Need help with The Queens

[MagicShadow9]

Hey, i just got the trilogy and i gotta say, its awesome! Anyways, I've been having trouble on the queens. I've only performed this on my parents and a couple friends cuz i know htese tricks takes tons of practice. But everytime i perform the queens their response is always somewhere along the lines of "I know how you made the first one dissappear but the rest of it was good." So can anyone tell me how to better cover up the first vanish? Thanks!

 

[copperfield 14]

You could try to perform the first vanish at an angle so they won't see what you did. Or you can just creat your own method to vanish the first queen.

 

[QbanLinx]

If you have trouble vanishing the first queen, i suggest you look at the original handling of the Queens effect of BIill Goodwin. You can find it a publication called "Penumbra # 8" I believe. I've seen the original handling and it just as magical and visual.

 

[Sam Hardy]

With misdirection, you could do anything.

With enough misdirection you could switch your playing cards for 52 elephants.

Bear that in mind when you're thinking of your own patter.

 

[Squ!rrel]

With misdirection, you could do anything.

With enough misdirection you could switch your playing cards for 52 elephants.

Bear that in mind when you're thinking of your own patter.

It's very easy to come up with poetic expressions like that but for the most part they aren't very helpful. It's easy to say just use misdirection but unfortunatley it's not always possible, especially when performing for a larger group. Some people will just stare at your hands. If you do manage to get them to look away they'll most likely respond with something along the lines of 'You just did something when I wasn't looking'

The first vanish is by far the weakest part of The Queens routine. Here's a few things that should help a bit. Firstly, you should give the impression that the trick hasn't started yet, you can convey this in your posture, you should be very relaxed and appear to not be paying that much attention to what you're doing.

If you say something like 'The Queens are going to vanish one at a time" before you start then they will watch close and try and catch it. It's best to explain what's actually happening in the effect after the first vanish, you can see an example of this in Dan's performance of The Queens in the Iceland video.

I found that it also helps if you upjog the Queen on top and the Queen third from top (this is the one above the Queen that will be vanished). The cards are then in the same position as they are for Chris Kenner's 4 for 4 switch. This provides more cover for the card that is being vanished.

Also, the vanish should be done just as the card above it is about to touch the deck, if you do all these things it should look like you have just squared up the 4 cards and nothing has happened yet.

I just reread your post and noticed something else, you say that you just got The Trilogy yet you are already performing effects from it. Many tricks on the Trilogy are very difficult to get smooth and need a lot of practice, I would not recommend performing the Queens for at least a month, quite possibly longer. I've seen many performances of Trilogy effects from people who obviously haven't practiced them properly and they look horrible.

 

[JamesAV305]

very good tips above but the way that i do it sometimes is by turning to the side, thats how i did it in my collecting queens performance
http://media.theory11.com/1281-Collecting-Queens
you can check that out to see what i mean. But i did find that the turn is a little suspicious (not that ive ever been called out on it, but i just feel that it is a little unnatural) so lately ive been doing it right in front of their faces with with queens (faces) pointed directly at them, i find that this provides sufficient cover as well. but just play with it use a mirror and see what you think.

I also agree with the guy above me when he said that you shouldnt be performing yet. These tricks are much harder than they seem, because all of the beauty comes from the smoothness and that will only come with practice, there is no fast track for smoothness. Also as you continue to get better and better you will notice A LOT of things (little things) that are wrong with your routine, it will take a lot of time to iron these out. But all of these subtleties add up. So keep working on it and you'll get it.

hope that helps,
Victor Cruz

 

[Squ!rrel]

These tricks are much harder than they seem, because all of the beauty comes from the smoothness and that will only come with practice, there is no fast track for smoothness. Also as you continue to get better and better you will notice A LOT of things (little things) that are wrong with your routine, it will take a lot of time to iron these out. But all of these subtleties add up. So keep working on it and you'll get it.
hope that helps,
Victor Cruz

Very good point, when I watch The Trilogy what amazes me most is not the effects themselves (although I think they're great) but the smoothness that they are done with, every single move is flawless. To me, that's what makes them impressive and fun to watch.

 

[MagicShadow9]

I just reread your post and noticed something else, you say that you just got The Trilogy yet you are already performing effects from it. Many tricks on the Trilogy are very difficult to get smooth and need a lot of practice, I would not recommend performing the Queens for at least a month, quite possibly longer. I've seen many performances of Trilogy effects from people who obviously haven't practiced them properly and they look horrible.

Yes i know the tricks are very difficult to get smooth. The only people i've performed on is my parents and few friends. And i really don't call that performing rather than "testing". If I show someone a trick now they will tell me wat parts they saw and wat parts they didn't. So then i could incorporate that knowledge into my practice so i know wat to focus on. I wont be performing these tricks in front of other audiences for a LONG time.

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

If it makes you feel any better, I have a signed trilogy from release and JUST started performing the queens. Not because of difficulty, persay, but I had to find the ME in the routine.

The first vanish is a bit knacky, but beautiful at the same time. The best thing I have found is to do the vanish in the motion of starting the Elmsley, if that makes sense. I usually do the move right as I grip the top queen with my thumb and go into the count from there.

Hope that helps,

 

[Nick Alagna]

Word Count.

 

[jimmah01]

if you ignore the cheezy editing.. this guy's first vanish is excellently covered
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qSZWpl__1VA&feature=related
really subtle misdirection to cover it and it's right in your face.

and i much prefer his second vanish to the buck's version.

hope that helps.. it helped me.

 

[GosuTricks]

I've never been caught. Without video, there is no real way to know what the flaw is in your performance. Just keep the deck angled down so the turnover is invisible and start the count immediately after the move is done. Make sure the count is done at a consistent pace, and smoothly too. Make sure the queen that will be used as a discrepancy is squared after the first card is counted off.

 

[Dima]

You could always start with three queens and do a 3-4-4 count.

OR

Use George McBride's first vanish from the Ace de Triumph routine on his DVD.

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

if you ignore the cheezy editing.. this guy's first vanish is excellently covered
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qSZWpl__1VA&feature=related
really subtle misdirection to cover it and it's right in your face.

and i much prefer his second vanish to the buck's version.

hope that helps.. it helped me.

His camera quality greatly helped in his first vanish. It was still quite good though.

I think I understand his second vanish. I, too, like that quite allot.


C=B