The Brainwave Deck

[Al e Cat Dabra]

The discussion on the Invisible Deck ("ID") got me to thinking about an issue that has long been on my mind. I was wondering if any of the members here have had experience with the Brainwave deck ("BW") and what their thoughts are on it, especially as compared to the ID. I have owned a BW deck for years, but have not really tried it out in performance situations.

I think one reason I have been reluctant to perform the BW deck is that the vast majority of my gigs are at night, either in restaurant or bar, or other low lighting situations, and it is hard to see the guiding pencil dots I put on the sevens and aces, as recommended in the instructions I received when I got the deck. Still, there has been no really good reason for my reticence, since I have had plenty of daytime and outdoor bookings over the years. (Maybe fear of failure? or my comfort level with the ID which I've been doing for so long).

On one hand, I feel like the BW should be even stronger and more mind-blowing than ID in terms of audience impact because of the kicker of the back being shown to be a different color than all the rest of the cards. On the other hand, it strikes me that there is somewhat of a missing element of drama in the BW that is present in the ID, because upon the revelation, the thought-of card appears face up, as opposed to face-down in the ID. Would appreciate any thoughts and insight on the BW deck and/or the reactions you've gotten with it...

 

[RealityOne]

I perform both. The climax for the ID is the spectator turning the card over and I milk it for all it is worth. The climax for the Brainwaive is that the back is different - that is, I don't see that as a kicker but as the real effect. I tend to like the Brainwaive better because it easily defies any sleight of hand explanation.

For the Brainwaive, you can mark the 7s and Aces in different ways. You could use an exacto knife to scratch the color off of a line the corners of the cards (hard to explain without a picture) or you could short (long, short or corner) or nick those cards so you could idenify them by feel.

 

[Al e Cat Dabra]

RealityOne,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for your tips. It is so great for us, as magicians, to have these two ultra-powerful effects, the ID and BW, at our disposal. I have actually worked dinners/banquets where I had to cover quite a few tables of 8-12 people in a relatively short period of time where the ID was the only card effect I performed. It packs so small yet plays so huge. On such occasions, the Professor's Nightmare, the Egg Bag, a Chop Cup routine with a 3-lemon ending, and the ID always as the finale, were usually sufficient to get me through the night. (I usually had some alternative effects ready if someone from another table came over to the table I was working to see more magic, although I was never worried if anyone happened to see me do the ID twice or even more times during the course of the evening.)

Now I am really jazzed to start performing the Brainwave, which I would imagine will play beautifully for both walk-around or table-side. I had never considered your point that with the BW, a sleight of hand or "he's quick with his hands" explanation is eliminated, so thanks for calling that to my attention, as well. It makes a lot of sense. As such, the BW can rightfully be considered within the realm of super strong mentalism.

 

[RealityOne]

Take a deck of regular cards and have a spectator spread the deck face up and pick card they see. Let's say they pick a 7 of Diamonds out of a red backed deck. They reinsert that card face up into the deck and you square the deck and place it on the table in full view. You pull a blue back BW deck out of your pocket and place it on the table next to the red deck. You show both your hands empty and then place your hands over the deck. Ask the spectator to put their hands over yours and to imagine the card moving from one deck to the other. Pick up the blue backed deck and show that one card is reversed -- a 7 of Diamonds with a blue back. They will inevitable look at the red deck and notice that the 7 of diamonds which was turned face up is now missing.

 

[Al e Cat Dabra]

R.O.,

That a very creative idea for a very strong routine with the BW deck. When you say, "Pick up the blue backed deck and show that one card is reversed -- a 7 of Diamonds with a blue back," did you mean a red back? Also, I am probably missing something that should be obvious, but I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out how to accomplish the vanish of the original face up 7 of Diamonds from the non-gaffed red deck which, as you mentioned, they will inevitably look at...