Playing Cards

So, it seems there are trends in my local magic community with regards to playing cards and what type of cards one chooses to use. So what's best? It's hard to say what is or isn't best because some people are more comfortable with borders, etc. Bees generally have the highest quality stock, no borders of course and leave magicians feeling they are unusable due to the apparent inability to use reversed cards. Well there is a technique, yes an actual technique that will hide the face up cards in a real triumph style shuffle. The advantages, of course, allow all your sleights to be more deceptive. It seems that the border is a security blanket to most magicians. Bikes are the economical cards, they are okay all around. Tally Hos are the classy bikes so to speak. The paper stock is top notch although not as good as Bees. Borders are a terrible security blanket. If your cards have borders your technique is off. Short and sweet of it, if you aren't a great fine detail technician then perhaps bordered cards are for you but stay away from difficult moves like second deals, top palms, etc. Where there is movement on the top the deck that could be better hidden by continuous patterns on the cards.
Steamboats are an interesting borderless back cards but I am not sure the quality. I am going to try to locate a handful of decks to use over the next month or two and I will come back with a verdict. As of right now, I am putting my money in Bees and occasionally Tally Hos. What is everyone else using? Other suggestions for cards?
Oh, one more thought, colour doesn't matter. Some will say pros use red because black Sharpie appears on them better. But that implies signing the back of the card. I keep 2 sharpies on my person when performing, one black, one silver, they can go on the front or back of and card of any colour. That is all.

Ins and Out With... ERDNASE!

One of the most important lessons in Erdnase is transitioning between moves. Knowing a palm, shuffle, deal, etc. is wonderful, but, without the proper way to get in and out of the move you are left high and dry. Enter Erdnase! I recall during the "Systems of Palming" Top Palm, method one, Erdnase mentions that upon completion of the shuffle the cards are squared up. But the break above the cards by the pink is held and maintained during the square up, then immediately as they pass from hand to hand *blink* the palm is done. If you have tried this move, you understand how remarkable it is! Try practicing the move, the move alone, drilling it, palm, replace, palm replace. When you are done doing it about 20-30 times try this, give the cards an overhand shuffle as per Erdnase to maintain top stock Method One (Two can be just as easily substituted). Upon completion of maintaining top stock immediately square and execute Top Palm Method One. This includes catching the break with 4th finger during the square, the kick of the first finger momentarily before "dropping" (another post on dropping the deck soon) and finally the placement on the table before retreating to a rest position. As a sequence of moves it is actually easier to accomplish and MORE DECEPTIVE! If you record yourself or watch diligently through a looking glass (Gotta love Erdnase!) you will see how disarming the whole sequence and the transitions really are!
Comments on your progress and conclusions are appreciated and if anyone is so inclined to 'YouTube' it that would be great to see.

What Makes Erdnase So Great?

I often hear people whine and moan about the difficulty of reading Erdnase or the inferiority of the techniques. Of course this is quite simply bull shit but nonetheless I will address it. I will attempt to not repeat the words of Mr. Diaconis in his wonderful Introduction to Revelations. In defining what makes Erdnase so great one needs to consider 2 key things. They context in which the book was written, and who wrote the book. Today our magic texts are authored by a handful of people for the most part, Kaufman et al. The problem lies in the inability of the authors to perform EVERYTHING (I use that term with careful specificity) they write. Erdnase on the other hand wrote the book and practiced the techniques, claiming originality for some of the work. With that in mind, could you imagine a text written by the master with attention to detail so careful that every slight pressure and friction is recorded? Look at older books and even books today and the descriptions leave much to be desired, but Erdnase, not so much. Being the writer it should come as no surprise to think that Erdnase already explored our feeble attempts at improvement. He likely stumbled across the same thoughts. So many improvements seem so obvious, modified Erdnase Grip for example, that is making the assumption that Erdnase wasn't intelligent enough to try it with those two fingers together? Let be realistic.
The context in which the book was written is apparently financial desperation coupled with the attention to detail required of a card cheat. The combination is dangerous, every detail is handled with care and it is written by a man who can't afford for it not to be a success, at least that is the impression I get. Therefore every slight moment is meticulously recorded and analyzed to ensure the reader understands and can learn the technique.
With regards to the context, consider that Erdnase was the innovator of many of the techniques in the book. This would mean he experimented until he ended at those conclusions. But also that he wrote the book, analyzing the movements so diligently that new information, evolution or understanding would be acquired. Now we have to assume Erdnase was capable of performing all these techniques nearly flawlessly, perhaps to perfection. With that in mind certainly his understanding of the move and personal evolution must have been long and impressive. So with that in mind; consider all the apparent improvements people are making, they are misinformed changes and one must consider that such simply improvements were considered by the author. Which is why he arrived at such specific techniques with such careful timing and thought. Especially with regards to the use of the left and right hand. I recall off hand the bottom deal description in which he mentions the left hand doing nine tenths of the work. A very important consideration. Yet today we see that people rely heavily on the strike technique. Likely something Erdnase had experience with in some form. The book is clearly written with emphasis on the Bottom Deal, but that is for another day.
That is a very condensed version of why Erdnase is so great! Those who don't think so, haven't read and clearly don't understand the book. Sorry to say...

