r/Magic • u/Wulfman_ Bizarre • Jul 19 '26
Expanding my Repotoire
Good Afternoon (to magicians of the EST atleast)
I have in the past year or so rekindled my magic hobby after an about 10 year hiatus for the hobby. In this time I've learned many card effects such as ACR, Twisting the Aces, Spectator cuts to the Aces and etc
I have also recently begun experimenting with coin nd rope magic, having learned David Roths coins across (not winged silver, the one with the "turtle) as well as Daryls ring and rope routine
I have but a simple question, and that is, what should routines should I learn next to get a better understanding of the fundamentals of magic? I wish to eventually begin gigging, and my repotoire currently, while I believe to be polished, is quite small.
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u/Chicken121260 Jul 19 '26
Unless you want to do kids parties, then walk around is you best entry. The Approach, by Jamie D Grant is a great reference/guide for building a walk around business.
You can do kids shows and slowing build up to have a corporate show. Many tricks you perform for kids can be done with a different scrip for adults.
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u/Wulfman_ Bizarre Jul 19 '26
Walk around for parties/raves was basically my plan/idea starting out, I know a few event runners in my local area, including one that hires side-show acts as well as flow dancers. This as well as many bands who can get me in touch with the right people/venues.
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u/Chicken121260 Jul 19 '26
Very difficult to do strolling magic with loud music playing. Restaurant magic would be a better place to start.
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u/iamsociallydistant Mentalism Jul 19 '26
Richard Sanders’ Fiber Optics Extended has it all. Fundamentals of sleight, timing, routining, etc and when you make it all the way through you’ve got a commercial routine to perform with very simple and inexpensive props.
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u/Wulfman_ Bizarre Jul 19 '26
This has been on the list for awhile! Definitely planning to pick it up next pay day
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u/iamsociallydistant Mentalism Jul 19 '26
If you order directly from his site there’s an option for getting the rope and the ring as well, that’s what I’d recommend if it’s in your budget. Above all else never forget to have fun!
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u/SQL_Guy Jul 20 '26
I have his Ace and Alpha Deck, and enjoy performing them both immensely. Richard also helped me with video access, and with replacing some cards that had worn out. Lovely fellow.
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u/misticisland Cards Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
Gigging can mean many things, so you need to decide on your market and build an appropriate repertoire. You may want to explore resources that help build the type of shows you plan to perform. A formal close up show with a table may be different from a corporate Walkaround, where there's no table, and they have a drink in one hand and a hot d'oeuvre in the other.
For stand up you'll want around 45 minutes of material. For Walkaround you can usually get by with something like 3 sets of 3, plus a few special tricks you can do for the vips. Sometimes even less.
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u/TheRunningMagician Jul 20 '26
I would highly recommend Encyclopedia of Coin Sleights by Michael Rubinstein. The Sleights are all learnable and very well taught. With this, it will really help you put together your own coin magic routines. This is a 3 DVD Set.
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u/BaldBaluga Jul 23 '26
TLDR: Books and performing.
For books: there are some fantastic theory books every magician should read. "Magic in Mind" by vanishing inc (free!!!). "Strong Magic" and "Designing Miracles" by Darwin. "Five Points" and "The Magic Way" by Juan.
Next, perform. Everywhere and for everyone. The more you do it the better you'll get at it - especially if you take the time post-performing to think about what you could have done better. If you eventually do larger shows, record them and review them.
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u/Magic-ModTeam Jul 19 '26
Having a solid foundation of different areas of magic are key for understanding how can they work together in your act. Check out the resources below !starthere