Rrtcm

[Caladan21ph]

Hello! I have here a few questions regarding other people's experience with the RRTCM. Here they are:

1) How long did it take you to finish the whole book?
2) Did you go through the book from first to last chapter?
3)Do I have to learn all the sleight/ methods in each chapter?For example:learn glimpse 1, glimpse 2, shuffle 1,shuffle 2 etc. or should I just learn one method?
4) Should I master the chapter first before going to the next chapter( that is, master the palm first before the backslip,double lift) etc.
5) In connection to question 4 above, why do you think the authors place the palm before the overhand shuffle break when it is a harder sleight?

Thanks! Don't know if I'm going through the book too fast, but it seems that the first few chapters are easy, except for the palm which I'm still trying to do for three months now.

 

[MalibuARMY]

Heya, I'm Anna.

Royal Road to Card Magic is a great book. I STILL refer to it though I have been doing magic for 4 1/2 years. There is always something to get out of it.

1. It took me a while because I took notes and practiced as much as I could with it. I would say about a month or two. I am a nerd.

2. I did go from first to last chapter however I skimmed ahead sometimes just to see what was next after I finished the chapter I was on.

3. You don't HAVE to use and learn ALL the slights, but it is good to. Try your best to learn all of them in one chapter and then find which one you like the most and be sure that you have that one down.

4. It is good to know the basics before the more complicated slights, it will help you in the long run.

5. I honestly don't know. Maybe because for the big beginner the author thought it was easier to hold one card and do something with it than hold 52 and do something with them.

I sure hoped I helped. Being a magician takes time but the payoff will be well worth it for you and your spectators. Have a good one,

–Anna

 

[RikAllen]

1) How long did it take you to finish the whole book?

To finish, first time, about 2 months. I've gone through it completely twice and will never be done with the book, it is a great resource for a lot of the moves taught inside.

2) Did you go through the book from first to last chapter?

Yes. Twice (not back to back, about 2 years apart). But now I mainly pick it up for reference.

3)Do I have to learn all the sleight/ methods in each chapter?For example:learn glimpse 1, glimpse 2, shuffle 1,shuffle 2 etc. or should I just learn one method?

As Anna pointed out, it's best to try them all out and see which one you prefer and then master that particular one first. It's always good to have moves that you can call on in different situations, but perfect one that you think fits your purposes and then use it to death. You can always go back and learn another one later.

4) Should I master the chapter first before going to the next chapter( that is, master the palm first before the backslip,double lift) etc.

Maybe not master, as palming takes years to master, but take some time with each technique. If it's something you think you'll use often (I palm cards daily) then put more time into it than you do other chapters. Once you have the technique down to where you can practice without going back to the book for reference then do it over and over for a few days (in front of a mirror) in conjunction with other techniques you've already learned (Overhand shuffle control, palm it off...replace, rinse, repeat) and then move on and add to your practice time.

5) In connection to question 4 above, why do you think the authors place the palm before the overhand shuffle break when it is a harder sleight?

Henry Hay starts his card sleights (in his book The Amateur Magician's Handbook) off with breaks and crimps and then goes straight into the pass and side steal. I think it's good to learn more difficult sleights before anything that's advertised 'perform minutes after watching!' because most people do perform minutes after watching and don't know the subtleties that really sell the effect as magic.

1. It took me a while because I took notes and practiced as much as I could with it. I would say about a month or two. I am a nerd.

Took me longer than that the last time I seriously went through it, I was also comparing notes from the first time and other sources (Card College, Amateur Magician's Handbook, ...etc) that have the same or similar moves. This was back before I was working 6-7 days a week though...I miss free time.



And for anyone confused, I've not the time to go back and edit...I apologize for anything that's unclear.

 

[Caladan21ph]

Thanks for the replies! Hmm..LOL Guess I've been spending to much time on the palm chapter, good thing I posted here or I would have tried to master it and taken years to finish the book. Hmm.. a follow u question, do you suggest using the book with other books, for example, learn it with Expert Card Technique or Erdnase? I noticed that that Erdnase also teaches the overhand shuffle, and the riffle shuffle at the beginning chapters, and the method seems similar.

 

[Sam Hindrichs]

I will not go through what has already been answered because I agree with everything that Anna and RikAllen have said. The only difference for me was I took my ENTIRE first year learning from Royal Road and Expert Card Technique. As far as "mastering" certain things from the book, (I know you don't want to hear this) it will all come with practice. Every day my first year I would perform the Overhand Shuffle Practice Routine on page 11 at least one time a day. I would also perform "The Pass" what felt like a million times a day. Of course it got boring doing the same things that many times, but it worked out well for me.

I am not saying this is what you should do, but if you are planning on making your own magic then spending time learning sleights that are already in print is the way to do it. The more time you spend learning a sleight the more comfortable you will be performing the sleight. The more comfortable you are with a sleight the more you are able to break it down and add things to it to suit your own needs.