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EndersGame Inner circle Reviewer EndersGame 2195 Posts |
Beginners and amateurs often fall prey to the temptation of buying new tricks, more tricks, lusting after that one "killer" effect, and thinking that the next trick they will buy will be the holy grail that will bring them to the next level of success in magic. (Read the excellent analogy in this thread.) In reality, what's often needed instead is working on the presentation of the effects they already know. I was just reading the excellent chapter about "Presentation" in Hugard and Braue's Expert Card Technique and figured I would share a couple of paragraphs for the benefit of others new to magic. His comparison about two singers performing an old classic like Ave Maria is particularly to the point - with hard work, magicians can turn classic effects into modern-day masterpieces, because it's all about how it's presented. In short, I don't need to buy another trick. It's good advice, I think?
Quote: MASTERY OF the technique which makes his feats possible is an absolute essential to the card conjurer but it is not enough to make him a successful entertainer. Much as a jeweler mounts a diamond to bring out all the beauty of the stone, the conjurer must present his feats in the most entertaining manner of which he is capable. It is not enough merely to stand before an audience and do a card trick, no matter how great the technical expertness; the entertainer must employ all the tricks of the theatre to win for himself the approval of those present. |
sethb Inner circle The Jersey Shore 2719 Posts |
Somebody (David Devant?) said that a professional is someone who always does the same tricks for different audiences; an amateur always does different tricks for the same audiences.
The problem for most amateurs is the very small universe of performing venues. After you exhaust your girlfriend or spouse, your friends, your co-workers and their friends, it's very tough to find new audiences to perform for. The days when you could hop on a vaudeville circuit and perform in 300 theaters a year without duplicating a location are long gone. Michael Ammar discusses this problem in his book, "The Magic of Michael Ammar," and provides his solution, which was the "nursing home" circuit. Busking is another possibility, as are public libraries. But it is a very real problem. And I agree that another part of the answer is to be good with a dozen tricks, rather than simply mediocre with 100 tricks. SETH
"Watch the Professor!!" -- Al Flosso (1895-1976)
"The better you are, the closer they watch" -- Darwin Ortiz, STRONG MAGIC |
Dave V Inner circle Las Vegas, NV 4824 Posts |
One thing you do need, though, is some amount of "depth." That comes with the "hard work and experience" that Devant spoke about. If you know quite well only three or four tricks (or whatever number you need to do a show), and only one method for each and something happens to upset the balance, either a repeat customer, heckler, or other distraction, it's this depth of knowledge that pulls you out of the hole you dug for yourself. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but just as importantly, you have to know how to recover gracefully.
When I buy a trick, I don't start with just one. I collect all versions I can reasonably afford. (I admit, what I lack in my own creativity, I have to make up for in adaptation and a deep checkbook.) Something as simple as the "10 Card Poker Deal" has cost me two years of digging and a few hundred dollars in manuscripts, books, and videos as I pick and choose a "set order" that works best for me. If something comes along to break the rhythm (cards get mixed, spectator jumps in: "Hey, *I* want to deal," "Let me shuffle," etc...), I have enough alternate presentations to switch one in without breaking stride. I agree with sethb that it's better to be good at a dozen tricks than simply adequate with a hundred, but on the other hand, a dozen tricks doesn't mean a dozen purchases. It could very well be a dozen purchases for each trick studied before it's ready to perform. The dancer Anna Pavlova said it best in one line, and it applies here just as much as it did for her. You can read it in my sig line.
No trees were killed in the making of this message, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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jimhlou Inner circle 3698 Posts |
It depends on what you're thinking of buying. I love buying magic, it's like watching the home shopping network. I've wasted a lot of money, but I love tearing open that new package with my "new" miracle effect.
Jim |
Sk8erBoi9305 Regular user 133 Posts |
All of this is so true, and I wish I knew it a year or two ago before I blew all my money on this week's latest effect from Ellusionist. Ellusionist thrives on the fact that new magicians always want bigger and better effects. It's kinda annoying if you ask me...
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marty.sasaki Inner circle 1117 Posts |
Ray Goulet has been giving a card clinic before the IBM Ring 122 meeting. He has done a lot of things from Expert Card Technique, which fooled everyone in the room, including many folks who have the book in their libraries. So, you don't need that latest trick to entertain.
