout, The sandwich routine and the other one under the spectators hand. Some of the "Moves"/"Routines" you listed are great but some can be contested. It all depends on your style. I am in no way bashing you or telling you otherwise I am just stating my opinion, have a great day!
 
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