Just joined!

[Guest]

I posted this in the Reference room, but think I should have posted here, sorry. Let me try again.

Hello everyone, I am a new magician and want to give a shout out to all the genii forum members. I am excited to learn about this forum (my friend to ld me about it) and am looking forward to learning all I can about magic. I'm a senior in HS and have loved magic ever since a magician performed at our school.

Can anyone give me some tips on how to become a good magician? What type of tricks should I do? I love street magic and think david blaine and chris angel are great. They do the coolest magic. Do they ever come on this board?

Thanks for your help, I hope to meet at a gathering one day.

[Richard Kaufman]

Hi Slipcut, and welcome to the Forum. The type of magic it sounds like you're looking for (David Blaine and Criss Angel stuff) is promoted heavily and sold by ellusionist:

http://www.ellusionist.com/index.php

Click on that link and you'll see lots of interesting tricks and DVDs.

Oh ... subscribing to Genii will make you a better magician. :)

[Guest]

Hi Slipcut,

Welcome the the wonderful world of magic. I am sure you will hear from many, many experienced magicians on this forum with some great advice. As you are just starting out, you have a HUGE advantage that the vast majority of us didn't have....the opportunity to get tons of advice on a forum like this.

Let me start the topic by telling you something you probably don't want to hear. IMHO, Magic is NOT about the "cool" tricks. Magic is a performance art. It's not the tricks, it's the performer and their ability to entertain an audience.

I am sure you will receive much great advice from some of the best minds in the business. Best of luck to you and congratulations on your upcoming graduation.

[Guest]

Slipcut, Killer name man. I like. For your other question that the guys haven't addressed, Blaine and Angel don't come on this board. However, the guy up there *Points* Richard Kaufman. You've seen him on Mindfreak before. There are also some INSANELY talented magicians who chat on this board, so you're in a good place.

[Guest]

I read your other post in the Reference Forum and there is some good advice there and something a few people suggested is to find people who do magic.
In case you don't know, the Society of American Magicians (SAM) and the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) have meetings all over the country and since you didn't post where in the USA you live I can't help you to find a club or a magic store right now.
As for what kind of tricks you should learn I would recommend beginning with the classic tricks like Cups and Balls, Linking Rings, Professors Nightmare and the 21 card trick (just kidding on the last one)
Of course there are dozens of card tricks and coin tricks and lets not forget about mentalism the best way to find your style is to learn tricks of all types. You might love to watch street magic but you might find that performing it doesn't suit your personality. You might be better suited for comedy magic or you might be perfectly suited for mentalism. The best way to know is to see as much as you can and learn a bunch of tricks from each type.
Just caution yourself from learning exclusively from DVDs because it is always very easy to tell when someone learns from a DVD of another magician's performance because they end up word for word the same and your own personal style doesn't come out. This is why you should always try to read books because you have no choice but to create your own way of performing the trick.
Best of luck to you

[Guest]

Thank you all for the information, it's helpful and a little overwhelming at the same time. I will start out buying some tricks and start reading too. I hope to be a good magician some day. Right now i have to finish school or else my mom won't buy me anything. She said my grades have to come first. I was wondering if there are any tricks I can do in the park or on the street that I can make some money doing. I don't live near a big city but there are some places downtown I would like to try.

[Guest]

Slipcut,

Forget what your Mom said. Be true to your art and drop out of school to study magic full time. No need for a great education when you have a killer double-lift.

If you have not learned what sarcasm is yet, stay in school. ;)

[Guest]

I think it's more important to develop your "toolkit" rather than collecting cool tricks one at a time. Principles, ultilty sleights and other techniques that allow you to perform a full range of magic. My 2c.

JohN R

[Guest]

John has given you good advice. Mastery of a few simple sleights and gimmicks will open the door to many effects.

[Guest]

And I really wouldn't try cups and balls and some of the other classics mentioned before you have this toolkit of basic sleights. I've been learning magic for 23 years and still can't do a good cups and balls.

It's like telling a beginner violinist to play Bach's Double Violin Concerto.

Stick with the basics and concentrate on the performance. Self working tricks can slay an audience with the correct presentation.

A magician is an actor playing the part of a magician. As someone or other once said. ;)

Think about that. Play the role of a great magician - even if you are doing the easiest tricks - and people will believe you...

Damian

[Guest]

If you are planning to work in a park or on the street, you might check into Danny Hustle's Busker's Cafe and get some advice from people who do this for a living.
http://www.buskerscafe.com/forums/index.php

Good Luck! You've chosen an interesting path to pursue through life!