Extremely helpful/ideal techniques i should add to my repertoire

[Optimystic]

So at the moment i am currently honing my craft, an i bet we all are, but some having higher skill levels than others, so asking yous this question, what techniques should i master after or even while im practicing perfecting these 3? Wich are the pinky count, the pass,an the false cut flourish (easy one) ... so i hope that gives yous a rough idea of were im at and what. weapons YOUS recommend should be added to my arsenal

Thanks yous all in advanced

 

[RealityOne]

So here is the thing about techniques... they are only a means to an end. That is, knowing a lot of techniques without knowing routines to use them is is pretty much useless.

I would recommend not learning from Youtube. Distrub Reality is unethical. He exposes effects suchs as Wayne Houchin's French Kiss (which is Wayne's version of Scarne's Switchcraft) and Anders Moden's Healed and Sealed soda without permission. Learn from a reputable source - your skills are only as good as your teachers.

Next, learning the pass as a beginner is a waste of time. It is very difficult to get it so it is inperceptable (not invisible) without having a stronger knowledge of the presentation of magic that only comes with experience. Although I can do a pass without the audience knowing that I'm doing anything, I never use it in any effect I perform. There are other sleights that can do anything a pass can do and that function better in the context of a routine. Beginners tend to focus on the pass as if it is some Holy Grail of magic... it isn't.

The sleights that I think are essential are:

Controls to top and bottom (Overhand Shuffle, Double Undercut, etc.)
Forces (Cross-Cut, Riffle, Hindu, etc.)
Double Lift (Standard, Push-off or Strike)
Houdini / Erdnase Color Change
Marlo Tilt
Top Change
Top Palm

For packet tricks add:

Hamman Count
Ghost (Emsley) Count
Jordan Count
Flustration Count

But most of all, my advice is learn effects, not just sleights.

 

[Optimystic]

Thank you an that is true what you said he could be misleading the viewers to think hes the originator of the effect by not crediting who actually made it up, usually that would be a good thing for a magician lol "misleading the viewers" but not in this case
And i am aware of that, but im quite confident in presenting myself, each time is unpredictable eich i like, gets me thinking on my feet and relying on opurely witttines alone

 

[Optimystic]

Thank you an that is true what you said he could be misleading the viewers to think hes the originator of the effect by not crediting who actually made it up, usually that would be a good thing for a magician lol "misleading the viewers" but not in this case
And i am aware of that, but im quite confident in presenting myself, each time is unpredictable wich i like, gets me thinking on my feet and relying on purely wit alone
And i also do have tricks an routines, i have been studying royal road to card magic hard, i can do everything in the book as far as im upto wich is around page 80
And i just want the techniques to make the tricks flow more smoothly with less hesitation, thats why i need to know the pinky count for example, so i can do all the dirty work in one hand an misdirect theyre attention with the right hand and patter while i prepare for the double lift, and not to mention theyre also just really fun to practice

 

[RealityOne]

Royal Road is the best place to start. To get things to flow more smoothly takes practice and rehersal. Practice is doing the sleights while rehersal is doing the sleights and saying the patter as you perform simultaniously.

 

[Optimystic]

You sir are a genius, id like to thank you for your help, the elmsy count is an awesome effect im exicted to master thay one ! an thats what i have been doing, the 2 simutaneously.. i stare up an imagine im speaking to a spectator, saying different things everytime, but usually i sort of have a foundation i build of an take it from there, visualising also helps i find, like closing your eyes an simulating the events in your mind

 

[kolebear]

