As well as the latest news regarding the magic of Chris McGeever, this blog also aims to tackle some of the common questions one might have about a close-up magician, or as regards magic in general.
With this in mind, one of the most-common questions asked of any close-up magician - whether at a drinks reception, a black tie dinner or even just casually - is simply, 'how do you learn magic?'
Magic - and in particular close-up magic - is intriguing to almost everybody. It has nearly-universal appeal, and is able to transcend language barriers, cultural differences and vast age gaps. Magic is a fascinating hobby for many, and a unique form of entertainment for millions of people - be it live and in-person, on television, or online. What is especially interesting is how a magician comes to learn his or her craft. This post will attempt to answer that question. A later blog post will cover the subject of how magicians - including Chris McGeever - take their first steps in magic.
Traditionally, a magician might have taken-on one, or maybe a small handful, of carefully-selected students who had demonstrated natural prowess, eagerness to learn, and the aptitude to improve. These younger performers would have been under the tutelage of their more-experienced teacher, until they too became masters over time. This kept the secrets behind magic very closely-guarded, and shareable only in person.
Other than private tuition, perhaps the next-best way to learn magic is via the medium of books. Written instruction on magic has been published for hundreds of years; the first magic how-to 'manual' in English is over 400 years old. Books are how Chris McGeever got his start in the craft, and how many magicians over the centuries have passed-on their knowledge and experience to their successors.
In the present day, the advance of technology has enabled new methods of learning, such as DVDs and videos, websites about magic and even online videos. Whilst these forms of training certainly have their advantages, lower production costs have made it much easier to release and distribute content. It is therefore much harder to ensure that the teaching is of high quality. One must also exercise caution as regards how comprehensive the instruction is. The full background and history of the tricks and techniques may be missing; often, the same methods may have been first outlined in written form many years before!
In the information age, where big data moves at lightning speed across the globe, part of magic's enduring appeal is how it remains (largely) mysterious and baffling!
