Practice Makes Perfect

[Whorto]

Hello All E forum members and guests! I thought it would be great to see how everyone from the forums practices their craft... Please just share quickly with everyone how you work on your stuff. (I ran a search and didnt find any thread of this type... delete me if their is and I missed it. :)

I was thinking of some way that I could contribute to the forums for advice. I have gotten so much from the forums and dont really feel like Im that guy that gives back to everyone so I thought that I would share my means of practice with everyone. My hopes are that someone new to the magic scene will pick up a few good tips from all of this.

The first year of my magic I was very sporatic in my practice methods. I would spend hours doing double lifts and basic color changes... Or just doin random tricks that I had learned... I felt like I was going nowhere with some of them. I would forget about a trick for a month and would have to start pretty much from ground zero with the trick again.

I started a new way to organize my practice 6 months ago or so and it has helped me SO much. I made an table (in excel) and listed every trick that I know on it... then I made a column and put my comfort level out of 10 (ex. 2/10, 8/10) with the trick next to it. It has taken my magic, quite literally, to the next level. No more forgetting about tricks and sleights. I open up my table... Concentrate on effects that I need to work on to increase my confidence level with those tricks. The ones that I am good on, ie. 8/10 or better, I knock out several times just to make sure I stay where I am at with it. This, or something along these lines, it something that I would encourage anybody starting out to do... You are on these forums, so you have accsess to a computer you could use. I promise you that it is well worth the time spent putting it together. And to you seasoned magicians out there, I know you probably have something like this, but if you dont, Im sure it would help. Your list might be so long it will give you carple tunnel but I still recomend it.


This is the top of my list... As it reaches 30 tricks or so it becomes more an dmore valuble to me.

[arvindj227]

Making lists and noting stuff down is definitely a great step forward and helps a lot. I've done it and I found it real convenient. Now.. just need to get that list of mine updated!

I write down scripts for shows, so when I read it later on I know what is in it. I can just go over it and remember if I forget something.

Early on I used to carry a piece of paper in my wallet with a list of effects I knew. Back at that time that piece of paper was enough (now there's way too many to write on one piece of paper). Not surprisingly though, I have never forgotten that list and it's very clear in my mind. Probably goes to show how effective writing and noting something down really is.

Nowadays, I use a technique similar to yours. But it's not on the computer. I should get to updating the one on it too.

Cheers,

AJ

[DaveyG]

I do a similar thing, I made a thread about it a while ago:

http://forums.ellusionist.com/showthread.php?t=83460

I also make a practice schedule that looks like this:

11:00am - 12:00n: Card Magic

1:00pm - 1:30pm: "ThreeFry" by Chris Kenner

1:30pm - 1:45pm: "Torn" by Daniel Garcia

1:45pm - 2:00pm: "Redline" by Dan Hauss

2:00pm - 2:15pm: "Twisting the Aces" by Dai Vernon

3:00pm - 4:00pm: Card Magic

5:00pm - 6:00pm: The Classic Pass

8:00pm - 10:00pm: The Classic Pass

I only follow this schedule when I'm not performing, or not out doing something else.

I'm going to edit my list and put it into an excel document. Thanks for that idea!

Edit: I have included my new effect list made in excel

[RealityOne]

Heath, great post. DaveyG, I liked the thread you linked to. You guys gave me a needed push to start organizing my effects.

I already have a list of effects (actually, it is more like three or four lists which need to be combined). For each effect I have instructions, notes, patter ideas, performance tips and a list of other effects which go well before or after that effect. Those notes can be anywhere from a paragraph to a full page.

I liked the idea of using an Excel spreadsheet, but I couldn't figure out how to include my notes in the spreadsheet. So what I started doing is putting the list of effects into a Microsoft Word document, using a table (which functions similar to an Excel spreadsheet). The last column in the table then hyperlinks to the notes regarding each trick. So with a click of the mouse, I can go from the table to the notes.

[Jonathan Bagwell]

I make my notes using Microsoft Word 2007 as the features it provides are great for my needs. The table of content feature, for example, is invaluable and I use it all the time.

The reason I like using Word instead of a spreadsheet like Excel is so I can do a mixture of things in the same list. I’m not limited to only using tables but I can write out scripts or notes as well as information on the effect’s history, prerequisites, alternative effects, etc.

To each his own…

[Sir FansAlot]

I make my notes using Microsoft Word 2007 as the features it provides are great for my needs. The table of content feature, for example, is invaluable and I use it all the time.

The reason I like using Word instead of a spreadsheet like Excel is so I can do a mixture of things in the same list. I’m not limited to only using tables but I can write out scripts or notes as well as information on the effect’s history, prerequisites, alternative effects, etc.

To each his own…

I agree as Excel has some troubles with the amount of info/formatting you can attribute to each entry.

[Whorto]

Word might be a better choice because of the amount of information that you can have on them.

I also use more than one "sheet" for tricks and one for sleights. I normally just reformat cells to be large enough to fit those descriptions that could be invaluble for a forgotten trick.

I do agree in most cases, word would probably be WAY more user friendly.

I really wanted to get more input on how others practice. If you follow schedules or routines... or just do random stuff.

[Whorto]

I agree word is more user friendly. I was hoping to get more input on how people actually PRACTICE their stuff, even after they get their stuff organized into their documents.

Do you just pick up a deck and practice random things? Or do you work on specific things in a certain routine that you have?


Sorry, I didnt think the first one posted.