Tricks – Page 24 – MagicShow.Tips

Math Magic

A friend gave me the bound version of The Bat magazine that has issues 1-50. The opening trick in the first issue of the magazine is an interesting math trick. Basically if you use the number 142857 and multiply it by 1 through 6 you will get the same number, just “cut” like a deck of cards. The sequence is the same, it’s just the starting point isn’t the one (unless 1 is picked).

The trick in The Bat is OK, it uses two stacks of number cards. One is in that order and you false shuffle them, then lay them out as a “random” number. It’s multiplied by a number 1-6 from the other packet and that’s the audience’s number . The first packet is mixed and dealt out and and it matches the audiences number.

It’s an OK, and mathy feeling trick. I think it can be improved a little bit to hide the method. Here’s my idea, you basically do the same trick, however you give them the option to multiply OR divide the two numbers. That’s asked at the beginning. If they choose to divide, you work backwards. you have the number 1-6 picked first, then you use the number 142857 and cut the packet so that it’s in the right order for that number. Divide them and you end up with 142857.

I think the free choices of multiply and a dice roll add layers to the trick that would make it harder to backtrack. Also the dice has less cards in the trick, and could give it more of a “game” feeling. I guess a coin with an X and ÷ could add another prop to the routine. Also with only six outcomes, a multiple out type prediction could work. If you had six dollar bills in your wallet that had the serials numbers each matching an outcome, that could be a fund ending.

I think it’s an interesting math problem, but the challenge is to make it not feel like math.

-Louie

The Magic Garage

I love it when I’m performing in the San Francisco area and have a friday night off! Whenever I do, I swing by the Magic Garage and hang out!

One of the unusual tricks we ended playing with was an Eddie Fields card trick where a selected card is found by spelling the spectator’s name. It can be any name, and you don’t need to know it in advance, the best part is that it’s self working!

It’s a ton of fun and a great hangout with other magicians. There are people there with all sorts of skill levels and experiences in magic!

-Louie

Play-Duh

Hocus-Pocus in Fresno put out a prop called Play-Duh. This is a snake can that’s built into a Play-Doh style can. I wrote up the routine I’m doing with it here: https://www.magicshow.tips/magic-show-tips/play-duh/

I’m using the Play-Duh props in my library and summer camp shows. The fair I was performing at last week I did the routine for some kids between shows.

here’s what it looks like:

It’s just a solid, fun routine.

-Louie

Weather Prediction Mentalism Trick

A while ago I wrote a post about me having Trigger Finger, which is a tendon issue in my knuckle. I noticed that it was bad when it was raining, so that means I have an old man super power, my finger can predict the weather!

What can I do with that?

It got me thinking about doing a weather prediction effect. The idea of the trick will be that someone says the name of a city, and I write down what my finger thinks the weather in that city is.

I wanted the prediction to be bigger that something that could be accomplished with a nail writer. After some writing of different ideas, I hit upon using weather icons:

The flow of the effect is:

A city is chosen
The prediction is written down
The weather is the city is determined
The correct icon matching the weather is removed
The written prediction is shown to match the icon

That’s the flow.

I originally had a step earlier in the process that had me showing all the different possible icons. I decided that’s really dead time, and not needed, because we’re going to go through them later to find the correct one.

The method is really simple, I spent a lot of time writing more complex methods, but this was the most simple and direct method that I came up with.

I tried it for the first time a couple of days ago and it worked! Now to do it more and create a more complete routine.

-Louie

Magician’s Tie Bar

Somehow I got into collecting dead magician’s tie bars! Recently I was visiting with Alan Sands and he gave me one of George Sands tie bars!

If you’re not familiar with George Sands, he created the Sandsational Rope Routine. Most modern cut and restored rope routines are built off of his routine.

Thanks Alan, this will go into my collection!

-Louie

Invisible Deck Crib by Charlie Roper

There are some magic products that just shouldn’t exist. This is one of the products:

It’s a cheat sheet for the invisible deck. Let’s start with the memory, you really need to remember two things. You need to remember which side of the deck is even, and hearts to spades, that’s it. For the math, you need to be able to subtract a number from 13.

