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Bluzzmagic New user Las Vegas 70 Posts |
If this topic has previous threads then it is my bad. But I was wondering what effect works really strong for you with perhaps the least amount of effort involved out of your repertoire? For me I would say B'Wave. Not much to it either mentally or physically on my part, but if presented right it hits people really strong. I have other things that can hit hard too, but they all require more mental gymnastics and/or physical prowess I would say.
I am aware that presentation is everything, but was just curious about this for some reason.
"Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime." J. Lennon & P. McCartney
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Do you mean actual effort invested, or the apparent effort during the performance?
Many of my finest performance moments have come when it seems magic happens by itself with little involvement of me at all - yet, creating the conditions for that to happen requires a lot of focused effort.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
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Bluzzmagic New user Las Vegas 70 Posts |
Funsway, I meant actual effort invested being minimal as opposed to having to do complex mental calculations or challenging sleight of hand?
"Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime." J. Lennon & P. McCartney
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disbelief New user 50 Posts |
That effect for me is invisible deck. It does have one mental calculation but it is so hard hitting it makes that one small mental though worth it. I also feel many Ootw routines also accomplish hard hitting magic with the spectator doing most of the work.
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Bluzzmagic New user Las Vegas 70 Posts |
Disbelief, the ID is a good choice. I used an ID from time to time in the past and it can have great results. OOTW is another good choice for this topic.
"Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime." J. Lennon & P. McCartney
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Julie Inner circle 3936 Posts |
Paddle tricks. Tons of options with high entertainment value, yet e-z for you to do.
Julie |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Is this a thought experiment or do you ask for a reason?
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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danfreed Inner circle West Chester PA 1354 Posts |
It is annoying when I spend a bunch of time learning something, or constructing it, or whatever, and it gets an OK reaction or flops, compared to something kind of easy that usually kills, like Double Cross. Of course, when it doesn't get a good reaction it's often because of the presentation needing work, but you know what I mean.
Dan Freed
AKA The Amazing Spaghetti https://www.magiciandanfreed.com/birthday-party-magician-for-kids http://thecaricatureartist.com http://danieljayfreed.com |
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Over many decades of strolling and hopping of various types, I would say my most requested or appreciated simple effect is the Shoelace Knot.
What could be simpler to execute using most any 'found' rope? BUT - the impact came for a small bit of preparation. I had in pocket several pre-tied, trimmed knots. At the end of the Effect I would have one end in hand and the other under my foot. When I slapped the knot to make it vanish, the knot would fly out into the audience. They had something to examine and take home. Even those who gad seen the Effect before hoped they would be the one to get it - like a bride's bouquet, I guess. So, the Effect isn't great magic, but the memory is. Effort? Yeah, some, but that is what commercials on TV are for, or waiting in a doctor's office.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
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Levi Bennett Inner circle 1778 Posts |
Crazy Cube. Genuine gasps. Very little effort. Takes a little acting, but it isn't difficult.
It kind of surprises me the reactions I get with this little trick, but I keep it in the rotation just for that reason. The spectators love it.
Performing magic unprofessionally since 2008!
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Randy Marsh New user 49 Posts |
Quote:
On Jun 19, 2022, Theodore Lawton wrote: Crazy Cube is great! From the spectator's perspective, it's basically the same as a trick like Promystic's Multi Dimensional. Only at a very, very small fraction of the price. I was thinking of changing it a bit where I predict their number in advance. So maybe have the prediction in an unbelievalope or a quiver anything where I can switch billets. It adds an extra layer to the trick. Even if they have an idea for how you knew their number, they still wouldn't know how you correctly predicted the number in advance before they even selected it. It should also take some heat off you when you go to figure out the number, because from their perspective, you've already made your prediction so handling the crazy cube shouldn't matter since they feel like your prediction is already locked in. |
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Levi Bennett Inner circle 1778 Posts |
Sounds interesting. If you try it let us know how it goes.
Performing magic unprofessionally since 2008!
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Bluzzmagic New user Las Vegas 70 Posts |
I am enjoying the variety of responses here! I think I partly posed this query because I will admit I have been guilty in the past (hopefully not at present) of becoming overly attached to an effect because I had put in so much "work" to be able to perform it, and due to that I would be overly reluctant to drop it from my performances regardless of how much it did or didn't wow my spectators.
I remember Dai Vernon said something along the lines of if a trick was advertised as easy to perform, or that you could be doing it immediately, etc., that he wasn't interested in it because that meant that anyone could do it. He preferred knuckle busting nightmares that only the select few could master. Maybe if I was 1/100th of the magician that the professor was I would feel the same, and there was a time when I strove or at least hoped more towards that than I do these days. I guess it took me longer than it should've to accept that sometimes my hard work was less productive as far as audience response than some of the "easy to perform" material I might do. Okay, I also asked because I enjoy seeing what others use that works for them, and I am having the urge to once again push the "buy now" button at one of my favorite online magic vendors.
"Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime." J. Lennon & P. McCartney
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Mb217 Inner circle 9520 Posts |
Quote:
On Jun 17, 2022, Bluzzmagic wrote: Totally agree about B’Wave, it’s pretty much all presentation…so powerfully put. I’ve been doing the effect for years & years now and it never gets old. A great little closeup trick done with a few cards, and your lead. About as close to both easy and perfect as you can get. 😁👍🏽 And y’know, a really easy trick to do that amazes people is one that is not often mentioned around here, so I’ll mention it…The Nothing Box. It’s an interesting little closeup trick, that I’ve done for a good while now because it perplexes people. I often do it for children while their parents are watching, and I always say something like, “Now, this only works on kids.” 😉 I’ve also played with it using a half dollar coin that seems to disappear every time I clearly put it in the little can. And if you think about it a bit, using 2 of the little devices can become one great little routine. It’s quite a simple little thing, that can play to some good amazement if you let it. Give it a try…there’s really “nothing” to it. 😊
*Check out my latest: Gifts From The Old Country: A Mini-Magic Book, MBs Mini-Lecture on Coin Magic, The MB Tanspo PLUS, MB's Morgan, Copper Silver INC, Double Trouble, FlySki, Crimp Change - REDUX!, and other fine magic at gumroad.com/mb217magic
"Believe in YOU, and you will see the greatest magic that ever was." -Mb |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
I guess the point is in my mind as a professional if you get the effect you want, what does difficulty matter? You are supposed to practice until it is not difficult. (Yea I know I used the “P” word sorry.)
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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Ronin Loyal user Martinez,CA 216 Posts |
It’s great when an effect delivers high impact for little effort. But I think Danny has a good point. I’ve always liked Doug Henning’s take on it: “The difficult must become routine, the routine must become easy and the easy must become beautiful.”
To get a bit more mathematical than this probably all requires, this thread started out being about effort vs. impact, what I’ll call the E/I ratio. For me, with B’wave, Effort is about a 2, and Impact is about an 8. So a nice low E/I ratio of .25 But on the other hand, when I perform Culligula Triumph, it has an Effort rating of about 9, and an Impact rating of about 9.5. So it’s a much higher E/I ratio of about .95. But the Impact is about as good as it gets. To directly answer the original question, sponge balls is about the easiest routine in my working strolling repertoire, I’d say an Effort score of about 3, with an Impact score of 9, E/I ratio of .33 (I don’t actually perform B’wave close-up, only in my stage set). Most of the effects in my working strolling repertoire have an Effort value of around 5-7, I guess. But I always look at the Impact value in choosing my material, going for material in the 8-10 range for Impact. (It’s not strolling material I know, but) I occasionally perform the Alan Wakeling Billiard Ball routine onstage. Effort value of 9ish, but Impact value of only around 6-7. But I still perform it from time to time, just because I love the routine (and love practicing it), and it does serve to provide some contrast in my stage set. Audiences do respond well to it, just not as well as most of my other material. But I also have to realistically look at how much time I have for material with a high Effort requirement, to make sure I can put in the necessary practice and rehearsal to make the material reliable. Sometimes the sheer joy of practicing a difficult routine may make it worthwhile to perfect it. But I always try to be realistic about the impact on the audience. I think it’s also valid to include a routine for the purpose of showcasing one’s personality, to provide change of pace in a show or set, or maybe just because the piece is really, really funny and fun. As a matter of taste, I prefer that all my material have strong magical impact. I know that many performers consider comic effect to be a good measure of success or impact. But that’s probably another conversation.
David Hirata
www.thingsimpossible.com "Life is a combination of magic and pasta." --Federico Fellini |
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RNK Inner circle 7491 Posts |
Pointless by Gregory Wilson is super easy to perform and gets fantastic reasctions.
Check out Bafflingbob.com
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Bluzzmagic New user Las Vegas 70 Posts |
I think some here misunderstood my intent with this thread. Personally I couldn't care less if I get a big response from performing a mindless, effortless effect or if I get that same response from being suspended upside down over a pit of alligators while doing one-handed faro shuffles behind my back.
I was just curious what others had to say about this and I enjoy the responses from everyone.
"Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime." J. Lennon & P. McCartney
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Bluzzmagic New user Las Vegas 70 Posts |
Thanks for your response, Mb217.
I always love seeing a basic inexpensive and/or beginner magician's trick turned into something much more special like you do with your Nothing Box. Not saying that I will be hurrying to work that into my repertoire, but glad to see that it is so alive and well in your hands!
"Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime." J. Lennon & P. McCartney
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Bluzzmagic New user Las Vegas 70 Posts |
Ronin, I found your posting very interesting.
only asked about effort vs. effect as a just curious type of casual question, but now I can see that there is much more to it that I have never even thought about (or am sure that I want to......lol). I can overthink things enough at times without adding that into the equation. lol Seriously, your post was interesting and thank you for it!
"Lying with his eyes while his hands are busy working overtime." J. Lennon & P. McCartney
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