True BlackShadow. Pass takes forever!

I pratice 4 hrs a day too. this is magicians' life

Consider a different "view". My wife is too visually impaired to see what I am actually doing in an effect, but is invaluable in detecting the naturalness of my movements and misdirection. Often she can tell when I am "doing something" because I am subliminally telegraphing my knowledge that I am doing something sneaky. Only when I can do a sleight without the 'ball' or with it, and pass the "Emmie" test have I practiced enough. She also sits in the audience during a small (and rare) performance and gives me an assessment of each spectator's reaction that doesn't match what they say or do.

I'm not suggesting you get a blind spouse, but can certainly get a friend to watch the audience instead of you.

First, learn to do each sleight slowly. Don't try to speed your sleights up until you can do them perfectly at a slow speed.

Once you can do a given sleight slowly, without messing it up, then try to speed it up very gradually.

Then, begin to practice it in context. In other words, let's say that you need to use a diagonal palm shift to perform a card in wallet routine. Practice doing the DPS from an insertion, then load it into your wallet. Do it slowly.

Then, as you practice, the speed will take care of itself.

Practice each move until it becomes boring. Then practice it until it becomes beautiful.

Once you can use the move in context, then rehearse your routine.

BTW, anyone who feels that you need to practice shuffling and double undercuts for 10 minutes on a daily basis is not taking into account that at some point, you can do three or four of each and you will be up to snuff.

Once you have the top change or bottom change down perfectly, you need to use it on live people.

Unless you get to the point to were you can do the trick without thinking about it, it is not ready for prime time. Unless all the moves are automatic you will appear to be very stiff and unsure on yourself. This will effect the quality of your presentation.
I have a card trick that I have been working on for about eight years. I am almost to the point to were I can do the trick without thinking about it. I may try it out on a show I have booked for New Years eve.

THe strange this is that I fall asleep watching card tricks. I am not a big fan of card magic, but I have spent 100s of hours on this one trick.

Sometimes you can over practice the same thing, and then it goes into muscle memory with bad habits.

practice something for 10-20 minutes, then move onto something else Etc...

and then let your mind rest a bit, and then start over

Okay, just reading your post as written, I get the impression that you want to show sleights and control moves to your viewers. If this is correct, why are you showing sleights or control moves? You should be showing magic effects. Sleights are not magic effects -- they're just the "trade secrets" that make the magic effect work.

In any case, you got some good advice here. I love Bill's comment: "Practice each move until it becomes boring. Then practice it until it becomes beautiful."

I practice till it isn't fun, then I stop. Consequently I practice more because it's always fun.

MagicMarker is right. Setting something aside for a while can help.

You might always be nervous when you show someone an effect for the first time. If you really believe you've done your due diligence in practice you may need to just do it for someone.

Even if there is no Magic Club near you it's possible to post on craigslist or a local newspaper to get a few people with a similar interest to meet once a week or so. In fact if you have a very small group (not more than 5 ) of like minded magicians you can make much better progress than in a larger group. The focus is better and you can kindly but honestly critique each other. Try to stay on the same subject long enough to really progress.

-Mary Mowder

This was originally asked in March of 2005, think they have the answer by now. LOL.