First off, hi everyone, I've been lurking here since Christmas when I first got seriously into magic. I started out with cards and then branched into coins and Cups and balls.

A few months ago, I stumbled across this forum and became obsessed with busking. I've learned a lot here and then found Jimmy Talksalot's blog(absolutely amazing Jimmy). His blog really inspired me, and after I finish college I'd love to travel the world as a street performer.

So since the semester just finished and I'm free for the summer, I've decided to make make a street routine, work on it all summer and start busking in the fall. My problem is, being so new to magic I find myself lacking in material. But first, here's the effects I'm considering so far:

Ambitious Card Routine(Only card trick that would work well enough in a crowd)
Miser's Dream
A mixture of Coins to Glass from Bobo's and 3 coins across from Ponta that I came up with.
Cups and Balls

Now, I really like Jimmys no table style, and would love to start out like that. But right now, only my ACR and Miser's dream can be done standing. I'm working on making my coins to glass/coins across routine standing, but I'd rather not have two coin effects together.
I'd appreciate any advice on other effects to learn, I was thinking a rope routine may work well.

For a table routine I think an ACR, Coins to glass/hand and C&Bs routine would work nicely. Of course, I'd appreciate any kind of advice anyone has as I'm still speculating.

So that about wraps it up, Thanks everyone!

I'd say work on a rope routine!

I second the rope Idea. to good not to do.

I guess it's time to learn a rope routine then:P

So I found two books:

"The encyclopedia of rope tricks" by Stewart James

and

"Abbots encyclopedia of rope tricks for magicians" compiled by Stewart James.

I"m guessing one is the updated version of the other...? Any major differences?

Don't wait till the fall. get out there now. if you suck badly now, by fall you'll have begun to actually be good.

Yep. Go out and test the waters. The mirror never applauds (nor does it throw things).

Well, as soon as I learn the effects well enough I'll get out there. It might take a month or two to finish working on my Miser's dream routine and formulate a rope act.
I don't mind sucking as a performer starting out, but I wouldn't be too happy if I, like, spilled my coins everyone in Miser's dream.

Thanks for the encouragement, I'm gettin' excited about this.

Hi, Shinigami
You wrote: "Ambitious Card Routine(Only card trick that would work well enough in a crowd)". I don't work that routine, and have seen it only as a close-up trick held in the hands, in which case it is suitable only for the start-up of a crowd. In other words, for the first half dozen or so people standing with you. More than that number and I think people will have difficulty seeing what's going on if the ACR is in your hands.
I think of card tricks on the street as useful as a Crowd Catcher - to use for the first few people to arrive and stand in front of you.
I know about 6 ways of using the simple idea of a key card to locate someones chosen card. Then there is the Svengali Deck - easy to use and can be made very entertaining in revealing the force card to the spectators.

I showed a mentor of mine a rope trick I had learnt and he shook his head. "No," he said, "It's got to be entertaining!" Then he showed me a couple of those kind of tricks.
Entertainment can come from what happens during the trick moves, but is much more likely to come from the way your present your trick.
As you get familiar with presenting your tricks, check that the spectators are grinning, or smiling with amusement, or calling out "Wow!.
Entertainment is the name of the game.

All the best as you start out on what I hope you find to be a very enjoyable form of presenting magic.

MagiCol, Gary knights used an ambitious card routine here in NZ at the busker's festival this year with an audience of at least 60 people and it worked great, though in saying that he had the crowd organised well and made it play big... but still possible to do for up to 20 people without them struggling to see, I did it at the Whangarei festival for about 18 people at one part and it worked great!

I thinkMagiCols point was any card trick presented right can be entertaining and that I shouldn't of singled out the ACR like that.

Where do you plan to draw a crowd in the fall?

No idea. I still have to look for pitches.

I've been playing the violin for 8+ years so in the next few weeks I hope to start street playing and kinda scope out the areas that would be good for magic.

Best advice to a newby is. when you stop your first group of people, think S>>>L>>>O>>>W>>>. take your time every one has a tenancy to rush in to the show the first few times out. DON'T DO IT.take deep breaths relax, and have a good time. Don't be afraid to go out the day after you fail. keep at it.