talkmagic.co.uk

Hi..

Not sure if I should post this in the reviews or not..

Anyway.. could someone tell me if these DVDs teach you the sleights as well as the tricks. Basically I'm working through the RRTCM and would like some visual examples to help me on my way.

I already have Kaufman's "Basic Card Techniques" but would like something that explains passes and other sleights in line with what I've read in the RRTCM.

I'm also looking at Kaufman's "On The Pass" and wondered whether this dvd is any good or not (well I suppose it's bound to be, beign kaufman) and will it be helpful to a struggling beginner.

Thanks

Slippery

They teach you the sleights which are required for the tricks. There are other dvds around which teach purely sleights. A good series to consider which will teach both sleights and tricks would be "daryl's card revelations".

The Ammar dvds are excellent, however. Very good value.

I don't have any of these myself, but Daryl's "Encyclopaedia of card Sl;eights" DVDs may be what you're after. No tricks in these as far as I'm aware just the sleights explained and demonstrated.

Also Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights series is good because it works its way up going from easy to hard between volumes 1 and 8. They really do contain a wealth of knowledge.

Re: 'On the Pass'
If all you want to do is learn the pass I personally wouldn't recommend this video/DVD. Kaufmann certainly does teach a lof of useful passes but, for me, he doesn't go into enough detail with any of them to be of much use to a pass beginner. If you really want to learn a pass I would recommend 'Pass With Care' by Pete Cassford which is extremely thorough in it's teaching of a single pass technique. Once you've got a feel for the pass you might feel it's worth buying 'On the Pass' for the many different techniques on it. I just don't think that 'On the Pass' is a 'struggling beginner' DVD. (For the record I own both DVDs. I learned a performance standard pass from Pass With Care and I've never bothered with OtP)
Then there's the question of 'do you really need a pass?'. With a very few exceptions you can find alternatives to the pass (as a control) for most situations and effects. I'm not sure, but I think I'm right in saying none of the effects in the Ammar series use a pass and Daryl is on record as having said that he just doesn't use the pass because there is usually an easier method to accomplish (almost) the same thing.

BTW I would second the vote for the Encyclopedia series as a reference, but I would also add that it's very easy to suddenly realise that you've been practicing and building up you arsenal of sleights for months without actually learning anything that will entertain people. Don't lose track of the fact that sleights are a means and not an end. The good thing about the Ammar DVDs is that you will learn sleights as you need them and not end up learning things that you won't necessarily ever use.

Well thanks everyone..

Charles.. I understand and agree with you totally about learning the sleights required, it's just that I have a few tricks that say "pass the card to the top" or "do this sleight" but don't actually explain how to do the sleight and being a beginner the more I get into this the more I feel bewildered and just overawed by the number of sleights that people suggest I use. Hence my question.

I'm also getting lost in the sheer number of "learn this" dvd and videos that are around so I think the suggestion of getting something with sleigts and tricks is probably the way for me to go at the moment and concentrate on "actually doing something" as you all suggest and then maybe pick up the sleights only dvds to fill in the gaps.

So either Daryl's or Ammar's stuff looks good.

Thanks again for all your help.. it really is appreciated to help me through the sheer volume of stuff available.

Slippery

i thought id chip in....

The Ammar DVDS are in my opinion a great start for anyone learning card magic... each effect is explained in detail and shown from different angles... some of the effects you may never use but theres a lot of stuff on the DVDs that are very good



for the issue of the "pass" DVD i wouldnt bother...there are many ways to achieve what the pass does... but think on it this way...do you think its a good idea to move 51 cards just so you can control 1?

I must admit i practised the pass for a long time to get it to a reasonable standard and i mean classic pass, invisible pass, Hermann pass etc but i have never actually used it in a performance... think along the lines of double undercuts, steals etc instead of the pass.


just my opinion

Have to agree about the pass, it's definately worth being able to do a pass if you take card work seriously but not worth buying a dvd for, when it comes to controlling a single card a good cull or sidesteal is far more usefull. The pass is best used when you are controlling a stack, and even then a good knowledge of false shuffles and cuts will limit the amount of times you will need a pass.

Mark

Thanks Guys..

You see this all started because I got the Lee Asher video (bit advanced but really useful to see how someone does all this stuff properly.. and it gives me something to aim for). Anyway, in the original Cooking video when he demonstrates the false cut the trick around it uses a pass. He riffles through the deck, the spec takes a card, looks at it, replaces it and the rest of the deck are riffled on top (riffled maynot be the correct term here.. sorry.. ) and he sayes "pass the card to the top" and then shows it is.

I watched it again and agian and although I can see something I have no idea how he does it. I really was interested to know (and learn) because it really impressed me. I know I won't be at that standard ever but I just tought "cool !"

Well.. thanks everyone.. you're advice is always appreciated..

maybe one day I'll have all this sussed.

Slippery