This thread is for beginners & professionals alike.
Would be interesting to share how many tricks you do,and a breif run down on them.
Since I started seriously in magic about 3 months ago inspired by my Buddy in NY.
I have learned well about 30 tricks some not so great and some really effective.my best are the coins across called "three & three","the inseparable pair",and the bent quarter.I do have many self working routines the best is nickles to dimes.I have several rope tricks that work well,even a play along version of 3 to 1.From the reaction of the audence you get an idea of what routines are the most effective.my secret to doing them well is being totally comfortable with a routine,and having a cute story to go along with it

Let me answer this way.
When I do something for aquaintances, it will be anywhere from one to three tricks.
Most are easy to remember and do, are impromptu in nature and from several sources.

Without elaborating, I have a list of about 80 non-card tricks and 30+ card tricks that I've performed at one time or another over the years. This list is used to put together sets and refresh my memory when need be. There's no way I can remember all of them so.....the list helps.

The tricks you mention are a few of the ones I started with as well.
When I was starting, as you are, I too learned trick after trick and performed often.I don't perform as much as I did years ago. I had a couple of acts for closeup and a family type parlor act. One reason is that it got to a point where every time I saw these people they wanted 'some magic' and I felt I was becoming their trick monkey. Other reasons are new residence, new job with terrible hours, quitting the bar scene and personal reasons.

Funny you should ask, I was just thinking about this yesterday. I have three card routines, by which I mean established routines. I know what comes first, what comes next, and it flows coherently from beginning to the end climatically. Then I have a cup and ball routine, a couple of rope tricks (PNM and CNR), a couple of coin tricks, and a bubble trick. I know more card tricks, not sure of the number, but I'm comfortable with my card routines at present, so I'm leaving them alone.

You can do a "routine" with just one really, really strong trick. Maybe one with a few different phases.

I can see where Jaz is comming from on the ideas he has.I will see if that happens to me also,although I have freinds ask for new things sometimes.Most go on with everyday life things when they see me again.
froste I thought this would be a interesting thread to share with others.I do know we have our favorites that we can do well ,and feel comfortable with.As you like cards,mine is coins,and everyday objects,although many ready made gimicked items are really nice to.I`m working on some advanced cups & balls tricks I have seen on video.
I found out you have to know what you want to buy if you want to go to many magic stores.Theres a small store that will let you browse their magic section.

Too many to count!! Keep up the good work on your routines!
Peace
J

I agree with Theguy26. Doing just one really strong trick and maybe a second routine for a follow up, (if they beg for more.) I guess it depends on your venue.

You can have a great routine for your own. It can be just one and it takes years to involve.

magicially yours,

Nedim Guzel

My routine is constantly evolving . . .

I'm like Jaz, I have about 80 trick I've done at one time or another.

I'm in the process of going over my list of tricks and seeing if I can do different routines with the same tricks I have.

How many routines I got? One Rope, One C&B, One 4 Ring, One Coin, 2 Card.

I have 10 routines, most of them consisting of multiple effects and/or revelations. At any given time, I'm experimenting with 1 or 2 more, but it takes me about 4 months design, script, and block them.

I'm not comfortable sharing my current set-list, but all effects are personal versions of mentalism classics.

I have 3 card routines and 2 coin routines. I have other tricks I know but I only have a few I'm comfortable doing for other people (other than my wife - she's my guinea pig for just about everything).

I have One routine. (that I came up with all by myself) The rest are other peoples.

Every magician can have only one act that shows himself. Others are yhe part of his profession.

magicially yours,

Nedim Guzel

Lists are a great idea!!!!

Must update

I was just thinking about this today myself as I was reading Magic magazine and saw that a friend of mine was performing at Monday Night Magic in August. It never occured to me, but today...how many routines does he have? Does he do the same act every time he performs there (I've haven't seen it yet)?

So in my case, I had to many to count. I was getting overwhelmed. Then my muse told me. Wait a second, hold back...just pick ten and lets hone them to perfect performance level. So I have my ten that I am perfecting, painfully restraining myself.... I play, but focusing on my 10. Pretty much doing what Jaz once done. I have my close up act and my parlor act which I am perfecting.

The effects...they range from Cards, to coins, to rings and rope and things.

Its a great idea. I think this is the common problem. We always want to do many acts or want to do every trick in the act. It's a big mistake. For my own I have a manipulation act with doves and a parlour magic act ehich I do 6 card repeat..etc. But know I'm working on a Ambitious cards routine. I want to perfect myself.

Do you think its the wright way?


magicially yours,

Nedim Guzel

I feel it is better to be good at a few things, rather than be mediocre at several. Sometimes, less is More…

Very true statement there.

A story I once heard went something like: There once was a young student of magic that had learned many tricks. He once met an old master of magic and went up to him and said, I know 80 different card tricks. How many do you know?" The master replied, "Only six."

It is important to not overwhelm yourself with the quantity of tricks you can do, but, to be able to do the tricks that you do as well as you can. There are many magicians out there that have made a carrier out of preforming the same few tricks for many years with only slight changes.