Showing posts with label Durham University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Durham University. Show all posts
Cup Magic Tricks
The first is called the Three Cup Shuffle Magic Trick. Here, you use a poker chip or large coin and guess where it is hidden. For you to tell where it is each time, you have to put a piece of invisible thread measuring about 3 to 4 inches long taped to it. You have to be sure that no one will see this and know what to look for when the cups are shuffled.
The trick begins by explaining to the audience that you can find the chip regardless of which cup they put it in. You then ask someone from the audience if anyone is willing to challenge you on that. (Chances are someone always does.)
Once you have a volunteer, let this person inspect the three identical cups and when it is finished, you place the chip over one cup and then let them shuffle as long as they like.
To create suspense, turn your back and only face them again when they are finished. You now look over the three cups searching for the invisible thread and when you find it, tap the cup so the volunteer will open it.
The second is called the Cup and Balls Trick. The objective here is to let all the balls pass through all the cups. For this, you will need three cups that are not see through, four identical balls and a wand.
You begin by stacking two of the cups together then place one of the identical balls into the second cup and place the third cup underneath hiding the ball. Don’t forget to place the other three balls into the third cup before you go on stage.
When it is time, dump the three balls onto the table in a row with gaps in between them. Place the cups behind the balls with the cup that has the secret ball in the center. You should practice this often to avoid having the hidden ball come out.
To make people that the cups are empty, you tap each of the cups using your wand. Then you begin by placing the ball in the center on top of the cup that is behind it and stack the other cups on top. Tap it using your wand then lift all three cups to show to the audience that the ball has gone through.
Next, you place the cup that has the other secret ball on top of the ball that has gone through the cup. Place a ball on top of the cup with the two balls underneath it and put the other two cups on top. Again, you tap using your wand and show once again that the balls have gone through.
Put the cup with the remaining secret ball on top of the balls that have already gone through the cup.
Now put the last ball on top of the cup that has three balls inside. Put the other two cups on top of the cup that has the ball on top of it then tap one more to show that three balls have gone through.
This magic trick is a little bit complicated than the first but with some practice, you will be able to make people believe that a the ball actually went through the cups.
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Magic Tricks For Beginners
One magic trick that beginners can try out can be the vanishing coin trick. All you need is a coin and a table to place it with. This magic trick for beginners will need some bit of showmanship in order to be baffling enough. What you need to do is to put a coin in the center of the table. While seated by the table, try to get the attention of friends or anyone who cares to see your magic trick.
The important thing on this trick is to have some bit of confidence. You will need to press on the coin and let it slide towards you. But the way to do this is to keep your index, middle and ring finger always close together. You will use the three fingers to cover the coin as you bring it towards you. Press the coin with your middle finger and then slowly bring it towards y6ou. As it nears the edge of the table, have the coin fall into your lap. The cover that your three fingers close together will make it go unnoticed if done correctly.
The next thing you do is that you try to bring your thumb towards your middle finger to create an effect as if you are holding something. Try to bring up your hand towards you and away from the table but still carefully keeping your fingers close together. And as you do so, try to make circular motions of your thumb with your middle finger. Then slowly turn your hands towards your audience and at the same time spreading out your fingers. The effect will be a surprise for your friends in that the coin has vanished in thin air.
This is just one of the many magic tricks that even beginners can do. And there are other tricks that can require a bit of practice and skill. Getting better at them can require some patience as well as the motivation to learn new magic tricks along the way. Beginners should also try to learn about the many rules that most magicians try to follow when doing their magic tricks.
One of the most popular of these rules is to never do the same trick twice to the same audience at any one time. Doing so will prolong the wonder and surprise in the eyes of your audience. Doing the trick many times may run the risk of your audience guessing how it is being done. Avoid also the temptation in telling your audience how the trick you just performed work. It is important for magicians to keep their audience guessing to heighten the magical experience.
Once you tell them the secret, they no longer seem to be impressed with other things that you may do later on. The wonder and enchantment that every magic trick has on the audience depend on how their secrets are well kept. And even magic tricks for beginners depend on this rule in order to continue to enthrall audiences.
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How to Start Learning Magic Tricks
The first thing you have to do is figure out why you want to learn magic Chances are, you are not doing this for the money because there is not that much you can get from it except if you become very famous like David Copperfield or David Blaine.
For some, they simply wanted to follow the footsteps of their favorite magicians which they saw as they were growing up. Whatever your reason is, that is up to you.
Before you start learning magic tricks, you have to learn its history. Magic has been used for hundreds of years. Technology has helped make it bigger than it has ever been but in order to understand it, you have to learn how and why it works. From there, you will learn the various techniques and get an idea what you want to specialize in.
