How to Memorize Tricks?
I'm having a problem. I often learn too many tricks and then forget how to do them, or I accidentally mix up sleights or forces from one trick with another. I'm not sure if that makes sense. I know the recommendation is to learn a minimum of 4 or 5 magic tricks to start, but I think that's too few, because you don't always want to show people the same trick; you want something new.
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Let's stir up some controversy...
I don't believe you should limit yourself to learning just 5 tricks. If you read some books, like CANUTO, GEC, or any book or YouTube video, you'll learn many techniques and be taught a lot of effects, tricks, and small routines. I don't think you should stop reading a book as soon as you've learned five. What you should do is find your own way to string together and then remember those tricks.
Take short notes or jottings so that when you read them later, you can refresh your memory on the trick. As I've said many times, when you're starting out, it's good to begin with self-working tricks that don't require any sleights, so you can start feeling comfortable with an audience. After that, you need to evolve and advance in your own style of magic.
In a newsletter, Eduardo Coffman mentioned that he would write a list of tricks he could do with a deck on the back of the deck itself. That way, he could quickly recall the tricks and perform them. I have to say, I liked the idea, but this way you're only noting the name of the trick. You could add a bit more to really jog your memory.
@DeZeta made some notes to remember tricks using a breakdown where he dissects the effect into its various phases. It's an amazing amount of work, and I feel privileged to have been among the first to read it. I'm not saying you need to go to this extreme, but grab a notebook (physical or digital) and jot down whatever you need to remember the tricks you like over time. Organize them with tags (self-working, Si Stebbins, packet tricks,... whatever works for you), and that way you can refresh them (not just recall them) anytime...
Hey everyone! I hope it's okay to bump this old thread. If not, I apologize and will try not to do it again.
I totally get this; I have a really hard time remembering them. I've always thought it was just my bad memory, but it's reassuring to know it's more common than I thought...
I usually make quick keyword summaries on my phone to refresh my memory. I wish I had a great memory and didn't need to do that...
Could someone please send me the link for this, in case it could help me?:
@cdiaz:
Many thanks, Happy magic!!!
I totally agree; you shouldn't limit the number of effects you perform, but almost the opposite. That way, you expand your available resources and pretty much stop relying solely on sleight of hand. I'll try to explain this further below.
Beyond that, of course, you should take schematic notes and structure your effects into routines, as @cdiaz mentioned. Something similar to the symbolic method Tamariz created.
Learning more and more brings us to a point where the technique, so to speak, disappears from our conscious mind. I was talking about this with Gea the other day, asking him about an effect he'd published in two different places, where he used different techniques to achieve the same result. The whole idea was to transcend the technique itself; he knows what he needs and has more than enough tools to accomplish it. So, at any given moment, he can choose one path, and in another situation, a different one. The external presentation remains the same, but internally, he can construct it almost on the fly, depending on the needs of the moment or his mood. That gives you incredible flexibility.
A paradigmatic example for me could be 'The Ambitious Card.' After reading many versions and knowing many techniques, you can perform a routine on-the-fly without having to recall Vernon's, Tamariz's, or anyone else's specific handling. The same goes for 'Always Three' with coins. In Gea's latest book, there's a brilliant routine where I can pick up certain table passes, but if I don't have a table, I can draw upon other resources and create an 'Always Three' right on the spot.
Hey there,
@alvarxs96:
Solution: Don't learn so many tricks!
@alvarxs96:
Exactly, that's spot on. And I wouldn't even say "minimum"; I'd actually suggest 5 as a maximum (especially if you're just starting out). Master those 5 tricks, then go present them to 100 different people. That's how you'll really refine them and grow as a magician.
@alvarxs96:
No, it's not too few. Five is a solid number to begin with.
@alvarxs96:
This happens because you're always performing for the same person, or the same small circle of close friends and family. But if you truly master 3 to 5 tricks and consistently perform them for different people, you won't run into that issue.
Best,
There's no point in learning a million tricks.
It's better to focus on a few and really hone your technique and patter, then try swapping one effect for another.
Let me give you an example. I'm a musician, and every time I perform, I don't prepare a brand-new repertoire. We have a set of songs we've drilled to perfection that we play for an entire season. We don't write 14 different songs for every single gig; that would make zero sense.
One of the biggest pitfalls and bad habits for beginner magicians is trying to learn every single trick and every single technique; that's just a dead-end road.
As Canuto always says, don't bombard your family and friends with your magic tricks... Just like others have mentioned here, perform those effects for 100 different people.
What I do is learn the routine, then I film a video for myself explaining it. That way, if I'm not completely confident when it's time to perform, I can give it a quick review. I also have a private WhatsApp group for just myself where I send YouTube videos of effects I'm learning or have already mastered, so I can find them easily whenever I need them.
I keep notes where I briefly explain how the effect works. That way, I can quickly glance at them and refresh my memory on the handling.
You don't always have a crowd of 100 people to perform for. For instance, my audience is usually close family and friends, and it's common for them to ask me to do an effect. I can't keep performing the same one over and over, so it's time to switch things up.
I also have a YouTube playlist of the tricks I've learned so I can go over them.
Hey Daniel, I really like your idea. As a 12-year-old, I sometimes forget tricks, and what you said can really help me out. Thanks!