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Dee Christopher – Is Something Missing in Your Magic Tricks Practice?

Dee Christopher - Is something missing from magic practice?

The traditional advice that Dee Christopher gives beginners is Practice, Practice Practice. But that’s not really the best advice. Practice is vital, and it’s the first step to better magic, but it’s only one part of the process for improving your magic tricks. A better line would be:

Practice, Practice, Perform.

Dee Christopher recorded this short video with his tip for beginners wanting to practice their magic:

Regardless of the advice that many magic books and teachers will tell you, every secret to performing a magic trick isn’t given to you in magic books and videos. They teach the mechanics and touch on a particular performers style for presenting the magic trick, but that’s only a small part of the magic secret.

A magic book or DVD can never give you the whole story because magic happens LIVE, and live events are not predictable. There is no set pattern for how a spectator will interact with you, or how you will influence and engage an audience. There are too many variables to ever be predictable.

In the magic tricks performed by Dee Christopher, the lack of a set pattern in the presentation of a magic trick is even more evident. His chosen branch of magic is mind reading and mental powers demonstrated to the public. By its nature, mentalism is about interaction.

Dee Christopher can’t follow a simple recipe as the magic is created in the communication between the mentalist and the spectator. Dee Christopher understands this completely. He urges you to perform live as much as possible as that’s the secret of professional magicians. They practice the method to performance standard, but the real schooling happens when the magic tricks are shown to the public and audience tested.

Do Close Up Mats Belong in the Bin?

by Merchant of Magic Leave a Comment

By Dominic Reyes

Close up mats sell very well in magic shops, but are they a waste of money? Let’s look at the reasons for using close up mats, and if it’s actually doing more harm than good.

Close up mats come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, from the small circle pads through to table hopping strips and ending in huge display mats. How you use your close up mat and the types of magic you perform will determine the size of the mat that’s right for you. The purpose of most close up mats can be grouped into two basic types:

Walk-around temporary surfaces
Stages areas for a fixes show.

The Close Up Mat SurfaceThere are two main types of close up mat surfaces. The traditional surface is made of felt, similar to the fabric used on a pool table. This looks great, but can attract dust and dirt quickly. Felt close up mats can wear out quickly and don’t take well to being washed.The alternative to felt is a close up mat which is made of the material used for mouse mats. It’s a tighter weave than felt, and had a thicker rubber backing. These mats are more hard wearing, and easier to clean so have started to become much more popular than the traditional felt mats.For most magicians, the surface material is mainly a cosmetic choice. The most important aspects of a good close up mat is the tension of the surface, the resistance it gives to an item being presses against it, and it’s ability to grip the surface it is placed on.

Advantages of a close up mat for table hopping.

As a magician, you may like to carry a small close up mat with you when you table hop. Close up mats can define an area of the table as ‘your turf’ which can help reduce grabbing of props by spectators.

Close up mats can also create a frame in which the magic is presented. It moves the action away from the cutlery, glasses, and other items on a table.

You may find that using a close up mat can help with many of the moves and techniques requires for sleight of hand. The springy surface of the mat can be a core part of the mechanicals of a magic trick. This is especially the case with many coin magic tricks.

If you perform your magic tricks in a set area, and draw a crowd, a close up mat looks great. It’s a professional surface, sets a tone and helps the action on the table to be visible and clear.

Disadvantages of a close up mat for table hopping.

For close up magicians that table hop, a close up mat is a strange item to pull out and add to your guests table. Using even a small mat, requires you to move guests items and make a space. This can be seen as rude by some people, as you not an invited member of the group, when you first approach a table.

Using a close up mat can make you dependent on a specific surface for your magic to work effectively. Over time, you develop your technique to work with that specific surface and become dependent on it.

Close up mats encourage magicians to perform magic at table level. This has huge viability issues, and unless you are seated behind the mat, the background to your magic is your crotch, nice.

Dinner tables are messy places. They have wet patches, food stuck to them and drinks get spilled on a regular basis. If you are going to use a close up mat, it’s vital that it looks clean and new if you are putting it down on someones dinner table. That can be very hard to control, unless you carry a spare. Your ability to judge if the mat looks good, fades with time due to familiarity.

Close up mats at home.

There are several good reasons to have a close up mat set up in its own space in your home:

1) Using a close up mat at home is fine and establishes an area in your room set aside for practice. Noticing the mat, set up and ready to go, can spur you on to practice.

2) Guests that visit you, will notice the area, and may ask to see some magic.

3) Your family won’t be tempted to move your magic props if they are on a close up mat.

4) It looks awesome.

Using a close up mat for a formal display.

If you have a special table set up to present your magic, then a good quality magicians close up mat is a wise choice. It finishes the look of the stand.

The larger the close up mat the better.

