Is an extra card a gimmick

[12234]

Would an extra card be classified as a gimmick

 

[TeeDee]

It depends how it's used. If you have a duplicate card which the audience sees and believes to be the matching card then some purists might argue it's actually a feke (yes "feke", not "fake"). A feke is a piece of magical apparatus that is seen by the audience but appears to be normal in some way. A gimmick, strictly speaking, is a piece of apparatus which is not seen. A "gaff", these days, is an object which has been "gaffed", i.e., a normal object to which some secret alteration has been made. In the old days, "the gaff" was often used in the context of con tricks and games and meant whatever secret process led to the desired outcome, whether that was sleight-of-hand, a psychological subtlety or whatever, but we use it differently in modern magic.

Nowadays, we don't really hear the word "feke" much, its use having been superseded by "gaff" in a lot of contexts, and "gimmick" being used as a catch-all title for any magic paraphernalia. Nevertheless, I think that the three words don't mean exactly the same thing, so, for accuracy's sake I like to use them.

 

[William Draven]

And now we know and knowing is half the battle!

Thanks TeeDee. That's a really good explanation. Learned something new today.

 

[Michael Moore]

In my humble opinion, I wouldnt consider an extra card a gimmick. In coin magic for instance, if your doing an effect that uses an extra, ungimmicked coin, does that mean that coin is now suddenly a "gimmick"? & the theory that a gimmick is never seen is not always true. For example, for those of you familiar with Misled, you DO see the gimmick in that trick, its what makes it work. I also consider IT a gimmick, but the audience NEVER sees it (if your in the right conditions).

I classify any card trick that uses a stacked deck or that uses extra ungimmicked cards under "Prepared Card Magic", as opposed to "Impromptu Card Magic", magic that can be done on the spot with an unprepared, randomly shuffled pack of cards, whether they be yours or a spectators.

 

[TeeDee]

And now we know and knowing is half the battle!

Thanks TeeDee. That's a really good explanation. Learned something new today.

You're very welcome! Glad I've got something to share.

the theory that a gimmick is never seen is not always true

As I said, nowadays the word "gimmick" tends to be used as a catch-all title for any magical apparatus. If we go by traditional definitions, though, the "gimmick" in Misled is actually a "feke". If you don't think the distinction's important, that's fine. It's like the pronunciation of "equivoque". Is it "ekweevock" or "ekwivokay"? The Maven camp would argue for the latter, others prefer the former. In the end, if your definitions and pronunciation allow you to communicate effectively then it's all good, your language is serving its purpose.