Magic Chief Thomas: I am just starting out in magic. Am 22 years old and I was wondering if you could tell me the best way to learn magic.

Tom Cutts: The best way will be something you discover. Some people learn well from books. The descriptions are very detailed in books, usually. Some people learn better from video. The jury is still out as to whether that is laziness (a culture that no longer reads) or a true breakdown statistically of "visual" learners. I know that L&L Publishing has a staunch belief that video gives the closest thing to one on one live teaching. I'm inclined to agree with that belief, though there are other pitfalls to video, such as picking up every mannerism of a performer and basically mimicking them. I learned first from the "Now You See It, Now You Don't" series by Bill Tarr. Great illustrations and it moves through material rather quickly giving one a real sense of advancement in the craft. So that covers the tricks, now on to the theater. If you plan to present strong magic you are going to need theatrical training. There are many sources for this, from community theater to professional coaches and directors. Choose what is best for you. Such lessons will help you along the road to "magic" more than any book full of tricks. Once you learn the ingredients, you can start to see how other visual arts, movies, plays, etc. use them. That will be a big eye opener.

Damien: I just thought I'd add something here if you don’t mind.  Tom said about laziness. I think that’s me.  I do find it a lot harder to learn from a book than a video. Simply because I have never done personal reading on my own. To be honest I hate reading.  And about videos, Tom said: “other pitfalls to video, such as picking up every mannerism of a performer and basically mimicking them.”  I also agree with this. I have actually noticed it happening to me and it is something I am trying to avoid. I am trying to do that now with my cups and balls, trying not to copy Ammar's style. The same with cards, just from one video I have found myself copying Daryl's style. Maybe someone could do a post on help with this?? I think it is actually very important and needs to be cleared up.

Tom Cutts: OK Now everyone who has their chops down is ready for this. You've practiced your fingers off. You want to do magic. You know how to block your routines and structure stories and presentations. Get out there! You will only learn how to control an audience by putting those theories into action. Many changes and adaptations will become apparent to you. You find things that you get away with at ease. You will find things you can't pull off to save your life. Some work at changing those failures might be prudent but at some point accept your uniqueness, your limitations and work to your strengths. Others will hint at your strengths as well as the reactions of your audience. Play to it, as this is YOU. Celebrate it. Learn about eye contact and other audience stratagems. These are the skills you hone only in the performing environment. Get on out there and do it!!!

Dale Shrimpton: “I'm there are other pitfalls to video, such as picking up every mannerism of a performer and basically mimicking them.”  This made me smile. Do you have any idea how many magicians I have seen doing the Tarberet rope act with a duff French accent!

Tom Cutts: Hi Gang, My strength is creating routines, so why don't we explore one together. I'm working on an ambitious card routine, so let's start there. First question: Why would you bring a card to the top only to stick it back in the deck and have it return, and on, and on?

DMC: Tom that’s a good point, there seems to be little logic behind a card jumping to the top. I once did a routine whereby i had a spectator draw a picture of a horse on a blank faced card and placed it back in the middle of a blank faced deck, then I talked about it's "show jumping" potential, with it jumping well today, on good form, must be onto a winner, then as it reached the most important race in its career there was another horse in the lead all the way...but at the last second it jumped into the lead (simply turning top blank card over and doing the paintbrush move). If I ever did this routine enough it could be worth getting some rosettes done in bulk with your details on them, kind of like a business card but more memorable, not sure about pricing though... Any other ideas with just using a normal deck and the possibilities with just a normal signed card...?

Cathal: Believe it or not Tom, I have been pondering this very question for a long time! And not just with my A.C. routine but with all my magic. I have so far came across many answers but none of which I have been completely fond of. Some would say they do it because they can do it but I find that leaves a sort of ''look what I can do'' kinda impression on the audience. What I now do is...I now base my ac routine on the theme of a new shuffle invented by magicians whereby if you shake your wrist not only do you shuffle the deck but you bring a card back to the top. This gives you a reason to put there card in the center and it appears back on top. This works quite well spite the fact that many would feel this would make an ac routine and ''experiment'' type effect but I personally disagree with that. What’s everyone elses’ opinions?  By the way, great topic!

Mr. Toad: Why not fan the cards out to show that they are all random and then ask the spectator to select a card but ask that they select the very top card. You can then explain how unfair this is because you knew what the top card was as you caught a glimpse when you fanned the cards out. Tell them that they can pick any card except this and go into the "ambitious Card" routine, but each time, show how you want to get rid of that particular card to make the "pick a card from the top" completely fair.

Mr. Toad: Possible Patter: “Psst (whispered), do you want to know how a magician does the "pick a card" trick? I shouldn't really tell you this but you look like the sort of person who can keep a secret. See these cards (fans them out) - they are all random aren't they. Here, pick a card, but make sure that you pick the top one because I want to show you how a magician knows your card. (Spectator picks the card and looks at it.) (Magician laughs) It's the five of hearts isn't it? You know I peeped when I showed you all the faces a few seconds ago - but I guessed that you realized that! Here, I'll place it in the pack and we'll do it properly this time.…”  And so on…

Untouchable: Maybe someone could think of a combination of all 3 ideas?

