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Maestro Special user 801 Posts |
I know that when one is starting out in magic somebody will say, "Get this book, start at the beginning, and work through it... study it like a textbook." For example, if one is starting in cards, the book will be the royal road to card magic. If one is starting out in coins, it will be Bobo's.
Does anybody else (besides me) find it much easier to concentrate on a move or sleight in the context of a routine? For example, I won't have much success just practicing "the utility switch" in Modern Coin Magic over and over again with half dollars, in hopes that one day I'll be able to use it. I will, however, be able to perfect this move by practicing it over and over if I am trying to learn "Winged Silver" (coins across), for example. Its not that I am lazy and not willing to put the time into practicing the basics, because I do, I just find it easier to do so by picking a new effect to learn and perfecting it. Its mainly just a concentration thing. Maybe its the fact that I spend so much time studying textbooks for school. I generally can't take a magic book like tarbell or Bobo's and immediately work through it start to finish. I will eventually cover all of the material, but I'll skip around a little bit. I know its necessary to learn the basic palms, some vanishes, ect... before trying to jump right into the tricks, but after you have mastered the necessities, I think it helps to have some sort of goal in mind. For me, it is easier to have this goal be an effect that I am trying to perfect. Does anybody else learn best like this, or is it just me? |
Turk Inner circle Portland, OR 3546 Posts |
Maestro,
I don't know exactly how to answer your question. I understand what you are getting at and I agree that studying an effect can more motivating...because after you are done, you have an effect to perform. However, on many sleights, it is important to get it correct the first time or else you either have to stay with bad habits or have to "unlearn" the bad habit(s). Additionally, some effects that are published are kinda skimpy on the details (i.e do a DL, do an Emsley Count, etc.) or else assume you know the sleights that are involved and that all they are selling is the routining of the effect. So, I'm not certain which is better. I think you need both, and as you learn a sleight (correctly), you can then find a number of effects that utilize that sleight and therefore, by already knowing the sleight, you can "learn" the effect(s) much more quickly and exponetially. But I agree with you, it's definitely more fun to learn a routine and, at the end of the studying, you have a finished effect. Just my two cents worth. Turk
Magic is a vanishing Art.
This must not be Kansas anymore, Toto. Eschew obfuscation. |
Chris "linkster" Watson Special user England 564 Posts |
I have to agree that learning a sleight in the context of a routine can be fun but for me that would mean breaking the routine down into practicing the parts I can do, concentrating on the sleights I can't do...practice them untill they are up to speed with the rest of it and then prcticing the whole thing until it is up to performance level.
Something I also find is good is to find a new sleight and find a routine which you already know and substituting the new sleight for a similar one in the routine. I guess the other option would be to just make up a routine from scatch and incorporate the sleights you have learned! |
what Special user Lehi, UT, USA 643 Posts |
I am with you. The RRTCM teaches step by step and teaches routines to perform after each step. Bobs's is not quite as easy to follow. There are some good routines in Bobo's, however.
I am new to coin magic and have decided to concentrate on my palms first (Finger, thumb, Classic, no back palms for now), so I look for routines that require them. in the process, I am picking other good sleights. I recomend learning a simple "A Bird inthe Hand." (It is simply a "Two in the hand, one inthe pocket" routine) I first saw it in "The complete Idiots guide to Magic Tricks." All it requires is a finger palm and some acting. As I work on new concealments, and sleights, I work them into the basic routine I already know. I perform this effect all the time now because it is entertaining, polished, and easy to do. It is now a much stronger routine than it was when I did it as written out of the book. It takes time, but doesn't everything. Mike
Magic is fun!!!
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shanla Loyal user Japan, Tokyo 285 Posts |
Maestro,
I tend to agree with you. When I was rather new to magic, I had read "Complete Works of Derek Dingle", as well as basics. It was very exciting for me to learn from this book, I think my growing up owes much to this fascination. Of course the basics are very important. But if you are interested in the new routines or technically demanding tricks, I think you need not to restrict yourself within basics. As for the practicing of sleights, I think you had better practicing the sleight itself as well as routines. Some sleights will demands you more practice than that of whole routine. By the way, I think Bobo's is not merely a basic book. It includes some rather difficult routines. Although it is now a classic book, it is still somewhat new and exciting for me.
http://www.cardcoinmagic.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/tomosanb?feature=mhee Strive to enter in by the narrow door. |
Doug McKenzie Veteran user New York City 326 Posts |
I prefer to learn an entire routinw rather than just work on one move over and over again. This helps with getting your magic to flow. Also, practicing a move over and over again might make you learn the move wrong. As they say.. practice makes perfect... it shlould be practice makes permanent, perfect practice makes perfect. As for Bobo... I am not a fan. I find a lot of the methods outdated. There are some great bits in there, but I don't thnk it should be considered the bible it once was.
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Hello M,
I have to go with the routine path. The really good routines use moves to create the effect, or better yet, to make the method so the magician is free to present the effect as appropriate. The 'big' moves like the classic pass with cards, the retention pass with a coin are building blocks. What helped me the most were routines with phases, each of which calls for something. Take the Ramsay cups and balls routine for instance. It starts with hold and hide, has a nice load move, then some standard type loads, then some novel ball vanishes. Or his cards to pocket. This calls for remembering some cards and being able to move a bunch at one time on the off beat. I found these routines great motivation to learn the basics. If it were not for the Ramsay Three Coins and a Hat, and the Roth Hanging Coins, there might not have been a Visual Coins Across (yet). Here is the background; In 77-78 there was much interest/attention in NYC focused on the Roth and Ramsay material. The Ramsay coin hang and vanish sequences are real hurdles to clear. Later the roth hang sequence seemed to answer one question and pose a new one. There we were, all holding a fan of coins at the fingertips... This attention seeded the creative atmosphere for the lightning strikes of Geoff Latta's One Handed coin hang vanish, my fingerpalm spidergrip vanish, and just a bit later, my coins across. Is the hard part finding the great routines? -Jonathan
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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