What are the thoughts of everybody on the M5 system??? I am thinking about dropping 200 bucks for the pro kit and DVD's. Is it worth the buy, or would it be better for me to light money on fire for my next couple of routines???
The M5 System
- Thread starter RediSpades
- Start date
If I could go back, I'd invest in a couple of good magic books than purchasing the m5.
M5 produces tricks that anyone could perform. I'd rather perform material which takes time and practice to master. M5 is more for beginners who want automatic results so they can call themselves a magician.
I'd hold off on it and invest in something more valuable.
I think you are making quite the claims here. Same could be said for the thumb tip and many other utility devices and effects. Seems you believe the only good magic is difficult magic, and I think this mentality is much more often wrong than it is right.
Good magic is good magic--it has nothing to do with how easily or difficult the techniques are to master. The audience isn't aware of whether you're doing easy or difficult moves or whether you're using sleight of hand or a utility or gaff. Good magic is much, much more about performance than it is moves. Examples in card magic: Chicago Opener, Branded, Search and Destroy, Rising Card Deck, Twilight Angels, Carbon Paper, Invisible Deck, Strange Travelers...
I've always wondered why the Chicago Opener took off and became so famous, and the New York Opener never did :s
I usually try and stay neutral, but I honestly think that's a ridiculous thing to say.
The M5 is a good piece of kit, the DVDs will help you come to terms with uses and spark lots of ideas, as well as give you some good ready made routines.
In the scale of things, $200 is not much to invest (I've bought forks for more than that!
) for something that you could essentially build your character and entire act around.Best,
DC
i was wondering the same things, a while ago, never bought the m5.
heres why:
1. i had no prior pk experience, do you?
2. it was a little too costly for me
3. i was told there were better pk magic sets out there.
4. i was also told that if i had no pk experience, i should start somewhere small. like a magnet ring, or some coin bends small cheap stuff
thats my two cents, i would recommend trying something similar for cheaper. first
heres why:
1. i had no prior pk experience, do you?
2. it was a little too costly for me
3. i was told there were better pk magic sets out there.
4. i was also told that if i had no pk experience, i should start somewhere small. like a magnet ring, or some coin bends small cheap stuff
thats my two cents, i would recommend trying something similar for cheaper. first
I have very little PK experience. I have done some works will Tarantula and Loops, but those always break on me. I think I have gone through four sets of loops and two spools for Tarantula... I was hoping that maybe it would be a little better with the M5, or maybe PK just isn't for me. One step at a time, right???
Alright, Pk is my favorite brand of magic/mental magic. I own some pk rings, loops and thread. The rings are good to start out with but the teachers on the ring dvds that say people won't suspect a magnetized ring are wrong. Do not do kinetic cutlery if you don't want people suggesting a magnetic ring. I wear like 5 rings and it still doesn't help. Other than that I like my pk rings. *They aren't strong enough to do a shimmed haunted deck without your hands being incredibly close to the deck. Shudder is a great pk effect. I love it. Im considering Power Word: Fall as my next pk purchase. I want to get the M5 because I love magnet magic. I've read some reviews about it and I honestly don't read too much into them because people want a perfect effect but aren't willing to accept compromise, which you must do with the M5. It comes with materials to create your own effects so I don't see why you shouldn't get it. The dvds are sure to spark some form of inspiration/creativity. I say go for it.
i recommend a pk ring to start out with, just based on my logic. i dont own one, or any other magnetic magic. so i dont know what my advice is worth, but there it is.
I meant I'd rather have learned card/coin sleights when I first started out from a book like royal road or bobo's coin magic instead of buying the m5.
Those books made it possible for me to learn and create new effects for myself to perform, and also providing me a good base to begin magic with.
I'd rather have invested in those books before I shelled out the cash for the m5. I rarely use my m5 anymore, but I use the material from those books everyday.
I think the same should be done for pk magic.
Before I'd go out and purchase the M5, I would read a few books on pk effects to really get a grasp on what I was getting myself into.
