Practicing Cards Anywhere

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
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Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 9th, 2006, 8:18 pm

What are some of the most useful card flourishes, effects, production....etc is something you can practice anywhere you are most likely to use. (For example....Fountains, card productions, 2 card lifts, passes, color changes..etc.)

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Pete Biro
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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Pete Biro » October 9th, 2006, 10:08 pm

Anytime, anywhere--except while DRIVING.
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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Jeff Eline » October 10th, 2006, 5:33 am

Pete, you sound like my wife!

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Marc Rehula » October 10th, 2006, 8:01 am

When I'm on the bus or sitting in front of the TV, I practice double lifts and passes. That's mainly because those are the sleights I want to use -- and I need LOTS of practice. Personally, I'm not that interested in flourishes, although I like to play around with fans.

So the bottom line: I think it's really up to you how to answer the question. What do you NEED to practice? What do you WANT to practice?

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 10th, 2006, 8:16 am

It wasnt really seeking advice it was more of a personal question, as in im asking your opinions on the matter. For me i practice passes, double lifts and palming the most.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 10th, 2006, 10:05 am

Personally, I like to practice double lifts and false shuffles and cuts.
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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Pete Biro » October 10th, 2006, 10:37 am

Actually, I find the best practice is when you perform... EVERYTHING changes when people are watching you. :genii:
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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 10th, 2006, 10:50 am

I was in a car being driven by Michael Ammar on the Long Island Expressway many years ago, and he took out a deck of cards and began to practice (with both hands) while steering with his knees.

Personally, I practice sleights while on the phone. I noticed Harry Lorayne doing that 30 years ago and I picked up the habit as well. It's good for keeping up on Double Lifts, Faro Shuffles, but bad for the Pass because you're in the wrong position.
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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 10th, 2006, 10:56 am

Everything. Flourishes, shifts, riffle stacking, riffle culling, deals, shuffles, I practice anyting that I can where I'm at.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 10th, 2006, 11:04 am

Thank you for your good replies. It was dirrected towards those people who always have a pack of cards. Im one of those and sometimes dont know what i should practice most right before i here "show me a trick".

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 10th, 2006, 11:05 am

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
Actually, I find the best practice is when you perform... EVERYTHING changes when people are watching you. :genii:
Mr. Biro hits the nail on the head. Once I get things to a workable level, I 'practice' by going down the street to shoot pool at an underground bar (where word won't get out about too much free performance) and really break things in. It is the only way to really put things together, in my opinion.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby CardFan » October 10th, 2006, 11:11 am

I love going to the movies, so I do a lot of practicing there; side steal, pinky count, passes, etc. I'm in a wheelchair, and the section for us is always in the back in a somewhat secluded area, so it's easy to get in some productive practice time.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Larry Horowitz » October 10th, 2006, 12:16 pm

A few years ago Robert Giobbi wrote about this very subject. I suggest hitting the new Genii index.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Jeff Eline » October 10th, 2006, 1:19 pm

Getting high speed internet access ruined a great way to practice. I used to practice riffle shuffle work while pages loaded in dial-up.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Danny Archer » October 18th, 2006, 7:25 pm

I practice the side steal at the movies ... if the person in front of looks back I know I am making too much noise ...
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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Richard Kaufman » October 18th, 2006, 8:08 pm

Hey Danny, you make too much noise. :)
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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 24th, 2006, 4:08 am

Originally posted by Danny Archer:
I practice the side steal at the movies ... if the person in front of looks back I know I am making too much noise ...
I always like to have a deck of cards at the movies as "bad movie insurance."
Great movie = not much practice.
Bad movie = lots of practice.

Coincidentally, last summer's Fantastic Four greatly improved my faro.

Best,

DD

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 24th, 2006, 3:55 pm


Coincidentally, last summer's Fantastic Four greatly improved my faro.

I had an epiphany with faros recently. I could never do them. Ever. And then at the Castle swop meet I bought a few 'vintage' design bike decks.

First time I tried it just worked. Then at Castle on Friday someone told me some decks faro and some don't depending on how they are cut.

So all this time, it wasn't me being totally rubbish, it was the CARDS being rubbish. (insert your favourite 'bad workman/tools' type line here)

:)

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 24th, 2006, 5:55 pm

mrgoat, I don't get a chance to see many magicans doing the faro, is it common in card magic? Is there a need to explain it to the audiance? I learned to shuffle cards when I was a kid doing this shuffle in a verticle position because my hands were to small to shuffle the "normal" way. I am still quite adept at doing it this way. I know you are new to the wonders of this method, but any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Joe

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 25th, 2006, 11:30 am

Originally posted by joemagic1:
mrgoat, I don't get a chance to see many magicans doing the faro, is it common in card magic? Is there a need to explain it to the audiance? I learned to shuffle cards when I was a kid doing this shuffle in a verticle position because my hands were to small to shuffle the "normal" way. I am still quite adept at doing it this way. I know you are new to the wonders of this method, but any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Joe
I'm not sure it's common, and I was looking at it because Mnemonica calls for faros. I think it's more common for gambling style routines.

