This is the next frontier for me with regards to my card magic. I was wondering if people had any useful thoughts as to where to begin working with this type of magic. I am aware of a few stacks and their primary principles, but I was wondering where to begin trying to add this whole category of card magic to my repertoire. I know that Aronson and Tamariz are the two big names in mem-deck magic, and I was wondering if someone familiar with Mnemonica would describe that as an access point or an advanced course. Any suggestions or thoughts on the learning process or resources to seek out would be extremely helpful.
Memorized Deck Magic
- Thread starter 4ofClubs
- Start date
It is just as good as the Aronson stack. Both of them offer just about the same amount of material. I would say that the one thing to remember is that it is going to take constant practice to get to a point where you can remember literally ALL of the cards. But, in reality you will really need to know a few here and there.
Both. A Memorized deck itself is nothing really special or hard. Absolutely everyone can do it.
You just have to learn it in a way that you can tell the identity of a card by it`s number without thinking and vice versa.
The tools however, which you will need to make use of the MD, varies from (nearly) self-working principles to advanced sleight-of-hand. So it`s not the memorized deck itself which is hard, but the tools to make use of it. And which tools (methods, techniques etc.) you will need depends on the effect.
Tamariz and Aronson are both a good place to start. Books by Aronson and Tamariz will definitely help you with your memdeck work.
Most effects are independent of a special stack and you can do them with any stacks (Tamariz, Aronson, DaOrtiz... ).
If you want to master memorized deck work, then I highly recommend that read everything you can on the subject. If your budget can only afford one book, then I recommend that you start with Mnemonica.
Mnemonica has a chapter about memorization techniques that I found very useful. It has over thirty effects/dealing demonstrations specific to the whole stack. About fifty other effects that you can do with the stack. During its setup, you have a stay-stack built in. Three dozen effects with half of the deck stacked (which means that you can legitimately shuffle half of the deck and still do memorized deck work). And Mnemonica is built so you can take a fresh deck and get it stacked in front of the audience. Or you can take a Mnemonica stacked deck and get it into new order, which can be a great finale to your card routine.
Mnemonica is packed with inspirational material.
Mnemonica has a chapter about memorization techniques that I found very useful. It has over thirty effects/dealing demonstrations specific to the whole stack. About fifty other effects that you can do with the stack. During its setup, you have a stay-stack built in. Three dozen effects with half of the deck stacked (which means that you can legitimately shuffle half of the deck and still do memorized deck work). And Mnemonica is built so you can take a fresh deck and get it stacked in front of the audience. Or you can take a Mnemonica stacked deck and get it into new order, which can be a great finale to your card routine.
Mnemonica is packed with inspirational material.
Thanks for all the feedback. I have been fooling around with the Si Stebbins stack and working out some of the properties and basic possibilities that a cyclical stack provides. I think I am going to get Mnemonica because I like Tamariz' thinking/approach about everything...
With regards to the Si Stebbins, I am working on a system for calculating the card at any position and for calculating the position for any card. Anyone made any progress with that?
With regards to the Si Stebbins, I am working on a system for calculating the card at any position and for calculating the position for any card. Anyone made any progress with that?
I bought Mnemonica and didn't use it because I couldn't do a perfect faro shuffle. I image the other stacks have similar requirements. Something to think about.
I can't do a perfect faro either but I still happily work with Mnemonica. Granted, I can't get into it easily from a borrowed/new deck, but I can have it pre-stacked and throw in some false shuffles without any drama.
Mnemonica is a great resource for memorised decks and as Nostravinci said, it has a chapter with methods to help you memorise the stack, which can be done in an afternoon or two if you work hard at it.
Mnemonica is a great resource for memorised decks and as Nostravinci said, it has a chapter with methods to help you memorise the stack, which can be done in an afternoon or two if you work hard at it.
T
TheCardEater
Guest
Memorizing an entire deck is very difficultand requires practice, practice and practice. ( I tried...)
But, you can fake with simple sleights that you remember the entire deck order.
I usually use the double key card principle and the crimp.
Let me explain myself.
For the double key card, memorize the top and bottom card of the deck (after the spctator's shuffle). A card is selected. Then cut the cards in half and ask the spectator to replace his card on the top packet and you then place the bottom packet on top. The situation now is : the selected card is in the middle of the deck sandwiched between two known cards. You can now allow the spectator to make one riffle shuffle (only one). You then take the deck and ribbon spread it face up. Pretend to memorize the deck while you are only memorizing the cards in between the two known cards (in those cards, there is the selected card). Leave the deck on the table and ask the spectator to move their card (their card only) to any location they want in the deck (during this moment, you repeat in your head the names of the cards in between the two known cards). After this, you ribbon spread the deck again and spot the missing card (one of those in between the two knwn cards). You then locate the selected card. The spectator will think you memorised the deck and you detected the changing location of the selected card.