Groomed... not that kind

This is getting a little off topic but I feel it is something I need to put somewhere. When I was very young my parents planted this seed of financial wealth and success beyond all belief. I can recall it from as young as 6 years old. I was being groomed, little did I know this would become a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.
When I was old enough (roughly 11 years old) my parents made sure I was aware of the family finances and where they were, how much etc. Bare in mind I have an older sibling by a few years so this pressure to be successful, or rich, rather, was quite intense. As I matured and made my awkward way through puberty and I found myself confronting many difficult tasks; including but not limited to, women, school work, money, business ventures, etc.
By age 17 I had 2 businesses. One legal, one not. I started a small black jack ring in my school and tutored in mathematics. I had no overhead other than playing cards. In choosing my schedule I made sure I had both lunch periods free to run the mini-casino of sorts. I made money, often large amounts. Sometimes 10-20 dollars per hand as the house. At 17 making this kind of money during lunch hour was quite significant.
I was encouraged to keep up with school as well. my marks dropped before peaking my last year, when they mattered most. I managed to talk the school into allowing me to start a club, The Magic Club. Obviously jokes came from other students, I was required to post sign up sheets, inevitably they were marked with the hatred I had come to live with, "The Magic School Bus Club" was common.
Total members? Roughly 6 people in a school of nearly 1500. Two people were teachers, 1 was my girlfriend, 1 myself, 1 my girlfriend's sister and the other my good friend. We needed 5 to run the club. So why the club? It allowed me to put President of Student run club on my resume and it had a budget, the important part, of 400 dollars per semester. This covered the cost of playing cards for my casino operation. At age 18 I was making between 200-500 dollars per week dealing cards at one table during lunch hours. I tutored as well adding about 120 dollars per week. A whooping total of between 320 and 620 dollars per week. Not bad for an 18 year old kid working under and at the card table.
Where am I going with this? My parents embedded this drive to make money. They created a small monster that has empowered me to do anything. The school ,outside of regular curriculum, invested about 8000 dollars in me as an individual, without scholarships.
So why does this matter? This matters because I just recently spoke to a high school freshman class that had no drive. no desire and no idea what was going on. Although this blog is meant for magic reasons primarily I feel the need to express my thoughts regarding a personal drive and motivation especially with regards to success.
How does this fit back with the grooming I mentioned earlier? You might hear newspapers or business channels talk about a son or daughter of a company being groomed for a position. Well my parents did just that with me. But there is no position, I had to make it. They actually made me groom myself. I now have such a strong drive to produce that I have business plans for about 8 businesses prepared and tucked away, marketing plans for all of them. Minimal start up and minimal overhead. Great potential for high ROI. This all came about because I started reading and educating myself with books. I still read everything I can get my hands on with regards to marketing, advertising, public relations, direct marketing, publicity, success, etc.
Why does this matter? This matters because it is everything they didn't teach me in school. This is all the information that has empowered me to go on and do ANYTHING I want. I am confident in my abilities, I know I can accomplish anything. I can make money at anything.
That's what I do, I make money. Lot's of it and quickly. Money is there when I need it and when anyone else does. It's all legit and by the books, but nobody taught me this, I had to teach my self.
So why the post? I want to encourage anyone who reads this blog with any sincerity to apply that drive for Erdnase and buy 2 books, Guerilla Marketing and How to Win Friends, and Influence People. Yeah, I know you have heard of them, but you haven't read them. In the rare case that you have read them; I encourage you to buy Marketing Your Services for People Who Hate To Sell.
I am telling you this because I don't want to hear people complain about money to me, much like so many friends do. Not asking me for it but stating they don't have it, can't make it, etc. Yes they can, they just don't know how. They don't teach success in school.

