Your Go to Trick or Routine

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MagicbyAlfred
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Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 8th, 2017, 12:45 am

If you had the opportunity to perform just one trick or routine for the President of the United States and his special guests at the White House, or for "A" list Hollywood Celebrity and his/her guests at a party at their mansion, or for renowned sports figures at the Super Bowl Victory Party, what would it be? To put it another way, what is your very strongest trick or routine that almost invariably gets the best reaction?

Brad Henderson
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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Brad Henderson » August 8th, 2017, 2:45 am

do you really think one routine would be ideal for each of these groups, regardless of the environment, time of day, energy level of the people?

my best trick is whatever trick i think is best for THAT group at that time. and it's hardly ever the same piece because it's never ever the same group.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby performer » August 8th, 2017, 3:22 am

I think Brad is more or less correct here. I perform what trick I decide is best under the circumstances prevailing. I have certain tricks for certain people and certain groups. I have certain tricks for certain atmospheres. A quiet atmosphere gets one trick--a boisterous group gets another. However, I also know what Alfred is getting at; his last sentence is really the one he wants answered.

I am not sure if my best trick is MacDonald's Aces or Out of This World. The former is best for on the spot reaction. The latter is better for long term reputation building and the one they talk about the most for months and even years afterwards.

But of course it is never the trick anyway that is important. It should not be the main focus. You should never present a trick. You should present YOURSELF doing a trick.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 8th, 2017, 3:30 am

Yes, of course Performer is absolutely correct - nothing is more important for a performer than presentation, and I certainly agree that you are presenting yourself doing magic. But to get down to brass tacks, my own answer to the question is composed of 3 words: Card on Ceiling. Reason? Well, quite simply, it brings down the house (and I would imagine White one included).

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Dave Le Fevre » August 8th, 2017, 4:04 am

An effect that would amaze the current President of the US?

Hmm, let's see .....

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Philippe Billot » August 8th, 2017, 5:19 am

Is it reasonable (or conceivable) to present the Piano Trick with pairs of socks?

Brad Henderson
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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Brad Henderson » August 8th, 2017, 7:48 am

michael weber published that idea in lifesavers

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Bob Farmer » August 8th, 2017, 7:59 am

Twisting the Aces. Has served me well in many situations.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Philippe Billot » August 8th, 2017, 8:58 am

Brad Henderson wrote:michael weber published that idea in lifesavers


Yes ! And even before, in The Linking Ring in november 1990.

And what do you think about Sock-O-Finish by Mike Strange ?

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby performer » August 8th, 2017, 9:29 am

The Piano Trick is just great the way it is. Who the hell wants to walk around with 8 pairs of socks? Or even in a set show carry that stuff around? I don't see any particular advantage in it anyway. It should be done with cards the way it is supposed to be. I have used it for decades. As for Twisting the Aces I have never had much luck with it except for the revelation of the last ace which does evoke a mild reaction. Maybe it just doesn't suit me but I have found the reaction lukewarm. However, if I were going to do it I would use an Ace, Two, Three and a Four of the same suit so each card turns face upwards in a sequence that people remember. I think it was Brother John Hamman that worked out this way to do it.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 8th, 2017, 2:46 pm

Yes, the Piano Card Trick is a wonderful and baffling impromptu trick (when shown once, of course - the Magician's Code provision forbidding repeat being especially appropriate here). Mathematical/techie types may be likely to reconstruct after one showing though, I would think.

I have not done it in many years, but as a result of this thread, my interest in it has been rejuvenated, with the caveat that, no, I would not do that one at the White House - unless I wanted to be the subject of a sarcastic Tweet at 3:00 AM. The main challenge would seem to be going beyond the standard repetitive patter, and how to keep concentration focused on the "even-ness" of the procedure, while still making it entertaining. Although I would wager that, in Performer's hands (or should I say, his spectator's), it is an entertaining little number. Good tag line at the end might be, "Isn't that odd?"

It might be a nice impromptu restaurant or coffee house trick if done with sugar packets, although the thickness and height of the piles might give it away or facilitate counting. (Or, perhaps articial sweetener packets might be better than sugar, since they are thinner). Has anyone ever done it that way with the sugar or sweetener packets?