I have to admit that I like toys and have had to restrain myself from just buying and buying.
Marty Sasaki
Arlington, Massachusetts, USA Standard disclaimer: I'm just a hobbyist who enjoys occasionally mystifying friends and family, so my opinions should be viewed with this in mind. |
EndersGame Inner circle Reviewer EndersGame 2195 Posts |
I guess it's like any hobby - there can be a temptation to buy and buy just for the sake of getting "newness". My other hobbies include board-games and an extreme sport, and I see very similar comments on forums dedicated to those interests. Perhaps some of you have other hobbies and have experienced the same with them - maybe it's a trait of human nature!
With respect to magic, I made a decision to focus on improving my presentation and showmanship rather than buying new tricks and the latest effects, so I have ordered Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz, figuring I'll get more mileage and benefit from that. I already have the essential resources I need to learn many effects (Mark Wilson's Complete Course, Scarne on Cards, Royal Road to Card Magic, and a few videos), along with the necessary props (magic is cheap really: a few decks of cards, invisible thread and magician's wax, coins and bills). If I'm really honest with myself, I'll probably make more progress and improve on my overall ability to perform magic by working on my presentation at this point rather than just purchasing and adding another trick to my closet. Having said that, I do appreciate Seth's comment that amateurs (myself included) tend to perform different tricks for the same audience of family and friends, unlike professionals who can perform the same tricks for different audiences every night. Having the same regular audience does make it necessary to come up with new effects from time to time, and it is easier to exhaust your repertoire and be looking for new material. But if I'm honest, I'm a long way from exhausting the material provided by resources like Mark Wilson and Royal Road, so I should have enough to keep me going for a long time without needing to buy another trick. |
caligari New user 69 Posts |
It is always fun to get our hands on new things, just human nature I guess.
Lately, though, I have found myself going back to older tricks and thinking of ways to make them suit the way I perform magic. In that sense, the old tricks feel new to me. It's kinda like the feeling you get when you are finally able to execute a sleight flawlessly and begin to explore the possibilities with that new skill. I also think that most of us, if not all, have that big closet full of magic tricks we never used more than once. It's a lot of fun after all! |
Bob Sanders Grammar Supervisor Magic Valley Ranch, Clanton, Alabama 20504 Posts |
Finding the "Trick" to magic is a matter of finding what you do well magically.
On the other hand, we all love auctions and swap meets where we trade our last bad idea for someone else's. (Yep, it's an addiction!) Enjoy! Bob Sanders Magic By Sander |
Andy the cardician Inner circle A street named after my dad 3362 Posts |
I think the thread below has some great points on this subject.
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......start=30
Cards never lie
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EndersGame Inner circle Reviewer EndersGame 2195 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-03-09 23:51, Andy the cardician wrote: I agree completely. That's why I referenced it in my initial post For all beginners out there is a very useful thread, and merits becoming a "sticky" in this forum - apparently I'm not the only one who thinks that. |
Vegasvent Loyal user Phoenix 288 Posts |
Always the problem of wanting too many "Toys".
Magical Phil-Kidzshow, LLC
"My Wife says that either all of my Stuff goes, or she does......" "Boy, I'm sure gonna miss her cookin'." |
rockwall Special user 762 Posts |
In principle, I strongly agree with your initial post. I know that I spend way too much money and time searching for new tricks to purchase. It's not so much that I'm looking for that great trick that will help me be 'magical', it's more just my interest in learning as much about magic as possible.
Now, on the other side of the coin, because of the breadth and depth of tricks I've purchased, I've found some that I felt suited me well, were not difficult to learn, and have created wonder in those I've performed them for. This has given me the enthusiasm to spend even more time mastering more difficult tricks. I don't think I would have had near as much fun and excitement if I had simply stopped at my first DVD purchase and worked at only mastering those few tricks that were on that DVD. Having said that, it's past time that I quit buying and focus on practice!!!! I'm setting a goal to pick one trick at a time and work on that trick until I've got it down and feel comfortable performing it before moving onto a new trick. Mike |
NurseRob Elite user Dallas, TX 469 Posts |
I say buy a new trick. every week. It will keep you from having money to buy stupid stuff like a bass boat, or a harley, and will definitely keep a plasma screen from coming into your house too. just MHO
Ut imago est animi voltus sic indices oculi ~
The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter ~Cicero |
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