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Hey,

I'm learning Elmsley count and while I think it's quite ok at the moment, it's not as natural as I would like it to be. I posted a video of me performing the count on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qekUEjRTDK8" target="_blank

Do you have any suggestions of how I could improve it?

Thanks a lot!

Looks pretty good to me, don't think spectators would notice anything. Maybe just be a little bit more relaxed when you do it, that will make it seem more natural. Good technique though in my opinion.

I'm no expert... I'm part way between being a muggle and being not quite competent yet... but it looked good to me. Nice and natural.
I'll leave any technical issues to others more qualified to comment... not that I spotted any.

Hi there.

Nothing wrong with that. Its not unnatural as such, it just needs a context.

Are you using this in an effect ?


jim

Hi,

Noting wrong with that at all, Laymen wouldnt suspect anything wrong with it.

Deano

I think it looks fine but doing it three times in a row with that single push off between counts looks a little odd. I know its just setting it up for the next count but without any kind of routine it might hint at there being a setup, or something hidden.

The lay folk probably wouldn't know why you were doing it but some might spot that you're doing it and wonder why.

That said a stand up card magician entertained us in a queue in Vegas to advertise his show and he idly cut the cards four or five times before doing the trick, in order to normalise the action so that when it was done later in lieu of a pass, no one thought anything of it.

That aside, I've been trying to improve my Elmsley lately and if it looked as smooth as that I'd be happy.
Subtleties...
When we were taught the Elmsley count we were taught to count on the off beat, so that instead of pacing it around the pulling of the cards, we count and time it around a beat where the cards counted off are held aside. So insead of doing a tick tick tick on the pull pull pull, it's a two step. Pull off, hold aside "One" pull off, hold aside, "Two", and so on That way people see them as being counted off rather than just cycled in the hands.
I do a thing by accident sometimes which I wish I could do more consistantly, where the top corners of the cards counted off spread a little, so that on this holding aside (which directs attention to the counted off pile, not the count itself) the hand clearly holds one card, then two, then three, then four. This only works with cards that have a white border on both sides (like bikes) on bee cards or the cards used EVERYWHERE in Vegas, where the pattern on the back goes all the way to the very edge, this would be a hindrance instead of a help.

But none of that should detract from the original statement, it's very very good. I'm a firm believer that anything can be improved, and I imagine you're similarly inclined which is why you asked in the first place.

-Stacy

That is fine, no real problems there.

Nothing wrong with that at all.

(I believe the card adjustment was just so that he could show us his technique a few times)

Have you learned any effects using the elmsley?

Alec

If you Jordon after you can practise both without needing to adjust

Alec Kobain wrote:Nothing wrong with that at all.

(I believe the card adjustment was just so that he could show us his technique a few times)

Have you learned any effects using the elmsley?

Alec

Hi, thanks! I haven't learned any effects with elmsley yet, but I would like to learn this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GHPMCdaNg8" target="_blank" target="_blank" . I can do most of it, but there's one thing I'm unsure about. At the beginning just before he starts counting off the aces he clearly gets a double break "4,3,2 break some_card break rest_of_the_deck". But how does he get that break? It seems as if he just separated the correct number of cards with his other hand without looking, but that's quite difficult to do.

The4thCircle wrote:I think it looks fine but doing it three times in a row with that single push off between counts looks a little odd. I know its just setting it up for the next count but without any kind of routine it might hint at there being a setup, or something hidden.

The lay folk probably wouldn't know why you were doing it but some might spot that you're doing it and wonder why.

That said a stand up card magician entertained us in a queue in Vegas to advertise his show and he idly cut the cards four or five times before doing the trick, in order to normalise the action so that when it was done later in lieu of a pass, no one thought anything of it.

That aside, I've been trying to improve my Elmsley lately and if it looked as smooth as that I'd be happy.
Subtleties...
When we were taught the Elmsley count we were taught to count on the off beat, so that instead of pacing it around the pulling of the cards, we count and time it around a beat where the cards counted off are held aside. So insead of doing a tick tick tick on the pull pull pull, it's a two step. Pull off, hold aside "One" pull off, hold aside, "Two", and so on That way people see them as being counted off rather than just cycled in the hands.
I do a thing by accident sometimes which I wish I could do more consistantly, where the top corners of the cards counted off spread a little, so that on this holding aside (which directs attention to the counted off pile, not the count itself) the hand clearly holds one card, then two, then three, then four. This only works with cards that have a white border on both sides (like bikes) on bee cards or the cards used EVERYWHERE in Vegas, where the pattern on the back goes all the way to the very edge, this would be a hindrance instead of a help.

But none of that should detract from the original statement, it's very very good. I'm a firm believer that anything can be improved, and I imagine you're similarly inclined which is why you asked in the first place.

-Stacy

Thanks! I like your suggestions, especially counting off the beat.

What effect are you doing where the cards are being counted out loud ?

Zero11 wrote:this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GHPMCdaNg8"

Oh now I like that.
This looks a lot more complex than the one Elmsley type trick I know (WTF) but honestly I think this one is really nice. It's got the same *jaw on floor* impact when A-2-3-4 is counted down and adds the aces being in the main deck as a kicker.
Might have to look more closely at this one.