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby performer » August 8th, 2017, 3:31 pm

It is an incredibly good trick. In fact some of the greatest card tricks of all time have been more or less self working. If you think of Do as I Do, the Piano Trick, Out of this World, Poker Player's Picnic you will know what I mean. Any of these done well with decent presentation will get just as much, if not more, appreciation from laymen that the latest hot shot bit of finger flinging ever will. There are some remarkably good card tricks using advanced sleight of hand but there are also some remarkably good ones that need no technical skill whatsoever.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Bill Mullins » August 8th, 2017, 4:01 pm

Philippe Billot wrote:Is it reasonable (or conceivable) to present the Piano Trick with pairs of socks?


You mean like this?

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 8th, 2017, 4:21 pm

IMHO, Performer is absolutely right. Interestingly, all four of those (super strong) tricks he mentioned essentially are done in and/or by the spectator's own hands. They expect us to be able to do clever, manipulative sleight of hand, but the conditions set by the foregoing tricks do not leave them with the ability to write it off to, "He's clever [or fast] with his hands," or "the hand is quicker than the eye," or whatever. And what I further find interesting is that when magicians come into the bar to "check me out," more often than not, it is a self-worker of which they are unaware that really gets them. Because of the way they think, they are wondering when or how you managed to do the pass or second or bottom etc. without them having a clue. I have had a lot of fun (as one example) with Mountebank Miracle from TRRTCM. It is not widely known or remembered - even by many magicians who own the book. Gets'em pretty much every time. It is, I must admit, very gratifying to see that look of puzzlement on the face of a magician...

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Brad Henderson » August 8th, 2017, 5:09 pm

i have the best handling - verbal and physical - of the piano trick ever published.

that may sound arrogant.

but it's true.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Richard Kaufman » August 8th, 2017, 5:23 pm

For me it's always been The Ambitious Card.
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MagicbyAlfred
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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 8th, 2017, 5:55 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:For me it's always been The Ambitious Card.


Yes, absolutely, I can see why; there is no doubt that it is an exceedingly strong trick. Unique among card tricks in that it seems to defy the laws of physics. In situations where I have auditioned for a (usually busy) event planner or restaurant manager, I have had good luck doing a one-phase AC. The card is signed "placed in the center," deck handed to them to wave their hand and say the magic words (generally the name of their company or restaurant), they turn it over, and voila. Short and sweet, but usually suffices, without more, to win them over.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Philippe Billot » August 8th, 2017, 6:03 pm

Bill Mullins wrote:
Philippe Billot wrote:Is it reasonable (or conceivable) to present the Piano Trick with pairs of socks?


You mean like this?


Yes, it's this trick.

But I write "Is it reasonable?" because the first question was :
"If you had the opportunity to perform just one trick or routine for the President of the United States and his special guests at the White House"
And I wonder if Mr. President appreciate this kind of trick or this kind of humor

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 8th, 2017, 7:03 pm

Well, Phillippe, it is just my opinion, but President Trump seems very down to earth - not the kind of individual to put on airs. So I think he would like it. But I am not so sure about all his guests. There are many people who have vast wealth and/or power who are quite snooty, if you know what I mean. Weber's presentation with the sox is very strong, as one might expect it would be, and as the video shows, he completely blew away someone who has seen an extraordinary amount of magic by a host of talented performers. And I must admit, it was much better than I was expecting. But I think the issue is, at least for purposes of this thread, would that really be someone's strongest ("go to") item to perform if there was the option of performing only one in a hugely important performance setting?

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby erdnasephile » August 8th, 2017, 8:25 pm

Bill in Lemon.

It's one of those tricks we all performed as kids, yet continues to wipe out audiences.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 8th, 2017, 9:17 pm

erdnasephile wrote:Bill in Lemon.

It's one of those tricks we all performed as kids, yet continues to wipe out audiences.


indeed, I would consider it one of the very strongest of the strong, especially when the bill is signed.

