In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
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In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Tremblay » December 12th, 2016, 5:03 pm

I've been told that an in-the-hand cup(s) or chop cup routine appeared in MAGIC magazine some time ago. I'm on the look out for a routine that I could perform in the spectator's hand in strolling situation.

If anybody could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate. Magic magazine used to have an online index but not anymore.

Thanks!

-
Richard

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Leonard Hevia » December 12th, 2016, 9:22 pm

If you already understand the chop cup, then you can adapt the basic table routine to the spectator's hand. It isn't difficult.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Jonathan Townsend » December 12th, 2016, 10:04 pm

If anyone here's doing the trick ... thoughts about using the bag as tablecloth on their hand?
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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Brad Henderson » December 12th, 2016, 10:58 pm

Loomis (Dennis?) had an in the hands chip cup routine that was reviewed in several of the magazines. Uses one of those micro cups. sold as a manuscript n

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Steve Mills » December 13th, 2016, 12:14 am

Brad Henderson wrote:Loomis (Dennis?) had an in the hands chip cup routine that was reviewed in several of the magazines. Uses one of those micro cups. sold as a manuscript n


I believe Jamie Grant bought the rights and has issued a new edition.
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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Tremblay » December 13th, 2016, 7:59 pm

Thank you all. I'll have a look at Dennis Loomis routine. Tom Stone pointed me toward another version printed in Genii in 2002.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Ian Kendall » December 14th, 2016, 9:14 am

The Peter Rosengren routine?

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Ian Kendall » December 14th, 2016, 9:37 am

Also, I have the Magic index up to 2011, and there's nothing in there. Sorry.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Jonathan Townsend » December 14th, 2016, 11:29 am

Ian Kendall wrote:The Peter Rosengren routine?


That's in the June 2002 issue
- kinda a "yes" to the question of using the bag as the tablecloth on a volunteer's hand for the routine.
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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Ian Kendall » December 14th, 2016, 1:07 pm

Many years ago Mark Leveridge put out a Chop Mug that used the carry bag as a close up mat on the spectator's hand.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Kaufman » December 14th, 2016, 1:32 pm

I have a question: if you are doing a Chop Cup on a person's hand, how do you misdirect away from the heavier "put down" required to make the ball appear?
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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Tremblay » December 14th, 2016, 6:04 pm

Ian Kendall wrote:The Peter Rosengren routine?

Yes.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Tremblay » December 14th, 2016, 6:05 pm

Ian Kendall wrote:Also, I have the Magic index up to 2011, and there's nothing in there. Sorry.

Thanks Ian.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Tremblay » December 14th, 2016, 6:09 pm

Richard Kaufman wrote:I have a question: if you are doing a Chop Cup on a person's hand, how do you misdirect away from the heavier "put down" required to make the ball appear?

Peter Rosengren shakes the cup to "make the sound appear", explaining that when you hear the ball, you can feel the ball.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Tremblay » December 14th, 2016, 6:11 pm

Ian Kendall wrote:Many years ago Mark Leveridge put out a Chop Mug that used the carry bag as a close up mat on the spectator's hand.

I see that his routine appears in one of the British close-Up Symposium. I'll see if I could put my hand on it. Thanks.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Q. Kumber » December 15th, 2016, 6:51 am

Carl Royle, here in Manchester has a very good routine he's developed with a mini cup on participant's hand. As yet unpublished.
While Carl doesn't use it, a beer mat on the participant's hand - as a table - would stop them feeling surprises arrive.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » December 15th, 2016, 7:47 am

I have been doing a mini-cup climax on a spectator's hand for decades as a pitch item. This is using the small cups and balls. However, in more recent years Lisa Close of all people figured out a more effective improvement to it and I have been using it for the last 15 years or so. As a result of this improvement I have been able to use it as part of my regular cups and balls with the big cups. Oh, and you don't need the beer matt.

