Your opinion on best type of magic

[coastaldude]

When I first started in magic I like many others started off in cards only and was doing all the basics like a ACR or the Biddle trick or w/e it was. Well two years later I am officially tired of cards, I have not given up on them or anything and I believe that great tricks are always being released but it just wasn't getting the reactions as I truly had hoped. Maybe it was my expectations or my patter or presentation but everyone had said that everything was well done but it left their mind within a few minutes.

That's when I got into mentalism, it's just imo the best type of magic second to money magic, here's why. I never always carried my cards with me and when I did the tricks like I said before the reactions never lasted because they always knew that it was sleight of hand or a neat little gimmick. Most of the tricks I now do require almost nothing or can be picked up right there. I started maybe a few months ago and everybody and I truly mean everybody always ask me to do tricks to them. Most of my stuff is from Luke Jermay such as Skullduggery, 3510, and some others. I also picked up Technique and practicing at making sure I don't get "caught."

So basically I want to hear the voice of some magicians on what is your favorite type of magic, whether it be close-up, street, stage, cards, money, mentalism or w/e else there is. So tell us what it is, why, and your favorite effect.

Mine is mentalism obviously, basically because of the wow factor I receive with it, and Touching on Hoy. More detailed would be nice but I already told you why so voice your opinion. Also I never claim to have psychic powers like those of Hydrick or Gellar, I simply say that the mind is a powerful tool with the right person.

Thanks for reading and posting, sorry if this was already posted but it's good to bring back old posts when so much can change.

 

[jprace]

The best type of magic, in my opinion, follows this rule:

~If you really were able to do magic, you would do this.

That's why I am a big believer in Easy Money, Extreme Burn in particular. If you really could do real magic, you would make yourself more money.
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Another good rule is:

~Turn an accident into a miracle.

My effect Re-Clipped, found in my signature, is a perfect example. You accidentally break something, and you restore it. It's not like a T&R Card, you rip that on purpose, it should happen on accident.
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Another thing I follow:

~Let the magic sink in, the most visual isn't always the best.
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Another...

~Use your audience.

If the magic happens in THEIR hands, they get to be part of the experience. That's a very good thing.

 

[Vior]

There is no "best" type of magic quite frankly. It is totally subjective. If I have to choose, card magic, hands down. Personally, I feel that card magic is very broad and opens up a multitude of options. Furthermore, the visual appeal is scintillating and alluring. If I have to chose a catergory for card magic, it will definately be transpositions. By far my favourite trick would be reset. Nevertheless, vanishes and colour changes are great as well. I'm certainly looking foward to the day to tackle By forces unseen. The tricks are are absolutely brilliant.

Nonetheless, the other catergories of magic are great as well. Who knows, I might venture into them in the near future.

 

[i3izarre]

I am also a mentalist. I started out with cards and close up, but the thing that got me into magic was Derren Brown. I was new to the magic community. So I started doing cards thinking i would evolve into mind reading. I got crazy reactions from ACR and other routines, but always my favorite routine was mind reading(involving sleights). I just evolved from there. For me since i saw mentalism i wanted to do that. That is my favorite. If you want i can recommend some books and dvds for you.

 

[toyrobot]

Geek magic has a big place in my heart (it's all the nasty, bloody, gory stuff in magic, for those unaware). Sean Fields' Saw is just a work of art, and I'm eagerly awaiting Thread as well. Sean also has a trick called Excised, where you swallow a borrowed necklace then pull it out your stomach in a bloody mess - also great. Then there's swallowing razor blades, a classic. Or twisting your arm around 360 degrees to loud popping sounds.

For those who haven't seen it, Barry and Stuart's "Suicide in C Sharp", where they use knives as violins, playing them on their arms and cutting themselves in tune to the music, is a must.

The reason I like it is that it's magical in nature (hurting yourself in a (usually) big, showy display, then miraculously healing it) yet it's outside the realm of what people associate with magic. When you say you're a magician, and somebody asks to see something, they do NOT expect you to rip through your neck with a thread and pull a swallowed ring out. It's different and it immediately redefines what magic is for your audience. The shock value keeps them cringing yet fascinated. Used as an opener, it gets them immediately hooked.

It's this same reason I dig bizarre magic, or whatever the term is (Bizarrism? Bizarrist?) Something different and weird. It's unique and new for your audience.

 

[coastaldude]

Yes anything you can recommend would be great. I am still fairly new but have been working on Derren Brown's style of suggestion etc. True there is no best type of magic but it was just for your personal opinion though.


I also have been working into the weird gore type of tricks, buddy of mine did exorcism and I flipped out at wtf was going on. I have wounded coming on the way and can't wait to get it and just freak people out with it. Another item I can't wait to get is Power Word: Fall, it would really help with people believing I have some type of power. I think Matt should be able to take on Randi and see how he disproves him . Anyway keep the posts coming and tell us your favorite.

 

[FadedTemp]

I'm starting to branch off into Mentalism but card magic (close up and street) is my true passion. I put my creativity to work and I try to create tricks that reach past sleight of hand and become something different entirely. Some of my effects people know it's sleight of hand as it's the only logical explanation, however for few other effects... they start to wonder what is really going on.

 

[Randomwrath]

I'm only just getting into this, but magic with everyday objects is hands down the best. Bit of cards for an opening, then vanish the deck and pull out a banana. This is when you really wow people. Especially when you mix it with a bit of mentalism (a classic example is the book test, everyday object and mentalism combined, one of my new favourites). Brilliant.

 

[coastaldude]

Yeah I tried to do magic with everyday objects and got Anytime and Anywhere by Jay Sankey, the only thing I have received to since he unleashes a flood of magic.

I kinda liked it at first but some of the effects people did not quite understand and when I first saw them neither did I. When I first did the mentalism stuff it was with forcing cards but never got good reactions because they always second guessed that I always knew or had forced it on them. Then I went into suggestion and I realized that I was pretty awful at it and took a leap and got the DVDs. I have several combos with different mentalism tricks and makes it seem even more unbelievable ex.Technique with vernet thumb tip and this way I know what they write, place my prediction, and I then show them and it just makes their brains putty trying to figure it out.

I also have one more thing to say about a recent style. I got the Darwins Encyclopedia of thumb tip magic and it really is very cool, it also has a nice opener. It is so great because it steers away from just the hankey vanish and moves onto some of the more advanced tricks and his performance with just the thumb tip is just amazing also. So mentalism and thumb tip are my current projects.