My Repertoire

[Steerpike]

Biddle Trick (I like to perform this like a mental magic trick i.e. I pull out 5 cards from the deck hoping one is theirs and I find out which one is theirs by making it vanish and go to the deck)

That's not mental magic. Nor is it particularly unique.

Ace Routine (I start this one off with a 4-for-4 switch making the spec choose the aces, then I put the aces back into the pack. Then, only they touch the cards, I never do, but they still find the 4 aces. Then I do Doc Daley's Last Trick, and sometimes I will follow up with Mercury cards where the aces turn over one by one and then change into 4 other cards)

And what script does this follow?

Paper Clipped (I perform this like I predicted a card the day before and it turns out to be their signed card)

So almost exactly like the DVD then.

ACR (Don't really have a presentation for this. Kinda just let the magic speak for itself)

Magic doesn't speak for itself. The magician has to speak for himself.

Card to Mouth (I end my ACR with this)

Then it's not an ACR.

Bigger Finish (I usually have the spec choose the card and put it in the pack. I say if I could find it, that would be awesome. But it would be even more awesome if they found it. I say since they aren't a magician I will give them 4 chances.....)

And...?

Inivisible Deck (It is fun to present this as a dream like I had a dream of a card and when I woke up I turned it over in the pack. I ask the spec to name the card that I turned over...)

Fairly pedestrian.

Cards Across (I have both specs count and make sure that they have 10 cards. I tell one of them to imagine one card turning invisible, floating out of her hand, across the room, and into the other specs hand. I play this up really big 3 times for 3 cards and then finish with 7 in her hand and 13 cards in the other's hand)

Sounds a bit too schmaltzy for me.

3 Coins Across (Present it like teleportation. If I do it for girls, I tell them that Mr. Kennedy keeps jumping closer to them to get a better look)

Not sure how I feel about that joke.

Fresh Scent (Don't say much here, just let the magic talk)

Again, magic doesn't talk.

Heist (I present this by talking about larger stage illusions and tell how this is the same thing but in a smaller, up close scale)

And this means what to them?

Wrapture (I talk about how coins get soft when you warm them up and then no talking during the EPIC bend)

Kind of a weak intro.

Slow Motion Coins (I don't say much here. I just make sure that they are sure that they see all the coins go into my hands)

Do you even need to say that?

Raw Linkage (rubber bands) (Present this like in the DVD that it is linking rings with rubber bands)

Again, what does this mean to someone who's not a magician.

Stairway (rubber bands/dollar bill) (Almost no talking. I let the magic do the work here)

It's not that I'm opposed to silence. I just have no way right now to gauge your understanding of dramatic tension, so I just have to assume you can do better.

Exit Strategy (Finger ring and straws) (Tell them how the straws are strong plastic but I still do the penetrations)

I'm sorry, what?

Spiral (notepad and dollar bill) (Almost no talking other than explaining the tear of the bill and giving them the wand)

What's to explain?

Signature Transpo (slips of paper) (Explain how I hope for my signature to be famous one day so I want to give it to them. Then say how awesome of a spectator they were, I want their sig. too. Then they switch places)

I'd have to see that one before I pass judgment, but it comes across pretty flat here.

Dough (pencil and dollar bill) (I like the patter about why they call money "dough")

And?

TNR Dollar Bill (catch them off guard by tearing their dollar bill. Once that happens I apologize and tell them I owe them a dollar. Instead of giving them another one, I restore theirs.)

What's the motivation?

Start with Raw Linkage. Tell them that I always liked the idea of the big linking rings but I would rather do the magic close up where they can really see it. Do Raw Linkage.

Why do you need rubber bands to do that? And why should they care?

Then have someone lend you a bill - tell them that the difference between stage and close up not only is that they are involved but that it's also easier for them to hand you money and act like you are going to put it in your pocket lol.

That's a bit hackneyed.

Then, do Stairway. Tell them how strong a bill is and that it is able to move thru solid objects without any harm.

I'm not getting the motivation here.

To finish, you prove how strong a dollar bill is by tearing it, folding it into a small rectangle, and restoring it.

I don't follow the logic.

 

[notsoltd]

All I can say is that I am trying

 

[Steerpike]

Which is a step in the right direction, but don't hide behind that.

 

[joshrobarts]

steerpike, if i may ask for clarification, were you saying that the card to mouth ending is a separate effect even if he's presenting it with his ACR or that by definition that means the routine he is doing is not a ACR. i do several different pieces when presenting an ambitious card type routine and card to mouth is one of them, but i do several others in the course so as to maximize reactions and keep them on their toes. Just curious for clarification on that point.

 

[Steerpike]

steerpike, if i may ask for clarification, were you saying that the card to mouth ending is a separate effect even if he's presenting it with his ACR or that by definition that means the routine he is doing is not a ACR.

Either/or. I'm personally of the school of thought that once you introduce new effects, it stops being an ACR at that point. Hell, I don't think I've performed my ACR in months, but I kept it to 3 phases simply because I didn't see any reason to make it more complex than that.

It's similar to how I don't want a mind reader to bend metal in the same show.

 

[tokyoUW]

I am going to be blunt AGAIN, but please do not take it as a shot at your magic. I will admit that you are on way to becoming better. However, you really need to just SLOW DOWN.

You really really really do NOT need any new material or books. The way you have been talking about Strong Magic these past days, it sounds as if you think reading it will solve all of your problems. Sure, reading it has the potential to solve your problems, but only if you have the mindset to take it all in... which you do not.