I believe it is described in my 3 DVD pitch course.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Tom Gilbert » December 15th, 2016, 12:47 pm

I can imagine Don Alan doing a chop cup routine in a spectator's hand.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby webbmaster » April 26th, 2017, 2:05 pm

Instead of the net in the 3-ball trick, which spectators would hold, Charles Reynolds favored a wooden tray with a rim, and the rim had cutouts at each end for a handhold. With two spectators, one at each end, holding the tray, I don't see why not do cups that way too. I know it doesn't really answer the question of 'in their hands' but it does allow for not having an actual table.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Curtis Kam » April 26th, 2017, 6:25 pm

Gregg, see below. https://youtu.be/_txoK8WPZeA


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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Richard Hatch » April 27th, 2017, 1:14 pm

Just a note on the table used in the link Curtis posted above. I always wanted a Ross Bertram style table, as described in one of his books, to have two spectators hold for cups and balls. I had Tabby Crab customize one of his Erdnase train tables for that purpose, though he failed to add the holes for the hands, which to me was the most important feature! Later I had someone else add the holes to Tabby's table and while I liked it, I though it would add to the effectiveness of the performance if the spectators weren't sideways to the audience, but at a 45 degree angle, so the audience could better see their reactions. So I had Joe Anderson design and make such a table for me, which he delivered to me at the performance shown in the video at a Ft Worth magic club annual banquet performance many years ago. I love that table and use it in almost every performance, but I've been disappointed that the spectators seem to defy the hint of the design and insist on standing sideways anyway. And the table is just a bit too large to take on a plane as overhead luggage, so I use the Tabman table when I travel (taking it to Dubai for a trade show next month). My recollection from the description by Bertram is that he credited Mike Kanter with the idea of using the two spectators. In Kanter's case, they were holding the leaf of a table. Ross Bertram took the design to the next level by adding features such as the handholes and padding.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Al Schneider » May 28th, 2017, 2:41 am

I have a question about all of this. I have finally settled on a one cup routine.
I have decided to use the bag on a spectator's hand.
Then do the routine on their hand.
From this thread, it appears my idea is not original.
My worry is that my entire routine is old hat.
The routine appears as follows from an old youtube thing.

https://youtu.be/xvE0gTouogg

The routine I now do is exactly the same other than it is done on a spectator's hand.
There are no gimms or extras used. The props consist of a bag, a bigun, and three smalluns.
They can even be different colors.
There are no body steals or pockets used. And the spectators examine everything during the routine.

Is this old stuff now?

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 28th, 2017, 9:01 am

I am not sure that there is any particular advantage to doing it on the spectator's hand anyway. I know the principle that things that happen in the spectator's hands make tricks more effective but I think you can go overboard with it. I see that everyone nowadays is doing Dr Daley's Last Trick on the spectator's hands and for the life of me I can't see any advantage to it and even some disadvantage. For example the spectator can turn the cards over at an inopportune time either on purpose or accidentally. I have been doing the trick for decades on the table and the reaction is great. And I think this goes for the chop cup too. I have utterly no idea why it has to be done on a spectator's hand in the first place. And the damn thing can fall off. As mentioned previously on this thread I do one thing with the cups and balls on the hands of a spectator but not the whole bloody thing. And it is justified as in this case it makes the effect stronger. All this stuff reminds me of Al Baker's dictum that "many a good trick can be killed by improvement". Sometimes the best improvement is to leave things alone as in the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

Having said all that I have devised a killer chop cup routine without the use of that silly magnet which has always irritated me. I can even do it impromptu in a coffee shop with a coffee cup and some paper napkins. I am quite sure my version is just as strong as the usual way of doing it.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Al Schneider » May 28th, 2017, 10:00 am

Performer

I agree with you totally. I wish you were around when some wizard of smart tells me that i am old fashioned because I do magic on a table. Then all the kids jump up and down when these guys extol the virtues of doing something in the spectator's hands. I think doing many tricks in the spectator's hands obscures the magic. Some tricks are good in their hands and some are not. The only reason I push it here is because I sell books of magic and attempt to please a few customers.