Street performers often use a table as a focal point for their act. If it’s not already felt covered, like a card table, then a close up mat creates a perfect surface for the table.

If you are positioned in an area to perform your magic tricks. Perhaps doing magic at a bar, or on a trade show stand. A large close up mat advertises that ‘magic happens here’ and gives your area an official feel.

Not using a close up mat.

It’s important that you learn to perform your magic on a wide range of surfaces. This may just require practice, or it may mean a tweak or adjustment to the method of the magic trick. Learn to perform on glass, table cloths and wooden surfaces. It’s OK to use a mat as you work on a difficult move and need to focus on the sets involved. However, once you have gotten an understanding of the move, work to remove any dependence on the mat. Make sure that using a magicians close up mat doesn’t become a crutch.

Do you really need a close up mat?

No, not really. They can help in the early stage of learning a magic trick, but developing or adapting a magic tricks method to work anywhere is a much better approach.

Look at Close up mats as dressing and useful for creating a staged area for magic shows. It shouldn’t be vital to your performance.

Magic tricks too hard? 3 Ways to Get out of a Magic Rut

by Merchant of Magic 1 Comment

By Ben Williams

Magic tricks can be hard work. The process of studying, practicing and performing magic tricks can be a lot to take on. More often than not it can result in hitting a brick wall and losing the motivation to carry one and persist.

If it is no longer enjoyable then why continue the process of learning, practicing and then performing your magic tricks?

There are a few reasons why you may feel like this and we can identify these reasons and what to do to overcome them so that you can once again happily go about performing your magic tricks to your family and friends.

Sean writes:

‘I’ve been doing magic tricks since I was 7, but I feel as if I’m not going anywhere. I have put too much money and devotion into learning my magic tricks and I was wondering if you could recommend anything to help me get better?’

It may feel as if you have hit a bit of a rut with your magic tricks, we have a few suggestions to help get yourself out of that rut and keep it fresh:

1) REMEMBER
Firstly, try to remember what made you begin learning magic tricks in the first place. Remind yourself of the feeling of amazement and excitement when you first saw a magic trick that seemed impossible. Hold onto this feeling and use it as motivation, it is a positive feeling that can help re-vitalise your hunger for this art form. Maybe dig out some old DVDs or video clips of some magic tricks that once inspired you and re-watch them, try to capture that spark that was once ignited. Change your emotions when you think of magic tricks to that of excitement and ambition, as opposed to frustration and helplessness. This is stage one – reclaiming your passion.

2) FEEL
Next you may find that the magic tricks you are performing don’t feel right or suit your style. This can result in nervous and uncomfortable performances. This is a common issue but it is important that once you have identified you are experiencing this issue that you address it. Ask yourself honestly what magic tricks you would like to perform then you can focus your attentions on that area of study. However it is also important to be realistic with your goals and to make sure your goals are achievable. There is no point trying to attempt advanced gambling sleights if you have not learned the basics first. If you are focused and patient, then results will come. Look at your own strengths and weaknesses, what makes you comfortable and what makes you uncomfortable. When you are honest with yourself about this, you will be able to make positive changes and improvements to technique and confidence will come. This is stage two – being honest with yourself in order to set achievable goals.

3) PLAY
Once you have re-invigorated your passion for your magic tricks and identified what magic tricks you want to study it is time to put this into practice. You should feel sparky, willing to persist and have a more positive overall mind set towards your magic tricks so now is the time to look at your practice regime. If you have a practice routine that is fun and enjoyable for your magic tricks, it can make a world of difference.

If you find that you are struggling with a certain magic trick or sleight then it is important to return to the book or DVD where you originally learned it. Re-watch the tutorial to see if there are any obvious mistakes you are perpetuating, sometimes all it takes is a finger tip to be in the wrong place and this can make a certain move or magic trick impossible.

If you are sure you are performing the sleights correctly then it is just a matter of practice. Your practice sessions do not have to be long and laboured, in fact, they should be the opposite, quick bursts of a few minutes practice regularly. Do 2 – 5 minutes of practice in the morning and a couple of times throughout the evening rather than extended periods of practice. If you have a deck of cards by your bed, near the TV, in the kitchen, wherever you may find yourself regularly so whenever you have a moment of downtime you can pick up the deck and do a quick 2 minute practice run. This will help to keep your practice sessions vibrant and will ultimately be better for learning and remembering the motor skills involved in performing your magic tricks. This is stage three – keeping your practice sessions fresh.

If you follow these three steps, then you should be well on your way out of the rut you are experiencing! All that is left to do is to find a willing spectator and perform! Also remember, spending loads of money on magic will not automatically make you a good magician. It is great to have knowledge, but the great magician inside of you needs focus and drive to flourish. Being focused and driven is easy when you have fun and enjoy what you are doing.