What next?

[dragon521]

I've finished reading Card College and Expert at the Card Table andam at a point where I can do most of the moves cleanly. What books/dvds should I look into now?

[2ndDeal]

I've finished reading Card College and Expert at the Card Table andam at a point where I can do most of the moves cleanly. What books/dvds should I look into now?

Now you have a large variety of tools. Next step would be putting them to use. You could more read presentational theory (Strong Magic, Designing Miracles). You really could go towards any direction you like!

[Shodan]

The next step that I would take is to take a look around for the kind of magic that I would like to be able to perform, find a good resource for it and get to work.

John Guastaferro's Brainstorm DVDs have some REALLY nice applications for the kind of techniques you have been practising.

[joerng]

Start performing for crowds of people. Start practicing a routine in the mirror and when you can fool yourself grab the family at a get together and do it for them. I would say that at first you should never do anything for less than three people.


Never pimp your tricks; remember a move, gimmick, effect, or slight is a work of art and when used correctly can impact people on nearly every level. when you perform do it well every time, For a few people at once.

The biggest mistake I ever made was not understanding how great a magic trick could be to everyone around me, so I would treat what ever trick I was doing as more of a joke than an amazing feat.

Only after I started to put hours of work into my patter and routine did realize that this is truly an art, and should be treated like one. I started backwards, I failed to learn the basics first. I learned things like Raven Vanish, Sinful, Stigmata, and Indecent, when I should have been learning things like Expert at the Card Table, Ninja 1 & 2, Ambitious Card, and the basics. Those things are essential to a good routine and meaningful showmanship.

Now I am playing catch up on the basics, yet still performing good routines and having tons of fun (but it is a lot of work).

You can build a great routine with no gimmicks and simple moves that will crush people if you stick to the basic moves that have worked since the days of Harry Houdini and the professor.

Good Luck
Joe

[dragon521]

What about in terms of more advanced card material?

[Shodan]

Perhaps just run with the advice that you got, hmm?

Besides, "more advanced material" isn't necessarily a good thing. If you put an equivalent amount of time into practising the fundamentals you've already learned, then they will continue to improve and that's a very good thing.

"Expert at the Card Table" in the same sentence as "Ninja 1 & 2"? Erdnase must be spinning in his grave...

[2ndDeal]

"Expert at the Card Table" in the same sentence as "Ninja 1 & 2"? Erdnase must be spinning in his grave...

Well said.


If you have mastered the material in Card College, I don't know what more advanced stuff there is. You have a sleight for every possible situation.
Perhaps you could throw a Mnemonica in, reading that book changed by view of card magic completely.

[Amane]

If you do decide to pick up Mnemonica you should really do some research beforehand or you'd be wasting your time.
If you are not going to be doing tricks specific to Mnemonica I don't see a reason why you should use it other than trying to fit in with the crowd.
I'm sure you can come up with your own stuff using your own mem. deck just taking some of Tamariz' or Aronson's ideas (even Danny DaOrtiz)

Also if you decide to go down the gambling routines path you should stay away from mem deck stuff as it would be more beneficial for you to invest that time practicing seconds, bottoms and centers (and stacking).

[copperfield 14]

Erdnase bible.

[Shodan]

Uhh..."Expert At the Card Table" is the Erdnase book. And what's with calling it the Erdnase bible all the time anyway? Sounds just as strained as refering to magic as "this art" ALL the freakin' time!

Ahem. Sorry about that.

[Sergey]

Perform, but if you want some pretty hard stuff the Trilogy is your best bet.

[copperfield 14]

Uhh..."Expert At the Card Table" is the Erdnase book. And what's with calling it the Erdnase bible all the time anyway? Sounds just as strained as refering to magic as "this art" ALL the freakin' time!

Ahem. Sorry about that.

To be honest I kind of forgot the name so I just said erdnase bible.:p

[Shodan]

The point being the original poster feels that he's done with this book already!

In which case, I'd love to see his bottom deal...

[Sean_Raf]

I don't get why it's always "What next?" it's the second thread I've seen this year and there's probably going to be many more.

We all fall into the trap of buying the next thing that we see that we love. I've done it *raises hand* guilty as charged - and I'm betting there's a few of you reading this that know they've done it too.

The fact of the matter is, if it's always "What next?" "What next?" "What next?" we never concern ourselves with "Now" and by the time we realise this, it's too late and we have so much magic in our heads that we don't know what to do with it.

If you're in the position where you're asking yourself "What next?" but you know you've already got quite a lot supposedly "under your belt" I urge you to go back and find just one, one absolute gem of magic that you own and perform it the best you've ever done any piece of magic.

Who knows? Perhaps you'll even find something you didn't know existed and it'll inspire you to create your own effect or handling of a trick.

Stop concerning yourself with the latest and greatest, make sure that what you do now is the greatest - and the stuff you see laid out before you, is just the stuff you can utilize if you honestly feel you need to.

Think folks. :)
- Sean

P.S. This post has been entirely my own opinion on things and I've wanted to post it for a while, some of it may make sense --- most of it will not. I just hope that someone can see where I'm coming from and tries out the Gem Theory.

[2ndDeal]

P.S. This post has been entirely my own opinion on things and I've wanted to post it for a while, some of it may make sense --- most of it will not.

I believe (hope) that many people share your entirely own opinion;)

[Sean_Raf]

What did I say? (http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?t=6706) :rolleyes:

Ah well, maybe someday.

- Sean