Nervous of doing the Pass

[Wallmott]

Let me ask a quick question.. How many of you are workers?

And have you been in magic long enough to understand the structure of tricks?

Just an honest poll.

I dont know if i would call myself a "Worker" but i do paid gigs once in a while when i have the time, im quit bussy studying so i dont have time to do it full time but its a nice way do get some extra income.

When i do put together my routine i want it to be practical anywhere i go, you never know where or how you are going to be performing. I want to have as little to worry about as possible and be able to focus most of my attention on the audience.

Its easy to say "Oh, its just to use some missdirection, if you cant missdirect you suck!" I see alot of people saying things like that. But let me ask you, how big is your audience?

Most of the time im doing close up for about 25 - 40 people that is sitting all over the place, its not that easy to know whos watching the deck and if everyone is missdirected.

 

[AlexanderB]

I can't understand people nervousing about doing the Pass. The spectators don't actually know what it is and what it does, even if they suspected something. At least you can do some false cuts, come on...

 

[ReadMoreMagicBooks]

@Darky, so is it your goal to make it suspicious that you are doing a move?

 

[Wallmott]

I can't understand people nervousing about doing the Pass. The spectators don't actually know what it is and what it does, even if they suspected something. At least you can do some false cuts, come on...

You are kidding me right? Please tell me you are.

Why not do some bad double lifts that looks akward and put your whole little finger into the deck when you hold breaks, who cares if they see them. They dont know what it is and what it does anyways.

 

[AlexanderB]

Please, don't get me wrong. I mean, the Pass is one of those moves that gets better and better when you practice, when you go out and perform and learn how to misdirect from the deck ('cause this move isn't invisible when your hands get burned). So, I was talking about nervousness about doing this move and your fear (something like "ah, what if they see that move" in your mind). You just have to know that even if they do so, there are so many ways to fix the promlem. And yes, I do NOT approve doing the Pass, or, for example, Double lift pourly. 90% of us didn't just go out there and performed a perfect invisible double lift, did we? You, probably, just have forgotten about it. So, practice. Go out and perform, and then, practice even more. And only then you can perfect your Pass or any moves that you think are "suspicious".
Best wishes.
- Alexander

 

[ReadMoreMagicBooks]

Even if they don't see the move, why arouse suspicion? If they can't see the pass, then they probably are going to hear it 2 feet away. Then again, I have yet to see very many people do a decent pass.

Maybe C Lang Neil hasn't either.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I'm a beginning worker. I may not have been in magic for all that long, but I think I have a decent feel for what will and won't work in the structure of a trick. I can definitely pull off a classic pass when I need to, because I put it (structurally) at a time when people will be looking at something else.

Something to remember, for those saying larger crowds are more difficult, is that the classic pass (to my understanding) was largely utilized for platform or stage work. It's not terribly well suited to close up, because of how much movement there is in the fingers, and the high chance of noise if improperly executed. But if the performer is five to ten feet from his spectators, that makes the move rather easy.

Oh, and the classic pass can be executed silently and quickly. It just takes a lot of practice.

 

[ReadMoreMagicBooks]

Why not just learn to do the pass decently? The fingers are NOT supposed to move. Check out EATCT and Modern Conjuror. You really are only supposed to grip only with the index and thumb. Keep in mind that it will most likely take you years to perfect a move like the pass.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I'm a little confused, because you seem to be arguing both sides of the fence here.

Anyway. You can do the pass without really moving any of your fingers, but it's going to be loud that way. The right hand should be stationary, but your left middle, ring and pinky should move in order to lift and guide the packet and keep the cards from scraping over each other. Far less noise and it can be very fast.

 

[ReadMoreMagicBooks]

i completely disagree with your statement on the basis of how you describe hoe the classis pass must work. i believe the pass is useful i. some situations, but fundamentally not well enough to use in the middle of a trick as a control without good motivation.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Are you using 'you' in the general sense? Because I've been saying this whole time that the pass is good some times, but I've never said when it should be used specifically. Nor have I described how the pass must work at all. My own opinion is that it's a good move that can quickly move a packet of cards to the top or bottom of the deck, and should be used with misdirection at an off beat point in an effect.