You do not need to read new books to figure out how to improve. You need to sit down, go over your routines, your tricks that you currently do, and re-work them over and over and over again. You need to show other MAGICIANS those tricks and routines, and get critiqued. You need to spend a year or more on improving your biddle trick and ACR. Just your post above that says, "I don't really need to speak, the magic speaks for itself" about your ACR... is only correct if your stage presence is strong enough to pull it off, and from what I have seen of your videos, it is not even close.

Getting more DVDs and books is only going to hurt you.

You do not sound like a hobbyist. You speak of doing professional gigs and wanting to do restaurant work, therefore I am treating you like someone trying to enter the professional world. You have the wrong attitude and the wrong outlook.

No more books, no more DVDs. Your current tricks are not perfected. You have them down pat in terms of your performances, but your performances seem to be a bit lacking in terms of originality and fresh ideas.

Just take time and re-learn your current line-up.

 

[notsoltd]

Thanks tokyoUW, for treating me like that. I would rather be treated like someone that has potential, but needs a lot of work before entering the professional world than like someone who is a decent hobbyist.

I am going to keep practicing and going through the material I have now and see where that leads.

 

[joshrobarts]

Either/or. I'm personally of the school of thought that once you introduce new effects, it stops being an ACR at that point. Hell, I don't think I've performed my ACR in months, but I kept it to 3 phases simply because I didn't see any reason to make it more complex than that.

It's similar to how I don't want a mind reader to bend metal in the same show.

thats fair enough, and i would tend to agree with you on a few points, especially the metal bending and mind reading. just seems to be stretching the idea. And ive never been too wrapped up with labeling my routines as ACR's or transpo's or the like, rather focusing on making them flow well. I also agree that with a standard ACR routine its not a good idea to go much farther than 3 phases as it gets monotonous and repetitive however there are some exceptions and the routine ive been playing with utilizes a theme of a card jumping around, so i follow my ACR with card to mouth, and an impossible location, usually card to pocket, card to wallet, or card onto spectator load, or whatever strikes my fancy, but you have very good points about the effect

 

[Mat La Vore]

Magic doesn't speak for itself. The magician has to speak for himself.

I strongly disagree. If magic didn't have the ability to speak for itself we wouldn't have silent or international acts.

Here's a successful and popular example of how magic can speak for itself. Here's another. And another.

 

[Steerpike]

I strongly disagree. If magic didn't have the ability to speak for itself we wouldn't have silent or international acts.

Here's a successful and popular example of how magic can speak for itself. Here's another. And another.

You should know better than to take me that literally. Even in a silent routine, it's force of personality doing the communicating. For a strong performer, the effect is just window dressing.

 

[Mat La Vore]

You should know better than to take me that literally. Even in a silent routine, it's force of personality doing the communicating. For a strong performer, the effect is just window dressing.

We're in agreement then. I'm not sure if I'm at fault for "should have known better," though, so much as your statement just lacked clarity. I agree though--personality is key to conveying an effect without patter.

 

[Randy]

First of all, everything you have is OK. The main problem you have is sensory overload. You are trying to do too many things and are pretty much just confusing people. I remember watching an episode of Kitchen Nightmares (The UK version, which is the REAL and better version). Gordon Ramsey was talking to a group of French chefs in Scotland, They were great cooks, but the main problem with their cooking was that they cluttered everything up with too much fancy crap. He pretty much told them what I am going to tell you. Keep it Simple. Right now you have too many effects on your list and you look less like a magician, and more like a variety show (this is also a problem with a lot of other magicians, specially pros. Who seems to think Machine gunning off effects at people, no matter how they "tied" together is a good idea. it's not.)

Reduce your list by a lot, and ONLY focus on the good stuff, and focus on it till you can do it without thinking about it.

 

[notsoltd]

Ok! Judging by the posts that Jamie has made, I think I will choose 9 effects (3 routines of 3) and get those down pat

 

[notsoltd]

Alright guys, I put together 9 effects into 3 sets of 3. I thought it out and put together stuff I thought could transition well between effects. Here it is: (p.s., please tell me what you think! I have not thought of patter yet, but that will come later)

Set #1

• Exit Strategy (or Crazy Man's Handcuffs)
• Stairway
• Dough

Set #2

• Spec finds the aces TWICE
• Doc Daley's Last Trick
• Mercury Aces

Set #3

• Lost and Found (I'm not sure the real name of this effect but basically one spec tries to find another's card and fails, then the card changes to the selected card)
• Cards Across
• C3: Con Cam Coincidencia

 

[tokyoUW]

What are these sets for? For the heck of it? For doing around school? For just practicing?


If you are planning these sets for future restaurant work. That is a heck of a lot of cards. Nothing really flashy in terms of openers either.

 

[notsoltd]

I am trying to work up 3 sets for restaurant work! I agree, what I had above is too much cards. I have been watching The Real Secrets of Magic and found quite a few things on there I like. I came up with 3 new sets for restaurant work

Set 1

1.) Exit Strategy
2.) Stairway
3.) Dough

Set 2

1.) Coins to Glass
2.) Watch Out (coins across to specs hand, then to watch)
3.) Vanish a coin with a silk, then produce a drink

Set 3

1.) Flash Deck (appearance of a pack of cards with flash paper)
2.) Flash Card (spec catches their card)
3.) Ghost (a random card changes into the specs card. their card is then placed into the deck. the whole deck vanishes except for their card, and the 3 others that match it)