That being said, the routine I described was designed for walk around workers that could do the routine standing by a table in a birthday suit. I was going to do a lecture in Mpls next month and feature this routine in that lecture. As I have been somewhat distant from magic lately, I worry that my cool routine is now old hat. Suddenly another magic club brought in power from Chicago to do a lecture a day after mine. The club that hired me then became afraid the power would render my presentation mute. Sad because I had two hours full of stuff I have developed underground over the last three years I wanted to give some air time to.

Anyway, the question remains. Is this routine old hat.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 28th, 2017, 12:01 pm

I just watched your video. That vanish at the end is terrific and in fact it fooled me! I have no idea how it is done! I have no idea if it is "old hat" or not but I don't care if it is. It is the effect that counts.

I still remember Herb Morrissey snorting, "They come into my shop and ask, "what's new?" They don't even know what's old yet!"

Of course all magic dealers are supposed to be grumpy. It is an occupational
requirement for anyone who sells fun to be grumpy. In any case a lot of this new fangled stuff nowadays is old stuff rehashed anyway. I also remember Herb saying, "I can invent 8 new tricks every day". On hearing the sceptical response to this he simply explained that all he had to do was get some old books, find a trick and alter it slightly. If for example a trick used a piece of string he would substitute a shoelace and so on.

Nothing wrong with being old fashioned. The old ways have stood the test of time. There is a reason that classic tricks are the ones that appeal the most.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » May 28th, 2017, 12:39 pm

PERFORMER WROTE: "For example the spectator can turn the cards over at an inopportune time either on purpose or accidentally. I have been doing the trick [Dr. Daley's] for decades on the table and the reaction is great."

Yes, I know that I have been guilty of going overboard on the in-the-hand craze, and have reined myself in having rethought it, due in large part to Performer's commentary on other threads. When you place a card in a spectator's hand, particularly if you say something such as, "Now you hold the Jack of Clubs," you are inviting them to turn it over, since they know for a fact that, as a magician, you are there for the express purpose of lying to and cheating them. Modern day audiences don't believe in real magic (if indeed audiences of yore even did), unless the spectator is, say, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, or Toto the dog from Wizard of Oz. The one exception I have found to where the spectator never turns the card in their hand over prematurely is the Toss Change (a/k/a the Throw Change). For some odd reason, when you are holding a d _ u _ l _ in your hand, show the face card clearly, and then throw it into their hand, they cannot seem to fathom that a switch could have transpired. If I could do just one quick trick for anyone it would be this one, because of the invariable strong reaction (Queen of England included, although I wouldn't be sure if it would be "proper" or whether I should kiss her ring or genuflect, or whatever, upon the denouement).

As for "old stuff," or "old hat," no worries - it doesn't really exist for laymen. How long has the ID been around? and even with the rampant exposure on YouTube, it still kills every single time. Strong magic, well performed, is - well - Strong.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » May 28th, 2017, 4:38 pm

PS I don't know who else (other than Performer) has watched the video Al posted of his one cup and 3-ball routine, or what the reactions were. I thought it was fantastic! Extraordinarily clean and well executed - a real fooler. Although I almost always perform standing, I think I'm going to try to perform seated whenever possible because of the power of the built-in "servante." Slydini certainly capitalized on it, as does Al, and also John Mendoza, among others, from what I've seen.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 28th, 2017, 5:44 pm

I use lapping a lot. It can be very powerful indeed if you don't overdo it. I have had sensational reactions with the old glass through table trick. I used to do it with a salt shaker but a friend remarked how much more effective it was with a glass when he saw me do it on occasion that way. However, what really sells it is my lead up with a sort of Slydini one coin routine which is curtailed in length. Of course this also requires a lot of lapping. I do believe the glass through the table routine would lose some if its impact if I didn't combine it with the Slydini preamble.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Al Schneider » May 28th, 2017, 7:53 pm

I think Richard Tremblay got an answer to his question so I hope no one minds the change this thread is taking.

