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KirbyKoolAid New user 54 Posts |
Hello all,
I'm just really starting to get into the whole magic game. I can do the greater majority of basics, with the only things that are really stumping me being getting a good break and palming techniques. I find myself to be a bit too clumsy in them. Anyway, I have a few small tricks I enjoy doing (my favourite being a very simple one where their card ends up between their hands. Very easy to do quickly, and enough variants I've come up with to keep me entertained as well). I was wondering whether anyone had any tips as to where to start on broadening my tricks from just simplistic ones. I'm open to any suggestions, give or take, and can get access to the greater majority of the Tarbell course (long story). I'd like to stick with cards and, to a lesser extent, coins, unless there is anything I should really really know. Mostly performed for a random smattering of people rather than a proper audience, it will be. Parties, informal gatherings, time fillers: just little entertaining things I can do to fill the time and maybe get a little crowd watching. Thank you in advance, Nathan |
Andy Young Special user Jersey Shore, PA 813 Posts |
Welcome Nathan.
If you want good card stuff go with Harry Lorayne books. His stuff is top notch and didn't use to difficult sleighs. The other way is Card College, which I have used more as reference guide. When trying to learn a new sleight I go to it for help. That is a good base for cards. I learned fromRoyal Road to Card Magic and I enjoyed that one. A really good way to learn magic is through the cups and balls. It will teach you timing and misdirection. Ammar is the way to go on that. Good luck and these are my thoughts your thoughts may vary. |
Ray Bertrand Inner circle Ottawa, Ontario 1452 Posts |
Welcome to the Café Nathan. My thoughts would be 'The Tarbell Course on Magic, 'Mark Wilson Course on Magic, 'Joshua Jay's Magic the Complete Course, 'Close Up Card Magic' by Harry Lorayne and 'Coin Magic by Bobo'. This will keep you busy for quite some time.
Ray
Mentalism in Ontario.
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george1953 Inner circle Mallorca (Spain) 5943 Posts |
Welcome to the Café Nathan, I would start with The Royal Road to Card Magic. Also Born to Perform Card Magic by Oz Pearlman, is a great DVD to get you going.
Once you have made 50 posts you will gain access to some other areas where you can get more in depth answers.
By failing to prepare, we are preparing to fail.
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KirbyKoolAid New user 54 Posts |
Thank you. I've got The Royal Road to Card Magic, but I haven't heard of the other one, so I'll have a lok for it. Thank you for the reply.
As always, Nathan |
motown Inner circle Atlanta by way of Detroit 6127 Posts |
Personally, I think it's a good idea to know a variety of magic, especially the impromptu kind. Magic with everyday objects. Which would be perfect for the kinds of situations you're talking about. There's plenty of good effects out there.
"If you ever write anything about me after I'm gone, I will come back and haunt you."
– Karl Germain |
KirbyKoolAid New user 54 Posts |
I much prefer impromptu tricks. I mean, I always have a large amount of small playing cards from a cracker I can use in a few tricks in my wallet, and did purchase Pressure just because it is an amazing trick, and have a few balloons in my wallet asingle well.
As always, Nathan |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Quote:
On Jun 22, 2014, Ray Bertrand wrote: Ha! Ray! TARBELL, alone will keep him busy for a LIFETIME!!! --lol! Mark's "Course", ghost written by Walter Gibson, is very well done, and a bit more up-to-date, as far as material is concerned, although it's obviously impossible to "jam" seven volumes of Tarbell into one volume of Wilson! --Even if the physical size of Wilson is perhaps equal to two of Tarbell! Nevertheless, I "second" your motion! This young lad could benefit from both. If I were a college professor, I would make TARBELL, 'REQUIRED READING'~! The important thing for the 'Kool Aid Kid' is to 'ignore' most of Tarbell's patter (!!!) and absorb the philosophy along with the 'trick stuff'. Tarbell did a 'LECTURE STYLE' of program, and IMO 'that' comes across in his writing. He certainly wasn't a COMEDY magician! Remember when Tarbell was first written! (IMHO, 'we' were still in the VICTORIAN AGE of magic!) The KNOWLEDGE is in those books! It's up to the magician of the 21st Century to have the WISDOM to develop PRESENTATIONS! --Young magicians today must keep in mind that KNOWLEDGE & WISDOM, 'AINT THE SAME'!!! Harry Lorayne? --YES! I've met Joshua Jay, but haven't seen his books. From what I hear, he is 'with it'! Bobo, I met in 1951.We became friends for 50+ years. Some of our 'modern' young fellows have no appreciation of what J.B. did for magic with coins. J.B. 'gathered' from the best minds of his day, and published their 'brain children' along with basic sleights, etc. (Even the 'immortal' T. NELSON DOWNS didn't do that!) How many authors of magic books have had their work 'picked up' by DOVER??? If the 'Kool Aid Kid' is wiser than most young men, he will read BOOKS! --And, he will learn how to select much more judiciously what PROPS & SECRETS he eventually purchases. (KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!)
