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I know there has been a topic about this before, but reading it, I never really got the idea of which one is the best.

I'm not new to cards, but I am new to all the fancy cutting, shuffles etc.

Just wondered what your opinion was and a reason why? Thanks.

Oh and also, I'm from the UK, and I've looked on some sites - amazon (thats about it) - and I can't find either. Any TRUST-worthy sites that I can order from in the UK?

Hi Matt,

I would ask you read the thread carefully again - the concensus was that XB is better for the complete beginner.

Which is 'best' - like most 'which is best' discussions there is no clear cut answer because it depends on your level of skill and the style of manipulation you prefer.

Both are great DVD's - watch the trailers for both products and see which you prefer. But bare in mind The System is not for complete beginners.

Personally I like both - if you're into this material get both - you won't regret it! Then you have the best of both worlds.

You can only buy XB from Ellusionist.com - US based. The System is available from dananddave.com (currently sold out) or penguinmagic.co.uk.

Reading that back I've just realised you were refering to XB or SOWC! Doh!

That one is real easy then - get XB definately - so much better in every way.

I've seen both and I would strongly recommend XB over SOWC. I know some people here have gained some stuff from watching SOWC but if you have the choice - which you do - get XB.

No comparision.

I watched both trailers, I had seen the SOWC before.

Does the XB involve Card Snapping?

I think I may get both. I'm not sure.

I've never ordered anything from the US.. how will it work with my UK pounds?

Also, do any of these teach passes.. e.g Riffle, basic (I don't know anymore).

If not, what do you reccomend that teaches passes?

I'm not sure what you mean by card snapping? Can you elaborate?

If you're looking for instructions on the various passes you're looking in the wrong place!

These DVD's are about flourishs, cuts and general card manipulation - not card sleights.

No need to buy SOWC if you're buying XB - trust me! It's teaching is Baaad - you'd be learning things wrongly.

Buying from the US - your credit card will get charged in dollars and then converted at the exchange rate your CC company uses. Plus you MAY (unlikely) get hit for customs on the package - if you do it will be another few quid.

Okay, I tried to find a video.

But the only one I could find was the one on the trailer of 'Showoff with cards'

If you look at the windows media version trailer, move to point:

00:18 - The 4 of hearts to the Jack of spades..
and the one after that.

00:25 - Waving the fan to switch a card

00:27 - He pushes the card onto the table with his finger and it changes.

00:32 - Again switching a card

00:34 - This is what I meant by card snapping.

00:37 - He waves the fan and the other half of the deck vanishes.

Are those shown on the XB dvd?

You are refering to various card changes - I think the specific move you are referring to is the Ed Marlo Snap change.

No changes are taught on XB - it's not De'Vo's style - he's more flourishy / manipulation based.

Therefore, I should get Showoff with cards, unless you can reccomend a better one that teaches card changing. Also what do you reccomend for passing.

If you just want to learn changes - then I'd recommend Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights Volume 7.

It contains these changes (plus loads of other stuff):

The Open Double Deal (Ed Marlo) Color Changes; The Bottom Palm Color Change and variations; The Impossible Color Change; The Malini Color Change; The Erdnase Two-Handed Transformation; Daryl's Multiple Erdnase Two-Hand Transformation; The Fan Cover Color Change (Daryl) and variations; The Spooner Change (Bill Spooner) Switches & Changes; The Mexican Turnover; The Mexican Turnover Top; Change Second Deal (Daryl); The Diminishing Lift (Marlo); The Curry Turnover Change and variations (Paul Curry); Blackjack Cheating Demonstration; The Emergency Change (Daryl); The Push In Change; The Slide (Arthur Buckley); The Kosky Switch (Gerald Kosky); The Tip-Over Change (Jack Merlin) and variations; Han Ping Chien Move with Cards For the Unambitious (Ed Marlo); A Different Top Change (Arthur Buckley); The Throw Change; The Instantaneous Change (Paul LePaul); The Paintbrush Change (Dai Vernon) and variations; The Snap Over Change and variations; The Marconick Change and variations.


I can't recommend SOWC for anything to be honest - it slaughters a lot of the moves.

What sort of pass do you want to learn? There are so many? Complete books and videos have been written on just the classic pass.

I want to learn all types of passes.

Is there a trailer anywhere of Daryl's Encyclopedia Volume 7?

Matt -

You're not looking in the right place if you want to learn color changes and passes. The two are both card sleights, and you're not going to find them on any flourish DVD.

Have you heard of Oz Pearlman's Born to Perform? Try searching for it, there are many threads on it, and it's a great DVD.

kati

Matt

Both Nubin and Kati have given sound advice here and as an owner of SOWC, I can confirm that you won't just pick up a decks, switch on the DVD and be able to perform.

The changes that you refer to are in the advanced sections of the DVD so unless you are experienced at handling cards, you;ve got a lot to do before you get to these.

I'm not being rude on this next bit:


All I want to know is:

A DVD that will teach me how to Card Switching.
A DVD that will teach me passes, fake passes, shuffling, fake shuffling.

I know that I won't be able to pick up a deck and perform them, but I've been watching a few of stevebo's showoff films and I can do some of the moves just by watching him. So I think I'll be okay.

Not being rude, but you're not using standard terminology so it's a bit difficult to understand what you're after.

When you say card switches do you mean card/colour changes? If so, Daryl volume 7.

matt27689 wrote:A DVD that will teach me passes, fake passes, shuffling, fake shuffling.

What do you mean by fake passes? All passes are fake?

Other DVD's in the Daryl series will cover some of this as will Allan Ackerman Card Control's series. But you're not going to get everything you want on one DVD.

To be honest, we might be able to advise you better if you state where you're trying to get to - at the moment you're learning a weird combination of sleights which is all well and good but if you're trying to get into card magic generally (apologies if you're not a beginner, it's just the language you used is suggesting that!) we can suggest better ways of doing this.