As RealityOne described, do not go on youtube except occasionally. Books are the way to go. Disturb Reality is an exposer of many things, and though they are powerful, it has a bad influence on magicians later down the road. I occasionally watch 52Kards for additional tips and some effects, and then Shin Lim for presentation, and Chris Ramsey/Ellusionist for entertainment, and occasionally TheRussianGenius if theres any moves I might want to learn later on.
The journey I would advise:
Watch some David Blaine TV specials, old magic videos of Derek Dingle, Bill Malone, Daryl, Williamson and FISM acts! Enjoy the magic before you really dive in!
Then begin by buying a brick of bicycle playing cards, reading Royal Road to Card Magic, and if you have the money, the Tarbell Course and/or Card College. Get everything down, perform a few effects on the street to gain confidence. Then begin buying what seems best for you from theory11 and penguin magic(Not ellusionist or Sansminds, as most of their trailers are known to be a scam to magicians) aand if you need visuals on something, look for downloads by Jason England or Alex Pandrea. Then, perfect the double lift and an invisible card control and the classic force (probably the pass, and a card cull). Then learn a few of your go to effects in variation. For Street I would probably recommend a David Blaine 2 Card Monte, invisible deck, etc. If you have mastered the top change, go ahead and learn David Williamson's Two Card Transpo, and a torn and restored would be nice. Also, learn a few tabled effects, such as Reset by Paul Harris. When continuing on your card journey, begin on coins as well. That should begin your journey into the world of magic.

 

[kolebear]

So here is the thing about techniques... they are only a means to an end. That is, knowing a lot of techniques without knowing routines to use them is is pretty much useless.

I would recommend not learning from Youtube. Distrub Reality is unethical. He exposes effects suchs as Wayne Houchin's French Kiss (which is Wayne's version of Scarne's Switchcraft) and Anders Moden's Healed and Sealed soda without permission. Learn from a reputable source - your skills are only as good as your teachers.

Next, learning the pass as a beginner is a waste of time. It is very difficult to get it so it is inperceptable (not invisible) without having a stronger knowledge of the presentation of magic that only comes with experience. Although I can do a pass without the audience knowing that I'm doing anything, I never use it in any effect I perform. There are other sleights that can do anything a pass can do and that function better in the context of a routine. Beginners tend to focus on the pass as if it is some Holy Grail of magic... it isn't.

The sleights that I think are essential are:

Controls to top and bottom (Overhand Shuffle, Double Undercut, etc.)
Forces (Cross-Cut, Riffle, Hindu, etc.)
Double Lift (Standard, Push-off or Strike)
Houdini / Erdnase Color Change
Marlo Tilt
Top Change
Top Palm

For packet tricks add:

Hamman Count
Ghost (Emsley) Count
Jordan Count
Flustration Count

But most of all, my advice is learn effects, not just sleights.

I have never heard of the Hamman Count. Thanks!

 

[Optimystic]

Yeah david blaine was how it all started, the passion had always been alive but he amplified it, now its spreading like wildfire to every bone in my body, i own all his dvds lol an rewinded it over an over till i figured it out, only just today i got somone good with the traveling duplicate 4 of clubs an the 3 of diamond snap change i think its called, or spin, wich made me happy as, an i learned the 2 card monte as you said from watching him, and another trick, the duplicate 8 of spade that you classic force on them an then have the deck prearranged with the duplicate second on top ten hearts first an the ten hearts 3rd do controlled overhand shuffle were you injog first card than undercut an double lift etc..

 

[Optimystic]

But i will look up all the techniques an names you jotted down, both of yous, i will be sure to.. thank yous
And whats wrong with ellusionsit? I have already bought some decks from them they seemed legit, i must admit i have looked at theory11 shop 100 times eyes on the monarchs an contrabands.. and typhoons or tycoons, an medallions.. lol theyre all to good but they should have specials or a bundle pack that would be mad

 

[RealityOne]

The elmsy count is an awesome effect im exicted to master thay one !

If you do an Elmsley Count, the cards are in position for a Jordan Count. Then if you do a Jordan Count, the cards are in position for an Elmsley Count. You can alternate doing each count for practice. Although, I recommend thinking "I'm doing an Elmsley Count" while doing the Elmsley Count and then thinking "I'm doing a Jordan Count" when doing a Jordan Count so that as you get better you just need to think "Elmsley Count" and your hands do it.

I have never heard of the Hamman Count. Thanks!

If you are interested in false counts, the book to get is Jerry Mentzler's Counts, Cuts, Moves and Subtleties. Book HERE and contents HERE. For the price, it is one of the best moves in magic.

And whats wrong with ellusionsit?

