Double lift help

Jul 6, 2014
106
7
I'm a new magician, about 2 months in.

After learning several sleights, the one i still have trouble with is double lift. I have one that works well enough to perform, but I'm trying to develope a realer looking double.

When I use a worn pack I do ok, but when the pack is new I see that the cards "split" half the time when I either go to pick them up, or when I'm flipping them over gently. I can avoid this by turning them over stiffly, but I think that looks unnatural and just plain bad.

Any suggestions on holding the cards with the right hand so that they dont split? Can't seem to get it.

Thanks in advance :)

Eric
 
Jul 6, 2009
5
0
I can help..it's rather simple..take the deck in your right hand...and bevel the right side of the deck using your thumb..now grip the top 2 cards..it's as easy as that
 

Amo

Apr 24, 2014
56
1
Much like CardWiz said, bevel the pack to the right using the thumb but also angle the deck down about 45 degrees. You can now come in with your index and rest it on the top card between the first and second joint. Pull your hand up and get the second card with the tip of your finger and let the top card fall. You now naturally have a break under the top two cards! You can either slide the double over and tilt the deck as you flip the card (letting gravity keep the cards together) or grip with you index on the face side, thumb on the back and index resting on bottom of the double and the card will stay together with a little practice.
If you flip the double over onto the deck, you can flip it either in jogged or out jogged off the deck about a borders length and easily pick the double up and flip it over again.
This is the double i use all the time as it is quick and easy to do.
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
hey , i really appreciate the replies.

The problem I have isn't in getting the break, or re-gaining the break once the card is flipped.

My whole problem is that when I flip the cards over, they separate upon landing on the top of the deck. Or they separate in my right hand while i'm turning them.

Is this just an instance of practice being the answer?
 

magicdamadude

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2013
49
6
Minneapolis, MN
Hey there Eric,

From the way it is described, you sound like you are trying to do a double turnover that may be a little more difficult than you need right now, seeing as you're only around 2 months into learning (welcome to the most fun hobby, like ever, by the way!). Nothing against CardWiz, the Strike Double Turnover is one of the more versatile and easiest methods to get into, seeing as there is virtually no "get ready" time, but that particular method takes a lot of time and practice in order to get down perfectly (I've been doing that double turnover for 3-4 years and only recently do I not worry about possibly getting caught). It may not be the best method for you seeing as your still very new to all this mumbo jumbo, and as a very new participant to our lovely art form, I'm sure you're looking to find some material to use and get good at as soon as possible to start doing things for people (I sure was that way!).

For any beginners that ever ask me what kind of double lift/turnover (yes, there is a difference) they can use to make it look more natural, I can tell you this: it's not about the double lift you use, it's about when and how you use it. You can almost literally use any double lift you want in a magic trick (within reason), but if you try to do it at the wrong time, someone somewhere will start feeling their spidey senses, and boom, you're done.

I don't want to get into too much detail because I want to leave room for discussion, but what I would recommend would be an easier method. Believe me, you can do the easiest things you know with the right execution. Starting off, depending on what you like, I would always recommend either literally picking up two cards with your thumb at the back of the pack and your index and middle fingers at the front end, and picking up two and turning your hand 180 degrees to show the double, and then replacing the double on the pack by reversing these actions. If you don't like doing the literal double lift and prefer the double turnover style, where you turn the card over onto the deck itself, then I recommend getting a break under the top two cards and then picking them up with the same three fingers and turning them over that way.

Of course, there is a lot of learning material out there for these methods. Let me plug some places I go to help you along :)

Anything Aaron Fisher:
http://aaronfishermagic.com/how-to-do-easy-card-tricks/
**Aaron knows a lot about Card Magic and I love listening to him talk about it. This link might definitely help you. Watch and read with deck in hand!**

Jason England's The Double Lift
https://store.theory11.com/products/double-lift-jason-england
**Quite possibly one of the best downloads I have ever seen on Theory 11. Jason is extremely detailed and to the point with all of his explanations and this download teaches several methods for producing a double. You can't go wrong with this investment.**

And as always, one of my personal favorites,
The Royal Road to Card Magic by Hugard and Braue
http://www.amazon.com/0486408434
**One of the groundwork books for Card Magicians. Not much else can be said about this book. If you want to continue doing card magic, this book is a foundation to build upon. You won't be disappointed.**

If you wanna ask me anything, please PM me or just reply to this, I'll check in later. I hope this has helped in some way!

-Cody
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
thanks for the awesome information Cody.

I suppose youre right, perhaps I'm going for too much too soon. Heres the lift i've been trying to learn -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl0rM4qpxWo

i can get the pushover done fine, but when it comes to picking up the card, they separate half the time, either when picking it up or flipping it. Happens less on a older deck of cards. Suppose I just need practice, this is a hard lift.
 