Proper Magician's Attire

Robert Houdin wrote, "It will be hardly necessary, I imagine, to dilate upon the absurdity of wearing the long robe of a magician. Let us leave tinsel and high-crowned hairs hats to mountebanks; the ordinary dress of a gentleman is the only costume appropriate to a high-class conjuror. The most probable result of assuming the conventional garb of a wizard will be to make the wearer an object of derision.
Extremely intelligent words from a brilliant man and top notch co juror. Yet, Magicians rarely follow the advice of this past master. I am constantly and rather consistently shocked at the low quality of garb magicians choose to wear. I don't know about you, but personally I wear nothing but the best, my shirts are made in Italy my suits as well, my socks cost more than some people's suits. How can someone consider wearing a suit that comes to 33 dollars approximately. There are promotions at discount suit clothiers that advertise 3 suits for 99 dollars. Absolutely disgusting! What's worse is people believe this is a deal! That's like being sold a burlap sack and saying its a nice style of shirt, uncut for her pleasure. You make the neck hole, completely custom! When investing in one's self especially as a magician wouldn't you want to be wearing your fee at least. I don't know about others but when I perform you can be damn sure it is not cheap. I am not cheap, my outfit is not cheap and my clients understand, respect and pay me with that in mind.
Another wonderful display is that magician whose tie is enveloped in playing cards, bunnies or something else equally ridiculous. I recall a time when I was filling in for a friend who was meant to fill in for someone else but mis-scheduled slightly. In any case, upon completing this walk around engagement which was at a local eating establishment I recall some wonderful comments, "You're a real magician!" This person was commenting on the comparison between myself and the other magician. "The other guy does bad tricks, you do real magic!" Another wonderful comment and I am glad to hear them but sad to at the same time. Why are other magicians performing cheesy terrible magic that even children find offensive. People are not stupid, your audience doesn't believe a word you say, stop treating them like that and for Christ sake spend the 100 dollars on a nice silk tie!
Once we get past our on 'bunglers' at the tie table, we are of course greeted with the shoes... polished? No no no! Why polish your shoes? "I am going for a casual look" Yes, so are the homeless who are wearing similar shoes that have been thrown out and are not polished as well. At least the homeless fellow is taken seriously for his vocation you simply are imitating the poor person. If you dress like rubbish, you will look like rubbish, and if you look like rubbish you will be treated accordinsly. Get soine decent clothes people, please!

My Favorite Erdnase Quotes!

My favorite quote in Erdnase currently is the following, it can be found on page 84 line 1 of the Bible Erdnase edition.
"The art of card palming can be brought to a degree of perfect that borders on the wonderful."
Why is this quote so important? Well, I think it is pretty safe to say that most magicians palm a card like a small child tries to steal a chocolate bar, conspicuously and with a grin of grins on their face. I recall seeing one magician who repeatedly cops cards and removes your selected card from his pocket still in cop. This salient point was mentioned to said magician who immediately disregarded and continued to disappoint audiences, to which he is still doing today. Fortunately he isn't a paid performer in any circumstance. Which leads to my next point, when did it become alright to be bad at magic? I can appreciate one's inability to attain certain skills and even specific techniques in magic, but why settle for the worst techniques and the worst tricks? If you are so passionate about a specific hobby why not learn the best. I'm a touch frustrated as per usual and have decided to remain rather reclusive from the magic community within my local area. If they only knew how much easier magic can become once the requisite skills have been acquired, perhaps the worst magicians we see would put in the time to become good. We all have dreams.

"The System"

A friend of mine recently suggested I watch the cult like video "The Secret." Mostly due to the fact that I refused to read the book. I watched it; it presents some interesting points and for all intensive purposes it does seem correct albeit a rehash of what others have already concluded nearly 100 years ago. The error I see with it lies in their claim to be able to well wish off cancer, and other disease and illness. How preposterous a position to take. All that being said, it certainly is helping people and if that is the case then it certainly can't be that bad. It is also supposed to be some sort of borderline miracle working tool so, "let them eat cake." If this book is the one book (or video) to change your life then I would have to say Erdnase is the equivalent book of sorts for magicians. It is the one book that will change your magic life beyond all others more than all others. Well...it COULD be the book that does that. Of course that only applies if one is to truly take the words and information between the lines that Erdnase presents. As mentioned in an earlier post, once you understand the moves and some of Erdnase that is when you will really start to 'get it.' For those that make complaints about lack of time or inability to conceal a card due to hand size (Erdnase discusses the hand issue); I have no patience for. Not only do I have on patience, but I have no respect for someone who can claim to love an art form and all that jazz and then basically spit in the face of those that work so hard to elevate the art and present it in a light that will gain Magic some respect amongst the community at large. We aren't all children's performers working 100 bucks a pop. Some of us command and are worth thousands per performance. Some of us refuse to perform for children! Certainly a jack of all trades is a master of none and I feel this applies to magic as well. BUT fortunately we have "The System" it is arguably the cheapest book in magic with the most valuable information to boot. So when you look at your book shelf and compare it to your DVD shelf remember, all those people on DVD, they read Erdnase!