However, as I'm sure many are aware, in Carneycopia, the effect is done as a kicker to a delightful one-cup (coffee cup or mug) routine, where a table knife is used as a "wand,"but the bill is not signed. The borrowed one dollar bill, which is crumpled up and used as a makeshift "ball" (apparently) ends up inside the lemon after production of the lemon as a final load. Beautifully conceived. The "proof" is that the bill extracted from the lemon is missing a corner and a corner that was (again, apparently) torn off of the borrowed bill at the inception of the routine and given to spectator to hold as a receipt - fits perfectly. One of those items I have thought about doing for years as a climax to my one-cup routine, but inexplicably (and inexcusably) I haven't gotten around to trying it yet. But I will...

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Brad Henderson » August 8th, 2017, 11:21 pm

i've heard trump hates magicians.

which makes sense.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby J-Mac » August 9th, 2017, 12:06 am

Al Schneider's Classic Matrix. Hasn’t let me down yet. :)

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 9th, 2017, 2:02 am

Brad Henderson wrote:i have the best handling - verbal and physical - of the piano trick ever published.

that may sound arrogant.

but it's true.


Where is this published?

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 9th, 2017, 2:13 am

Brad Henderson wrote:i've heard trump hates magicians.

which makes sense.


According to Newsweek: "Jillette says he went on TV and said that while he liked Trump as a reality TV host and as a person, he disagreed with him profoundly on political issues. (And there was also the business of Jillette's joke that Trump’s hair looked like 'cotton candy made of p _ s _.' That comment seemed to sour the relationship permanently.)"

Perhaps, then, it's no surprise that Trump Tweeted: "I hear @pennjillette show on Broadway is terrible. Not surprised, boring guy (Penn). Without The Apprentice, show would have died long ago."

See: http://www.newsweek.com/penn-jillette-t ... ump-431837

A lot of people have a distaste for magicians based on one or more encounters they've had. You know, the wisenheimer and/or insulting types of magicians are out there. That's why it really struck a chord when I first heard (sorry I can't remember who, where or when) that we are all "ambassadors of magic." So perhaps this explain's Mr. Trump's antipathy for magicians. Knowing this now, if I ever do get invited to the White House, I am going to insist on chicken wire being erected between me and the audience.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby performer » August 9th, 2017, 5:14 am

This is what I mean when I constantly preach about it being far more important to know how to manipulate the people rather than manipulate the props. You have to sum up the character of the people you are showing the tricks to. With President Trump you would have to be very careful how you would present a trick to him. You would have to make HIM the star of the show! And never perform in the style of "the great I AM" as so many magicians do without even realising it.

As for the sock piano trick I still don't like it even though the presentation was good. In fact it was TOO good for such a piddly little trick. I have always said you can over present as well as underpresent. To take 5 minutes with a ton of chatter over a trick that doesn't warrant it is a common fault among magicians. They have fed into the delusion that a showman can take a tiny trick and build it into a miracle because they once read this theory in a book somewhere. Now you CAN build a seemingly insignificant effect into something great but not by overplaying it. But by UNDERPLAYING it! One day I might tell you how to do it.

I still remember about 40 years ago at a convention a couple of legendary names in magic trying to convince me that some very quick trick which should last 20 seconds at most could be built up into a miracle by chattering away for ever and ever and ever. It was some piddly little thing which would get a great reaction if you did the bloody thing quickly and got it over with. But no. They wanted to build it into some long winded load of old baloney which simply wasn't warranted. And they still work like this to this day.

The Piano Trick is a great trick for laymen but using socks in my view is overplaying it. And building it up for 5 minutes is also overplaying it. It is a simple card trick and that is the way it should be done. The appeal of the trick is the strange position of the spectator's hands as if he or she is playing the piano. That is why it is called the PIANO trick! You can't get that piano effect with socks. And the bloody thing should be over within two minutes (as in fact most tricks with a few exceptions should be).

Having said all this I would be happy to view a video of Brad's version of this trick. I know the trick is effective. I still remember doing it once to a group of people and they got so excited over it they wouldn't let me continue with other stuff until they had finished racking their brains as to how this one was done. Luckily I was eventually able to change the subject and they never did figure it out. Of course nowadays they would look it up on you tube. I am glad I'll be dead soon. I don't like the way magic is going.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Jack Shalom » August 9th, 2017, 8:59 am

It might be a nice impromptu restaurant or coffee house trick if done with sugar packets, although the thickness and height of the piles might give it away or facilitate counting. (Or, perhaps artificial sweetener packets might be better than sugar, since they are thinner). Has anyone ever done it that way with the sugar or sweetener packets?


