Learning Magic

[Johnny Pneumatic]

What would you suggest for me to learn magic?
Also, why is it that nobody can reveal their secrets here? You guys aren't necromancers are you?

 

[NoZed Avenger]

What would you suggest for me to learn magic?

Books. If you can find someone who is already into it and can give tips and advice, even better. Some older threads have identified some useful books for the beginning-to-intermediate stage.

Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic is very nice. Bill Tarr's "Now You See It" is also good. They are general works that give good explanations and a wide variety of things to do.

Also, why is it that nobody can reveal their secrets here? You guys aren't necromancers are you?

No comment.

 

[The elementalist]

necromancy is the most horrid "magic" there is...it requires you feeling dead using you control over yourself on a dead body. Or other means I guess.

Read about Alister Crowley, off line.
Try to figure out good psycokinetic masters and shamans.

For tricks...go to a real magic shop, where the books actually hold power.

 

[Bob Klase]

Get the Mark Wilson book.

 

[ernon]

What would you suggest for me to learn magic?
Also, why is it that nobody can reveal their secrets here? You guys aren't necromancers are you?

Look up the magician unions in your area (SAM- Society of American Magicians, IBM- International Brotherhood of Magicians), they will have monthly meetings where you will be welcome.

I would follow the advise of others first and pick up a magic instruction book at the library. I personally like Mark Wilson's book too. Try a couple of moves and then visit one of the meetings. The magicians there will gladly help you perfect moves you are working on and maybe even show you a few new ones. Be forwarned though, nothing annoys old timers faster than a noob who wants free lessons without putting forth any effort.

Many experienced magicians offer lessons for a reasonable fee.

 

[Anti_Hypeman]

I use the rubber pencil test. If a book has the rubber pencil trick in it put it down and walk away.

 

[Bob Klase]

I use the rubber pencil test. If a book has the rubber pencil trick in it put it down and walk away.

Too bad. Martin Gardener's Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic has about 1,000 other tricks that don't even use pencils.

 

[epepke]

What would you suggest for me to learn magic?

I second the suggestion for books.

Also, why is it that nobody can reveal their secrets here? You guys aren't necromancers are you?

I've objected to the policy, but nobody listens to me.

It may have made sense when kids could buy magic tricks for a nickel at the corner store. A small amount of secretiveness can be justified by the fact that people watch magic because they enjoyed being fooled.

However, I also remember the magic shops of the late 1980s and early 1990s, where a kid interested in magic had to shell out $20 for an aluminum tube and a badly xeroxed piece of paper in a ziploc bag. The secretiveness is just a way of driving up the price.

Furthermore, it encourages magical thinking. A few years ago, I saw an ad for a three-card illusion that was implemented on the Palm OS. I was rich at the time and into the Palm and would have paid the $20 for the illusion, but the seller was so into the wink-wink nudge-nudge aspect of selling the illusion only with unsubstantiated claims about how it appears to the audience that I didn't consider it worth the bother.

I'll pay money for a well made set of Chinese rings or a stripper or Svengali deck, or even a well made key bender, but damned if I'm going to pay someone $20 just for telling me what a stripper deck is.

Fortunately, with a book, you get lots of information at a cheap price.

 

[Checkmite]

Royal Road to Card Magic is a book you will cherish for years. You will learn more sleights than you'll ever need from it.

Bobo's Modern Coin Magic is another good book. Cards and coins are a magic mainstay - almost essential if you plan to stroll. It takes time and effort to practice until you are good, but the results are worth it. Also, invest in a mirror that you can practice comfortably in front of - no use practicing if you're doing it wrong!

Visit your local bookstore - the magic books will be right next to poker and chess books. If the book is published by "Dover", you can rest assured that it's most likely quality stuff.

Why the secrecy? A trick isn't fun if your audience knows how it works. Have somebody perform a trick in front of you that you already know how to do, and see how much you truly enjoy it.

I remember back when I was first getting into magic - it was so cool. After I learned it, I swear I must've tried Tenkai-palming everything.

 

[Anti_Hypeman]

In the internet age I dont think the secrecy makes sense I can find most secrets in 3 minutes or less. I will show someone how to do a trick if they ask its not like the double lift or false cuts are real secrets. The performance is what matters Im sure most of you have seen enough bad magic shows to prove that.

 

[Anti_Hypeman]

Have somebody perform a trick in front of you that you already know how to do, and see how much you truly enjoy it.

I know the secret behind most card tricks but still enjoy a good performance. I have been subjected to extremely painfull routines from professional magicians and fantastic routines from newbies.

Its not the secret that makes a trick what matters is if its entertaining or not. Even if a trick fails it can be entertaining.

Nobody wants to hear a 5 minute story about jacks robbing a bank or see a by the book cups & balls for the 10,000 time. Take the same old tricks jazz them up with some personality and you can go from boring moron to Mr. Happening.

Secrets matter if you are booked at Caesars but not for your friends or a dinner date. If you rely on the secret to make the trick its going to suck.

 

[epepke]

I know the secret behind most card tricks but still enjoy a good performance. I have been subjected to extremely painfull routines from professional magicians and fantastic routines from newbies.

Its not the secret that makes a trick what matters is if its entertaining or not. Even if a trick fails it can be entertaining.

Nobody wants to hear a 5 minute story about jacks robbing a bank or see a by the book cups & balls for the 10,000 time. Take the same old tricks jazz them up with some personality and you can go from boring moron to Mr. Happening.

Secrets matter if you are booked at Caesars but not for your friends or a dinner date. If you rely on the secret to make the trick its going to suck.

Yeah, exactly. It's the artistry that counts.

I must make a confession. The first time I ever heard of or saw the "watch go forward" illusion was James Randi at a small skeptics' convention in Tampa. I made the mistake of saying "oooh" at just the wrong time. But I still enjoyed the performance, because it was done well.

 

[Mycroft]

Why the secrecy? A trick isn't fun if your audience knows how it works. Have somebody perform a trick in front of you that you already know how to do, and see how much you truly enjoy it.

I don't enjoy a trick any less if I know how it's done. Often I enjoy it more. I think it's fun to learn a clever solution to any problem.