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JakeThePerformer wrote:
Why/how would a magician use cold reading?

Cold reading can be used to great effect in close up magic to add extra meaning and resonance to a routine, and to give a routine a reason to exist. Cold reading helps close up magic become about the spectator and the wonder of their mind rather than a series of "look how clever I am" effects that often defines traditional close up. Admittedly it can be difficult to incorporate cold reading into a sponge bunny routine or similar, but its by no means impossible. Personally I find that card magic and cold reading go very well together.

I also firmly believe that being able to offer palm readings (and perhaps other forms of oracle) should be in any magicians armoury.

Cold reading when used correctly is life affirming, positive, upbeat, and gives magic depth and meaning. Using cold reading does not mean you are going to fleece the old lady up the road out of her life savings.

For further details see the big white box in my signature. Thank you.

Robbie wrote:

Magick wrote:It has got to be Equivoque/Magicians choice for me. It always goes down well.

I love Docc Hilford's "streamlined" equivoque technique. It can be done anywhere, any time, with whatever comes to hand, and it works equally well as a straight prediction of the future, a sort of mind/personality reading, or an application of subliminal influence -- however you want to handle it.

Hilford says he likes to ask the spectator to select and gather up the objects himself, anything from 5 or 6 to maybe 20 or so items, and lay them out. This provides an extra flourish: "you chose the things yourself, they're not my things, you arranged them yourself, I never even touched them". It also gives him time to write the prediction while the spectator is still fetching items, which can become a memory of the prediction being written even before the stuff was selected.

It's the Hilford version that I use, his thinking is absolutely brilliant. I like to do it with coins of different demoninations (1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p & £1). When the spec ends up with say the 10p and opens up the prediction it gives me ample opprtunity to get ready for a coin bend. It always goes down an absolute treat.

Docc's E'voque is definitely cool. I had the pleasure of being involved in a performance of his E'voque technique where I selected the item, and another audience member found my selected object. It was a thing of beauty!

themagicwand wrote:

JakeThePerformer wrote:
Why/how would a magician use cold reading?

Cold reading can be used to great effect in close up magic to add extra meaning and resonance to a routine, and to give a routine a reason to exist. Cold reading helps close up magic become about the spectator and the wonder of their mind rather than a series of "look how clever I am" effects that often defines traditional close up. Admittedly it can be difficult to incorporate cold reading into a sponge bunny routine or similar, but its by no means impossible. Personally I find that card magic and cold reading go very well together.

I also firmly believe that being able to offer palm readings (and perhaps other forms of oracle) should be in any magicians armoury.

Cold reading when used correctly is life affirming, positive, upbeat, and gives magic depth and meaning. Using cold reading does not mean you are going to fleece the old lady up the road out of her life savings.

For further details see the big white box in my signature. Thank you.

That, and chicks totally dig it...

kartoffelngeist wrote:
That, and chicks totally dig it...

I understand that palm reading is often referred to as "chic crack". I, of course, would know nothing of such things.

Three pieces, these are the cleanest most impressive impromptu pieces that do not require any gimmicks.

Derren Brown - Lift (Pure effect) A hypno effect where you create a rapport with a subjects arm.

Banachek - Pk Touches (PK Touches) A means to making a subject feel you have touched them without going near them.

Peter Turner - Mind Plant (Devious Realities) A subject thinks of an image (never writes it no preshow) and you draw it.

These effects are clean and I use these to get my bookings for venue all surefire, simple but mind blowing!

Klangster1971 wrote:

Barefoot Boy wrote:In impromptu situations I KILL with the Centre Tear!

I'm still conflicted about the Centre Tear - It just seems too obvious. Why would you get somebody to write something down only to then tear it up? I can see the justification in getting someone to write something down "so you don't change your mind or forget it" but then I have never seen the justification in tearing it up.

I'd love to hear some ideas on it because I fear I'm missing a huge swathe of opportunites by not using the technique (although the Stealth Assassin Wallet is on me at all times, which provides a suitable alternative!)


cheers,


Sean

Sean, an idea I've found that seems to justify it at the time at least, and hopefully when they think back , Is to do a CT on a group. Have one write it down and show it to the person next to them, so that 2 people know what it is. That way I can say it prevents him/her from changing their mind, but also allows me to try and get the word from them if I can't read the first persons mind.

