| Magic is a great skill to learn. If you can perform a few | | | | master the move well enough so that you can do it |
| magic tricks, people will remember you better because | | | | without thinking about it, so that you can, during |
| you have a relatively unusual skill. | | | | performance concentrate on presentation. This is |
| For anybody new to magic, in order to become | | | | called muscle reading and it takes serious time. While it |
| proficient, it is important that you learn two skills: | | | | can be difficult to resist, rushing into performance |
| It is important to learn how to master tricks that involve | | | | before you are ready is not something you really want |
| technical skill, since anybody who wants to do anything | | | | to do. |
| more than one or two party tricks is going to have to | | | | Finally, when you can meet the technical requirements |
| master the skills of sleight-of-hand in order to progress. | | | | of performing a trick, rehearse it time and again. This |
| It is however, equally or arguable more important that | | | | means, run through it as you would in performance, |
| you learn to be comfortable performing in front of an | | | | completely, as if you were in performance. This will |
| audience since, as a performer, that is your place of | | | | allow you to learn how to overcome any difficulties |
| work. Many magicians concentrate too much on the | | | | that might occur during performance. When you go in |
| first skill and then find themselves unable to | | | | front of an audience, everything you have to do should |
| comfortably perform in front of an audience. | | | | be second nature. You know you have rehearsed |
| In order to learn both of these skills, you need to start | | | | enough when this is the case. |
| with magic tricks that require no technical skill. There | | | | So in summary: |
| are plenty of self-working magic tricks out there on the | | | | - Aim to learn both the technical skills of sleight-of-hand |
| market. Some of them use gimmicks and gaffs and | | | | as well as the performing and presentation skills that |
| others work by themselves because of mathematics. | | | | you need to make your magic entertaining and |
| By performing these tricks, you'll learn some of the | | | | compelling. |
| most important skills a magician can learn. Because | | | | - Start with self-working magic tricks to build up your |
| you don't have to focus on making the tricks work so | | | | confidence and get comfortable in front of an |
| much, you can concentrate on presentation. | | | | audience. |
| While you are performing these tricks to your friends | | | | - Learn sleight-of-hand by muscle learning the moves |
| and family and even strangers if you want, you can | | | | and learning well enough that you can do the moves |
| spend time learning the basics of sleight-of-hand, either | | | | without thinking. |
| with cards or coins, or if you are really enthusiastic, | | | | - Fully rehearse every trick before you go in front of |
| both. | | | | an audience. |
| When learning sleight-of-hand, you must first know | | | | For more information on exactly what tricks to learn |
| what the move is intended to achieve, then you must | | | | and what resources to look at, see below... |
| work out a way for your hands to do it. You must | | | | |