On lapping.

I avoid it but will use it if the effect warrants it. Salt or glass through table or disappearance kills. However, whenever I did it, I did not get a reaction. I think it is very overwhelming to the audience. I solved this problem in the following way. I make a salt shaker disappear. The covering napkin is crushed to a ball and left sitting on the table. This is greeted with dead silence. Then I flick it with my finger so the napkin ball flies out into the audience. Then a strong reaction ensues.

Here is something important about lapping. Most I see do it never bring their hand back to the position until they use the device. My recommendation is to put your hand in that position several times as a rest position before actually using it.

That's it.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » May 28th, 2017, 9:30 pm

Al Schneider Wrote: "The covering napkin is crushed to a ball and left sitting on the table. This is greeted with dead silence. Then I flick it with my finger so the napkin ball flies out into the audience. Then a strong reaction ensues."

Very interesting how one little touch makes such a big difference in evoking a reaction. I wonder what it is in human psychology that accounts for it...

Is the glass or salt shaker than reproduced from below the table top, or is the effect simply left as a complete vanish?

Is the spectator's hand still used to collapse the napkin, and then the napkin rolled into a ball?

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 28th, 2017, 9:50 pm

A word, a phrase, or a tiny action can make a massive difference in reaction. And this is often a function of personality. It is wise not to give up too early learning a trick because you might find that tiny little thing, often in the patter that makes all the difference. I can think of several examples in my own work. When I learned coins through the table I found the reaction was lukewarm until I got people to press on my hand to make the coins go through. Double the reaction! That is not to say that others should use this ploy. It may well not be necessary for them or even suit them. As I stated it is often a function of personality.

I still remember doing dice stacking and the reaction from laymen was ho hum. Then I added about 6 words of patter and the difference was like night and day. This is why a magician has to THINK! As Vernon said, "use your head". Sometimes you have to experiment with different words and phrases to get it right. Or tiny differences in the action.

I avoid phrases like, "I want you to take these coins" and substitute "I would like you to take these coins" I personally find "I want you to" too demanding of people and sets up subconsious barriers. But that is not to say that anyone else should say, "I would like you to". Again it is an individual thing. All I am trying to point out is that it is these tiny touches that often mean the difference between success and failure.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 28th, 2017, 9:56 pm

With regard to glass through the table I have had screams from performing it! The reactions are on a par with the sponge ball trick and in a few cases exceed it. I always have it pushed through the table and reproduce it. I find it far more convenient that vanishing the glass and having the damn thing in your lap trying to figure out how to bring it back into play. I don't favour the option of producing it from the jacket as I have seen described as it is very anti-climatic.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Al Schneider » May 28th, 2017, 10:31 pm

I just lap it and pick it up and put it in my kit or pocket as I get my next trick.
I do not have someone put their hand on top.
I avoid a lot of that sort of thing because I feel it obscures magic for other people.
In my performances I have maybe 15 people at the table sitting and standing.
My goal is to talk little and move along with the magic.
I also avoid having people select a card by touching it.
I prefer to run through the cards and have them say stop.
Then show the selected card.
My philosophy is to hit, hit, hit, hit, relax for a bit and to it again.
However, now I am 74 and do few shows.
Thus, I am hesitant to offer my thoughts on magic because I am just not out there doing it.
Right now, I will crawl back under my rock someplace in the middle of Wisconsin.
Al
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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » May 29th, 2017, 2:24 am

PERFORMER WROTE: "This is why a magician has to THINK! As Vernon said, "use your head". Sometimes you have to experiment with different words and phrases to get it right. Or tiny differences in the action. I avoid phrases like, 'I want you to take these coins' and substitute 'I would like you to take these coins.' I personally find 'I want you to' too demanding of people and sets up subconsious barriers. But that is not to say that anyone else should say, 'I would like you to'. Again it is an individual thing. All I am trying to point out is that it is these tiny touches that often mean the difference between success and failure."

