You’re getting started in magic and eager to learn. But you have lots of options ahead: books, DVDs and tricks that are vying for your money and efforts. What is the best and most cost effective way to proceed?
When learning magic, there are two basic paths you can take: 1) study the fundamentals of magic-the moves and techniques-to obtain a foundation; or 2) purchase tricks so you can quickly learn some magic and perform it.
The first path takes effort, but it’s fun to study magic classics to expand one’s knowledge and improve one’s skill level. And you will undoubtedly learn tricks along the way. The second path will get you quickly performing tricks, but you’ll probably waste lots of money on tricks that don’t work for you.
The Magic Reality
In reality, a serious study of magic usually involves a bit of both paths. You will purchase books and DVDs to learn and study magic techniques, and probably buy some tricks along the way that you want to perform. It’s the rare magic enthusiast that can walk away from a lecture or convention without purchasing the latest and greatest effect, something that they never knew they wanted and “needed.”
Books versus DVDs
For the money, books almost always offer the best value as they come loaded with lots of techniques and tricks. The downside is that sometimes, when you read a description, a trick can be hard to visualize in print. And furthermore, the explanation of the trick can make one conclude that an effect is not a good or convincing one.
DVDs, on the other hand, excel at showing you an effect in action, often in front of a crowd of spectators. DVDs are more expensive than books and typically start at about $30 each and feature fewer effects than what you typically obtain in a single book.
Purchasing tricks is the most expensive path. It’s easy to purchase a trick that sounds perfect for your repertoire or simply intrigues you, only to find out later that it doesn’t work for your particular performing situation or that it’s beyond your current skill level.
Remember that few tricks work as well as they’re described in ads, and for beginners, it’s often difficult to perform a trick as well as that experienced salesperson in the magic shop. By the way, a good salesperson should determine if a trick is right for you and let you know.
Hold Your Wallet
Before you purchase anything, make sure that it supports the type of magic that you want to perform and fits into your show or repertoire. You also want to ensure that you have the necessary skills to learn and perform the material. If it’s too hard or assumes that you have some prior knowledge or skills, the book, DVD or trick will be a waste of money.
Before you buy, ask your magician friends for advice. After that, see if you can find a review of the book, DVD or trick that interests you to learn more about it. A good review will give you an idea of what you need to know to make the best use of the book or DVD or to learn and perform a trick, and tell you if it’s worth your time and money.
You can also post questions in online forums to ask others in the magic community about their opinions. Finally, if you’re lucky enough to have a magic dealer in your area, you can consult with the salespeople there.
Knowledge is always power. And it just may prevent you from accumulating a shelf full of books and DVDs, and a closet full of expensive tricks that you never use.
-Wayne N. Kawamoto