Amo

Apr 24, 2014
56
1
I used that lift as well for some time, it did me some good. Its just going to be about practice and getting a feel for the card. If your audience is a a distance then they may not notice a slight imperfection but up close they will. If you are not confident with holding the double then just turn it onto the deck, there's a lot more cards there to hide any imperfections and in my option it gives the spectator a better view because you can uncover the card but still grip it at the edges. Just keep on practicing and you will get it down to your own style!
Good luck practicing!
 

magicdamadude

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2013
49
6
Minneapolis, MN
thanks for the awesome information Cody.

I suppose youre right, perhaps I'm going for too much too soon. Heres the lift i've been trying to learn -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl0rM4qpxWo

i can get the pushover done fine, but when it comes to picking up the card, they separate half the time, either when picking it up or flipping it. Happens less on a older deck of cards. Suppose I just need practice, this is a hard lift.

Hey Eric!

Agreed, for your skill level, that particular method may be a bit much, but then again, I will never know what is best for you; only you will know what's best for you.

Also, on the note regarding old or new cards, I would recommend practicing with both. The versatility of being able to perform with any deck is a great advantage, especially if someone, by chance, asks you to do something with their deck of cards. As we all know, not many laymen keep cards as fresh and pristine as magicians do. On a related note, not all moves will work with every deck. You may want to learn 2 or 3 good methods for a proficient double lift/turnover. That way, you have a method or two that you can use with a deck that may not be as smooth and nice as a new pack. For example, if you have a dirty, older deck, a lot of the cards tend to clump together. While it is up for discussion, my opinion is that it is more difficult to create a smooth bevel with clumpy cards. I can be done, but it requires more attention and fidgeting with the deck, which is not preferred. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a bevel can be achieved without any work with a newer deck by simply tilting your hand slighty downwards, and boom, you've got yourself a pretty little parallelogram.

Let's keep this discussion going. We've got a good one going here!
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
i think im going to continue practicing this lift, and just use my not so good lift until it gets comfy.

it seems today like it's just a matter of learning how hard to "pinch" the double. Too light, they separate, too hard, its stiff and weird looking. LIttle experimentation and I should be good, i'm getting better.
 

magicdamadude

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2013
49
6
Minneapolis, MN
i think im going to continue practicing this lift, and just use my not so good lift until it gets comfy.

it seems today like it's just a matter of learning how hard to "pinch" the double. Too light, they separate, too hard, its stiff and weird looking. LIttle experimentation and I should be good, i'm getting better.

Good thinking. It's always good to practice them, but you're definitely right. Have some working material that you can use now and you can keep that double on the back burner until you feel comfortable enough to use it in front of spectators.
 
Jul 6, 2014
106
7
one more question-

when gripping a double, is it the "pinch" that generally keeps the cards together, or more the way it's framed with the fingers? Not sure if I should be experimenting more with pressure or finger placement
 

Mike.Hankins

creator / <a href="http://www.theory11.com/tricks/
Nov 21, 2009
435
0
Sacramento, Cali
First piece of advice...STOP watching 52Kards. He doesn't credit the sources properly AND teaches moves that aren't his, for FREE...

Card College, Royal Road or even Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights Vol. 5, and Michael Ammar's Easy To Master Card Miracles...

THOSE are the sources I would look into for learning a double lift...
 

wZEnigma

Elite Member
Jun 17, 2009
1,511
153
NE Ohio.
ianchandlerwriting.com
Jul 6, 2009
5
0
Just buy Jason England double Lift video...best download I own to this day (Sorry Chris Kenner, you don't provide enough info for you SWE Shift)
 

magicdamadude

Elite Member
Apr 26, 2013
49
6
Minneapolis, MN
First piece of advice...STOP watching 52Kards. He doesn't credit the sources properly AND teaches moves that aren't his, for FREE...

Card College, Royal Road or even Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights Vol. 5, and Michael Ammar's Easy To Master Card Miracles...

THOSE are the sources I would look into for learning a double lift...

I second this notion. And all these sources, are all BOOKS! Wonderful, wonderful books! Start reading instead of using videos. Building a strong foundation is key! Videos are great, sure, but you miss so much when you don't use books. Even with Jason England's download, which I love, he even recommends books!

As a guy who didn't use books until a couple years into doing magic, start with books now. You get into magic learning from youtube videos and downloads, and you go back to a book a few years down the road and realize how much you've been missing out on.

EDIT: Some of those, as TeeDee pointed out, are not books, I was thinking of the wrong things, Sorry about that!
 
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