whats a good patter for the appearing cane? i use it as an oopening cuz it gets there attention.

Patter is a part of magic that you have to learn yourself. We can't just give you the patter and hope that it works for you. Simply because no one knows your personality more than you do. And for magic, you really have to make patter that fits you.

There are many ways to approach this. You could act surprised that it happened. You could use it as a way to introduce how magic just kind of happens. There are many ways to approach this, you just have to sit down and decide what you want, and then start figuring out what works best for you.

i would put a mini 6 inch or 12 inch silk on the end of it and as you walk on the stage, say excuse me and fake sneeze and use it as a tissue and let it appear.

To expand on Fallingblood's post. He is very correct. However, you must first figure out who your character is. How you perform is dependant on your character. i.e. Cardini things would appear and he was very confused by it, the same when he dropped cards on the floor, every time he dropped some cards more would "magically" appear in his hand and he would stare at them wondering where they came from. Slydini on the other hand was a very confident magician. Look at Angel and Blaine, they have different ways of presenting the same effect, based on thier character.

Once you have your character then the patter becomes easier because you then ask, How would my character handle this. For myself I have Paddy The Clown and Proffesor Paddy, both these characters do the exact same act, but the acts are totally different. The effects are the same but the characters handle it differently. Paddy The Clown is often surprised when it works and Proffesor Paddy uses his Mystic Irish pain killer to do everything. Different characters different patter.

wear a black shirt red bow tie suspenders and put on the Six Flags song wave the silk up and down a few times then show the cane!

Paddy and Fallingblood in the same thread.
Man, I learn from these two.
Good buzz, and a nice segway into before bed reading the biography of Mark Twain.
ron0

When we first started in magic I found that patter was the hardest part of routining a magic show. It took us MONTHS to come up with original patter that was entertaining and a lot of trips back to the drawing board.

No one can give you that kind of information because patter, like previously stated, is a reflection of you as the magician or your character you portray. It has to be something that feels natural to YOU. What works for one magician will not work for another. The material my daughter does would not work for a lot of magicians, but she carries it off beautifully.

Also keep in mind that good patter goes beyond just one trick. You need to find ways to segway, if you can, not just the magic portion into the next trick but the patter as well. What is it in this trick that is going to move you into the next, what portion of your patter is going to tie your whole show together? Its about continuity, at least for me.

Learning the actual magic illusion is just a small part in being an entertainer. You have to work on your skills as a writer, director, choreographer, and showman to pull together a show.

As I said before this was the hardest part for me. What I found helpful was keeping a magic notebook. I write all kinds of things down. Ideas for patter, ideas for designing a new trick or routine, anything that crosses my mind. Then, when I go about trying to put together a show I can look back at my notebook and see if it sparks any ideas.

No matter what you will always stumble across a road block here and there. Just the other day I sent off an email to Paddy because something just wasn't "right" in my daughter's routine. It was really bugging me. It needed something-- more comedy, more something. I wasn't sure. So, out of my frustration I decided to drop a note to Paddy and ask him what he thought of a couple of magic props and if he had used them before, recommended them, etc. Well, in his wise, wise way he held off answering me. (You're so smart Paddy)

The next day I sat there notebook in hand, and I swear the words "EUREKA" went right through my head. I pulled an old idea out, completely re-worked it so it hardly resembled my old thoughts, and made a great new routine to add to my daughter's show! It enabled us to pull out the "weakest link", insert a stronger one, and I was happy for discovering that "something" that was missing.

Don't get frustrated if you can't immediately come up with an idea (should have taken my own advice there) and just keep at it. With diligence-- and PATIENCE-- it will come to you. Most importantly-- be original! Take credit and pride for your own work, and never let yourself down by using another magician's idea.

Good luck!

a simple one is when you walk out say
has anyone seen my cane, i cant find it. thats ok, i always cary an extra.