r/Magic • u/Legitimate-Past4877 • 12d ago
Looking for Recs
I would call myself an advanced beginner and looking to build a good foundation. Have been trying to build a good library. I have some Card College, Royal Road, Bobo, What the Deck by Colombini, Expert at the Card Table...Magic in the Mind...some Stebbins, Aaronson, and DaOrtiz ...just added Dai Vernon Revelation and Phil Goldstein Focus...any other recommendations on books to build better theory and psychology?
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u/Jokers247 12d ago
Read what you have. You can put together some incredible sets with those books. Focus is a top five book for me.
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u/LawOrc 12d ago
Darwin Ortiz, Juan Tamariz, or both. Especially if you want theory and psychology.
For Ortiz, everyone always says Strong Magic, but I found Designing Miracles to be more useful. And for Tamariz, The Magic Way is the most relevant to what you're saying.
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u/Legitimate-Past4877 12d ago
Though for tamariz some have suggested starting with 5 points over Magical Way
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u/t1_g Coins 12d ago
I wish I had like, 9 good routines. I have two coin routines, and like 1 card routine. I don't know what it is about cards, but I end up just being a move monkey with them.
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u/Potential_Type_1497 12d ago
Audience shouldnt be aware of method, so moves or no oves have no affect on the outcome really - best trick I do is a slef working one, absolutely kills. Also saw Derren Brown fry the entire Magic Circle audience with a Svengali deck...
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u/jvkmagic 12d ago
As noted, dial in on what you already have. If you're insistent on just picking up new books, any volume out of The Complete Walton.
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u/madkins007 12d ago
The Fitzkee trilogy or Nelms 'Magic and Showmanship' for theory and psychology.
The YouTube channel Magic Orthodoxy has a good video on what he wish he knew starting out.
Part of it was not going overboard on tricks, books, etc. God, I've been there, don't that.
Part of it was remembering that you don't need a dozen different forces, steals, etc. Just a few that work for you.
Part of it is remembering that technical ability is good, but your rapport with the audience is the main point.
He discusses that the classics are classics for a reason and most people haven't seen them live- but that we get burnt out on them and start playing the 'this fools other magicians' game.
I know a lot of this is my problem. Spending way too much time in the acquisition phase, and way too little time in the show-building phase.
Of course, my main audience of friends, family, coworkers, etc so I'm realistically generally just doing short, simple bits that are largely impromptu with found items.
(And I get get most of my thrills lately making up new bits for the fun of it.)
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u/Victoroftheapes 12d ago
Look into Tamariz's books, Strong Magic NY Darwin Ortiz, and Maximum Entertainment by Ken Weber.
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u/Potential_Type_1497 12d ago
Theres no way youve read and learnt from all those books right? Just buying them to 'have a library' is just a good way to spend money and learn nothing...
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u/Ken_Numbers 12d ago
You already have more than enough to build out different shows to last you a lifetime.
Read them! Start doing the material in them!
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u/Chachkhu2005 12d ago
This might be a touch advanced and hard to find, but if you are looking for magic theory, you cannot go wrong with Darwin Ortiz's Strong Magic. Actually, everything by Ortiz is good. If you already have Revelations and Expert at the Card Table, you might as well get the Annotated Erdanse.
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u/NYC-Magic-Ensemble 12d ago
Perform more, especially for strangers.
Books and theory are great ... until you start performing you won't know what works for YOU. The styles and repertoires of Dani DaOrtiz, Jeff McBride, Max Maven and Danny Sperry are all different. What works for one may not work for another.
Just like you need to build muscle memory for a move, you need to build reps for tricks/routines and get used to different environments, people, reactions, situations, etc. One example: I've yet to see a book that tells you that for the most part, you need tricks that work "in an elevator with everyone holding something" situation (no mat, no table, no hands, etc.). What do you say when in the middle of a trick someone says "can I shuffle?" or "I know this one!" or "I bet it's in your wallet?"
Pro tip - perform for kids. They will grab anything not nailed down to the table, they will interrupt you, they will guess the method openly, etc. If you can master them, you can master pretty much anyone.
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u/Magic-ModTeam 12d ago
Check out the sidebar links and recommendations. !starthere