Having said that, I will probably never use it. When I work, I don't even do a riffle-shuffle. Just an overhand. I don't do anything that could make it look like I am 'clever with my hands'. When I have a card selected, I just spread them, no pressure fans.

It's funny, when I started out I spent a long time practising a lot of things I later discarded as being superfluous.

So I am not really the right person to ask about practical applications of the move.

I just got that deck and was astounded it 'just worked'.

sorry not to be any more use.

Damian

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 25th, 2006, 12:02 pm

I know I'm a little late to the party, since the question was asked on the 9th, but if you're really looking for stuff that you can practice anywhere, consider learning a memorized deck and a flash speller (I recommend Aronson's from "Try the Impossible"). You could practice these underwater if you had to.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 25th, 2006, 9:12 pm

But don't say them out loud.

Simon

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Rafael Benatar » October 25th, 2006, 11:50 pm

Turn over the to card and pinky-count to 13 four times. You can even do this in places where movement is restricted such as inside the pocket of your winter coat. After 4 times, look at the deck and enjoy the relief if you see the reversed card on top... even if it happened because your mistakes cancelled each other. Doing this in the movies will develop a sense of counting without counting. You just know that 13 is tadadadada-tadadadada-tadada.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Glenn Farrington » October 26th, 2006, 12:12 am

Originally posted by Rafael Benatar:
You just know that 13 is tadadadada-tadadadada-tadada.
So Rafael...any problems following the plot lines of movies?
Comedy's Easy...Dying Sucks.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 26th, 2006, 10:03 am

Originally posted by Glenn Farrington:
Originally posted by Rafael Benatar:
[b] You just know that 13 is tadadadada-tadadadada-tadada.
So Rafael...any problems following the plot lines of movies? [/b]
LOL...now that was funny!

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Rafael Benatar » October 27th, 2006, 10:14 am

Well, do it in the upbeat of the movie or use an easy movie or a video that you can rewind (I actually do that sometimes).

Now seriously, that's the whole point. When I first learned the Overhand Shuflle, I did the exercises described in the Royal Road and some variations of them. And I did them while reading aloud from a magazine or from a poster on a wall. This included counting the cards you run, like for shuffling a card to 14 from the top. I would often split the count as convenient but my goal was to do it without the slightest alteration in the tone of my voice.

Aside from being a useful skill to have, if you can do it like that you have the proof that you can do it second nature. When you play an instrument, even if you don't need to sing, if you can play while humming an unaltered tone, you can do it relaxed. and if you cannot do it relaxed, then you won't be able to keep the humming unaltered. Just like that. Try it out. It's one of those things that allow you to measure something that is, in essence, unmeasurable.

Back to the pinky count in the movies: if you can do it while you talk, it should be easier to do it while they talk.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 27th, 2006, 12:54 pm

I learned Topping the Deck, the Top Change, and the Striking Vanish while walking my dog.

At some point I noticed that I was always doing my top change at the same point in my step, as my right foot was coming forward. This was a bad habit, but easily corrected. Then I realized that practicing it at different times in my step was very useful, because it made it easier for me to do a Top Change in different body positions. It's very easy for your body to learn the Top Change as a whole-body move, and to a certain extent this is inevitable when you're first learning. But the goal is to have the top change, or any move, just involve the body parts directly responsible.

It may be a coincidence, but my Striking Vanish improved dramatically when I began practicing with a nickel. I can't tell you how many times I dropped the nickel and it rolled under a bush. A potentially expensive lesson, but valuable nonetheless.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 27th, 2006, 2:58 pm

Hey Rafael,

I recently got to see you perform at TAOM. I really enjoyed your lecture and show. Your MC stuff was great!! Really funny!

Anyway, I've been going through RRTCM and the advice of reading text out loud while practicing moves is great! Before I would practice while watching movies, etc, but adding my voice talking has been a challenge that has paid off. I find it easier, like you said, to pull moves off and use patter as misdirection. That makes me think it's important to practice while talking much more than practicing silently. But I still like to practice at movies/tv, etc!!

ps....when you hum while playing the saxophone, you get that great "growl" sound of the Blues and early Rock!!

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Rafael Benatar » October 27th, 2006, 3:22 pm

Hi Jason. Thanks for your comments. Yeah, saxophone is different, LOL. You'd have to think something up. There should be a way. Maybe blinking at regular intervals keeping your eyelids relaxed, without altering the action if you play a loud note.