Once you have figured that out, it is time to learn the basics. There are books about magic tricks as well as tutorials which you can view online. Study them and then see if you can do the same thing until you are able to do these on your own.
Since almost every magic needs some sort of tools to make it work, you have to buy some by visiting your local magic store or purchase these items online. When you are able to master the simple tricks, you can now move on to the more challenging ones.
Whenever you practice doing some tricks, be sure to have a friend or a family member watch how you do it. Their feedback is very important so you will know if what you are doing is right. It also wouldn’t hurt to record yourself with a video camera then play it back later.
You are the only one who can tell if you are ready to put on a magic show or not. If you think it is time, sign up and be one of the many who will be part of the amateur magic show. Remember that you only have a limited time on stage so choose the best magic trick you know and give it your all.
Be sure to keep eye contact with the audience because you are expected to entertain them. If ever you make a mistake, just apologize and move on.
Once you finish your act, decide if you want to continue performing magic tricks or move on. Some people are already content with doing something just once while others are motivated to learn other magic tricks and pursue this as a long term career. You can even teach people how to do this so you are able to impart some knowledge to those who are also fascinated.
Will learning magic tricks easy? No but you can improve your skill each time you try. Sometimes you learn more by making a few mistakes on the way so that when you are up on stage, this mistake does not happen and you are able to get the recognition from the audience.
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How to Perform Magic Tricks on Stage
Preparation is key to be able to perform a good show. You have probably mastered a few tricks already so all you have to do is figure out which ones will be part of the act. If this is your first time, make sure you can keep the audience entertained for 9 to 10 minutes.
You can time this and practice your act in front of a few friends. If they like it, then there is nothing to worry about but if they have some comments and suggestions, listen since this could help make your performance more interesting.
First time magicians don’t always have to choose the venue for the magic show because there is one already so you just have to sign up. This is sometimes known as amateur night where magicians, singers, dancers and other artists are able to make their debut. Be sure to come early so you can relax before it is your turn to go on stage.
If you want to pick your own venue and don’t want it to be in a commercial establishment, a good idea will be the living room in your house or even the backyard. This depends of course on the number of guests that you are planning to invite.
One thing you must never forget to have is a costume. You can pick any outfit you like so don’t be afraid if it is too glamorous or showy.
Before the show starts, be sure that everything you will be using is ready on stage. When its time, there is no turning back. Remember you are the center of attention and everyone will be watching you.
One way to distract then when performing an act is to come up with a few jokes or stories. Others use a wand because the moment you point it in a certain direction, the eyes of the audience will follow so you can make that switch and they won’t know what happened giving you ample time to perform your trick.
If some tricks require a volunteer, pick someone and just do your best. Once the magic show is finished, be sure to thank everyone for coming. You can also give a few things away and then have fun with everyone else.
Performing magic tricks on stage takes a lot of practice because you don’t want to screw up when it is time for you to show your stuff. Sometimes the show that you will be doing could be your first and of many more in the future or your last if things did not work out.
So, practice diligently until you get it right. If you need help, get friends to see how well you perform and get feedback. It is better to make mistakes now when you are not performing yet so everything will go off without a hitch which is what you want to achieve for the next 10 to 15 minutes.
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How to Find Magic Trick Equipment and Which Ones To Get
Some of the items can be purchased in the grocery. A few examples of these include a box of matches, glasses, money, paper, cutlery and sugar cubes.
But if you are really serious, you have to get these from the magic shop. Inside, you can get ideas of new tricks you can try so there is always something different to offer each time you have a performance. You can also check online for such props because they could be much cheaper through the web.
You can also try to make some after all some tricks like being able to levitate in the air is done by sawing a small piece of plywood and then standing on it for a few seconds. You just have to be careful so no one will notice that you are using something to help you perform this trick.
Another example is creating your own magician’s table. Since you will be the one using this, you will be able to customize it so there can be hidden compartments to make things appear and disappear.
What the magician wears is also part of the act. If you don’t know how to sew, bring this over to a tailor who can sew a pocket.
Most magicians use cards in their acts. If you will be using play cards, there are two main types namely the Bridge size and the Poker size that are not that different in terms of size. But there are also double faced, double backed and marked cards. When you buy them, you will notice that there are two main colors namely red and blue. You might even be able to find some in other colors or get the retailer to make a customized version.
If you are performing in front of kids, naturally you will need some animals which you can get from the pet store. The two most common are white rabbits or white doves because can easily be trained for a performance. They also do not bite, cry or scream which make them ideal for a show.