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
P.S. >>> Kirby!
It's out of print, but if you can find a copy of Martin Gardner's "Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic" GRAB IT!!! Much of Avner the Eccemtric's ACT, came from Gardner's work! I helped "expedite" the publishing of this monumental work. When I was mentoring Jeff Helding (40 years ago) I recommended Jean Hugard's "Royal Road...". Jeff bought it, and never bought another card book! It helped him make a living! Andy, motown,and George,(me, too!) have recommended BOOKS. I hope we have made an impression!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
PPS!!! I forgot to mention! RAY also recommends books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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KirbyKoolAid New user 54 Posts |
Thanks a lot for that, Dick Oslund, I will follow your suggestions wisely. As I said previously, I have about half of the total amount of Tarbell, but in various piles and things, the copies having been mutilatedo somewhat prior to me having been given them. I am on the look-out for a good copy, and will keep an eye out for a copy of the Martin Gardner book you mentioned. I have heard of him, but never come across any of his books.
I agree on the judgementioned of the patter in Tarbell. I have been cherry picking the basic skills needed in most, and have found my favourites (the whole premise of the Devil's banana I love, though I can't for the life of me remember the proper name for it). Thank you very much. As always, Nathan |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Hey Nathan~
The "Devil's banana that you refer to is called the "Devil's Letter". It's a card trick. There is another banana trick called "THE BEWITCHED BANANA". It's the old slicing a banana into "x" number of pieces BEFORE it's peeled. They are both in Volume I. Martin Gardner's book is "alphabetically arranged". It start with APPLE, and ends with ZIPPER! --in between are tricks and gags with Belts to Y----s! It's fine to learn card "stuff", but you are wise to be thinking about broadening your interests and skills. A guy wanted a job in a circus. He had a pony that could do A trick. The circus owner replied, "I can't afford to hire a "one trick pony". Learn a few good rope tricks (knots, cut & restored, etc.)a few good card tricks (at first, depend on the "works itself" card tricks, then move on to more that involve skills) coin tricks (you almost always can borrow a coin! (or two) a few handkerchief tricks (knots, penetrations, trick "folds) etc. Tarbell is full of such tricks. For example, I learned the DISSOLVING SINGLE KNOT, the MAGICAL BOW KNOT, the SYMPATHETIC SILKS, snf the AL BAKER HANDKERCHIEF THRUOUG THE ARM and the FADEAWAY DOUBLE KNOT about 1946. They are all in Tarbell Volume I, and I use them regularly. The G.W. Hunter MAGICAL BOW KNOT has been a part of my rope routine in my show since "forever". I made a living with that show long before your parents were born! I have worked out simplified, and practical "handlings" of those knots. If they interest you, PM me, and I'll help you with them. They are not as difficult as they may appear. I learned how the "vanishing square knot" which is part of the SYMPATHETIC SILKS, was DONE in 1941 (before I even knew about Tarbell!!! I was nine years old. (I'll admit that I wasn't manually skilled enough to DO it until a few years later! Now I'm 82, and I use it regularly--it's the oldest trick that I know. Here's the "formula" for adding a trick to your repertoire: l. Learn how the trick is DONE. 2. Learn how to DO it. 3. Learn how to DO it so that it ENTERTAINS an audience!!! --THAT is the HARD part!!!!!!! (Magic is NOT INHERENTLY ENTERTAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Yr's, 'til the deck is shuffled! Dick Oslund Sneaky, underhanded, devious, and surreptitious itinerant mountebanc.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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KirbyKoolAid New user 54 Posts |
Thank you, Dick, much appreciated. I need to get more into Tarbell, is my problem, and do it systematically. I will look into knots et al more, and when I do I know who to message. Can you suggest any 'good' coin tricks to start off with? I mean, there aren't many, and I can just skim through and find the ones I like the most, but any input as to which to start off with would be greatly appreciated. I use that word so much, yet I spelt it wrong both times I attempted it. Huh.
Anyway, thank you for the input, and thank you for the time taken to respond to my queries. As always, Nathan |
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