What a good idea! I will have to try this out. Thanks.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Brad Henderson » August 9th, 2017, 9:23 am

alfred, i heard his dislike for magicians goes back longer than penn. but think about it, it makes sense. he needs to be the smartest most powerful guy in the room. a magician is a threat to him.

the piano trick is in my out of print notes 'theory into practice' but will be reprinted with even more details in an upcoming book of card tricks. book is mostly written but illustrations and layout will take time.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 9th, 2017, 10:31 am

Brad Wrote: "alfred, i heard his dislike for magicians goes back longer than penn. but think about it, it makes sense. he needs to be the smartest most powerful guy in the room. a magician is a threat to him."

Yes, Brad, now I understand what you meant when you said in an earlier post that his dislike for magicians "makes sense."

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby jkeyes1000 » August 9th, 2017, 11:45 am

performer wrote:

I still remember about 40 years ago at a convention a couple of legendary names in magic trying to convince me that some very quick trick which should last 20 seconds at most could be built up into a miracle by chattering away for ever and ever and ever. It was some piddly little thing which would get a great reaction if you did the bloody thing quickly and got it over with. But no. They wanted to build it into some long winded load of old baloney which simply wasn't warranted. And they still work like this to this day.

The Piano Trick is a great trick for laymen but using socks in my view is overplaying it. And building it up for 5 minutes is also overplaying it. It is a simple card trick and that is the way it should be done. The appeal of the trick is the strange position of the spectator's hands as if he or she is playing the piano. That is why it is called the PIANO trick! You can't get that piano effect with socks. And the bloody thing should be over within two minutes (as in fact most tricks with a few exceptions should be).

Having said all this I would be happy to view a video of Brad's version of this trick. I know the trick is effective. I still remember doing it once to a group of people and they got so excited over it they wouldn't let me continue with other stuff until they had finished racking their brains as to how this one was done. Luckily I was eventually able to change the subject and they never did figure it out. Of course nowadays they would look it up on you tube. I am glad I'll be dead soon. I don't like the way magic is going.

Let me say Mark, that I admire your shrewd philosophy in general, and agree with you nearly all the time, but I happen to be one of those that believe that a simple trick can be too simple. That is, it can be too easy to figure out, or too commonly known in its basic form.

That is why I often resort to the professorial approach, to create a sort of mental maze in which to mislead the audience. If a trick is already hard to see through, there is of course no need to go to such lengths. But in many cases I think it can be advantageous to disguise the simplest method with the most complex presentation that the crowd will sit still for.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby performer » August 9th, 2017, 1:14 pm

OK. In that case I had better give you an example. When I was arguing with these two worthies I had noticed five minutes before the argument started that one of the said worthies was doing some long winded card trick and building it up too much with far too much waffle. I said nothing but thought "this poor chap has a lot to learn" but being renowned for my tact and diplomacy decided to refrain from bursting any bubbles. However, this was in my mind when I heard the pair of them waffling about building up a simple trick with what they considered magnificent showmanship and which I in my far more infinite wisdom considered unnecessary babbling and much ado about nothing.

I therefore recited an incident I had seen where some daft magician I had seen did the old thing where you pretend to tie a hair on to the end of a burnt match and the head pops off. Or something like that anyway. I can't quite remember what the bloody trick was but it was along those lines. This daft magician gave a history lesson about Mary Queen of Scots getting her head chopped off and the whole thing lasted about two minutes but felt like two hours. Then the silly head of the match dropped off. The trick should have taken 10 seconds at the most. Simple and getting a great reaction without all that unnecessary waffle.

