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Why Do You Want to Learn Magic Tricks?
Is it the mystery? Is it the glamour? Or is it the memories conjured up by that man in the black cape at your favorite party when he pulled a rabbit out of a hat? Perhaps you just want to be able to entertain the kids at your son’s birthday. Whatever the reason, learning magic can be for you.
Magic has long been attractive to humans. To think that someone may have special or supernatural powers makes them extraordinary and perhaps this allure is what makes you want to learn magic tricks – to become that special person in the black cape amongst all the smoke and mystery.
Magic is an entertainment form that has been around for a very long time. It is an old form of theatre that dates back as far as ancient Egypt. Magicians baffle their audience using illusions, tricks and sleight of hand. Their techniques aren't magic, but well rehearsed actions put together in an exciting performance. There are many famous magicians, none more so than Harry Houdini.
Today, magicians are seen on stage, on the street, in restaurants and on television. Much is made of their secrets and their trickery. People are still entertained by their performances and pay good money to see a magic show. If you want to learn magic tricks for fun or for a career then there are a few things you should know.
1. Magic is all about secrecy – never reveal your tricks to anyone.
2. Practice makes perfect.
3. The basic principles of magic are misdirection, sleight of hand and illusion. Master these then you are well on the way to becoming a good magician.
4. All magicians are well prepared with their props and stage set-ups.
5. Remember you are a performer so your stage act should be as well rehearsed as your tricks.
Learning magic tricks to make money or just to entertain friends at a party is the simple part, as long as you are willing to practice. Keeping the mystery may not be as easy because your audiences will always be begging you to reveal your secrets.
So if you are serious about becoming a magician find out all about the craft by reading up on it, visiting magic stores and talking to other magicians. Do your tricks with confidence and hold your audience’s attention throughout your act. Enjoy the reactions of your audiences as you surprise them with your magic!
What are the Easiest Tricks to Learn?
The easiest magic tricks are card tricks. They need limited props and can be accomplished with a minimum amount of fuss and a little bit of practice. Kids and adults alike are able to perform simple card tricks and they are easy to perform when asked for ‘on the spot’.
Some simple card tricks to start with are:
1. Who’s Lying? Have a pack of cards ready, knowing what card is on the bottom of the deck. Ask someone from the audience to select a card from the fanned-out pack. He now shows the audience the card, but not you.
While they are looking at the card, close the fan of cards and leave the pile face down on the table. Get the volunteer to cut the deck into equal piles and to place his card on the top of the pile you indicate. Now place the other pile ON TOP of the volunteer’s card. The card that was at the bottom of the pack was the one YOU MEMORIZED earlier and will now be on top of the volunteer’s chosen card. Now ask the volunteer to say “No” every time you turn over a card, even when her own card has been turned up.
You say that the cards will tell you when the volunteer is lying. You will know when the selected card is imminent because your memorized card will be the one before it. When you turn over the selected volunteer’s card and your volunteer says “No”, you yell out “Liar!”
2. Tens are Up. You will need an Assistant for this trick. Select ten cards from the pack, including one Number 10 card. Place the cards upright on a table, in the same array as the spots on the Number 10 card, (H-shape) You tell a volunteer to select a card while you aren’t looking. Your assistant will now help you figure out which card the volunteer chose. The assistant touches each card in turn saying “Is it this one?” Once your assistant has touched all ten cards you point to the one the volunteer chose. You will know which card it is by the SPOT on the Number 10 card your assistant touched. It will correspond with the volunteer’s choice as you have laid out your cards in the Number 10 array. This is one trick you can repeat over and over no one will be able to guess how you did it!
Some other easy tricks that don’t require sleight of hand or expensive props are: Mind Reading with numbers – there are plenty of these around that use number games to trick even the most astute audience member; or try the Disjointed Thumb where your thumb seems to come apart and rejoin at will; what about the Banana Buster, where you magically make a banana divide into pieces while it’s still inside its peel. These are easy tricks with simple props that take a minimum amount of practice and skill. See how you go!
The Key to Magic – Sleight of Hand
Sleight of hand (also known as legerdemain or prestidigitation) is impressive if you can master it. Magicians who perform sleight of hand tricks are well regarded in the magic world because perfecting these types of tricks takes many, many hours of practice. Not all magicians are diligent and patient enough to use sleight of hand in their magic show.
This branch of magic relies on the hand skill of the magician, not magic tricks bought from the magic store. The magician uses cards or coins and manipulates them in such a way that the audience believes ‘true magic’ has occurred. The swiftness of the hand tricks the observers in such a way that the eye is fooled.
Magicians using sleight of hand techniques are usually performing close-up magic where the audience is very close and can seemingly watch their every move. If the ‘sleight of hand’ is performed well, the magician makes the move look completely natural and the audience is bewildered by what has happened.
If you want to perfect this magical technique you will need to work on your hand dexterity and your ability to ‘misdirect’ your audience. Your movements will be choreographed in such a way that your spectators will look where you want them to – away from the ‘sleight’.
Sleight of hand tricks fall into the categories of false shuffles, switching, changing, false dealing, passes and double lifts. When you begin to practice your sleight of hand moves, be prepared to fail. Your hands won’t move as you want them to and your cards or coins won’t behave as in the instruction booklet. It takes plenty of patience and practice to become accomplished at this type of magic trick.
Set aside ten minutes every day when your hands aren’t tired and your concentration is good. Follow the instructions exactly, making sure your hands or fingers are holding the cards in exactly the right place. Do the trick slowly, over and over, until it feels right. Once you can do it without looking at the instructions, you are making progress. Don’t stop there. Keep practicing as your moves will become smoother and the ‘trick’ less obvious. You need your sleight to be automatic, without you watching your hands. Your confidence will build with each practice session and then you can show the trick to family and friends. See if you can fool them.
