How to Learn Magic…
Whether I’ve finished entertaining an audience at a Fortune 500 company event, had just ended a show for a private house party, or when I’m simply in conversation with someone who knows I’m a magician, I commonly get asked, “Tammer, how did you start learning magic? What advice would you give for someone who wants to learn?”
I thought it’d be helpful to address this question for those who wish to learn a few tricks to impress friends, break the ice at social events, or make magic something they do part or full-time.
With respect to me, I learned magic in every way you can possibly think of; to name a few, I watched online videos, read magic books, and attended magic-related clubs/conferences. With my 15 years of experience, I’ve realized that magic has allowed me to be creative enough to start developing original presentations of my own that are based on adaptations of the concepts I have in my bank of magic knowledge.
Here, I want to list the details (including the pros and cons) of six free and paid options that come to mind when learning this craft. Subsequently, I will call attention to a few points that will help build your foundation with a positive mindset. I believe that developing an optimistic outlook during the learning process will help you endure the roadblocks that novice learners commonly quit at.
My top six ways to start learning magic:
1. YouTube
YouTube tutorial videos on magic is a cheap and effective way to learn and familiarize yourself with the magic world. You can even learn about magic history too on YouTube., By educating yourself with background about this craft, you’ll develop have a deeper appreciation in what you’re in the art. This helps increase your drive to learn since you may develop a liking to the style of a certain magician of the past, which can inspire you to cultivate your magic in a certain direction.
Pros
YouTube is free! (Assuming you have access to Wi-Fi and a device to watch videos on).
You can learn an immense amount in a relatively short amount of time.
Cons
It can be very easy to get inundated with so much information which can be off-putting to some.
The ads on YouTube’s platform is a distraction to the learning process.
There are a lot of junk magic videos that don’t properly teach technique and effective performance presentation.
There is SO MUCH good magic that has never been posted on YouTube. You need to look for other resources to learn it.
2. Books
I feel that books, whether physical or electronic, are one of the most underrated resources to learn magic from. Though it is a lot easier to watch a video of how to do a certain trick, I believe books will offer more benefits. A great book to start out with is Magic for Dummies.
In general, I definitely think the following pros heavily outweigh the cons regarding reading magic books:
Pros
In general, reading is a great exercise for your brain. The more you do, the sharper your brain becomes.
The way I read on how to do a magic trick may be slightly different than the way someone else reads how to do it. This can help you develop subtle variations in style, when compared to another person, when you ultimately learn the trick. This difference in style allows you to be unique!
Due to social media, the attention span of individuals is becoming weaker. I believe that reading is a good way to battle this force.
Cons
Reading takes a bit longer, which is a turn off for some people.
Just as how there are bad magic videos on YouTube, there are also bad books to learn from. Your time may be better spent on learning from certain books.
3. Online downloads
I used to use VHS tapes and DVDs to learn. Though DVDs are still around, they are slowly becoming obsolete. As you could probably guess, they are being replaced by purchased downloads from the internet. Specifically, you would get these downloads from trusted magic websites such as Vanishing Inc. or Penguin Magic. These downloads can be for individual tricks or full courses on a specific type of magic taught by a certain person. There are thousands to choose from. Of course, some downloads can be seen as being better than others. Reach out to me below in the comments if you need guidance with purchasing one.
Pros
This method is easier for more visual learners who have trouble reading.
Some downloads don’t actually exist in books! So, it could be a good idea to buy one depending on what you want to learn.
For more advanced magic, watching a video is easier when you need help learning highly technical moves.
Cons
Because you can be sold junk, try to avoid it. It’s one thing to not pay and see a tutorial on YouTube. It’s a lot worse when you pay for a junk video. The two websites I linked above have a reputation of selling good products.
4. Magic clubs/Conventions
I have gotten immense value from meeting magicians from all over the world over. But how do you meet these people?
First, you could find a local magic club in your city from a basic Google search. There is an organization called the International Brotherhood of Magicians [IBM]. This org. has hundreds of clubs, called “rings”, around the world. For example, the local club that I attended as a kid in my home town of San Diego is called Ring 76 (76 being the number associated with the San Diego chapter). The IBM hosts an annual convention where many people from each ring come and meet together, participate in competitions, and learn from one another. Other large clubs that exist are the Academy of Magical Arts [AMA], The Society of American Magicians [SAM], to name a few.
Pros
You can meet and learn from talented people from all over the world.
Many of these people do magic semi-professionally and have another profession too. They can help guide you with your non-magic career interests too!
You have more opportunities to learn about new, cutting-edge magic which can help keep you up-to-date in the industry.
Being able to enter friendly competitions can drastically improve your performance skills.
Lastly, there exist scholarship money for those who are in financial need for club membership/ convention attendance.
Cons
The only thing that I could think of as being a con is cost. You need to pay in order to gain membership to some of these clubs. However, you’d be happy to know that membership fees are not outrageous. For example, the IBM’s annual fee is around $50.00 - $60.00. The AMA’s fee, since it is a private club that affords to its members a plethora of benefits, is between $400.00 - $800.00 a year (for adults). Junior members pay around $50.00 – $100.00 annually.
Conventions can be costlier but still very reasonable for a child who has parents willing to support. Based on current prices that I am aware of in the year of writing this post (2022), most conventions are be between $200.00- $500.00. This doesn't include hotel, transport, food, etc.
5. Magic classes
There are many forms of classes you can take in order to learn magic. For children and adults, I would consider local magic classes in their respective cities they live in. For more dedicated programs, I would recommend interested individuals to look into The McBride Magic and Mystery School in Las Vegas, Tannen’s Magic Camp, or Sorcerers Safari. An alternative is online classes through group learning environments. However, this may not have the true one-on-one experience that many people value in a magic class. Lastly, you can privately hire a magician, if they are willing, to teach you or your kids. I also offer lessons to interested clients and magic fanatics that want to learn!
Pros
Hands on experience helps you learn magic in a fun and interactive way.
Developing relationships with your magic teachers and colleagues can help you in ways you may not expect down the road.
Being able to see the creative process teachers/mentors in-person will help you be original in your own routines.
Cons
The associated cost can be high to attend various schools and camps. There are scholarships though!
6. Perform!
Last but not least, one of the most important things you can do is perform. You can learn magic all you want on your own but adding the element of an audience is the defining moment when your practice is put to the test. Once you truly feel confident in performing the effect in a smooth way, then show it to someone. Many people make the error of getting too excited and showing it to a friend or family member right away. This not only makes you more prone to messing up due to a lack of sufficient practice, but it also makes you more susceptible to getting caught. Usually, after beginners get caught, they get embarrassed. This discourages them to keep continuing to practice and perform.
Pros
You’ll learn a massive amount about human interaction, including key aspects such as reading a room, learning what makes people comfortable and uncomfortable based on body language, and how to properly present yourself in front of a crowd.
You will gain a sense of pride knowing that your efforts are paying off when you receive genuine reactions of awe.
You will easily build the skill of networking as a result of interacting with so many people.
Cons
None
In all, I want to leave you with some cliff notes to aid you in this learning process:
Stay positive! You will get frustrated when practicing certain moves. To this day, I get frustrated at difficult moves. It’s part of the process.
Learn as much as you can to start. Even if it’s magic you may not be entirely interested in, it’s so beneficial to be familiar with concepts across all magic disciplines.
Keep the negative people that make fun of you for any reason away. Negativity normally discourages beginners who have significant potential.
Be comfortable with asking people in the community for help. Especially, at the beginning of your learning process. Don't be afraid to look dumb! Questions are your best friends when learning anything new.