Anyway these two "legends" started to lecture me on how a simple trick like the match head thing could be built up into a great miracle along the lines of the parting of the Red Sea in the Bible with the proper build up and appropriate waffle. Since I considered that I knew far more about showmanship than they did and I tactfully imparted that opinion , naturally they were furious with me which of course gave me great delight. Later Martin Breese approached me and told me the two worthies said I was "sarcastic". Naturally I have no idea why anyone would think that of me. Martin felt fit to reprimand me saying, "you are a good magician but very sarcastic" I suppose the sarcasm came from the fact that I informed the two worthies that if they could make an elephant appear in front of us that very second then I would allow them to waffle on and on and build up the trick since the effect warranted it. But not for a bloody head of a match falling off. I then challenged them to make an elephant appear in front of us. They never did for some reason and thought I was "sarcastic" for some odd reason.

I often use the old stunt of putting an invisible flea in a bag normally when I am serving customers. It gets a terrific reaction and it only takes 5 seconds or so. They are absolutely stunned by it. However, if I was daft enough to chatter about the history of fleas and how they seek dark corners like paper bags and then after a minute of build up just chuck the flea in the bag the effect of the trick would be completely ruined. Similarly and getting back to matches if you blow down one sleeve and the lit match in the other hand goes out because of your alleged breath travelling through your body you don't chatter on and on about the science of wind velocity. No. You just blow down your sleeve and the match goes out. Again 5 seconds.

With the greatest of respect, the trouble with "mental mazes" is that they can bore people to death. You can disguise the method but also disguise the entertainment value by all that confusion. They won't know how it is done but they won't bloody care how it is done either. You have to be very careful with "complexity" and the less of it the better. With these quick and simple stunts they won't figure it out because you downplay it and go on to something else so they won't have time to analyse it. And if they do figure it out I don't care anyway. I am happy to sacrifice the secret to simple 10 second stunts anyway rather than bore people to death with too much complexity and waffle.

If it is a long simple trick you STILL eschew complexity as your patter and psychological handling will still keep the secret intact. The best tricks are always the simple ones and the secrets are always hidden without the need for complication. I have never once had a single spectator figure out the simple piano trick and it has even fooled younger hot shot magicians who haven't read older magic books. Come to think of it I have many seemingly simple tricks in my repertoire but the methods remain secret without me having to complicate things and create mental hazes. My best tricks come from children's books preferably written before 1954.

Simple and direct without too much waffle is the way to being a good magician. Waffle by all means but keep it concise and only do it when some action is happening. And by all means make it amusing if you are able to. If not at least make it interesting enough so people can at least keep awake while they watch you.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby jkeyes1000 » August 9th, 2017, 2:14 pm

Oh yes, it is a serious challenge to avert boredom when lecturing, Mark! Merely spinning a yarn is not my style. I try to create a false premise that is very credible. An alternate path for the viewer’s mind to take, lest he or she catch on to what I am really up to, and when I am doing it.

My “Impromptu Book Test” is an example of a lengthy routine which I feel is justified.

I start off by “explaining” the principles of subliminal suggestion, and proceed to ask a volunteer to select ANY BOOK from a bookstore or library. Then to choose another of approximately the same length for me.

I ask him or her to decide what section of each book we ought to focus on (the first hundred pages, the second hundred, etc.).

Next, I demonstrate that, by flipping the pages before one’s eyes, we may impart the contents of the book to the subconscious. I even allow them to choose whether the book is flipped from the front or the back, which of course determines whether the page numbers are odd or even.

I ask them to concentrate on the part of the page with the page number, and try to take in whatever text or imagery is closest to it.

We do this mutually, each flipping our book for the other. Tnen, in order to assure everyone that the choices are all being made by the volunteer, I suggest that we arrive at a page number by jotting down numbers that “strike us” or that stand out in our minds. We each write three (or more if desired), after which we compare them to find the two “closest” numbers. The idea being that if we happened to get the same number, that might mean we have some sort of psychic sympathy. But in any case, I allow the volunteer to pick which two we will go with. After which I reasonably suggest that we “split the difference”, add them together and divide by two.

This is a simple algorithm that always works out to “151” or “251” or whatever. Anyway, we finally hold up our books in front of our faces and try to visualise the page and a word or image on it. They fail miserable!y, (even with a lot of clues), but I get it right.

