InstruMental by David Jonathan and Nikolas Mavresis

Effect

The trick InstruMental creates the illusion of mind reading with music. A spectator freely picks a song from a custom deck of cards. The performer then reveals that the exact song the spectator chose is already playing on their phone, even though the phone was untouched after setup. The spectator sees the song actively playing on the app, making the effect seem impossible.

Full Details

InstruMental is a music-based mentalism effect created by David Jonathan and Nikolas Mavresis. It uses a deck of karaoke-style cards, each featuring a different song. The method relies on a hidden feature of the cards—no digital gimmicks, NFC, or magic apps are needed.

The performer borrows a spectator’s phone, opens a music app like Spotify, and searches for a song they believe the spectator will choose. The phone is placed face down on mute. The spectator picks any song from the deck without saying it aloud. When the phone is turned over, the exact song they selected is playing.

The trick works with any phone, regardless of whether the spectator has a Spotify account. If they don’t use Spotify, an alternative method using YouTube or Vimeo is included. The deck requires no reset, and a simple crib allows for quick restoration if the cards are shuffled.

Who Should Consider the Trick

This trick is ideal for performers who want a modern, tech-savvy mentalism effect. It works well in walk-around, parlor, or pre-show settings. The commercial appeal makes it great for parties or social events. Since it requires no digital gimmicks, it is accessible to magicians who prefer low-tech solutions.

Information on How Difficult It Is to Perform

InstruMental is designed to be easy to perform. The method is self-working once the phone is set up. No sleight of hand or complex moves are required. The main challenge is framing the effect convincingly as mentalism. Performers should focus on presentation to enhance the illusion.

What Magicians Say

• penguinmagictricks5930 highlights the trick’s versatility, stating, "The deck includes hit songs across genres, artists, and decades." They also note the strong proof: "The spectator sees the song actively playing on the app, eliminating doubts about pre-recording or trickery."
• magic-tv praises the method, calling it "genius" and noting, "The effect plays like a direct mind-reading miracle with no apparent method." Craig Petty adds, "I’m definitely 100% going to be doing this."
• penguinmagicshop describes the trick as "direct and simple," emphasizing its practicality and the freedom spectators feel in choosing a song.

Overall, InstruMental is praised for its clean method, strong impact, and adaptability to different performance settings.