It's about doing something different that is continuous.There is interesting insight on this in the wonderful "The Inner Game of Tennis" by Tim Galwey. Some tennis players do this instinctively. When they yell as they hit the ball, they start yelling before the stroke and finish after the stroke. That way the stroke is not a frozen point in time but something that goes within the flow. Try humming and doing a Pass in the middle without altering the hum. To add excitement, put your tongue between your teeth as you do it.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Glenn Farrington » October 27th, 2006, 3:48 pm

Well, I went to see the film PRESTIGE today. During the movie I practiced my pinky count, side steal, pass and shooting cards into the air. That last part didn't go so well. I guess I need to see the film again to catch the ending. As they were escorting me out of the theater I tried to explain that Rafael Benetar reccommended that I do this. They didn't even seem to care. Oh well. Tomorrow I'm going to see RUNNING WITH SCISSORS and I'm bringing three card fountains with me.

Hey Rafael, long time no see. Sorry I missed you at the Castle. Next time.
Comedy's Easy...Dying Sucks.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 27th, 2006, 6:34 pm

I actually practice the one one hand second deal (by R Lavand, a nice move that can be practiced virtually anywhere, anytime...

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Rafael Benatar » October 27th, 2006, 11:26 pm

Yeah, good to read you here Glenn. Hope to see you again sometime soon. Try boomerangs or knife throwing. Or, even more dangerous, practice with one hand and hold your girlfriend's hand with the other. Linking rings should be a blast, too.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Glenn Farrington » October 28th, 2006, 11:05 am

Originally posted by Rafael Benatar:
Or, even more dangerous, practice with one hand and hold your girlfriend's hand with the other.
Yeah...I got in trouble doing that once myself. Big tip...never forget which hand your doing card moves in.
Comedy's Easy...Dying Sucks.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » October 29th, 2006, 11:44 pm

I haven't seen "The Prestige" yet; may have to make it a date night with my wife. Maybe I'll even dress up and wear a straight jacket.

I like the "Inner Game of Tennis" thought. That makes a lot of sense. Seems like that idea will hide our "secret moves." I may have to read that soon.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » January 4th, 2007, 2:49 pm

Rafael

Got your DVD's for Christmas...the Pinky Count will come in really handy! The A Card at a Number will be well worth it!

Guest

Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » January 9th, 2007, 3:35 pm

One Sunday morning at 8am I went to the grocery store to buy some cat litter. I was flabbergasted to see Dean Dill come around the corner aisle holding a deck of cards in his hands.

Now I live in San Clemente and Dean lives near Glendale. The last thing I expected to see at the San Clemente Albertson's on a Sunday morning was someone (especially Dean Dill) practicing card magic. But there he was. I will never forget it. It was such a bizarre moment.

I guess if you want to be a great magician, you will practice anywhere , anytime... except when driving as our colleague Pete Biro reminds us!

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Bob Farmer » January 9th, 2007, 5:10 pm

Several hundred years ago when I was living in Toronto, I was sitting in a mostly vacant subway car as it whisked me to work.

As I read the morning paper, a sound that was completely out of place, yet completely familiar, yet one I couldn't identify, echoed down the car -- my brain computed then said, "American fifty cent piece hitting the floor."

I looked down the car: there was Gary Kurtz planted in front of his reflection in one of the doors, practicing, having just collected some coins he'd dropped.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » January 12th, 2007, 10:44 am

One benefit of using the "Song" method of memorizing your deck -- detailed in Mneumonica -- is that you can "practice" anywhere.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Joe Gallant » January 15th, 2007, 5:22 pm

Originally posted by bj nick:
I practice a memorized deck to keep it fresh...I can keep one hand on the wheel easily, while having the other hand free for the deck. I do Charlier cuts, always bringing a new bottom card, and practice instantly identifying the card before, after, etc. Repeat ad infinitum...
As Simon Aronson mentions in his writings, it's easy to practice a memorized deck without a deck. Just run different sequences of cards and numbers in you head. Don't use only 1-52 sequence. For number sequences, try all odd numbers, then all even numbers. Also increments of 10: 1,11,21,31,41,51 then 2,12,22,32,42,52 etc. For card sequences, try each suit, Ace to King, in CHaSeD order. Also, each value in CHaSeD order: AC,AH,AS,AD,2C,2H,2S,2D etc. There are many other variations. Try some number or card sequences in reverse order.

You can do this practice anytime, anywhere, without a deck. While driving, its much safer than using a deck. I used this technique when I originally learned the Aronson stack, and I occasionally use it to keep in tune.

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Re: Practicing Cards Anywhere

Postby Guest » January 16th, 2007, 8:10 pm

Originally posted by Joe Gallant:
As Simon Aronson mentions in his writings, it's easy to practice a memorized deck without a deck...
You can do this practice anytime, anywhere, without a deck. While driving, its much safer than using a deck. I used this technique when I originally learned the Aronson stack, and I occasionally use it to keep in tune.
Exactly Joe,
I do most of my tuning when I return to bed early in the morning after getting up to... well, whatever.
It sometimes takes a while to fall back to sleep and I can tell later that morning how long by what card I last remembered in the stack.

Can this be a cure for insomnia as well as alzheimers?
Larry


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