The importance and value of the preceding points cannot be overstated.

AL SCHNEIDER WROTE: "However, now I am 74 and do few shows. Thus, I am hesitant to offer my thoughts on magic because I am just not out there doing it. Right now, I will crawl back under my rock someplace in the middle of Wisconsin."

If you go back under that rock you will be missed. It's been a treat having you participate. It doesn't matter that you're "not out there doing it." Experience breeds wisdom and great thoughts are timeless. Won't you reconsider, stick around for a while, and share the treasure you have to offer?

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby erdnasephile » May 29th, 2017, 4:38 am

Al Schneider wrote:I have a question about all of this. I have finally settled on a one cup routine.
I have decided to use the bag on a spectator's hand.
Then do the routine on their hand.
From this thread, it appears my idea is not original.
My worry is that my entire routine is old hat.
The routine appears as follows from an old youtube thing.

https://youtu.be/xvE0gTouogg

The routine I now do is exactly the same other than it is done on a spectator's hand.
There are no gimms or extras used. The props consist of a bag, a bigun, and three smalluns.
They can even be different colors.
There are no body steals or pockets used. And the spectators examine everything during the routine.

Is this old stuff now?

Al Schneider



I don't think this routine is old stuff at all. There are no stereotypical loading movements, and the "Touch here"-"Touch there" transposition conceit is very novel appearing. The routine fooled me at a number of points due to it's naturalness. I would definitely love to learn this, and I think it's a real shame you were not able to do your lecture featuring it--I think it's a terrific routine!

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 29th, 2017, 4:47 am

I agree that Al should stick around and share his thoughts. It is obvious that he thinks about his magic and that is the point I was making in the first place. And I like his thoughts even though I might do things differently. It is the thinking and the effectiveness of the thinking that matters. Of course what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. The point is to experiment and to find out what works for YOU!

For example I do like to get the spectator to push their hand down on mine for the glass through the table. That suits me. However, I read a description of Eugene Burger doing it with a different variation in handling. He gets the spectator (usually a woman I imagine) to push down on the paper and he in turn pushes down on her hand. That may well be effective but I just can't bring myself to push down on someone's hand without their permission so I have to do it the other way round and get them to push down on my hand instead. On the other hand (no pun intended) Al prefers to do the pushing himself without the aid of anyone. None of us are wrong providing we get the requisite reaction. Again this is all a function of personality. How we present magic is an individual thing and what suits one person is not necessarily going to suit another. There are some general rules that apply to most people but even then nothing is cast in tablets of stone. It is fine to break a rule but you must know the rule exists in the first place and have a valid reason to break the rule.

My style is bring the people into the magic as much as possible. Virtually every trick I do involves the spectator in some way. Even a trick where the use of spectators is not an inherent part of the trick I find a way to BRING THEM INTO IT! Maybe blow on a card or say a magic word. Anything! I work this way because I believe magic is PEOPLE.

An example is the dotty spot trick I do or the Dr Sack Dice Trick. It is completely unnecessary for spectator assistance here. However, I find ways to involve someone. With the spot trick I will ask them to pass their hand over the spot or produce it from behind their ear. Any excuse to bring them into it. For the dice trick I will ask them questions. I do believe for most people this is the strongest way to get audience reaction. However, someone of a different personality may feel that this is not something they are comfortable with. They just can't bring themselves to perform this way. OK. If that is the case then they obviously have to adapt to doing what is more natural to them. Again there is no rule and nothing is cast in tablets of stone. It really doesn't matter what philosophy you follow providing whatever you do GETS THE REACTION. That really is the bottom line.

The caveat is that you have to be aware that laymen also have different personalities. Some lay people react loudly with astonishment and others although equally impressed have a more muted response. You have to be a good judge of people to be a good magician and know the difference between a fake reaction just to be polite and a genuine one. You have to judge whether a muted response is because the person is not impressed or whether they are but are not the type to show it in a loud enthusiastic manner.