The second trick uses a crimp. A card is selected by the spectator, you then execute a diagonal insertion, the card will protrude from the deck. This permits you to apply dowward pressure on the protruding part of the selected card. You successfully crimped the selected card! You can now allow your spectator to shuffle as much as they want.
Now comes the "hard" part. Take the deck face up (slightly angled so the face of the pack is facing the spectator's eye), pretend tomemorize the order of the cards and start to count the cards (silently, not out loud) by reversing the order (one for the bottom card, two for the card second from the bottom, etc...) . You will easily locate the crimped card because of the angle of the pack. When you reach the crimped card, memorize its position in the deck (the number you lend on when you reach the crimped card). Finish to count the cards. TTurn the deck over (face down). You ask the spectator to tell the name of his card, you (pretend to) think, and you reveal the position of the selected card. Count down to the number and reveal the selected card.
I hope you understood my unclear explanation, PM me for more details.
I know this is a bit out of subject but these tricks have a great effect on audiences
The first card trick requires a table for the spread but the second one could be done in the hand (of the magician and the spectator).
But, you can fake with simple sleights that you remember the entire deck order.
I usually use the double key card principle and the crimp.
Let me explain myself.
For the double key card, memorize the top and bottom card of the deck (after the spctator's shuffle). A card is selected. Then cut the cards in half and ask the spectator to replace his card on the top packet and you then place the bottom packet on top. The situation now is : the selected card is in the middle of the deck sandwiched between two known cards. You can now allow the spectator to make one riffle shuffle (only one). You then take the deck and ribbon spread it face up. Pretend to memorize the deck while you are only memorizing the cards in between the two known cards (in those cards, there is the selected card). Leave the deck on the table and ask the spectator to move their card (their card only) to any location they want in the deck (during this moment, you repeat in your head the names of the cards in between the two known cards). After this, you ribbon spread the deck again and spot the missing card (one of those in between the two knwn cards). You then locate the selected card. The spectator will think you memorised the deck and you detected the changing location of the selected card.
The second trick uses a crimp. A card is selected by the spectator, you then execute a diagonal insertion, the card will protrude from the deck. This permits you to apply dowward pressure on the protruding part of the selected card. You successfully crimped the selected card! You can now allow your spectator to shuffle as much as they want.
Now comes the "hard" part. Take the deck face up (slightly angled so the face of the pack is facing the spectator's eye), pretend tomemorize the order of the cards and start to count the cards (silently, not out loud) by reversing the order (one for the bottom card, two for the card second from the bottom, etc...) . You will easily locate the crimped card because of the angle of the pack. When you reach the crimped card, memorize its position in the deck (the number you lend on when you reach the crimped card). Finish to count the cards. TTurn the deck over (face down). You ask the spectator to tell the name of his card, you (pretend to) think, and you reveal the position of the selected card. Count down to the number and reveal the selected card.
I hope you understood my unclear explanation, PM me for more details.
I know this is a bit out of subject but these tricks have a great effect on audiences
The first card trick requires a table for the spread but the second one could be done in the hand (of the magician and the spectator).
T
TheCardEater
Guest
There's a DVD called "recall" that has a memdeck that's been stacked for multiple uses. Having commonly named cards at common force numbers, etc.
Mnumonica is a great place to go as well. Awesome effects and great presentations to start you off.
With any stack it's important to have good estimation skills, and you MUST know your stack backwards and forwards. It's a process and you may not be able to perform the memdeck work for several months or longer - even with dedicated practice.
Also, last reference, David Berglas' new book has some great stack work in it - it's more advanced stack work, and requires you to already be very comfortable with a memdeck.
@TheCardEater - please do not post methods on open forums accessible by google
Mnumonica is a great place to go as well. Awesome effects and great presentations to start you off.
With any stack it's important to have good estimation skills, and you MUST know your stack backwards and forwards. It's a process and you may not be able to perform the memdeck work for several months or longer - even with dedicated practice.
Also, last reference, David Berglas' new book has some great stack work in it - it's more advanced stack work, and requires you to already be very comfortable with a memdeck.
@TheCardEater - please do not post methods on open forums accessible by google
I had the honour of seeing Tamariz perform an effect using Mnemonica at a CAM festival a few years ago. It floored an entire room full of magicians to the point where nobody was clapping afterwards. We all just sat there looking back and forth at eachother in complete shock. One of my all time favorite memory's of an effect.