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I was looking for a good false shuffle. I found one being demonstrated by Oz Pearlman on a download. It looks good - tricky but loads of promise.

So far so good.

I do a bit more poking around and I THINK the shuffle is “Shufflesque” by Eric Anderson. Not only that but there is DOUBT that Mr Pearlman has been entirely ethical in selling someone else’s work. Not only that but the one place where permission was given is in a book which is out of print… so I can’t buy it and give the right man his dues.

What should I do? Should I carry on using the sleight or not? It feels like stealing (which usually means that it is). It is a very good (and fairly obscure) false shuffle. I have paid money to someone to learn it... but it was Penguin and I guess I should learn something from that!

I'd happily use the shuffle.

Remember it's not you who's stealing, you've bought it in good faith from a reputable supplier.

I don't know the shuffle or the Anderson version, but most of these things are just repackaged, rebranded versions of very old ideas.

yeah, not your fault is it...if you feel as if you have to cleanse your soul, just treat yourself to good old fashioned book instead...

cards4magic.co.uk have a good selection, alot of them are older types too...you can get a barrel load for twenty quid, and it'll last you alot longer than a few one-effect download...

@Lady of Mystery
Thanks. I guess I will stick with it... I find it just a bit of a shame that you can't find the origin of some effects until you have shelled out good money to some chancer.

@abraxus.
I agree about the "price of downloads". My groaning bookcases are testiment to the value of a good book.

However, sometimes when you are looking for something particular there are no books. In this case I'd done a reasonable amount of research. I wanted something that fit with my particular requirements - an in the hands riffle shuffle, with waterfall that I could do repeatedly without breaks. (That is the way I regularly shuffle).

I wanted it on DVD/video/download rather than book because I find that an easier format for shuffles (personal preference). This was the ONLY one I could find. (Granted once I found one I gave up looking )

i know what you mean, i occasionally struggle with certain sleights and shuffles until i see it in action...marlo's side steal was a recent one for me until i got the side steal declassified dvd...

gerry griffin has some good dvds (albeit from penguin magic AND magicmakers, but available from most places i think if you sniff around), seven volumes i think in total, i've only got one of them full of counts and shuffles and sleights (volume seven)...but that is very good indeed, all shot over the shoulder too which i think helps alot...

and i like his hippy sounding voice too...

anyway, dunno if thats any use to ya...

Thanks for tha advice abraxus.

Like most things the side steal is a bit of a knack thing isn't it.

I've not seen any of the gerry griffin's dvds... but I'll probably go and look for them now. One thing I have noticed is that different styles of tuition suit different people. I reckon I'm the only person in the world to prefer the Magic Makers version of Royal Road.

xpyre wrote:. One thing I have noticed is that different styles of tuition suit different people.

That's very true, I can't learn from DVDs. I'd much rather a book I can curl up with and work through at my own pace.

@Lady of Mystery

How are you with card books?

For other magic I find books great. For the actual "tricks" as opposed to the underlying sleight, books are great. However so much of card manipulation is finger position, wrist angle, feel etc. I really struggle.

I'd be ok with performance on DVD followed by an explanation in book. I just find I have a need for a visual "feel" (to mix my senses for a moment) for the sleights.

For instance I saw an internet video of the Faro by DenisBehr, performance only, and it was enough for me to see what I should have been doing. Reading it in Erdnase (I think) made me want to put Post-It notes on my hands and fingers.