I think that @kolebear point is that there have been some effects that Ellusionist has marketed where some people think that the trailers have oversold the effect. I tend to view most single effects sold as being that way. Ellusionist has some good DVDs. I like Rich Ferguson's This is Mentalism series, Nate Kranzo's Boondock Mental and Eric Jones Metal series. The one thing those have in common is that they contain multiple effects. I also love gaff cards, so Army of 52 and the Arcane Gaff (who doesn't like Greg Wilson)? Regardless, I still prefer books because of the vast number of effects contained in a book. If you like doing David Blaine style magic - get Paul Harris's Art of Astonishment series.

@Optimystic - I think your enthusiasm and excitement is great and I'm glad your on these forums. However, it would be helpful if you used capital letters and punctuation in your posts -- it would make them easier to read and to respond to.

 

[JPS]

But i will look up all the techniques an names you jotted down, both of yous, i will be sure to.. thank yous
And whats wrong with ellusionsit? I have already bought some decks from them they seemed legit, i must admit i have looked at theory11 shop 100 times eyes on the monarchs an contrabands.. and typhoons or tycoons, an medallions.. lol theyre all to good but they should have specials or a bundle pack that would be mad

Just a bit of advice.
I have a collection of over 70 different decks, tycoons, hustlers, rounders, 4 flavours of artifice. Never use them.
When you start learning TnR's and you start making gimmicks and need duplicates the practicality of 10$ decks completely vanishes. Even your credibility goes down a little bit when spectators see you're using a "Special" deck of cards.
When i asked a good friend of mine kevin yu what his favourite deck was, he said "Bicycle rider backs". Why?
They handle good, everyone has seen them, and they sell for 2$ a deck at cosco.

Unless you're a hardcore deck collector i really dont think its worth shelling out the 10's on premium decks when you could just be buying gimmicks and DVD's

 

[Optimystic]

Just a bit of advice.
I have a collection of over 70 different decks, tycoons, hustlers, rounders, 4 flavours of artifice. Never use them.
When you start learning TnR's and you start making gimmicks and need duplicates the practicality of 10$ decks completely vanishes. Even your credibility goes down a little bit when spectators see you're using a "Special" deck of cards.
When i asked a good friend of mine kevin yu what his favourite deck was, he said "Bicycle rider backs". Why?
They handle good, everyone has seen them, and they sell for 2$ a deck at cosco.

Unless you're a hardcore deck collector i really dont think its worth shelling out the 10's on premium decks when you could just be buying gimmicks and DVD's

Word brother, all the decks i have bought im.yet to have even used lol i jist keep em in a box an look at em everyonce in a while maybe give them a flourish or 2 while im theyre, handling gently at all times, ti delicate to even deal with em lol, my favorite deck is the heretic decks an i have only ever looked at em a few times since i got em, than pop em back in the box where i got them from lmao but yeah i just like looking at em tbh the colours an patterns an symbols, when i perform an practice i use the standard bicycle red an blue decks, but that did spark my brain a bit ay like all the moneyim spending on cards i could buy more books, gimmjcks an dvds.. so true, my book collection is piling up but wich is super awesome bjt the ones im starting ti want are like 70dillars each

 

[JPS]

but that did spark my brain a bit ay like all the moneyim spending on cards i could buy more books, gimmjcks an dvds.. so true, my book collection is piling up but wich is super awesome bjt the ones im starting ti want are like 70dillars each

I still think its alright to shell out a few dollars and pick up a new Virt Deck or if you wanna support a kickstarter, but ive never met a magician that performs with anything other than bikes (Or white lions)

 

[Steven the Wizard]

I still think its alright to shell out a few dollars and pick up a new Virt Deck or if you wanna support a kickstarter, but ive never met a magician that performs with anything other than bikes (Or white lions)

Or decks such as the Monarchs, Artisans, Artifice, etc. in the case of performing effects that don't require destroying playing cards. I personally strayed from using Bicycle Standard decks for the time being after people became suspicious of them due to an amateur using a marked deck of Bicycle Standards (and made it obvious it was marked). Bicycle Standards generally are a good go to deck, but after trust in them is destroyed, I like any creature, must adapt to survive (in the sense of my reputation surviving).

 

[TexasFlyingWizard]

Royal Road is the best place to start. To get things to flow more smoothly takes practice and rehersal. Practice is doing the sleights while rehersal is doing the sleights and saying the patter as you perform simultaniously.

Just ordered that!!!!