Learn Magic Tricks

The path from beginner to professional is a short one. Only five steps. Surprisingly, most beginners never take this walk. They waste years. They become experts at not becoming a real, paid professional magician by just learning more magic tricks. Here are the five steps that will help you avoid this trap.

Step 1 - Know where to get magic tricks and information. This includes finding sources for props, advice, and performance tips. There are many places you can purchase magic tricks as well as ways to get them free.

Step 2 - Learn how to choose the magic tricks that are right for you. There are millions of effects out there. Only a few fit any particular magician. How do you decide which are correct for you?

Step 3 - Learn how to learn magic. There is a right way and a wrong way to learn the basics. Where can you find a mentor/tutor? How can you most effectively learn the craft?

Step 4 - Understand the basics of performing. Learning the psychology of magic tricks and how to create a strong impression are essential skills for the professional magician. This separates the hobby magician from the pro.

Step 5 - Learn how to make money with magic. Turn the talent and time you have invested into income. As your skills improve, the demand for your abilities will lead almost without effort to paying gigs. With a few marketing secrets and the proper timing, you can easily make money with your magic tricks. You can even make a living doing it.

Follow along as we explore each of these key steps and master the real secrets of magic.

Do you have to be a magician to buy magic tricks? No. For some reason, people think that only proven magicians can purchase magic tricks. This simply isn't so.

Anyone can walk into a magic shop and buy whatever they can afford. You want to saw a woman in half? Break out your checkbook. Magic shops are businesses. They are in business to sell magic tricks. So don't worry, you are as good as your funding. Magic shops live by the motto: Show me the money!

Don't be disappointed... You might pay hundreds of dollars for an effect only to find that all you get is a simple explanation or a strange gimmick. Beginners make the mistake of expecting something more material for their money. But what we pay for is a good idea and the secret behind the trick.

Personally, I'm quite happy getting even one good idea from an entire DVD; or one effect I can use from a whole magic convention. I'm a pro. That one idea or effect is going to pay me back over and over again- every time I perform it for money.

Finding your local magic shop: Most major cities have a magic shop. Look in the Yellow Pages or on the Internet to find the one closest to you. It may be a bit of a drive, but that's OK. It's worth a bit of a drive.

At the shop you will be able to see, try, and learn more magic tricks in an afternoon than you could any other way. Often, the owner will not only demonstrate the trick, but also teach you how to do it (if you buy it of course). Getting a good, friendly dealer you can work with is a great short cut. He knows when a new magic trick is right for you and has all the latest information. A magic shop is a sort of nexus for magic and magicians in the area. A good dealer has a wealth of information about what's happening, who's performing where and will even host lectures or events for magicians.

The best online magic shops: Here are some online shops that I know are trustworthy. They sell magic tricks to customers worldwide.

Search out your local magic club. Local may mean as far as a couple of hours drive away. It's very important to become part of the magic community. At club meetings, you can expect to see the latest tricks and get advice about what to buy and what to pass up. The fun you have and the connections you make with other practicing magicians will be invaluable to you.

Find the magic section in your local library. This is a no-cost way to get information- especially about basic slights and magic tricks. You can also get interlibrary loans for books they don't have. Some libraries will have DVDs or videos on magic. Ask the librarian.

Answer these three questions to narrow your focus:

Who will you be performing for?

Will the audience be a few friends? A group of strangers? Adults? Children? Large venue or small? Stage or close-up?

Settle on who your target audience is. This will guide you toward appropriate tricks. Some magic tricks restrict your angles; some are just not large enough visually for the stage; some have adult themes... Ask yourself if the effect you are thinking of is appropriate for the audience you have in mind.

What sort of person are you?

You have to match your personality to the tricks you do. There are many styles of magic- find the one that is right for you.

• Do you love to move your body and have an aesthetic sense? Perhaps dove magic and stage illusions fit you best. Here you can use your artistic abilities and stagecraft.

• Do you love the great interaction you get with children? Then maybe kid's magic is for you.

• Perhaps you are more of the serious sort. Mentalism or Fakir magic tricks could fit your personality.

• Do you enjoy mingling with people in a more intimate way? Close-up and street magic fit this type of person.

Exactly how serious are you?

Some types of magic require years of dedication. Close-up slights mean constant practice to hone and keep your skills sharp. If you love the study and practice (yes, lots of us do love just that) then you should go for advanced card or coin magic tricks.

