theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

Mnemonica?

Joshua Robertson

Joshua Robertson

Oct 8, 2019
25
10
I have watched a bit of YouTube and I’m pretty good with my sleights and I’m kind of advanced and I want to try to get some magic books to study for some next level stuff. I’ve been looking into Mnemonica, but I know it’s a heavily guarded book and kind of not well known and secret, I’ve researched the book and have found almost nothing on it so I just want to know if Mnemonica is worth it, the book by Juan Tamariz

Thanks

also maybe some other books to recommend plz
 
I don't know if Mnemonica is really a heavily guarded secret per se. I mean there are websites that lay out the entire stack and there are tons of reviews of it on Penguin, here, and the Magic Cafe. It's fairly well known within the magic community.

That being said, Mnemonica is some heavy stuff, but it's 1000% worth it if you're willing to put in the work to learn it. It's a utility that will let you accomplish miracles with a deck of cards.

As for other books, are you just looking for good magic books or other mem-deck stuff? Because I can recommend some of both haha.

All of Juan's books are worth buying, even though Mnemonica is the only one related to mem-decks.
 
RealityOne said:
Mnemonica is amazing for what it is... a memorized deck. The method for memorizing the deck is great and the effects with the stack are wonderful. If you want to learn about memorized decks, check out Simon Aronson's free e-book: Memories are Made of This.

Before recommending other books, what books and other materials (DVDs, downloads) do you have?
Click to expand...

I don’t have any, I watch a lot of YouTube but I need some books, I know basic to advanced sleights, one hand top palm . C-3 Change, a lot of changes, card controls, dps, second deal, cull.
The reason I talked about Mnemonica being guarded, is because you can’t really find any tricks from the book on YouTube, I have a picture of the stack, don’t have it memorized yet, but I wanted to know if it’s worth it.
 
There is also not too much advanced tricks on YouTube,‘I watch performances and figure out how they are done pretty easily, like I know kosta kimlats triumph, double exposure, etc, but I want some next level magic
 
MagickmanJ said:
There is also not too much advanced tricks on YouTube,‘I watch performances and figure out how they are done pretty easily, like I know kosta kimlats triumph, double exposure, etc, but I want some next level magic
Click to expand...
Did you learn Kostya's Cull by watching him? Or a tutorial on YouTube? I'd highly recommend picking up his downloads at some point as he includes a ton of subtleties and advice to perfect it and make it look clean.
 
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Antonio Diavolo said:
Did you learn Kostya's Cull by watching him? Or a tutorial on YouTube? I'd highly recommend picking up his downloads at some point as he includes a ton of subtleties and advice to perfect it and make it look clean.
Click to expand...
Yeah I watched him, but a comment on one reaction video said they guy culled it, so I rewatched it and heard about his roadrunner full, I just practice by watching others do it, I just cull a bunch of cards,
 
Antonio Diavolo said:
I don't know if Mnemonica is really a heavily guarded secret per se. I mean there are websites that lay out the entire stack and there are tons of reviews of it on Penguin, here, and the Magic Cafe. It's fairly well known within the magic community.

That being said, Mnemonica is some heavy stuff, but it's 1000% worth it if you're willing to put in the work to learn it. It's a utility that will let you accomplish miracles with a deck of cards.

As for other books, are you just looking for good magic books or other mem-deck stuff? Because I can recommend some of both haha.

All of Juan's books are worth buying, even though Mnemonica is the only one related to mem-decks.
Click to expand...
I don’t have it in my head but I have download pics of the stack, but I can’t find tricks to do with it, I know the bart Harding, I don’t like it that much, I usually use a si Stebbins because I can faro into it from ndo and cut the cards, false overhand shuffle, etc. but I hear there is a lot I can do with Mnemonica.
 
Antonio Diavolo said:
Did you learn Kostya's Cull by watching him? Or a tutorial on YouTube? I'd highly recommend picking up his downloads at some point as he includes a ton of subtleties and advice to perfect it and make it look clean.
Click to expand...
I looked it up, yeah I would be interested in his downloads, but it’s expensive, as a high school student I don’t exactly have money to be throwing around.
 
MagickmanJ said:
I don’t have any, I watch a lot of YouTube but I need some books.
Click to expand...

So, learning off of YouTube isn't the best way to learn. Most of the people who expose magic on YouTube don't have the best technique. Also, a lot of the focus on YouTube is on the hands and that is the exact opposite of where you want your attention as a performer for real people.

My recommendation is to get Card College - the whole set - and start at the beginning. Use it as a check against how you have learned thing. You will find out that much of what you've learned can be improved. Card College will allow you to master the technique and learn a lot of excellent effects. My second recommendation is to get Art of Astonishment. Try the first volume and if you like it, get additional volumes. There is a lot of effects that you would enjoy performing.
 
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RealityOne said:
So, learning off of YouTube isn't the best way to learn. Most of the people who expose magic on YouTube don't have the best technique. Also, a lot of the focus on YouTube is on the hands and that is the exact opposite of where you want your attention as a performer for real people.

My recommendation is to get Card College - the whole set - and start at the beginning. Use it as a check against how you have learned thing. You will find out that much of what you've learned can be improved. Card College will allow you to master the technique and learn a lot of excellent effects. My second recommendation is to get Art of Astonishment. Try the first volume and if you like it, get additional volumes. There is a lot of effects that you would enjoy performing.
Click to expand...
Art of Astonishment might be my favorite magic book series! I second both of these recommendations!
 
