Hey actually, I'm in this forum but I started learning/practicing magic since 2008. So here goes...


One of my closest friends, had a party a while ago. (now it's 4am in the morning in our time and I just arrived). He knows that I'm a magician, he started asking me to perform for his classmates. I started with the invisible thread routine. The flying card and the floating bill. then I performed the self tying shoe lace. In the evening I lit my cigarette with my flaming wallet and everybody freaked out. Even the other guests in the bar asked me to do it again. Then I put on my D'lite and perform some of my routine. In the last part, I tried Daniel Garcia's Pressure and as I do the routine (and tipsy) and the phone slip from my hand! and I try to do the routine for three times! I did a good job to complete the last attempt. then when we were about to leave the bar, my other friend approached me to do the trick again because she arrived late and she didn't had the chance to see it live. So, I tried to perform the routine but her iPhone slipped in my hand. I don't know why it happened but I practiced it the whole week but I screwed it all. I'm kinda depressed because I practiced hard and this is the outcome. Most people felt this emotion after failure and I don't know how to get back on my feet. Can someone give me and advise or some words of wisdom? Thanks. >_<

You dropped a spectator's iPhone onto a concrete bar floor? Ouch!

I don't know why it happened but I practiced it the whole week but I screwed it all. I'm kinda depressed because I practiced hard and this is the outcome

First... Practice more.

Second... dont let one mistake slow you down. Take this as a learning experience, not as a failure.
You only fail when you fall down and dont get back up.
So... Get the edited back up, start practicing and performing again.

as David said, practice more, but i think what you wanted to know was what to say when you mess up, maybe I'm wrong.
if you do, then i have two tips.
go to the "outs and one liners section" memorize every line you see. (if you like it)

two, just move on, say sorry guys, i can't concentrate on this one enough, mind if we try another one?

just say something funny, move on to a different trick, and forget about it.

When ever I miss up on a trick, I pretend its part of the act.
I like to mix comedy in with my magic, so even with the ones that don;t go wrong, I like to pretend I did miss up, so later on fi I really do they just think its part of the act, and I can keep going knowing I still have them fooled

Well if you were a bit intoxicated that might be part of the issue. Just try and pull it off as part of the act, make a joke, whatever you want. If you want an example of what I mean check out my newest video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jetSGlhfY7U&hd=1) If you watch the trick that I do with the aces, when I do the twirl change I was SUPPOSED to have the regular AoH and AoS. However I must've picked up to many because it "changed" into a shattered Ace. You can tell I was surprised by what happened but I made it seem that it was all part of the act

Hopes that helps!

A trick only goes wrong if we let it. Taking advantage of the moment may end up transforming one's presentation in to some thing even more grand. Magical moments are not just for the spectators.

Ideas;
Have at least a couple of "outs" ready in your mind for just such a situation.
If doing a non-card trick, maybe pull out a card and spontaneously say, "Is this your card?"
Then a possibility would be to go in to a card effect and force that same card to the spectator.

I don't know if you have ever seen the Buck Twins and Bill Goodwin's version of the Four Queens....it's one of the hardest tricks I have ever learned. here is a good link


Well...I tried performing that while tatered once ... What was I thinking!

Listen to the above advice...especially David's . Don't give up. It's a learning experience. If you are going to perform drunk then take Aaron Fisher's advice. Practice drunk! Works for Lennart Greene!

Finally...just take comfort that you are not the only one

^^^^^^^^ that's what i was thinking, i hope he has magicians insurance with stuff like that happening!

thanks for the tip again guys.

I'm happy you're out performing! I tend to do self working stuff if I'm feeling a little "happier" than usual. Have some go-to tricks that I save for just such occasions.

-JT

I wouldn't try performing tipsy. You need all the coordination you can muster to control your hand movements and more importantly deal with the crowd. Don't let your failures get you down. We all fall short at times. You can't be perfect ALL the time.