talkmagic.co.uk

oopps, my link may be exposure?

Thanks for all the really helpful tips.
I don't have Corinda but I will defiantly look into getting it.

Pencil reading sounds like a good idea as well. I will look in to this.

I am also practicing Steve Dela's centre tear, which in my opinion is very good.

The reason I was wanting to make an i** device was because the magi never takes the written on paper from the spec unlike the centre tear. I suppose once I have perfected my centre tear it will look like I just take the paper tear it and give it back, unlike atm when I have a slight pause.

Thanks again for all the tips.

I've only just bought the Tommy Pad DVD. Although I haven't actually tried out the pad yet, I'll add my voice to Ted's recommendation. Simple and relatively clean.

Eshly wrote:Tears are particularly suspicious because you handle the paper you'reself, I find that a billet s****h is actually much more deceptive, because this allows you to have the billet in full view the whole time - or so it would seem.

If the spectator realises that you've taken the billet and that's the reason you know what they've written down then you've not done it correctly. Just watch how others take hold of a billet. You'd be amazed

Eshly wrote:I suppose it depends upon you're definition of impromptu, it does SEEM impromptu, but in reality it does involve a gimmick which you must carry around with you.

wouldn't you class the ID as an impromptu trick?

If impromptu means "uses nothing that you've been carrying around with you for the last half hour" I think some card magicians may disagree with you regarding what constitutes an "impromptu" card trick.

we are off topic...

spooneythegoon wrote:we are off topic...

it's a Harrier!

Lawrence wrote:

spooneythegoon wrote:we are off topic...

it's a Harrier!

Yes...

IAIN wrote:the butterfly is impromptu ...

im not picking on you - mr. riggs says so himself...

he gives good advice on his products on his homepage, and on several dvds of his...

Technically it isn't true improvisation but given magician's habit (not leaving home without 101 gimmicks in pocket), yes it would be seen as such.

John's "Gods with Feet of Clay" DVDs has some awesome information about working with the Butterfly and his other systems.

Pencil Reading is a sound skill but there is a slightly easier variation on the market (via Papercrane)

for me, impromptu means doing something there and then with "whatever"...

if you have the pad with you, you can get real time peeks, and use it in the line of fire...therefore, for me, impromptu...no setting up, just doing it...

IAIN wrote:for me, impromptu means doing something there and then with "whatever"...

if you have the pad with you, you can get real time peeks, and use it in the line of fire...therefore, for me, impromptu...no setting up, just doing it...

Agreed. This allows impromptu with gimmicked wallets (that you use as your normal, everyday one), various special watches, i** p**s, iPhone apps etc etc etc.

Re: cards. What normal person carries any pack of cards around? If you've got a regular one in your pocket then you might as well have an ID in another one.

I think it comes back to something we've discussed in the past... the difference between "Impromptu" vs. "Improvisation"... the latter being more akin to how I was taught to look at the idea of doing magic at the drop of a hat when you have NOTHING on you but your wits...
... in that I'm officially wit-less these days, I guess I'm screwed