Working out better than tutorial?

Mark · 01-30-2011, 10:17 AM

Hmm.. not much to be added to this. I think the other posts answer the question very well.

However, I'd like to add that both figuring out from videos and tutorial DVDs and videos have a big con as for the way people tend to perform the tricks after seeing those. Most people think it's best to imitate the magicians and the motions they make as they function as role models and "if they know what to do, all the motions they make must be the best too". Be sure not to step into this trap.

This is the reason why I find books much better to learn from than videos because they only go over the techniques and you have to add the performance to it yourself. It's difficult to imitate a piece of paper with words and images, and that's a great thing.

However, working out a trick rather than watching a tutorial opens a whole lot for you. Of course it depends on how you watch tutorials too, if you watch from the beginning till the end, if you just look for the techniques, if you just look for tips and tricks, etc. If you are sure and able to add your own input to what you have seen in a tutorial, go for it!

Personally I'd go for figuring out a trick as this is how I learnt all of the things I do. I check tutorials just for tips and tricks, and sometimes to see if I was right about something. This doesn't mean that you have to do it like that too.. it's just a personal thing.

So tutorials are fine as long as you know what you are doing and don't imitate everything you see. Just for that, we won't put actual performances on our upcoming releases. We want to force magicians to do their own things with it and thus have them turn into much better magicians.

Hope this helps.

01-30-2011, 10:17 AM	#1
Mark Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 935	Hmm.. not much to be added to this. I think the other posts answer the question very well. However, I'd like to add that both figuring out from videos and tutorial DVDs and videos have a big con as for the way people tend to perform the tricks after seeing those. Most people think it's best to imitate the magicians and the motions they make as they function as role models and "if they know what to do, all the motions they make must be the best too". Be sure not to step into this trap. This is the reason why I find books much better to learn from than videos because they only go over the techniques and you have to add the performance to it yourself. It's difficult to imitate a piece of paper with words and images, and that's a great thing. However, working out a trick rather than watching a tutorial opens a whole lot for you. Of course it depends on how you watch tutorials too, if you watch from the beginning till the end, if you just look for the techniques, if you just look for tips and tricks, etc. If you are sure and able to add your own input to what you have seen in a tutorial, go for it! Personally I'd go for figuring out a trick as this is how I learnt all of the things I do. I check tutorials just for tips and tricks, and sometimes to see if I was right about something. This doesn't mean that you have to do it like that too.. it's just a personal thing. So tutorials are fine as long as you know what you are doing and don't imitate everything you see. Just for that, we won't put actual performances on our upcoming releases. We want to force magicians to do their own things with it and thus have them turn into much better magicians. Hope this helps.