A nice presentation to use for this is Chinese Whispers, 1 Person writes it down, shows another, you take the pieces and tear them up, and then turn around to do the read, whilst you do this you tell them to whisper the word into the next persons ear, and change it for something completely un-related. You can then do some spiel about working back wards, and take a few potshots, because you will have the final word anyway, so a few near misses isn't too bad.

phillipnorthfield wrote:A nice presentation to use for this is Chinese Whispers, 1 Person writes it down, shows another, you take the pieces and tear them up, and then turn around to do the read, whilst you do this you tell them to whisper the word into the next persons ear, and change it for something completely un-related. You can then do some spiel about working back wards, and take a few potshots, because you will have the final word anyway, so a few near misses isn't too bad.

If you do Osterlind's "The Surrounded Slow-Motion Center Tear" you don't need to turn around.

Reviewmagic glad to see mind plant is treating you well and I feel honoured it is in your top 3

Klangster there is no justification for the center tear, I hate the move I agree it makes no sense. There are a million alternatives and I would rather take a random guess at a name from someone mind than use it.

In my second book I have a massive rant about the center tear and I recommend people purchase peek encores by R.Busch. I try avoid the wallets too although they are more justified than the tear the whole process of asking someone to place a billet it into your wallet is a little strange. The book by Busch is amazing and offers so many alternatives!

All my effects are propless, I try to avoid them writing anything down I just ask them to think It and I look at them and reveal what it is. I like clean propless effects that require as little effort as possible so I can play on the presentation!

peter_turner wrote:All my effects are propless, I try to avoid them writing anything down I just ask them to think It and I look at them and reveal what it is. I like clean propless effects that require as little effort as possible so I can play on the presentation!

I'm reminded in a round about way of a Captain Kirk quote from one of the films (dunno which one, not really a big fan): "Why does God need a starship?" In other words, why do you need to have the person write something down, take it from them, tear it up then burn it?

In a suitable presentation I could see it working. Placing ritual or symbolic meaning into the act of writing words down.

People place power in the written word. In early history the act of writing something down gave power to it. Even into later times writing was still a means of power. It was often the church or religion that held control over the written texts, law and religion. Words gave people power. In the practise of candle magic a desire is written down on paper giving power to the wish then the wish is burnt releasing the potential power. I think Craig Browning described a psychic who drew round the sitters hand had them right something inside the hand then centre tear it. There are ways to go with the centre tear, but most draw unnecessary attention to the act of writing. but I'd still rather use a standard switch.

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind."
Rudyard Kipling

I just think using the 'Variable' (or compromise) in such an illogical way no matter how it is presented is daft. I am glad you use a switch, In the Corinda/Annemann days the CT I can see was a justifiable process but it wont cut the mustard in this day and age. (One reason is the amount of children exposing it on youtube)

If an effect is going to have a variable then it should be used somewhere more cleverly placed, be logical and water tight. Taking the billet back is bad enough without tearing it up (I am not saying taking the billet back shouldn't happen, I know it has to be in order to switch or peek just to clarify).

There are so many more clever rouses that can be used to achieve the same goal; the amount of professional performers that have not heard of the king kong or 3 point peek is shocking, but I suppose because these are so well kept they have not been a point for exposure by the little S*its on Youtube and thus I feel privileged knowing the methods.

A very fair way to switch a billet (if its going to be burned) is Cassidy's Mind Razor (they write it, they throw it in the bowl and they light it) its never handled in between by the performer. (But I suppose the bowl is a prop so this effect doesn't count here)

Anyway a favourite impromptu effect I like without props?

Chris Rawlins Two Digit Telepathy its devilishly clever!

Mentalism withot a gimmick. Where. If anyone does find mentalism without a gimmck please get in touch

Thanks
Ej16

If I was totally unprepared and needed something quick and impromptu then .... no grey elephants in Denmark.

simple and totally without gimmicks. Dont even need a pen and paper!

Discombobulator wrote:If I was totally unprepared and needed something quick and impromptu then .... no grey elephants in Denmark.

simple and totally without gimmicks. Dont even need a pen and paper!

Sorry to sound ignorant, but are you being sarcastic