If you are more interested in just getting out there, then try some easy magic tricks. You can learn magic at high speed this way, and from the audience's point of view, easy tricks can be just as effective as advanced effects. Most magicians combine both easy and more difficult tricks effectively.

You only need 7 simple tricks to build an act.

Magicians have a saying, "An amateur magician knows thousands of tricks and a professional only knows seven."

Most magicians know hundreds of tricks. The point is that a pro uses the same seven tricks when they perform. These are the ones they perform for years and truly master. You just have to find your own unique set of seven.

By starting with magic tricks that are easy to do, you can see what happens. You won't have to spend so much time learning that you don't get to the performance part. Easy to learn means you can try things out right away.

Another advantage of going for simple magic tricks is that you won't have to concentrate as much when performing. This will help keep you relaxed and able to focus on being entertaining instead of worrying about the mechanics. Beginners can have a show ready to perform in a week with this method.

If you are an experienced magician, getting together a set of easy tricks can be a way to redo your act. We all know how much effort goes into making up a new show. Here's an answer to that problem. Less work and clever, going for the easier effects can put new energy in an old show too.

Some magic tricks are so complicated that seasoned magicians can't tell what the effect actually is. You have to understand just what the audience is supposed to see. You need an overview of the effect to grasp where you are heading and what you are supposed to accomplish. So, first read the whole explanation and form a picture of the entire effect. Only then go into the details.

With the whole trick in mind, look to see what each move is meant to accomplish. For example, a double undercut gets a card from the middle of the deck to the top. The instructions for a magic trick are about getting from point A to point B. Having the entire effect clearly in mind will let you pick out the A's and the B's.

After you know where you are going, learn each slight, (each A and B) and then string them together into a pattern from start to finish. Learning magic takes time and practice. Having confidence in the worthiness of the overall effect will motivate you to put in the needed time and effort.

Practice thoroughly; you have to have to do the slights and moves flawlessly and completely from memory. Run through the pattern again and again until you can do everything without having to think about it.

You want to see the trick from the spectator's point of view. A mirror or video camera can be very helpful. When you can fool yourself in front of a camera or mirror, you've got it!

MISDIRECTION - The second essential tip.

This is the secret weapon of magic. It's easier to learn than you might think . Cartoon by the magician Tom Stone.

Most magic tricks have a weak spot. It might be that odd move with your little finger or the cramped way you have to hold your hand. It's the moment when you do that 'secret something' that the spectators shouldn't know about.

Misdirection is the main technique magicians use to solve this problem. Simply put, misdirection is focusing the audience's awareness somewhere else. This shouldn't be obvious to them. You have to act naturally; the misdirection should seem like a logical part of the routine.

The basic principles of misdirection.

You can start applying these five principles immediately:

1. The audience looks where you look. Have a good rapport with the audience. Look them in the eyes. If you do this, they will look where you look to see what you are looking at. Keep their attention so you can direct it where you want.
2. Ask a question. When you ask a direct question- "What was your name?"; "Do you remember your card?" or something similar, they look you in the eyes- that is the moment you can make the 'move'.
3. Hide small motions with large ones. People tend to follow the most significant motion. We do it instinctively. Use a bigger movement to hide a smaller, secret one. The two movements should stop at the same time. An example might be: You ask the spectator to hand you a pair of scissors as you stretch out your right hand and arm. At the same moment, your left hand is preparing a setup with the rope. The slight motion of the left hand is covered by the larger, more attention getting, movement of the right.
4. Keep them occupied. Direct them away from the weak spot by asking them to do something. Make it your focus too. "Here, take this pen and put your signature on the card." While they are writing their name, their attention will be focused on the task. Here's when you do your move with the rest of the deck.
5. Make them laugh. Do something funny so the audience laughs. When we laugh, our attention and awareness is low. At that moment, during the laughter, you are free to get some secret business done.

While we are still talking about how to learn magic effectively, I'll insert a very important dictum: The three rules of magic are- Never tell. Never repeat. Practice.

Keep it a secret. Often the secret of a magic trick is simple and straightforward. When an spectator isn't aware of the secret, they are mystified and entertained. Don't spoil this for them. Telling secrets kills the excitement and spoils the fun. Don't cheat people. Don't cheat yourself. You worked for it and you earned it. Keep the method secret.

