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Le Petit Bateleur · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:26 pm Post subject: Ian Kendall's Virtual Sessions

Virtual Sessions Year 1 and Year 2
Instruction by Ian Kendall.

Virtual Sessions is an online learning library of mainly cards and coins tutorials. They are accessible via a discussion forum where you can download lessons and post comments and questions.

What it says on the site:

[The vitual sessions are a] different type of learning experience, the Virtual Session is an online magic course, and then some. Starting with downloadable versions of all four How to Do Stuff CDs, there are other detailed lessons on everything from the classic pass to tying a bow tie (and a lot in between). New lessons are uploaded weekly and there is currently over five hours of additional lessons

What you get:

You get access to the tutorial library that contains:

Year 1:

- b***** hard moves made easy video CD files: Top shot, Instant replay, Cascade control, Faro shuffle, one handed Faro, Tabled faro, Blockhead (Screwdriver in the nose – looks painful Shocked

)

- Tops Seconds and bottoms video CD files: Obviously on top, second and bottom dealing.

Also reviewed here : http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic19269.php

- A section on counts: Elmsley count, Hamman count, Jordan counts

- A section on controls: Classic pass, Hoffsizer’s spread cull, Spanish control, Hindu shuffle control, simple pass

- A section on moves with cards: DL, One hand top palm, top change, top palm, through the fist flourish, the glide.

- Basic coin magic video CD files: Hang point, false transfer, Bobo switch, Palm to Palm, l’homme masque load, Himber vanish, click pass, himber false count.

Also reviewed here http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic3381.php

- Basic chip tricks video CD files: Manipulation of poker chips. Pickup, pullover, knuckle roll, double cut, twirls, chip shuffles.

- More coin moves: the muscle pass, coin through fist, stealing from a fist.

Year 2:

- Cards: Snap change, basic riffle stacking, poof change, tilt, spread pass, diagonal palm shift, riffle pass, side steal, gambler’s cop…

- Coins: Hanging coins, 3Fly

- Mixed bag: Swallowing razor blades, boomerang rubber bands, roll down vanish, chats about entrances, performance, noise.

You also get some free tutorials about juggling and creating video clips for web pages Very Happy

The Effects:

Very few effects are demonstrated as such, the whole point of the tutorials is to demonstrate and teach techniques.

Cost:

GBP 30 for each year separately, GBP 50 for both years.

Only from Ian Kendall:

http://www.virtualmagicshow.com/shop/

Difficulty:
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)

By definition, only from 3 to 5 – it’s a sleights tutorial library Very Happy

Review:

Purely from a quantity of sleights taught, this is a great package. But this isn’t just the quantity of material, it’s the quality of the tuition. Ian explains each move in detail, I find it clear and very practical. No doubt in my mind that he is a good teacher. His approach is friendly and unpretentious. He discusses his professional experiences in a candid manner and does not try to come off as a “know it all”. I think it’s nice that he shows what sometimes goes wrong and uses it as part of his teaching.

Upfront, the video quality is not your Ellusionist High Definition 10 cameras set up with perfect lighting, make up and so on. There is not even one girl in sight Laughing

All the videos are shot in his house, it looks like his attic I think Very Happy

. I’m actually quite curious what he’s hiding behind the white sheet behind him. The point though is that he focuses on delivering value through the actual material itself rather than the MTV production stuff. For me, that’s great. Seriously, 50 quid for all this, I couldn’t care less that it’s not shot in a studio.

I’ve said here before I’m still a beginner so I can’t tell you that I’m already able to do all I’ve looked at – obviously - , but I’d like to give you a concrete example at my level. The first file I downloaded was the DL. In half an hour I had the basics of a DL WITHOUT get-ready. I was seriously impressed, because my technique was pretty poor in comparison before. On top of that the tips on directing attention during the move were great.

There’s plenty of really complicated stuff here as well, but it’s always detailed well. You even get to learn his muscle pass – you can see it’s his baby, and why - man, the coin flies! Laughing

So in summary, enough to get you started properly if you’re newish (you still need basic introduction first like RRTCM for cards, but for coins you can start there), busy for a very long time if your skill level is intermediate, and also I think plenty still to revise or improve your techniques if you’re already advanced.

Overall:

I should have re-titled the “Cost:” section of this review “Value:”. The amount of materials covered and the depth Ian goes into are really impressive. This is one of the best, if not the best, value for money magical tuition I’ve seen. He also comes off as a really nice guy, and the exchange of e-mails I’ve had with him only confirmed that.

I’ve recommended the virtual sessions to a friend of mine for the birthday of his brother, I’m sure that’s going to be his best birthday present this year Very Happy

Ways to improve potentially:

- To let me know what he’s hiding behind this sheet
- Stick the picture of a naked girl in the background if he can’t get a real life model to show up
- Keep up the good work on year 2 and come up with year 3.

flashman · Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:50 pm Post subject:

With all the dvd's and books now straining my shelves, these online lessons remain my favourite and most used magical purchase (due mainly to the detail and clarity of Ian's presentation). As stated above they represent fantastic value for money with the added bonus of having a really helpful chap who always seems willing and able to answer any questions you have about a particular move or lesson. It's the only stop you need to make on the road to the muscle pass. Plus you learn to do a really flash thing with a toothbrush....

Highly recommended Very Happy

MaxBeat · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:41 am Post subject:

Sounds like a really interessting concept! I just might try this out, and for 30 quid? Thats just how good life is!

Nice review!!
Tnx!

Le Petit Bateleur · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:37 am Post subject:

MaxBeat · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:14 am Post subject:

Haha thats a tough statement! Im also planing to buy me a TT this year Razz

thats some hard competition right there! Wink

Harry Guinness · Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 10:50 pm Post subject:

Just signed up for the Sessions last week. Absolutely loving it. Top notch stuff.

Ian's teaching is some of the best I've seen and the production values the absolute worst! Even with what appears to be a home webcam (correct me if I'm wrong!) Ian manages to show exactly what needs to be shown even if it involves him getting into positions normally seen on other ahem... web shows...

His b***** Hard Moves downloads deserve specific mention, I was able to top shot (to a degree) within 30 seconds of watching the video, despite the fact I'd tried and failed dismally to learn it before.

I would recommend everyone sign up for these. It's a little bit more than the sh*te being pumped out containing one or two tricks all over the place and you get so much more.

TheStoner · Senior Member Joined: 08 Jan 2009 Posts: 856

Based on Harry's comment above I signed up a couple of days ago - wish I'd done it ages back, this is pure gold dust!

Imagine being given patient one-to-one lessons by an expert magician. Someone who is a true expert, but can still remember what it's like to be struggling with tricky moves. Someone who can highlight the tiny differences that make all the difference. Someone who really WANTS you to learn. Ian's your man!

As mentioned before the production values are not high, but they certainly don't get in the way of the excellent teaching.

Some magicians are just so good at what they do that they have trouble understanding why you can't do all the moves. "Look you put your fingers here, you move your thumb like this and the four aces spring out onto the table - simple". However by contrast Ian has a great ability to pinpoint where people tend to go wrong and exactly how to address this - piece by piece. The muscle pass is a great example where he gives you a step-by-step training regime, rather than throw you in the deep end and let you start off with bad habits that will be hard to break later on.

If you are beginner/intermediate at card moves/counts/controls (and lots of other stuff) then this is HIGHLY recommended!