5 Tips for Aspiring Magicians: Advice for Younger Performers

It is only natural that most performers start their careers in magic and mentalism by learning easy magic tricks and buying simple, self-working effects they can show their friends and relatives with hardly any practice. This is what lights the fuse of passion for magic, and online magician Jon Finch is no exception. It was a small, wooden coin tray that did it for me back in the 1980s.

As we progress, we realize there is much more to this rich art thanbuying props. Frankly, if that’s all there was to it, the best magicians would be the ones with the most money.

 

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    No, as we develop, we come to understand magic means a lot of hard work studying and practicing technique, misdirection, audience management, and showmanship. Just like any other endeavor, such as learning to play an instrument, we have to study and practice. Even before that, again, like deciding what instrument we want to play, we have to determine what we like about magic, what magic we want to do, and where we hope to perform it. We can’trush out to buy the newest, greatest wonder we see advertisedbecause the video makes it look good. It has to fit you.

    If you are new to the art, the best thing you can do for yourself is to study the classics and learn the basics of magic. From there, you can branch-off in whatever direction you like. My favorite resource has always been the Tarbell course in magic. In addition to the written material, you now have access to wonderful recordings by Dan Harlan, which you can take advantage of to teach you every lesson. Once you understand the rudiments of the art, you can decide what field you would like to major in.

    Even then, there are specialized books for every field you want to study. If coins are your thing, you have bobo, David Roth, and others. If your interest is in mentalism, you have Corinda and Annemann as the bibles of that art.

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    Again, besides the books, you can see many of these effects performed live on videos. If you want to specialize in cards, treat yourself to Roberto Giobbi’s Card College, the works of Harry Lorayne, Greater Magic, and a ton of classic books that teach magic. One slight mastered in any of these branches of the yard is worth more than thousands of dollars spent on some new fad trick.

    if you trust by single effects, many which rely on gimmicked props, you are limited to a small amount of magic you always have to have in your pocket or with you. If, you have become a true magician—a person who knows his craft—you can perform anytime and anywhere. Not only will you be able to handle yourself under any conditions, but knowing the rudiments of magic will allow you to create your own material and become unique.

    Many have dreams of becoming a star like those you see on TV, Youtube, and in live shows. Let me ask you a question; doesn’t each performer have their own effects they have tailored for themselves? Isn’t each performer unique and different? They didn’t get that way overnight, and you can bet they all have a firm foundation in the fundamentals of magic.

    Always try to see your magic through the eyes of your audience. Do your best to put away all your magical knowledge to make yourself a muggle again when you think of the magic they would like to see. Fancy sleights may be gratifying to master, but they do not to create mystery and wonder unless they are for the magic to happen. When they are, they should never look likes sleights. Please don’t be a juggler.

    Don’t try to be someone else. You are unique in the world. You can become a magic star bybeing yourself coupled with the proper education. You can easily find that training in the classics of magic. Every great magician I have ever seen has always been the same on stage and off without any phony personality. Have faith in yourself, and never make excuses if you have trouble mastering a effect.

    It may be you need a little more time to do the routine should . Work on simpler ideas while still going back to the harder stuff. Eventually, you will master it if you persevere.

    Now, before I finish, I have to run over a short list of thoughts that seem to have been lost over the years. These are basic I hesitate even to bring them up, and I see examples of this misbehavior constantly on the internet. If you know anyone who may be guilty of these missteps, please say something to them.

    1. Always keep the secrets of magic.

    Keeping the secret is I can’t believe anyone would not understand it.

    I will get on youtube and find people explaining how a magic effect works or posting the explanation portion of a video. This rule was drummed into my head when I was only six years old. To break the magician’s oath shows the most elementary disregard for the secret of magic. Never divulge the secret of a magic effect to anyone other than another magician.

    2. Never rush in when another magician is performing to show off how good you are.

    It is their show at the time and not yours. When it is your time in the spotlight, you will appreciate no one else trying to upstage you.

    3. Never perform until you have mastered it thoroughly.

    I bring this rule up for your own sake than another’s. The absolute worst feeling you will ever experience in magic is being “caught out” on something you are doing. You feel like it is the end of the world, and you never want to do magic again. Even if an effect seems simple, you cannot go wrong, rest assured it still needs practice. The more you work on it, the more you will understand all the intricacies that make it special.

    4. Always know what the effect of your magic is.

    Instead of trying to learn magic tricks step-by-step, first, understand what the magic is and what it supposed to accomplish. The audience should always know what exactly the magician did and be able to explain it in a short sentence or two. Remember that the effect is far more important than the method.

    5. Know when to stop.

    Don’t ever overstay your presence. Know when you have performed long enough then end it. Know when to stop.

    Not knowing when to stop may be the biggest mistake amateurs make. They start strong and do some staggering magic, but when they see how much the audience is responding, they keep going on and on . Soon, they are digging for effects, and all glamour has been lost. It is far better to do one effect kill your audience than to bore them silly with 15 card tricks.

    That’s why on the tv show Fool Us, you’ll see magicians doing one trick—not squirting the audience over the head with trick after trick.

    As we progress, we realize there is much more to this incredibly Rich art thanbuying props. Frankly, if that’s all there was to it, the best magicians would be the ones with the most money.

    No, as we develop, we come to understand magic means a lot of hard work. Just like any other endeavor, such as learning to play an instrument, we have to study and practice. Even before that, again like deciding what instrument we want to play, We have to determine what we like about magic, what magic we want to do, and where we hope to perform it. We can’trush out to buy the newest, greatest wonder we see advertisedbecause the video makes it look good. It has to fit you.

    If you are new to the art, the best thing you can do for yourself is to study the classics and learn the basics of magic. From there, you can branch off in whatever direction you like. My favorite resource has always been the 900+ page Tarbell Course in Magic. Other (less expensive) resources are Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic, and Ammar’s Easy to Master Miracles series. In addition to the written material, you now have access to wonderful recordings by Dan Harlan, which you can take advantage of to teach you each lesson.

    Once you understand the rudiments of the art, you can decide what field you would like to major in.