Magicians discuss among themselves tricks, sleights and the best way of doing them. They also discuss presentational matters, construction of tricks and matters of creativity. However, I rarely see discussions on the psychology of magic. How people's minds work. I consider this psychological manipulation of people (sorry for my cynical outlook) to be equally important if not more so than the latest trick on the market or discussions on the best way to present magic. Anyone with enough practice can manipulate the props. Great magicians manipulate the people.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby Al Schneider » May 29th, 2017, 9:32 am

performer

You said, "... I rarely see discussions on the psychology of magic. How people's minds work." Have you seen The Theory and Practice of Magic Deception by me avail from amazon dot com.?
The single absolute truth is that we don't know.

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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 29th, 2017, 12:00 pm

Al Schneider wrote:performer

You said, "... I rarely see discussions on the psychology of magic. How people's minds work." Have you seen The Theory and Practice of Magic Deception by me avail from amazon dot com.?


No. I haven't. I have never even heard of it which kind of proves my point that people don't talk about this stuff! However, I have seen snippets of your thinking in these matters in one of your books and I thought what you said made sense. For this reason I am sure the book you mention is worth having.

performer
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Joined: August 7th, 2015, 10:35 pm

Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby performer » May 29th, 2017, 12:23 pm

Al. I just watched your video again and something occurs to me which brings to mind something I said earlier about a slight change in wording increasing the impact of a trick. You make three balls vanish all at once and it is indeed quite startling then you go for the big finish of the large ball underneath the cup. Something was nagging my inner mind about it and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. At first I was wondering if the big ball was almost anti climatic after the astonishing vanish but no--I don't think that was it. It may possibly have been the incongruity and lack of logic because you made three small balls vanish and then one big ball appear. It didn't seem to jive right somehow.

I suspect (but of course don't know for sure) that perhaps the effect of the large ball would be blunted a trifle because of this. However, the solution to it, (if I were doing it anyway with my particular personality) would be very simple indeed. No need to alter a single thing in the routine or fiddle about with the mechanics in an attempt to solve a problem which might not even be there anyway. Just a simple change in phrasing would explain the lack of logic, give a second or two between two strong phases and avoid the anti-climatic feeling.

Leave things exactly as they are but when the three balls vanish you say, "Did that surprise you?" No matter what the response you reply, "Well, this is the bit that surprises me!" lifting up the cup to reveal the large ball.

I bet that simple change in patter increases the reaction to a significant degree. I am psychic and know these things!

MagicbyAlfred
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Re: In-the hand cups and balls routine - MAGIC Magazine

Postby MagicbyAlfred » May 29th, 2017, 1:07 pm

PERFORMER WROTE: "Leave things exactly as they are but when the three balls vanish you say, "Did that surprise you?" No matter what the response you reply, "Well, this is the bit that surprises me!" lifting up the cup to reveal the large ball. I bet that simple change in patter increases the reaction to a significant degree. I am psychic and know these things!"

EXCELLENT! A great example of thinking about the magic in a psychological (and, in fact, logical) context. The psychological aspect is crucial to being an effective performer, and probably the most overlooked. I think Darwin Ortiz did a very good job bringing it in however, in his book, "Strong Magic." Eugene Burger is another, among others, who realizes the importance of the psychological component.

In regard to Al's thinking about his magic and taking into account the psychology of the spectator, a good example is provided by the thinking behind his own presentation of MATRIX. My DVD that I saw it on is across the country at the moment, but from what I can remember, he doesn't do the snapping of the cards in producing the effect of a coin vanishing and joining the others. Instead, he explains that he is moving the coin(s) with his mind, and pantomimes lifting the coin through the card and replacing it under the assembly card. His thinking, from what I can remember is that this has a significantly greater impact in terms of producing a truly magical (as opposed to manipulative sleight-of-hand) effect in the minds of the spectators. As Performer has noted, just a small change in a presentational aspect and/or in the patter can make a very big difference.


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