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Hi, Just a few opinions would be great. My main Interest and Skill in Magic is with Cards, My routines, Moves and overall handling is very confident and well presented. Coins on the other hand is a totally differant story. Ive been studying for a few months now, and just cant seem to get anywhere. Classic Palming has been a big problem, not palming so much, but being able to make my hand look natural. If I do a vanish, my spectator (girlfriend) always knows when im palming a coin and which hand its hidden in.

Where should i go from here? Should i just stick to cards? It seem the magicians i know of, are either good at one or the other. Is it often know of that magicians can be equally good at cards and Coins? Im Keen to learn Coin Magic, but im feeling disheartened by the slow progress ive been making.

Thanks!

Cards and coins are different disciplines, and it can take a while to get good at "the other one". I started off with coins, and it took me a good few years before I could even do a half decent card force

I always say that classic palming is easier to do than it is to teach (and learn). The books always have that diagram with the outline of where the coin should be, but it never quite fits does it? The truth is, we all have different hands (and coins have changed in size and thickness since the books were published) so don't worry about getting it exactly as described. I find the best way to find your best spot for classic palming is to balance it on your fingers, and without using the other hand place it into your palm so that it fits in there snugly. Eventually you'll find the place you can comfortably hold it with your thumb and pinky muscles, and eventually those muscles will strengthen

Just keep practicing it, try keeping it in your hand while doing everyday tasks (not driving!!), and one day it'll click. Also, try not to invite your girlfriend to stare at your hand and spot which hand it's in (as tempting as it is), you have to be in the same league as Teller to be able to pull that one off (and nobody will ever look at your hand anyway)

Should you stick to cards? Hell no. I'm not saying you must learn coins, but variety is the spice of life and all of that. You might find that your strength lies in cards but by no means does that mean you shouldn't do other forms of magic. And by no means does that mean you'll never be good at stuff that isn't cards

It's tricky to do coins well, I've been trying for years and I still can't do a bloody retention vanish. Just don't be disheartened, keep at it. Afterall, the harder you try the better you feel once you nail it, right?

Thanks for a great reply!

kolm wrote:Cards and coins are different disciplines, and it can take a while to get good at "the other one". I started off with coins, and it took me a good few years before I could even do a half decent card force

I always say that classic palming is easier to do than it is to teach (and learn). The books always have that diagram with the outline of where the coin should be, but it never quite fits does it? The truth is, we all have different hands (and coins have changed in size and thickness since the books were published) so don't worry about getting it exactly as described. I find the best way to find your best spot for classic palming is to balance it on your fingers, and without using the other hand place it into your palm so that it fits in there snugly. Eventually you'll find the place you can comfortably hold it with your thumb and pinky muscles, and eventually those muscles will strengthen

Just keep practicing it, try keeping it in your hand while doing everyday tasks (not driving!!), and one day it'll click. Also, try not to invite your girlfriend to stare at your hand and spot which hand it's in (as tempting as it is), you have to be in the same league as Teller to be able to pull that one off (and nobody will ever look at your hand anyway)

Should you stick to cards? Hell no. I'm not saying you must learn coins, but variety is the spice of life and all of that. You might find that your strength lies in cards but by no means does that mean you shouldn't do other forms of magic. And by no means does that mean you'll never be good at stuff that isn't cards

It's tricky to do coins well, I've been trying for years and I still can't do a bloody retention vanish. Just don't be disheartened, keep at it. Afterall, the harder you try the better you feel once you nail it, right?

What he said!

donpisci wrote:What he said!

You mean she

A few months isnt really that long, it can take a while to get it looking natural. If you just keep at it Im sure it'll come to you. There are other moves you can use while you hone your classic palm such as the finger palm (which can look very natural). The thumb palm and various 'clips' can be very handy for many effects aswell.

jim

Certainly stick with the coin stuff. Here is the deal with the classic palm. When starting out (and you really have not been at it all that long) only use the classic palm when you don't need it, that way the pressure is off. Instead use a finger palm.

Take note of your hand position and other peoples hand position when not palming a coin. Take notice when talking, taking notes, talking on the phone. It is amazing what we 'think' is a natural position when we are palming a coin.

Soon you will wonder what was so bloody difficult about it. My wife gets fooled almost everytime when I hand her an object and it is not in my hand. I always get the look, but honestly it works everytime. I laugh, she groans. And it is all about being natural and not worrying about it so much.

Finger palm has the advantage of being able to use a Ramsey Subtlty so you show the guilty hand empty before they even know it is gone. It is a brilliant move.

A back clip is also very handy. Coin in right hand puts in left, (not really) coin is either put in back clip and gestures, palm out to the left fist which opens to show the coin gone. Conversely, coin is placed in left hand (not really) Ramsey subtltiy simply gesturing to left fist, palm of right hand exposed. Left hand opens coin is gone.

What still has to happen however is the coin needs to go somewhere. No matter how much you prove the empty guilty hand eventually it becomes suspect, there is no other option. So you have to make things happen in the off beat. It should go something like this.

Coin is placed in left hand, then shown to be gone

audience reaction: OMG

Now you have to produce the coin before they finish the thought which is:

OMG...where is it?...must be in the other hand!

You have to take advantage of the 'where is it' you also have to keep that moment alive for as long as possible by engaging the audience. It has to be more than;

Look the coin is gone, now it is behind my knee.

Has to be more. It is those moments between that make the magic happen. You are the magic.

The wonderful thing about cards, and I love them the most. Is you can hide behind them. Coins? not so much. I'm not sure why but that is just the way it is.

People like coin magic almost as much as card magic. It is nice to be armed with both. Done to much they both get boring/repetative.

Just keep on working on it and it'll come. As Kolm said, try keeping a coin in the classic palm as you go about yoour day. Play around with different coins and different positions, some coins are easier to start with than others. I found a 2p the easiest when I first started, when I had that mastered, I moved onto smaller coins until eventually I could happily palm a 5 pence piece. It takes time bu keep at it and one day it'll all fall into place.