If you wanted to start stage magic, would you buy a $500 piece of equipment, or would you want to study a bit first to know what character you'd want to portray, which effects to perform on stage to work well with your character, and what you want to convey to your audiences during your show.
All I'm saying is there's a lot of people out there that buy the m5 that don't really know what it's good for. They watch Brad do some few tricks in a 2 min video and want to do that. A lot of them have never heard of pk or what it means.
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Well, I do some PK effects... And I have to say, even though I don't own the M5, I suggest you get it.
Why?
1. It's easy
2. No one will know how you do the trick....
3. It has tons of applications (stopping someone's watch)
Why not?
1. Price.
As you can see the price is the factor. Nothing else. So if you can afford it, and you will use it, get it. I don't really see the point of getting the entire set thing... The normal price is $90... The bonus thing costs $135.... And it just comes with more shimmed coins...
So yeah. If you don't buy this, I suggest getting Spin by Matt Sconce... Amazing DVD and it probably is the closest thing to real magic...
Why?
1. It's easy
2. No one will know how you do the trick....
3. It has tons of applications (stopping someone's watch)
Why not?
1. Price.
As you can see the price is the factor. Nothing else. So if you can afford it, and you will use it, get it. I don't really see the point of getting the entire set thing... The normal price is $90... The bonus thing costs $135.... And it just comes with more shimmed coins...
So yeah. If you don't buy this, I suggest getting Spin by Matt Sconce... Amazing DVD and it probably is the closest thing to real magic...
So what are the fundamental books for PK??? I am glad we brought this up because to be honest, I have never heard of PK rings until about a week ago, where as I have been assaulted with advertisements on Loops, Strings, and the M5. I am going to get a ring (I have heard that Wizards Dark Ring G2 is the best) and then go from there.
I have the wizard dark g2 and i love it and wear it everyday. Other members are going to bring up super magnet mans magnetic rings but I chose to stay away from them because they look like a wedding band. I personally choose to support wizard pk rings because I like David Penn. lol. The wizard dark is pretty damn strong.
Wizard PK has a good name, for sure.
Supermagnetman's wedding bands are N45 neodynium. Very strong. Getting close to M5 strength, but not as large, obviously.
Supermagnetman's wedding bands are N45 neodynium. Very strong. Getting close to M5 strength, but not as large, obviously.
Exactly my point I was making.
You want it because the tricks look cool right?
Not actually adding it to your arsenal of pk effects, you just want it to perform some quick tricks.
Don't read this as if I'm talking down to you or anything like that, totally the opposite.
Just that a lot of people who see this product just think of it has some cool tricks to do and not actually knowing that it's an add to pk effects.
If you'd like to learn more on pk, I'll let Dee take it from here and I'm sure he'll point you in the right direction to some pdfs an whatnot.
Other than that, search the forums for pk effects and see what you find.
Good luck!
PK books.
If you want the fundamentals of PK magic, you won't find it in a magic book, as far as i know.
I would suggest reading lay literature about real psychokinesis and telekinesis. Read real studies and theories. Look up Psionics. You don't have to believe, just understand the supposed mechanics of the phenomena you are trying to create.
Also read fantasy and fiction. Like the X-men, Carrie. Watch movies with pk in them.
The skills of a magician will help you after that.
if you want to really explore the effects, i would buy a powerful magnet from a hardware store and a spool of penguin magic's PET. You get so much you don't need to worry about breaking them. You can just PLAY.
-Daniel Taylor
If you want the fundamentals of PK magic, you won't find it in a magic book, as far as i know.
I would suggest reading lay literature about real psychokinesis and telekinesis. Read real studies and theories. Look up Psionics. You don't have to believe, just understand the supposed mechanics of the phenomena you are trying to create.
Also read fantasy and fiction. Like the X-men, Carrie. Watch movies with pk in them.
The skills of a magician will help you after that.
if you want to really explore the effects, i would buy a powerful magnet from a hardware store and a spool of penguin magic's PET. You get so much you don't need to worry about breaking them. You can just PLAY.
-Daniel Taylor