1. Practice Makes Perfect
Practice A LOT. The people that have gotten really good at something did not get there by accident. They have spent endless hours refining their technique. You can even practice while doing other stuff at the same time. For example, I was trying to learn a difficult card flourish that took a long time to get down, but it looked awesome. When I first started chipping away at it, I had to take it very slow and concentrate with full focus to complete the whole sequence. After a while I was able to do it without consciously thinking about my next move all the time. That is when I began to incorporate the exercise into my other daily routines.
The flourish was done with one hand only, so I kept a deck of cards next to my computer, and whenever I was browsing the internet or doing some activity that required no keyboard interaction, I used my other hand to practice at the same time. This helped to build up my muscle memory and very soon my left hand (which is also my off-hand), was superior to the right one, in completing the card trick. This also took away a lot of the mental strain that can be associated with focused practice. However, that is also a necessary part of the process. If you have made the decision to invest some time learning a magic trick, make sure it is worth it. There are a lot of very good ones at PenguinMagic, and they provide very clear instructions with their videos. Once you manage to master a neat illusion, the people you show it to will be amazed. It can even be used to improve your success with women.
The great thing about mentalism, is that people have such a hard time wrapping their mind around it. Some effects can appear so unbelievable that spectators start to question if it is real magic. And oftentimes it does not require any gimmicks or previous setup. A great source of tricks, especially for mentalism can be found here.
The flourish was done with one hand only, so I kept a deck of cards next to my computer, and whenever I was browsing the internet or doing some activity that required no keyboard interaction, I used my other hand to practice at the same time. This helped to build up my muscle memory and very soon my left hand (which is also my off-hand), was superior to the right one, in completing the card trick. This also took away a lot of the mental strain that can be associated with focused practice. However, that is also a necessary part of the process. If you have made the decision to invest some time learning a magic trick, make sure it is worth it. There are a lot of very good ones at PenguinMagic, and they provide very clear instructions with their videos. Once you manage to master a neat illusion, the people you show it to will be amazed. It can even be used to improve your success with women.
The great thing about mentalism, is that people have such a hard time wrapping their mind around it. Some effects can appear so unbelievable that spectators start to question if it is real magic. And oftentimes it does not require any gimmicks or previous setup. A great source of tricks, especially for mentalism can be found here.
2. Choose Your Expertise
There are several different areas of magic tricks. Some of them are mentalism, card tricks, stage magic and coin manipulation. When first starting out as a magician, you might feel like learning all of them at once. While it is certainly possible to get good at all these different aspects, it will require a lot of time. This means it will take longer before you are able to master the really difficult magic tricks in any one of these areas.
Most famous magicians are known for their distinctive skill in one of these arts, and to really become a specialist, you should choose yours. This does not mean that you will be unable to change your mind later on, but try sticking to one main type of magic and the learning process will become both faster and easier. Think about what magic tricks impressed you and made an impact. What would you like to learn? I personally enjoy doing impromptu street magic with coins that requires no gimmicks, because it can be done anywhere without preparation, but everyones goals are different. |
3. Keep At It
If you are just starting out learning magic tricks, the best thing to do for keeping your motivation up, is finding ones that are suited for beginners, even though they might not look as flashy or be as impressive as the more advanced ones. You can then also choose one magic trick that you want to learn which is more difficult, and practice this alongside the easier ones. That way you are continually making progress on an amazing illusion, while still getting the satisfaction of completing several smaller (but important) steps. It is a good idea to start off with basic techniques like double lifts and correct grips (for cards) or palming (for coins). Then as you progress, you can choose increasingly difficult tricks to build on the key skills that you have already mastered. If you focus completely on something that is too difficult, chances are that you will loose interest before perfecting a single magic trick. But if you keep doing routines that are below your current skill level and capabilities, it is easy to get bored because there is not enough challenge. The key is to find that middle-ground and thereby access a flow state.
4. Maintain The Illusion
Don't show anyone the magic trick that you are practicing until you got it down perfectly. For many people, this can possibly be one of the most difficult aspects of the whole process. Because if the whole reason for pursuing the routine in the first place, is to impress friends, family, or anyone else for that matter, then of course you want to do it as quickly as possible. But keep in mind, that if you show it to someone and fail, so that they see how the trick is done, you will never get another shot. Because that person already knows the secret, and will therefore not be fooled. The mystery is what amazes people, and that is why you need to keep your hidden movements unseen. When people ask "How did you do that?", it can be very tempting to tell them, but if you do, it will ruin the whole illusion. The spectators unconsciously want to be tricked, and will be disappointed when they find out "Oh, that's all there is to it?".
5. Take It Slow
If you are having trouble getting a certain routine down. Try practicing in slow motion while being very conscious about every movement that is needed to be done. It is better to start out slow and build up your muscle memory correctly. If you try to rush it, you might build up an incorrect technique that will be stored in your muscle memory, and this will be more difficul to change later on. Because then you will have to first unlearn, before rebuilding these skills. New magic tricks can be overwhelming at first, and should be broken down into smaller sequences that can be repeated and practiced on their own. For a complicated routine, try dividing it into three or more steps, and just repeat the first one until you are proficient in executing it. After that it is time to move on to the next one, until every separate piece looks neat. Then combine everything, and it will be easier to learn.
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6. Know Your Audience
It can be difficult knowing how magic tricks will look to your spectators, even if you feel like everything is going well. A good way to test this is practicing in front of a mirror. Try to think about how they would perceive it from different angles, and make sure you become comfortable in knowing what they are able to see, and what you want them to see. A mirror that is big enough to show your whole body would be ideal for this. If you are experiencing nerves when doing magic tricks in front of other people, the mirror is also a good tool to help exercise. Just imagine that your reflection is another person watching.
7. Get Creative
When you know a trick inside out, expand and improve on it. Use your own creativity to make the effect even better. Some times you might even find yourself inventing a new trick (that noone else has thought of). There are infinite variations that can be created by just using the basic techniques and some creativity. This is especially true for card tricks and coins, but can also easily be applied to mentalism for example. Good luck on your journey to become a better magician.