|
|
Go to page 1~2 [Next] | ||||||||||
CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts |
I want to share a tip for beginners which I've used in every hobby/endeavour I've become immersed in over the years. Two words: "Take Notes". Not a new idea, yet I suspect many apprentice magicians may not be making use of this simple learning aid. Writing down tips, hints, descriptions of moves, historical bits etc. has been a tremendous help for me when starting out in coin magic, and continues to do so after roughly five years. Notes allow me to check on details I may have forgotten and more importantly, ensure that my routines remain consistent ie. I'm not subtly changing something by gradually introducing tiny errors. Notes tell me what I'm currently working on, what I need to brush up or improve, Notes also remind me where I bought a particular coin or gaff, its cost, etc.
Recently it came to me that it would be nice to have a list of routines sorted by coin, i.e. a compendium of routines which use one, two, three coins, or a specific gaff or prop, that sort of thing. Included in this list are details such as whether the coins need be soft or have good milling, what angles to be wary of, and ideas on how to link one routine to another. Rather than re-invent the wheel, I thought I'd see is this sort of thing already exists. Has anyone done this, or know of such a list ? Obviously with the huge number of routines not all can be included, but this is not my intent. Taking notes is not for everyone, but for me, it's something well worth the effort. Thanks for reading. Cheers |
|||||||||
fonda57 Inner circle chicago 3078 Posts |
I always take notes, and I have routines listed in the order I like to do them. Any new ideas go on other pages. I learned, after some time, to make them legible. I keep everything in a notebook
|
|||||||||
fonda57 Inner circle chicago 3078 Posts |
I always take notes, and I have routines listed in the order I like to do them. Any new ideas go on other pages. I learned, after some time, to make them legible. I keep everything in a notebook
|
|||||||||
David Neighbors V.I.P. 4910 Posts |
Yea I love taking notes! I like B flat And c Sharp the most! Just Kidding! Some times I will video tape some notes If I have Changed Something in a routine And want to make sure I can remember it!
|
|||||||||
PatLapointe New user 10 Posts |
I did that when I got into fish tank stuff. Since I like to play on the computer I did it on worldpress and a few years later I looked at my note and said wow: www.aquariumslife.com
You would think pros make those notes, tutorials and website better but I don't agree. Well not always. Often when we get very very good at something there are many things that became so obvious to us and we forget to detail them enough. Therefor what we write isn't as precise as what a noob would have done if he had been taking note and updating those notes as he learn. Then we have something very solid to go back to or share with other noobs. I'm not saying advices from the pros aren't good... quite the contrary. |
|||||||||
Mb217 Inner circle 9520 Posts |
Haven't written a lot of notes (though it sounds like a great idea) but I have written a lot of manuscripts that I have made available with my offerings. I know folks don't do that much anymore but I guess it comes from my old days when if you bought a magic trick from the old brick & mortar, it would come with written instruction, often times badly done.
In my downloads, I most times include the manuscript I've developed from notes ( I guess?) I've taken along my journey with the trick I'm developing. It helps to keep me consistent in my thinking and actions. Anyway, I guess those are notes in a way, and they eventually get cleaned up into a viable manuscript that help to explain things along with the videos.
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb |
|||||||||
J-Mac Inner circle Ridley Park, PA 5338 Posts |
I take a lot of notes. Particularly for routines that come only on DVD with no written material. ( ) Trying to work your way through a multi-phase routine with a lot of steps and suddenly finding yourself unsure of the next step - you know, "Was it X next and then Y, or the other way around?!? - and it means that you have to go back to the DVD... what a time waster! I take detailed notes, enter them into OneNote, and print them out. Then I practice with the notes in front of me. Works well for me. I just wish that more creators would provide at the very least a written sequence of steps, if not a full narrative instead of being lazy with just a video or DVD.
I do keep a database of all my known routines but nothing as detailed as sorts by coin type, gaff, soft or not, etc. That's more info than even I need! Jim |
|||||||||
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
I have notes going back almost 65 years. Mainly, they are "programs". --Lists of tricks used for various bookings with comments (how a new routine 'went' etc.
I keep a brief case full of notes + instructions sheets, and sometimes copies of "ideas" for routines etc. pulled from various magazines --all pertaining to tricks and routines used in the act. I expect that my props will be more salable (by my heirs).
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
|
|||||||||
John Long Inner circle New Jersey 2826 Posts |
If you put your "notes" in Excel, not only can you easily edit them, you can regroup (or even make copies) to fit an organization that suits you.