It’s not too hard, however, it that’s too much for you, you can eliminate the math and memory by simply opening the flap and looking at which side is towards you. Then removing them from the box the correct way and fanning them vertically while looking for the named card. Boom, no math, no memory, no need for an Invisible Deck Crib.

OK, so is this solving a problem? If you’re not going to put the time into learn a trick, you really should be doing it. I suspect that’s what’s behind all the versions of ACAAN that are marketed, it’s to try to make the trick accessible to lazy magicians.

Maybe someone has a learning disability and can’t do the math in their head? OK, there are lots of things that I don’t do because I don’t have the ability to do them. For example I can’t use memory pegs because I have a thing called Aphantasia, however I was able to learn a memorized deck. It took a lot of work and I had to create little things to help me learn it. I wanted to learn to a memorized deck, so I figured out a way.

Now let me mention the worst line in magic advertising:
“eliminates memory and math (or commonly sleight of hand) to allow you to focus on performing.”
This makes it seem like you can’t do the two at the same time. Let’s look at famous magicians:
Darren Brown, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Doug Henning, and Criss Angel
All of them do or have done technically challenging things in their shows and could still entertain with it. Why can’t you?
If the answer is because it takes practice, then maybe performing magic isn’t for you.

Believe in yourself, you can do it!

-Louie

Let Them Show You a Magic Trick!

Whenever someone finds out that I’m a magician and asks to show me a trick I always say yes. I’m amazed at the amount of magicians that hate being shown tricks. By saying “yes” I’m promoting someone’s enthusiasm (and my own) for magic.

The quality and variety of tricks that people show me are way better than a decade ago. I think YouTube has helped people learn more than just the 21 card trick.

By saying yes, I met a guy that could do a tabled faro shuffle with a beat up deck and he helped me learn to do it. The other day one I saw a coin trick that I’d never seen before and it was cool!

@louiefoxx Mad skill! #cointrick #juggling #coin #stunt ♬ original sound – Louie Foxx

This is how tricks used to move around, person to person.

-Louie

Visiting Market Magic Shop in Seattle

The other day I had some free time in downtown Seattle, so I swung by the Market Magic Shop in the Pike Place Market. One of the cool hidden things at the Pike Place Market is that they have a giant Ask Alexander poster on public display in one of their less travelled hallways!

I picked up a couple of things at the magic shop, but while I was there I noticed t they had added Play-Duh to their spring snake selection!

I posted my routine for Play-Duh recently and I really love this prop! It’s in my summer library show and my routine is a hit! I’ve said it before, I wish I had thought of this idea!

Support brick and mortar magic shops, if you don’t , they will keep disappearing!

-Louie

Play-Duh!

I love updating old things to make them modern and more relevant. A great example of this and something that I wish I thought of is Play-Duh. This is the old spring snake in a can, but instead of a peanut brittle or chip can, it’s a “Play-Doh” style can.

Simply putting a spring snake into Play-Doh can won’t work, the lid won’t reliably stay on. This has an adjusted lid to make it stay on.

I’ve been using this in my test shows for my summer library show and it’s a HIT!

The national theme for libraries this summer in the USA is Color Your World, so this fits right into the theme!

Here’s how I use it in my kid show:

Effect: Five container of Play-Doh are shown, each has a different colored lid. One is selected (purple). The other four are opened and they contain a ball of purple Play-Doh. When the selected one is opened, and two purple spring snake jumps out.

This is a really simple routine, all you need to do is to put purple Play-Doh in the four containers that aren’t purple. Two spring snakes go into the one with the purple lid and you’re all set.

All you need to do is force the purple one, I use Phil Smith’s Quinta Force, but the PATEO Force or Magician’s Choice force would also work.

It’s a fun routine, especially when you add in all the Bev Bergeron style bits of trying to put the spring snake back into the can and having them pop back out.

This isn’t a product that I put or make anything on, it’s just something that I think is really cool idea.

You can get more info about them at:

https://hocus-pocus.com/product/play-duh-by-hocus-pocus-magic-deluxe-pack-in-stock-now/

-Louie

Remote Control Chattering Teeth

It always fills my heart to see people using the magic tricks and props that I’ve created!

Fredric Desmarais is working on a routine using the Remote Control Chattering Teeth that I make!

If you use anything that I make, please send me pics of it in your show!

-Louie