I would love to hear your critique of this rather drawn out procedure, whether you think it justified, Mark! I can give you the link in Genii Forum where posted it a while back, but I think I have given enough detail by which to judge.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » August 9th, 2017, 2:28 pm

It has been said that "Brevity is the soul of wit." I think this applies under most circumstances to magic, as well. We have all been victims of extremely long-winded jokes, hoping, even praying, that, mercifully, the punch line comes soon... The nut is inside the shell, and the squirrel has nothing but time on his paws to patiently work through to get to it. But do our audiences?

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Brad Jeffers » August 9th, 2017, 2:57 pm

jkeyes1000 wrote: ... and proceed to ask a volunteer to select ANY BOOK from a bookstore or library.

This would seemingly slow down the presentation ...
Unless you happen to be performing in a bookstore or a library.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby jkeyes1000 » August 9th, 2017, 3:24 pm

Brad Jeffers wrote:
jkeyes1000 wrote: ... and proceed to ask a volunteer to select ANY BOOK from a bookstore or library.

This would seemingly slow down the presentation ...
Unless you happen to be performing in a bookstore or a library.


Whenever I perform this routine I let the volunteer choose the venue. It is always off the cuff, spontaneous. It is not generally as a part of a show, nor do I even call it a "magic trick". This I think is an important distinction. I do agree with Mark and Alfred, that brief effects are probably best when the crowd expects " magic". But when the spectators are told that it is a demonstration of scientific principle, they tend to be more patient!

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby performer » August 9th, 2017, 3:25 pm

How long does this extravaganza of a book test go on for? I haven't quite read through the description yet. I do know that a sign of a good trick is if you can describe the effect in one sentence. Let's see if you can do that!

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby performer » August 9th, 2017, 3:33 pm

OK. I just read the description. I still don't know what the effect is. I was almost following things until the dreaded instructions to jot things down. I got completely lost at that point. And then the awful word "algorithim" did me in completely.

As a consolation for you I have no objection to the choosing of a book or two from a bookshop or a library. That is a very good thing to do and in fact I am pretty sure that Chan Canasta and possibly David Berglas did things like that.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby jkeyes1000 » August 9th, 2017, 4:13 pm

performer wrote:OK. I just read the description. I still don't know what the effect is. I was almost following things until the dreaded instructions to jot things down. I got completely lost at that point. And then the awful word "algorithim" did me in completely.

As a consolation for you I have no objection to the choosing of a book or two from a bookshop or a library. That is a very good thing to do and in fact I am pretty sure that Chan Canasta and possibly David Berglas did things like that.


EFFECT: Performer asks a volunteer to choose any two books from any source whatsoever (one for each of them). The pages of the books are flipped before each other’s eyes in order to produce a “subliminal impression” on the mind. A page number is determined by mutual choice, and the books are both opened to this page. Using the technique known as “S.I.V.” (Subliminal Imagery Visualisation), the performer demonstrates how, with diligence and concentrative power, one may retrieve information from the subconscious!


What I did not mention Mark, is that this routine is all about distinguishing the performer as a scientist rather than a magician, thus the many attempts to reassure the audience that typical methods are not employed.

But the main reason, as always, for “carrying on” is to cover a necessary move.

I will not stultify you with specifics, but without these sort of “sidetracks”, it would be all but impossible to achieve the effect. Or let me say, that these “stages” would look a lot more suspicious without the above premise.

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby Bill Mullins » August 9th, 2017, 5:17 pm

jkeyes1000 wrote:I will not stultify you with specifics, but without these sort of “sidetracks”, it would be all but impossible to achieve the effect.


Unless you did Hoy's "Bold Book Test". (Same effect, a lot less messing around.)

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Re: Your Go to Trick or Routine

Postby jkeyes1000 » August 9th, 2017, 5:27 pm

Bill Mullins wrote:
jkeyes1000 wrote:I will not stultify you with specifics, but without these sort of “sidetracks”, it would be all but impossible to achieve the effect.


Unless you did Hoy's "Bold Book Test". (Same effect, a lot less messing around.)


Hoy's method is similar up to a point, Bill. The point where the performer lies about which page the volunteer chose. Trying to assure the audience that such chicanery is not going on, you see?


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