RealityOne said:
So, learning off of YouTube isn't the best way to learn. Most of the people who expose magic on YouTube don't have the best technique. Also, a lot of the focus on YouTube is on the hands and that is the exact opposite of where you want your attention as a performer for real people.

My recommendation is to get Card College - the whole set - and start at the beginning. Use it as a check against how you have learned thing. You will find out that much of what you've learned can be improved. Card College will allow you to master the technique and learn a lot of excellent effects. My second recommendation is to get Art of Astonishment. Try the first volume and if you like it, get additional volumes. There is a lot of effects that you would enjoy performing.
Click to expand...
Thank you I will look into it.
 
I’m glad someone mentioned the Mnemonica book. I bought a brick of Maiden backs and they are in a random (seemingly) order. The top card is a 4 of clubs and the bottom is a 9 of diamonds. I asked someone what was going on and they suggested that book, but nothing else. It is $60. I don’t mind spending $60 on a $60 product. But I have no idea what this book has to offer. Testimony? Advice? Instructions? How to guide? In the mean time, I haven’t shuffled the decks... I don’t know what the reason is for the cards to be in the order but I know that they are like that for some reason
 
jdtackett80 said:
I’m glad someone mentioned the Mnemonica book. I bought a brick of Maiden backs and they are in a random (seemingly) order. The top card is a 4 of clubs and the bottom is a 9 of diamonds. I asked someone what was going on and they suggested that book, but nothing else. It is $60. I don’t mind spending $60 on a $60 product. But I have no idea what this book has to offer. Testimony? Advice? Instructions? How to guide? In the mean time, I haven’t shuffled the decks... I don’t know what the reason is for the cards to be in the order but I know that they are like that for some reason
Click to expand...

all I know is that it is so you know the position of all the cards in a deck or something like that. I think you can do an ACAAN with it, and some spelling stuff. Idk.
 
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jdtackett80 said:
I’m glad someone mentioned the Mnemonica book. I bought a brick of Maiden backs and they are in a random (seemingly) order. The top card is a 4 of clubs and the bottom is a 9 of diamonds. I asked someone what was going on and they suggested that book, but nothing else. It is $60. I don’t mind spending $60 on a $60 product. But I have no idea what this book has to offer. Testimony? Advice? Instructions? How to guide? In the mean time, I haven’t shuffled the decks... I don’t know what the reason is for the cards to be in the order but I know that they are like that for some reason
Click to expand...

Yes that is to be used with Mnemonica. Feel free to shuffle them and use them, you can put them back if you want. The book offers all of the things you mentioned. How to learn Menmonica, tricks, general advice etc.

You can find free PDF called Memories are Made of This on Simon Aronson's webite which will give you an introduction to this type thing. He uses a different system than Mnemonica, but you'll get the idea. Si Stebbins is also another less committal route to go. This subject is it's own rabbit hole and having a brick of cards that comes like that should not be the deciding factor on which route you take. There is Redford, Aragon, Ortiz and others. I use a variation of Mnemonica for my own reasons. If you don't mind spending the $60 as research, get the book. I have a few different books with different systems even though I only use one and I'm okay with that. If you'd like to focus your resources more, then read the PDF above and come back and start a new thread. We haven't had a good 'which one should I learn' thread on this subject in a while. You can also search old threads too, but new things happen so it's always good to see what the current thinking is. You should definitely poke your head in this rabbit hole, but you can save a lot of time and maybe some money with a bit of research.

If you are new to card magic then just shuffle the cards and, as is always a good idea, take the advice above from RealityOne. That being to buy Card College and Art of Astonishment. Mnemonica, Aronson, Redford and the others will still be there and your time will be better spent. For now. There is little you can do with Mnemonica and the others without the type of material taught in Card College.
 
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David, you had many things to say that were good for me to here. First as an analytical scientist, research is my default mode and I wasn’t sure what else besides a resource publication would cost that amount but others have said that if one utilizes the info available in the book, it is worth $60. U mention shuffling. I have problems with becoming so intimidated by certain moves that I won’t practice them. A double lift looks like I’m lifting double cards!!! Ah!!! Or the pinky that notches a break. I bought a deck a minute ago called Medusa I think (I’m a Cartamundi super fan). I was reading about it afterwards and it said it was stacked and based on the nmeumonica guys style but like u stated the others are fine. I have a subscription to online streaming on ellustionist that I didn’t realize I had. From what I read in expert at the card table (I forget the name); visual explanations are better for me. I downloaded the ebook that someone linked on here earlier. It was the name that you mentioned earlier. It was a 55 page book but he has published a good bit of material from what I gathered. Thanks again for listing specific sites for resource material. I got to get away from the sites that sell. I swear every deck is “the one I have needed to complete my collection!” Craziness. I need to work on my skill set instead of my card set. Any other advice, please share, u won’t hurt my pride for stating basic stuff. I have been enjoying my cards by just looking at them, shuffling them and putting them in order. I do find that relaxing but im ready to learn some sleights. Do you have the DMC decks and the passports that give plots to use them? They are sweet! The alphas especially!
 
Joshua - even as a high school student if you want "next level" stuff, that comes from books - and they aint cheap.
But it's literally what separates the men from the boys.

Card Collage (mentioned above) is "the bible," but expensive

If you want cheaper books on technique, I'd recommend

Card Manipulations by Hugard
Card Control by Buckley
SCARNE on Card Tricks
Expert Card Technique by Hugard and Braue
and The Royal Road to Card Magic by Hugard and Braue

(those books are cheaper, but the language and the pictures will take some effort)

Good luck
 
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