How to do Magic Tricks

Advice and Support for Magicians

Self Working Magic Tricks – What This Really Means

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Self working magic tricks - meaning

By Dominic Reyes

Want to know the real truth about self working magic tricks?

Self working magic tricks tend to be the most popular types of tricks sold in magic shops. Because self working tricks don't require the use of sleight of hand, they appeal to complete beginners that are yet to develop the skills required for more technique driven effects. More established magicians will often add self working tricks into their performing material if the trick fits their style and is suitably impressive for their acts. However, the term 'self working magic tricks' can cause cause a serious point of confusion..

Even when a trick is 'self working' you still need time to master the 'self' part.

Self-working means that the required work will be on your presentation rather than how the props are operated.. It can still take just as long to master.

Don't assume that a self working trick can be performed well right out of the box. The mechanics of the trick may not require sleight of hand, but that's only a small part of a great performance. Most of the 'magic' of magic is in it's presentation. That's not included in the package that arrives through the post to you. You add that yourself through HARD WORK. 

Every magic trick becomes self working over time

A self working magic trick usually has a method that is simple to execute and with a process that is automatic. But even the mechanics of a knuckle busting magic trick should become 'self-working' over time as the magician masters the moves required to perform it. Every magic trick that is near 'performance ready' should seem self working to the performer. If it doesn't, it's not ready to perform with consistant ease and success. 

Every magic trick needs:  

  • Commitment
  • Practice
  • Reherasal
  • Charisma
  • Presentation
  • Timing
  • Context
  • Meaning
  • Engagment

There's no rush when it comes to performing a new magic trick. Take your time, even with magic tricks that are advertised as self working. Put your 'self' into them, thats where the real work begins..

 

 

Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks – Free Instant Download

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Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks Free

Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks have a new DVD in the series. You can try it for free.

Great card magic tricks don't need to use sleight of hand. The Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks series has been one of the most popular magic DVD training series of all time, and now volume 3 has been released. We've been given permission to give you one of the magic tricks from the DVD free of charge.

'I'm a huge fan of the Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks series of DVD's. Many of the magicians that come to me for tuition have two common problems:

1) Lack of confidence in their sleight of hand ability

2) They have not worked on their performance style.

I use the self working card magic tricks in this series as course material to solve both these problems. Firstly I need to show the student that they don't need sleight of hand to become an entertaining card magician. Learning just a few very strong magic tricks that are self working can provide you with all the card magic tricks you need to entertain an audience for years. There's nothing wrong with learning sleight of hand, when you really want to perform a magic effect that HAS to use it. However, the mechanics are just the path to the final destination of any magic trick – THE EFFECT. If there is another path that gets you there, TAKE IT.  Sleight of hand isn't always the best choice for magicians. Spending years developing sleight of hand techniques for no purpose can be a trap. It's a 'time vampire'. I recommend every magician learn a range of impressive self working card magic tricks, THEN work on building their sleight of hand IF AND WHEN they find a really valid reason to spend time on it's development.

I see so many magicians come to the Merchant of Magic with stunning technique, but no presentation skills. They spend years alone in their bedrooms practicing their shuffles, but spent little energy learning to communicate and entertain. When I work on showmanship or presentation with a magician, I insist that we use a self working card magic trick from the series. That way we can focus on presentation 100%. It's probably one of the most dramatic causes of improvement that I achieve from my magic tuition.' – Dominic Reyes

 

Want to learn more about Ultimate Self Working Card Tricks Vol 3? Here's the full details