Don't repeat. Sure there are exceptions. Effects that rely on repetition to build suspense or humor. But these are exceptions. When you repeat a trick, the audience will be on guard and trying to discover the secret. They won't be entertained. The whole situation is different when a trick is repeated. Instead of enjoying it as magic, they will be thinking about solving a puzzle.

Remember these rules by heart.

The child within. Do you remember as a child how you played with toys and lost all track of time? That is the sensation that comes from learning and performing magic well. Fun and enthusiasm are the two key elements when it comes to performing and practicing.

Learning magic isn't a boring duty- it is pure pleasure. Take the craft seriously but practice and perform in a fun way. Your enjoyment shows when you perform. The audience picks up on it and wants to play along.

Remember, knowing the secret of a magic trick isn't the same as knowing the trick. You have to be able to perform it. That is the beauty of magic: you are a magician when you perform for a spectator. But there is no shortcut. You have to practice to own a trick. Forget yourself, find the flow and the fun, learn the tricks and then perform them.

Making your magic unforgettable. This is the surest method to make your magic stronger; I call it "Before and After the Magic"

The idea is to lead the audience through your performance. Make sure they understand all the conditions of your magic trick. Don't let them get confused in the slightest. They have to know exactly what happens before and after the effect. Your job is to make it easy for them to follow along.

Watch for these three elements:

1. Before - Decide what the single most important initial condition is. Before anything magical happens, what does the audience have to know and accept as so? It could be that everyone knows his or her card is in the middle of the deck. It could be that they know that the deck is well shuffled. It could be that all the spectators know the rope is definitely cut in two pieces. What actually is - that's for you to know. But to appreciate the magic, they have to believe certain essential starting conditions. This has to seem fair to the spectators. Merely saying, "The deck is well shuffled." isn't enough. A false shuffle or two will convince them more than your words will. Let them see, touch or feel- whatever it takes to lock in the 'Before'. The more they accept the starting conditions, the stronger their reaction will be to the 'magic'.
2. The magic - In the eyes of the spectators, this is what you actually do to make the magic happen. Maybe you wave your hand over the deck or mumble some magic words or tap something with your wand. Whatever it is, it defines for them the moment the magic is happening. Try to be intense and create anticipation. Get them thinking, "Did it work? What's next?" Generally this shouldn't be overdone. Don't leave it out, but don't ham it up so much that they forget the before conditions.
3. After - If you have done your homework and know what the effect is supposed to be from the spectator's point of view, this shouldn't be hard. Make absolutely clear to the audience what has happened. Make sure everyone understands. Don't make the mistake of just moving on to the next trick to quickly. If the rope was 'healed magically', make sure that everyone sees it is now one piece instead of two. Be sure they see that their card has magically risen to the top of the deck. Take your time. Take your applause and enjoy their reactions.

To recap: A person has to sense something to react to it. Too many magicians forget this important point. They have fallen into the trap of thinking that because they (the magician) has seen and done this trick a hundred times, that somehow their audience has too. Pay close attention to these three points and watch how your performances improve.

There is a demand. In fact, there is a huge demand for quality magic tricks. You just have to learn what and when to sell.

Interest in magic as entertainment is on the rise. Television has given magicians everywhere a great boost. Never before has magic been so popular. The demand isn't for old-style vaudeville magic shows, but more for the down-to-earth type. This involves the magician coming in very close and personal with an audience. Here lies a huge market in the form of private parties, receptions, corporate magic and other places where people gather for special occasions.

As soon as your performance skills grow enough, people start wanting you to perform for their function. It almost happens automatically.

You do need a strong act. And you have to put the practice in to get it. Remember that 7 magic tricks are all you need? Remember that the only real way to learn at a professional level is to perform in front of an audience? Well, choose your seven and get some audience time. Then you will be ready.

How do I know when I am ready? The transition from free to charging for your act confuses some performers. We all start by performing in front of friends and colleagues and then maybe a few strangers. At some point you will be asked, "Could you come to my place and do some magic tricks?" Or, you might be invited to some event and asked to bring 'your magic stuff'. At this point there is a demand for what you can do.

As soon as you sense there is a demand, you know there is a market for your talents. This doesn't mean you start charging your friends for every little trick you show them. But it does mean you are good enough to start selling your routine instead of giving it away. This is the time to start making deals and thinking about moving into the professional arena.