However, if that is all you wanted to do, a simple editor would accomplish that, but, w/i Excel you can - use different "tabs" to organize the information - create hot links to different sections of the worksheet, - create hot links to different external files (such as text files, pdf's or video clips). I use this to allow me to easily run any demo (from the internet), or individual tricks from a DVD(I digitized and parsed all of my DVDs). This has been a tremendous help for me. John
Breathtaking Magic;
Not Breath Taking |
|||||||||
CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts |
J-Mac, my notes are 99% made from watching DVDs or clips, as you mentioned.
John Long, that's a great idea - linking notes to vids I would, however, recommend something like 'Scrivener' to organize them, but as Excel is universal, I understand its appeal. Now you have me thinking about digitizing my hand scrawls, at least those on routines or moves sourced from vids! thanks for the ideas. |
|||||||||
John Long Inner circle New Jersey 2826 Posts |
What does Scrivener do that Excel doesn't?
Breathtaking Magic;
Not Breath Taking |
|||||||||
CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts |
Scrivener is book-writing software, with many built-in features to link bits and pieces, notes, remarks, bibliography, etc. It can be downloaded free (I believe) and can be tried before purchase. I've been working on a how-to book for just over a year now, and would be lost without this software to keep things organized. Oh, and I am in no way whatsoever affiliated with the Scrivener company.
|
|||||||||
J-Mac Inner circle Ridley Park, PA 5338 Posts |
I have Scrivener but hasn’t considered it for this. Presently I use BookCAT, a book catalogging software but the database can be used to keep just about anything! I have a database for my books, magic books, magic ebooks, etc. My inventory for props and suppplies is in Excel but I am preparing to import that to BookCAT also.
Jim |
|||||||||
CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts |
Thanks for the hint re: BookCAT, I'll give it a look. As I mentioned, I've worked with Scrivener for a year or so... you know how it is with software, we tend to use what we're used to using
I'm going to set up all my notes this way, as I can embed videos etc. right into the notes. Still make use of written notes, as reminders or to jot down an idea, contact number, or whatever. |
|||||||||
J-Mac Inner circle Ridley Park, PA 5338 Posts |
Since you are using Scrivener, take a look at Scapple. Developed by the same folks there at Literature and Latte, it is a small "idea-generating" program designed to be used with Scrivener. It's a free-form text editor that looks like a mind map but isn't.
https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scapple.php Jim |
|||||||||
Ray Haining Inner circle Hot Springs, AR 1907 Posts |
John Carney on his DVDs talks about the importance of keeping notebooks. He uses good ol' pen and paper (in the form of a notebook). Works for me too.
|
|||||||||
J-Mac Inner circle Ridley Park, PA 5338 Posts |
Most of mine start out that way, but then I get too sloppy keeping them in order.
Jim |
|||||||||
David Neighbors V.I.P. 4910 Posts |
I start With Paper Notes! Then put All my Routines On Video!
|
|||||||||
CarpetShark Special user 576 Posts |
Thanks J-Mac, I'll download and play around with Scapple, although now that I am moving everything to Scrivener (from written notes) I'll likely stick with it. I agree with your comment that keeping notes organized is next to impossible on paper.
David, the video idea is perfect! With the price of data storage no longer an issue, you could archive a LOT of your own routines. I've been doing something similar, only with stuff I come across on the net, from DVDs I own, etc. Been doing this for a few years and I already have over 80 gigs of video ! Being a relative noob, I've not developed my own routines yet, but I do have a handfull (pun ?) of moves I think of as original...should tape those eh. I can hear the younger guys saying " tape, what the heck is tape" ??? |
|||||||||
David Neighbors V.I.P. 4910 Posts |
Tape! Yea that what get I For getting older! For Just My Notebooks I steal have An old VHS-C Camera!
When I Tape stuff For The Hardbound book Tams Sends Me One of those Video's That's about the size Of A I Phone! But I tell It's hell getting Old Most of my Jokes Will not Work for anyone Under 40!!! I have been Dubbing over All my Video notebooks To DVD ( I know Steal Old! ) I have around 60 Or so DVD'S so far Of my stuff! ( and that's Just Matrix!!! Just Kidding Just 3 or 4 On Coin assembles! ) I think I ONLY Have 80-85 or so! |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Nothing up my sleeve... » » Taking Notes (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |