Advanced Sleight learning plan

[RediSpades]

And no, i dont trust you on this one.

Because i know a lot of card "experts" that would disagree when it comes to this, its much better to know a few things very well then being average on lots of things. If you dont want to spend your whole days on card magic you cant be good at everything.

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with this one. Because sometimes you will have to use an assortment of things to get that 1/8 inch hole, which comes from having a variety. After working on houses as much as I have, you would be amazed at what crazy things I have done to get the job done. The same is with performing. I have adapted so many things for seemingly difficult situations, things that wouldn't have been possible without the practice and occasional review of techniques that I normally do not use. I am not saying that it isn't better "to know a few things very well then being average on lots of things." If you had read my previous post you would see that I definitely sad that you would do that. But to skip over some of those all together as you hinted at in the beginning of this thread would just be a lose of an opportunity.

 

[Caladan21ph]

@Walmott: Hey! Maybe you're right that I'm rushing things a little bit, its partly because I enjoy practicing, and I feel good when I accomplish something hard because of practice. So what specific tricks maybe good for me at this stage.
By the way, the books I own are: The Royal Road to Card Magic, Expert Card Technique, Expert at the Card Table, while for dvds I have: Born to Perform, Crash Course 1 & 2, Ninja 1, Witness.

 

[RediSpades]

@Walmott: Hey! Maybe you're right that I'm rushing things a little bit, its partly because I enjoy practicing, and I feel good when I accomplish something hard because of practice. So what specific tricks maybe good for me at this stage.
By the way, the books I own are: The Royal Road to Card Magic, Expert Card Technique, Expert at the Card Table, while for dvds I have: Born to Perform, Crash Course 1 & 2, Ninja 1, Witness.

Personally, I think you are headed in the right direction. Keep up the work =)

 

[Wallmott]

Look, im not saying its bad to have a "big" toolbox or in this case know a lot of sleights but learning sleights just for the sake of it is a very ineffective way to learn magic and it will take you way more time then what it would have if you had a plan of what you wanted to do and what you wanted to learn and why.

Its much better to get a solid foundation in sleight of hand (which will take you years to master, not learn but master) and then move from there and pick up other tools a long the way as you find that you need them.

This is actually quit a big problem in magic, that there is no guide or plan on how you should learn magic. Most people just dabble without really knowing what you are doing.

Working on the gravity half pass or sleights like the one handed pop over move or anything in a advanced book is like The paper engine is as effective as trying to learn how to play the guitar and try to learn Freebird or Eruption before you can play a simple song using only 2 or 3 chords.

If you start lifting the heavy guns to early they will just break you.

 

[UnknownMagician93]

But please... NO double undercuts! They are too obvious.

Are you serious? Like really and truthfully serious?

Go out, and take you favorite control vs. the undercut.

Lets say its the cascade control. You do a double undercut and 1 shuffle that reatains the top card, and people wont question a single thing. People are more likely to question things that are unusual, no matter how motivated. I can have all the motivation in the world to do a cascade, but if no one has ever seen it, they will still be like uh oh that mightve been something.

When dealing with cards, nothing is more natural than a simple cut and a shuffle. Thats why you dont hear people say "oh cascade those cards to make sure my card is lost." No. They say "SHUFFLE THOSE CARDS". Its natural and is the best control possible.

 

[CaseyRudd]

Are you serious? Like really and truthfully serious?

Go out, and take you favorite control vs. the undercut.

Lets say its the cascade control. You do a double undercut and 1 shuffle that reatains the top card, and people wont question a single thing. People are more likely to question things that are unusual, no matter how motivated. I can have all the motivation in the world to do a cascade, but if no one has ever seen it, they will still be like uh oh that mightve been something.

When dealing with cards, nothing is more natural than a simple cut and a shuffle. Thats why you dont hear people say "oh cascade those cards to make sure my card is lost." No. They say "SHUFFLE THOSE CARDS". Its natural and is the best control possible.

That is exactly how I do it when I perform at my market, or anywhere for that matter. I do a double undercut, then a shuffle, telling them in the process that they selected a card, was cut deeper into the deck, and was thoroughly shuffled. I then ask if they want me to shuffle again. Most of them want you to, considering you are a magician and they want to suspect sleight of hand. I have never been caught doing this, even SURROUNDED. That's what is good about a double undercut, if you can conceal it good, hello ANGLE PROOF!

-Casey

 

[S.G]

@Walmott: Hey! Maybe you're right that I'm rushing things a little bit, its partly because I enjoy practicing, and I feel good when I accomplish something hard because of practice. So what specific tricks maybe good for me at this stage.
By the way, the books I own are: The Royal Road to Card Magic, Expert Card Technique, Expert at the Card Table, while for dvds I have: Born to Perform, Crash Course 1 & 2, Ninja 1, Witness.

I love how everything here turns into a debate...

Anyway though, as far as the topic goes, what more do you need? Study those books and study them like crazy. You have hundreds of things to learn from those books. Just perfecting the things in those books will take you 10 years. If you are just getting a good start on magic, those books are the best way to go. I have them all and I will not need anymore for a while to come. If you really want to go more in-depth on not just the moves, but the performance also, I suggest you pick up the Card College series. Those books have many tips and ways to present your magic. I love books because every time that you find some new subtlety that you can add to a sleight or a trick, you can just write in the margins. I do this in all my books.

My final advice is, learn everything that you can from those books and never give up. Many of the things in there will seem very difficult at first, but with a lot of practice, you will be able to do them, and you will not regret it.

As far as the color change goes, why don't you just go for the Click Change or just a simple Cardini?

-G

 

[Wallmott]

I would also suggest that you spend more times on moves that has a wide range of utility.

May i just ask you, why are you learning the gravity half pass? Do you have much stuff your going to use it for?

I think it would be more wise to spend time on a classic type of pass which has a wide utility.

Same goes for everything else.

Also dont rush it, it will take you YEARS and YEARS and a lot of trial and error and you have to be ready to fail to get good and learn sleight of hand.

 

[RediSpades]

Look, im not saying its bad to have a "big" toolbox or in this case know a lot of sleights but learning sleights just for the sake of it is a very ineffective way to learn magic and it will take you way more time then what it would have if you had a plan of what you wanted to do and what you wanted to learn and why.

Its much better to get a solid foundation in sleight of hand (which will take you years to master, not learn but master) and then move from there and pick up other tools a long the way as you find that you need them.

This is actually quit a big problem in magic, that there is no guide or plan on how you should learn magic. Most people just dabble without really knowing what you are doing.

Working on the gravity half pass or sleights like the one handed pop over move or anything in a advanced book is like The paper engine is as effective as trying to learn how to play the guitar and try to learn Freebird or Eruption before you can play a simple song using only 2 or 3 chords.

If you start lifting the heavy guns to early they will just break you.

I am glad you are now seeing that we have been saying the same thing. I just wanted to highlight a fact that could have been missed =P