Tom Cutts: Good stuff here guys! I'm glad to see a lot of texture. Certainly, any extended performance can have a "reveal" effect, a "because I can" effect, a story effect. None of these are wrong. I think the exposure angle would work well if that fit your performing style. The shuffling angle still feels a little "because I can" for me. There are a lot of tricks like that, i.e. triumph et al. I believe in those types of effects when the movements, every motion, are absolute poetry on their own. The jumping horse could make for a fun piece, too. If we want to dig deeper though, what would you want to give your audience with this routine? What might they take away that affects their lives? I think magic gives you the chance just like a song can. The moves become the music and your presentation becomes the lyrics. It is in there that the art is created. Certainly, the art can be: listen to this wonderful music, or here is a fun story put to music. But what if you were trying to write something on the level of "Imagine" by John Lennon. Not my favorite song but it seems to resonate with the world. What would you do in magic to create something like that. OK, it is a heavy sounding task and I don't expect that we'll find the answer in a couple of days. But we might. The important thing is to start the journey. Even if it is only in the back of your mind, it can influence the way you think about magic and what it can do. What you can imagine you can make real. To some extent that should be the inherent message in magic...in all art. So! What is the meaning of burying a card in the deck? Just go that far. We're headed somewhere.

Damien: Well I think again its simply doing the impossible. When the card is put into the deck, it is very visible. The spectator sees the card go in but it jumps to the top (really??) The routine usually relies heavily on the dl. This is what hold the routine together. With a convincing dl the effect is amazing. But then we go back to why in the middle question?? Well firstly, putting it on the bottom is not as good because people will want to look at the bottom card. Putting it near the top cant be as effective as in the middle. And near to the bottom?? Well I suppose but I think [b:a90b916c8d]middle[/b:a90b916c8d] is the most general and common. I don’t think I will say : "The card goes near the bottom" because it just sounds weird. Anyway...I don’t think that’s an actual answer, I'll have to give it a bit more thought.

Tom Cutts: Great! You altered my train of thought. I was thinking in the general, "What is the meaning of taking a card and burying it in the deck?" You took it literal which leads to the thought that the bottom is bad. Whoa! I think the bottom would be the strongest specifically for the reason you thought it was weak. What if they are looking at the bottom card, maybe they even think you don't know they can see it, and the bottom card just melts away. Sort of an upside down color change. That would hit them right between their eyes. What a great place to be! Now, back to the general. What is the meaning of putting a card somewhere in the deck? Are you losing it, getting away from it, setting it free, killing it, filing it away, ...????? Because it is magical is a valid reason but for this case I want folks to explore something deeper. In fact I'd like them to know they explored it with a routine that is classically eye candy. The problem I see with the eye candy presentation is in repetition it becomes, "Look what I can do over and over, yet you can't catch me." I don't think that is healthy magic. But again that is just my point of view. I'm just one guy with his opinion. Don't let me dictate to you, but perhaps you might indulge an exercise to see where it leads you for your own opinion.

Dale Shrimpton: Now there is a coincidence. I am just starting to write a book, and in the introduction, I have compared creating an act, with writing a book. I.E The hard part is working out how to start, then how to finish, the rest comes a little easier. To illustrate this , my own personal method for the ambitious card is explained. Its simple, direct, and the card only jumps 3 times, each time, although in practice the same way, I add subtle touches to make it appear different to the viewing public. The order goes like this....... jump one, the card is placed in the center of the deck, bang, its on the top. Jump two...., the card is marked by the spectator because " that guy over there thinks I have more than one 4 of hearts" (or whatever).  Jump three (using something I call the " Birdcage move " even though there isn’t one used!!) the spectator encases both my hands between which is the deck, with their hands to "stop me doing what I have to do" (my favorite line in the whole trick, since as I say it, I do exactly what I have to do. the misdirection is a killer). This " Hands on bit " does two things.  No, three. First it makes you look really skilled, second it gets a laugh, because riffling down the corner of the deck with your thumb sounds like knuckles cracking sometimes, but more importantly, after a short while in their minds they are convinced that " THE CARD JUMPED IN MY OWN HANDS!! I TELL YA MARGE THE MAGIC GUY WAS NOWHERE NEAR THEM! " Now, I wouldn’t do it more than 3 times. One of the most important rules in both magic and comedy is the rule of 3.  As a killer, you could do card on ceiling, using the "improved method" from Scarne on cards, (dupe up already) suggesting that the card jumped too far, but this is gilding the lily just a bit.

Mike: I thought of an idea that may just be off limits to most performers because it is right on the edge of bad taste, however, with proper presentation and the right amount of depth, this could be a good bizarrist's presentation. You could relate the card being used to that of a deceased loved one who, while even though they were buried, still remain in the front of your mind. The influences this person had on you in your youth are still there, even though that person is no longer with us. So, that is why you bury the card and it keeps coming back to the top...Just a thought.

Tom Cutts: There you go, Mike! Death and the passing of a loved one is most certainly not off limits. It is a very real human experience. Which tact would you take? The more vague "Gone But Not Forgotten" route of feeling the presence in some little way of a deceased loved one; in which case I wouldn't focus on the burial so much as just them being "gone". This could be general (about the concept) or it could be personal (about your own experience, real or not) but it must have some element of real emotion attached to it. If these feelings are not something you have experienced, you need to research them very deeply. Or the more macabre "A Ghost Story", in which case talking of the burial and rising would be perfectly at home. Run with it, guys!