Too Much, Just Right, or Not Enough?

[notsoltd]

I was wanting some opinions from you guys. I perform alot in school, and sometimes do street magic. I also perform for family, and was looking into maybe trying to do some strolling/table hopping gigs in the future.

I wanted to share my magic arsenal, and see if you guys have any suggestions as to whether I should get new material, or any types of suggestions at that. I basically want to know what you think about what I have up my sleeve.

Here it is:

Cards:

• Paperclipped
• Hershey Kiss Trick
• Five Speed
• Biddle Trick
• 4-for-4 Switch
• Transpo Aces
• Daley's Revenge
• One of One
• ACR
• CTM
• Cough up Card

Non-Card

• De'Ring
• Raw Linkage
• Stairway
• Fresh Scent
• Mint Condition
• Crazy Mans Handcuffs
• Spongeballs

Basically this is everything I like to perform and/or perform on a daily basis.

Whatcha think?

 

[mehar]

'tsall pretty awesome. I would highly recommend Here Then There/Two Card Monte. The misdirection for two card monte is pretty easy once you practice. Both of these tricks are great for highschoolers (like me), since highschool kids never believe they can be fooled so quickly and simply!

 

[notsoltd]

Ok cool I will check that out sounds cool!! and yeah the only thing I don't like about performing in high school is that they always want to see more and you go through your effects preeeeeetty quick lol

 

[mehar]

lol yeah i know. Another good and very simple one is to just buy an invisible deck from your local magic store for $5. It's a good follow up for the bittle trick. Hell, even throw in a self working trick to disarm them in the beginning: the trick that cannot be explained - dai vernon

 

[joshrobarts]

not a terrible arsenal. may i make a suggestion for some diversification. Several of your card effects are similarly themed, you could try bringing in some alternative ideas. A good addition to any magician's arsenal is a Torn and Restored card. I love TORN by daniel garcia, but you could also invest in David Williamson book Williamson Wonders. It has an Amazing T&R and several other great effects. Some great table idea's include a traveller's or Invisible palm routine.

for non card additions i always feel some magic involving coins and Money is a very organic way to round out your routine and involve the audience. Specifically for coins i would recommend a 1 coin routine or a possible flurry appearance and disappearance routine. Eric Jones has some great work however many of his effects do require a gimmick, AUDIO is a great un-gimmicked trick he released and is a great effect for anyone to add but may be a little advanced. It would be wise to start with something like Bobo's Modern Coin magic, or a beginner dvd coin course like Roth's, Ammar's or David Stones. That will introduce you to so many possibilities in magic you never had before.

For money magic there are several options, The Hundy500/Prophet idea hits hard but without the funds to make the change huge (1's to 100's) it loses something. A great alternative is something like daniel garcia's FRAUD or GREED (i love greed one of my favorite effects) or even some mentalism style effects involving serial numbers. Paul Harris has a great effect called Counterfeit Spectator in his Art of Astonishment books. Just look around i'm sure you can find something you'll enjoy.

those are my thoughts. Keep working at it

 

[chriswiehl]

roberts, i would tend to dissagree with the EXxtreme burn/prophet trick. i feel the change is impressive no matter what. i do the change from 1-5 and it gets just as good a reaction. (it is also a safer trick to do) (you loose less money)

 

[joshrobarts]

i wasn't saying that it wasn't impressive, just that it loses some of its power when you dont have the higher denominations. I agree its still a killer trick.

 

[notsoltd]

Now that you guys mention it, I also love to do the hundred dollar bill switch (from sankeys DVD hundred dollar miracles) using a TT. I will have to get another TT, but I do have a mismade dollar bill. That could be sweet for torn and restored bill, mismade bill, and a wealth of other crazy effects I could probably come up with.

 

[Robert//Livingston]

Anything that has no or little reset! For walk-around you don't want to have too much of a set-up between groups, and you don't want to have pockets full of gaffs to sort through.

Harry Lorayne's "Close-Up Card Magic" is a full book of effects done with a regular deck of cards! There are really some amazing effects that can be done, and instantly be ready for another audience. Also, look into to more rubber band magic. Dan Harlan has a whole video of great band effects.

Maybe have 1 effect that requires a set-up, but hits REALLY hard.

 

[Justin.Morris]

Lots of good stuff. Now your challenge is to create a few sets (I would suggest around 3 effects each depending on your presentation) that fit together well.

Once you have a set planned out, think about transitions between effects. Then try the sets out on people. Once you do the set often enough you can play with the presentation a lot. I have a set I used a lot in the restaurant that I did often, (It was a simple TT silk appearance and vanish, then Jokers wild, followed with sponge balls). Because I was doing that same set over and over, I can now do the set in around three and a half minutes, or I can stretch it out to around ten minutes (if I'm afforded the extra time at tables). My point is that it is really nice to have your effects in sets that you do together often because it allows you to play and interact with your audience more, because the mechanics are so rehearsed and put together.

 

[mehar]

You may want to take a look-y at this: http://forums.theory11.com/showthre...ets-Essay-6-from-JDG&highlight=Jamie+D.+Grant