The use of cups and balls are also popular because these are available in different shapes, colors, sizes and material. You just have to see which one are you most comfortable with using. The best are perhaps sponge balls because they are easy on the hands and can easily be hidden.
For magicians who want to cover something as they are performing a trick, use silk and not an ordinary 100% cotton handkerchief because they are much bigger and available in different colors.
You can’t perform a magic trick without a few tools to help you along. So, go shopping or make your own. Just remember that you make it happen and not what you use. Be sure to practice your tricks until you get it perfectly so there won’t be any problems when you finally perform before a large audience.
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Cool Magic Tricks
The Magic Cup
Show your audience an ordinary cup that you have filled with ice cubes. Blow inside the cup and turn it over to reveal the ice cubes inside. Tell your audience that you will attempt to make water vanish inside the magic cup. Drop in the ice cube and then pour in a little amount of water inside the cup. With a little shake, turn the cup over and walla, out comes the ice cubes minus the water.
The secret to this cool magic trick is that you make use of a cup or glass that your audience can't see through. Now try to fit in a piece of sponge at the bottom of the cup and make sure that it fits securely even if you turn the cup upside down. When you pour water into the cup, the sponge will readily absorb it. So when you turn the cup over, no water comes out. Make sure that you pour only enough water that the sponge can absorb.
The Vanishing Coin
Here is a magic trick that can be as easy as any trick can get. All you need is a coin, a table and an audience. As you sit at one corner of the table, place a coin on top of it and try to get the attention of your friends by pointing on the coin. Try to reach for the coin by putting your index, middle and third fingers closely together. By pressing the coin on top with your middle finger with your arm in parallel with the table. Slide the coin towards you, making sure that you try to cover it up with your three fingers as you do so. Then slide the coin off the table and let it land into your lap.
As you get to the edge of the table, put your thumb together with your middle finger, acting as if you are picking up the coin. While keeping the three fingers still close together, stare at your fingers and move your thumb in a circular motion. Then slowly turn your hands to your audience and spread your fingers apart. The coin has mysteriously vanished!
Floating Ring Trick
Here is another cool magic trick that you can try out. Mix lots and lots of salt into a small amount of water to make a really,really thick salt mixture. Then try to soak a piece of string or thread in the mixture for about an hour or more. Then take out your string and let it dry.
Next, try to get a small ring either from your pocket or one from your audience. Next, tie it up with one end of your prepared string. As you hold the string by the other end, light up the thread starting from the ring end. The string will burn but the salt crystals will continue to hold the light ring.
This would surely cause a gasp from your audience as you finish up with your cool magic trick.
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Animal Magic Tricks
The first trick is bringing an insect back to life. For this, you will need an insect like a fly or a bee. There are two ways to catch it. First, you can swat it hard enough or catch it using a piece of paper and then putting it in the freezer because this will put them into a temporary coma.
You then put this on your windshield or a flat surface and call someone over and show the insect to them. You say that the insect is dead and that you can make it alive again.
This is done by saying a few magic words which you know does not have any effect and making a few passes with one hand until the insect suddenly wakes up and flies off.
The secret to this magic trick is being able to determine how long it takes to make the insect wake up once it has defrosted. Waving your hand helps since it will speed things up a bit. So the insect does not fly off too quickly before you come back and show this off to someone, make sure this is done under the shade.
Another animal magic trick involves pulling the head of a live chicken. For this, you will need a live chicken and fake chicken head.
You will first present a chicken to a live audience and ask if chickens have nine lives or less just like cats. To prove your theory, you hold the chicken with one hand and then pull the head with the other. After some time, you show the severed head to the audience telling them that it is dead and that everyone shouldn’t worry because you have the power to put it back together.
This is done by screwing the severed head back on the chicken at a 90 degree angle so they won’t see the fake head so you can present the chicken alive and kicking to everyone’s delight.
But how do you hide the real chicken head? You do this by tucking the head under one of the wings of the chicken. As for the fake head, this is hidden up your sleeve and brought out when you appear to be pulling off the chicken’s head then returned when you present the live chicken back to the audience.
If you don’t want to harm an animal or make people think that you did, you can make it disappear by putting the creature in a box that has a secret compartment so they can be hidden and brought out when it is time for them to appear again. The best animals for this trick are white doves or rabbits because they don’t cry, bite or scream that could spoil the trick.
For those who will use doves, be sure to trim the wings every two months so they don’t fly away. It is a painless procedure so they won’t feel a thing.
Bringing an animal back to life and making it appear and disappear are just a few magic tricks you can perform on stage. If you are concerned with animal rights group which say this is inhumane, you can give this up and use other props instead or learn to perform other tricks.
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