A True Understanding

Erdnase mentions that a proper understanding of the workings of a move is required to learn the move, and that this understanding will reduce the amount of practice time required. But when and how does one gauge when a move is truly understood? I believe I have a means to accomplish and measure this. When you learn something in Erdnase and you no longer worry about the technique but start concerning yourself with the minutia of the move, for example, with the blind shuffle I and II to retain top stock. Why does method one use this large cut? When will it be used? The second shuffle seems more deceptive at first glance. Well although this is all fine and dandy, one starts to think about the move beyond the technique. So if one is surrounded surely you can not perform Blind Shuffle II with a break. Furthermore, in discussion with a magician friend he asked why I vs. II and when? Another thought is that the deception can be just as great if the top stock maintained is relatively small and your actions are very smooth. The last packet thrown on top from below the seperation if only 10-12 cards doesn't look so choppy and it doesn't look like such a significant cut is made perhaps only matter of fact-ly done.
When details like that are considered I believe the understanding Erdnase referred to is attained. Time will enable one to understand the entire book that way! I am going to go sit down with my card conjuring compadre right now.

Stocking and Culling with Erdnase

I don't quite understand why, but, I have a terrible phobia for the culling and stocking sections of the beautiful book that is Erdnase. I can't quite put it into words but I imagine it is the same thing I see in people who fear palming or haven't worked to a specific technique yet. I simply haven't matured into that section of the book.
There in lies the beauty of Erdnase; it is a book you mature with and into. Those that recommend it right off the bat are erring in that they are handing Steinbeck to a 5 year old. They simply can't do it yet. Even though they might want to, the individual simply hasn't reached that point in maturity. I believe you hit puberty when you pick up Erdnase and start to devour it. Much like a young adult being exposed to sexuality in school and otherwise. Erdnase is the book that separates the men from the boys. With that in mind; are you one of the men or the boys? There is no wrong or right answer. Simply a question and perhaps foreshadowing where you could be moving in the future. I can certainly say I will be moving towards the Culling and Stocking sections eventually. But right now I am quite content in studying, analyzing and enjoying Systems of Palming (particularly Top Palm, First Method). The move is brilliant and a careful read will give the requisite details for the move.
My most recent discovery is that the right hand holds the break as the left hand squares. But immediately following the square the palm is made. SO, when do you pick up the break? As the cards move from a dealers grip to a finger tips grip for the square? As the right hand pick up the deck from the table? Still something I am playing with of course but I think the move is nearly competent enough to move to something else.
Like Michael Skinner advocated, magic and sleights are like gems. You need to pull them out polish them up then put them away taking a new gem out to polish. Of course you need to find the gems to polish first and foremost. Fortunately for us all, Erdnase is a mine full of gem!

The Year of Erdnase

It seems that this year is the year of Erdnase. With the release of the Bible Edition of Erdnase from The Conjuring Arts Research Center (conjuringarts.org), Al Ackerman and Wes James both pumping out a DVD set via A-1 (I believe) and Magic Makers, respectively. With so much hype and new information coming forth for the book and the unknown author; magicians seem to be falling in love with the romance surrounding the book, the techniques and most importantly the skills and wisdom embodied in the 1902 title. But, as has been discussed in an earlier post, will this improve the skill level of magicians? I think so. Here is my reasoning, with awareness comes a greater liklihood of someone picking up and reading the book or watching it via DVD. Since most DVD's today contain rather drab material and poor slapped together technique often done incorrectly and with the intention of being easy to master.

Fooled?

I had the opportunity to sit down with a few magicians from out of town who presented some very interesting material! They were very good! We had a lot of fun and shared a bunch of interesting things. My issue comes in when we consider fooling one another. I understand there are magician foolers but when sitting down with one another what material should one use? Magician foolers that takes advantage of the fact that the audience has a certain knowledge? What about material for laymen? Do we perform our usual? Is there material applying to both laymen and magicians?
These thoughts brought me to one ideal conclusion and therefore a goal. All your material should be commercial so as to please the laiety yet still deceptive and clever enough to fool your fellow magicians. So this brings up the question, what fools both and serves to entertain? In a recent phone discussion with an older magician this question came up and lead to some thoughts on gimmicks and gaffs. Some effects require them, some effects are simply elevated using them. I suppose the Tommy Downs coin work comes to mind and Vernon requesting to see the gimmick. A sleight of hand hand gimmicked version were shown and the gimmicked version was clearly better.
This have become a jumble of incoherence so I will leave end it with the effect. At the end of the day it's the effect that matters. Fooling both groups is great, and doing it by any means necessary is wonderful but be certain that it maintains entertaining.

One last thought, fooling magicians is often very specific in nature. A card being selected and returned, rarely is the trick or revelation the fooler, rather the control or means of maintaining control, fools or doesn't. For a layman, it usually boils down to the revelation or denouement of the effect. In conclusion, one would be wise to break down effects into varying elements, such as selection and controlling procedure and revelations and mixing and matching them so as to fool magicians with the control process while still leaving laymen bedazzled by the end result, the effect.