talkmagic.co.uk

I recently decided to really get back to basics and learn card close up magic a whole lot better than I currently do it. So I've started from scratch, something I never did first time round. I'm going to follow a course and have chosen the card college DVDs by giobbi. While tightening up my sleights I intended to learn some self working tricks to keep me going and practice performing card tricks. I bought giobbis card college light which is a book of self working magic.
Sadly I really don't like it. I find having to pre arrange decks and do lots of counting down a certain number of cards to the table quite clunky.
Is there no hope I will find self working tricks I like? Any tips? Ideas?
The exception is I do like out of this world despite the pre arrangement.

Try the Karl Fulves books published by Dover - lots of self working tricks there, cards, coins, mentalist stuff etc.

Mandrake wrote:Try the Karl Fulves books published by Dover - lots of self working tricks there, cards, coins, mentalist stuff etc.

Seconded. There are card effects in "Self-Working Mental Magic" as well as the three (I think) SW books specifically devoted to cards. There are also a few excellent Fulves/Dover books outside the "SW" series - one which would particularly interest you is "Charles Jordan's Best Card Tricks".

Also consider Hugard's "Encylopedia of Card Tricks", although some of the chapters cover stacks, gaffs and mechanical packs.

Barry

In some ways you gets what you pays for. Self-workers are, by their very nature 'easy' (compared to sleight-based routines), but the downside is that not many of them are that impressive.

Of course, it's up to you how much time and effort you want to invest in the hobby, but spending a year or two getting the basics down pat (controls, false counts, etc.) will pay dividends in the future, and allow you to perform far more impossible effects.

Also try reworking the routines so the effect is different. Instead of playing cards, can you use photos, Monopoly property cards, Cluedo cards, Top Trumps cards (assuming they still exist!), hotel key cards or other items. Can you weave a tale which incorporates the routine but specifically doesn't immediately indicate a card trick. The beauty of self workers is that they leave you free to embroider and embellish everything to suit yourself.

You might want to check out some of Wayne Dobson's stuff - he started by removing all the finger flinging jiggery pokery but kept the effect and purpose of the routine as unchanged. as possible - I've yet to see one of his card routines look anything like a self worker!

I recently purchased joe barry's ' inscrutable' DVD. And just from disc 1 of this DVD i learnt some absolute killer effects, that are not too much of a walk from being completely self working and hands off, not only are they simple and reasonabley easy to accomplish - they are incredibly impressive and impossible looking to a lay audience , which fitted my style perfectly. So i greatly recommend to looking into this set.

Look up 'you do as I do' (I think it's called) from Royal Road. Needs 2 decks but It's a gem of a self worker!

Mandrake wrote:Try the Karl Fulves books published by Dover - lots of self working tricks there, cards, coins, mentalist stuff etc.

Another vote for the Karl Fulves Self Working series. For what they cost (and what you will take away from them) there is no reason every magician shouldn't have them in their library

A nice self worker (in actual fact, many versions require you to hold a pinkie break to place a card in a certain position from the top, but this will prove very easy and can be replaced with less direct options if required) is the "9 card problem" (I think by Steinmeyer). With a little thought (it can sometimes play as a bit of a "puzzle" in its standard state) this can be an effect of a professional standard.

I believe Big Blind Media also has a DVD set on the subject which was well recieved by most.

Hope this helps.

The Steinmeyer 9 card problem is somethinbg I have only just been introduced to (Via the Jon Allen Connections DVD) and have to agree, it really is a great idea.

Try getting a few packet tricks. Most involve an elmsley count which you should be learing anyway, possible a flustration count. They are not knuckle busting and have decent plots, and you learn a thing or two along the way and you don't have to carry around a bunch of decks with large set ups, you don't have to count down 15 cards or spell to a card, no long involved plots. Just something light and simple to perform with while you learn the more 'advanced' stuff. And as you get more proficient with the advanced you will slowly slip away from the packet tricks. Except colour monte. Always have colour monte.

I'd grab yourself a Svengali deck, Phantommenace. My intuition tells me that you'd do well with that.
T.

Hi

I haven't been on this forum in a while (and didn't post much in the start anyway), so it's nice to get back.

I know what you mean about the self working tricks being too pre set/false feeling/time consuming on both the set up and the performance. Also a lot of them tend to have some mathematical essence behind them, which can sometimes show through in the performance (especially if it's a counting one.)

Anyways if you have RRTCM then have a browse through there...i recently (about half a year ago lol) looked through there and there are some gems in there that require minimum setup or a basic setup that can be held through a false shuffle. Off the top of my head;
Thought Stealer
A Poker Puzzle (this is great as the setup is done in front of the spectator.)
An Incomprehensible Divination (uses a packet of cards not the full deck, but is self working.)

There are lots of poker tricks that require basic setup, you'll only need a max of 5 cards to set up eg As, Ks, Qs, Js, 10s etc

Also if you know some basic slights then you could try coming up with your own tricks...use your imagination.

Also (i know i'll get shot for this) look on youtube...im hiding from you all shouting at me as i write this. But to be honest for self working tricks there are a lot of good tricks you can pick up on there...this might help inspire you to create one of your own...and essentially they are basic tricks but you can put a spin on them. I have learnt a ton of tricks from lots of different sources...i just cant remember their names so i cant help you...unless i could show you lol.

Hope this helps. And be kind to me on the youtube thing...try to see where im coming from.

Adam

Phantom menace? How interesting to see you here. Did you survive your recent visit to the Genii Forum? You don't happen to come from Sussex, do you?