|
|
BooRadley Regular user Houston Area 176 Posts |
Been interested in some gaffed coin routines so I picked up Troy Hooser's Silver Surf I & II. Gotta tell you, I'm not impressed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the guy isn't talented. He is. And I'm not saying he doesn't have strong routines. He does.
But I find the descriptions to be pretty hard to follow. The illustrations are minimal at best in what appears to be a photocopied sheet and the instructions are quite cumbersome. Lots of references to moves and sleights by people I've never heard of. I have to refer to Bobo and other resources to figure out what the heck his writer is talking about. And still I'm having trouble following. I know a lot of you are high on books over DVD's, but for me, I'm VERY hesitant to go with text instructions for complex digital manipulations in the future. It's much easier to replicate a clandestine move when I've seen it. Even Bobo is a bit obtuse every once in a while. In Bobo's book, other than his basic moves, I find it better to read, digest, put the book away and figure it out from there. Anyway, I'm off text instructions for a while. Might be great for some, but for me, I fear it's a waste of time and money. Love Troy Hooser's work and routines...just don't like--or understand--the instructions in his pamphlets. BooRadley |
Nathan Kranzo V.I.P. 2955 Posts |
Hi Boo,
I've never had a problem with reading the Silver Surf books but make no mistake the material in Troy's booklets is coin magic of the highest order. Somtimes but not always it is pretty advanced coin work. It, like several books on all sorts of magic, is written with the assumption that you have a certain level of understanding in coin magic. I think if you stick with coin magic and read/learn/watch everything you can get your hands on it will help out a great deal. Especially reading books like the Roth book and Kaufman's Coin Magic. Bobo's is fantastic but most of the techniques in Troy's booklets are designed around more current applications of fingertip shell and Flipper work which doesn't really appear in Bobo's. A couple years from now you may look at Troy's work and laugh thinking it gave you trouble. All the best, Kranzo
check out MINDZILLA VOL. 2!!! Brand New Effects. Instant Downloads. Watch Demo Videos. Click below!!!
KranzoMagic.com |
BooRadley Regular user Houston Area 176 Posts |
No doubt you're correct. But it's not so much the "moves" that are challenging me, but the deciphering of the instructions. I'm told to transfer the coins to a spellbound position. Or to execute a Clifton Ring Move. Okay...admittedly it's been me and Bobo since 1977 so I'm not up on all the lingo. If it ain't in Bobo, I don't know the name of it. Again...used to do a lot of magic and just got back into it.
The challenge is not so much executine a procedure...it'd divining what the heck the instructions are. A few more illustrations and some more descriptive instructions and I'd have been happy as a clam. The sleights don't seem that hard or knucklebusting...I'm just having issues figuring out what the heck I'm being told to do. There is a video out for Charming Chinese Challenge and perhaps that's what I'll end up doing. But I'm just a bit frustrated at paying $15 apiece for two photocopied sheets of paper that--in my opinion--don't really explain the moves very well. I think the concept behind the routines is strong, logical and well considered, but the details and particulars of execution are a bit weak. I LOVE the concept and effect of Chinese Charming Challenge by Troy Hooser. I just wish the instruction sheet was more thorough and less arcane. BooRadley |
Nathan Kranzo V.I.P. 2955 Posts |
Hi Boo,
Now it sounds like you are talking about the instructions from CCC. I thought you were talking about the Silver Surf booklets that you referenced in the post above. Spellbound position is where the coin is held at the fingertips similar to that of the French Drop. The Clifton Ring Move is a commonly used sleight used in most ring and string routines. The ring is threaded onto the string and the ring is held in the fist with the ends hangind out of each side. In the action of wrapping each end around the fist the "sneaky move" occurs. I would be surprised if you haven't seen this move executed dozens of times but just didn't know it by name. If you need more help simply PM me or you could always just e-mail Troy. : ) He is a very nice guy and would be more than happy to help. All the best, Kranzo
check out MINDZILLA VOL. 2!!! Brand New Effects. Instant Downloads. Watch Demo Videos. Click below!!!
KranzoMagic.com |
Cory Gallupe Inner circle Nova Scotia, Canada 1272 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-06-14 20:19, BooRadley wrote: I know what you mean. I still havnt gotten throught the book yet, but I did read a bit, and I find it hard to follow. (And it also looks like some guy just photocopied it. Some of the illustrations are a mess...) |
Jess Cone New user 89 Posts |
Hi Boo, I think if you were to augment Troy's pamphlets with his Destroyer's DVD set, it would go along way to clarifying the text. I think having both text and visual instruction would bring his work within range. Jess Cone
|
BooRadley Regular user Houston Area 176 Posts |
I think what I'll end up doing is looking into the Charming Chinese Challenge video because I really think that routine has some nifty potential. But I'm going to pass on the "Destroyers" book for fear it will be more of the same issue I encountered with the pamphlets. I'm sure the DVD version of "Destroyers" is nicely done...but it's a 3 DVD set without CCC and lots of card effects I'm not interested in at the moment.
I did email both Joshua Jay and Troy Hooser, but got no response. Again, I think VERY highly of Hooser's material...but the description of various complex moves in the Silver Surf duo--which includes Charming Chinese Challenge--is the issue. I've read some of the passages over and over and just don't understand the instructions. Beyond the specific references to titled moves, some of the routine instructions are a bit vague and could be interpreted to mean different things. The few faded illustrations on a photocopied page don't help much. The concepts for routines, however, are well thought out, however. Hooser is very good at routines with motivated movements...in other words, there is a reason for making a move, establishing a hand position, etc. That part, I like. Just wish I could get the digital manipulation part more clear. Thanks all for the response. BooRadley |
John Long Inner circle New Jersey 2826 Posts |
Boo
I can understand your concerns(I too have returned to magic only recently). I bought DesTroyers while still new to coin magic - I didn't know a finger palm from a thumb palm. Yet I was able to learn CCC from it. There are sections in the description that I think are just miswritten, but I was able to work my way through, and gained a very nice routine. By reading other sections of his book I was able to learn what these other moves were(spellbound change, and clifton ring move..). I eventually got Ammar's Complete Introduction to Coin Magic, and that was *very* helpfull for learning the basic slights. So, overall what would I recommend now? The book, definetly. Although it took me 4x longer to learn it then, I got many routines for the price of the CCC dvd alone, and I find it more convenient to look at a book than to find the right dvd, find the right Chapter, and then find the right section.. I do think that the beginner needs to see the slight done, either in person or on a dvd, but after that the books seem to be of better value. On occasion, I've PM'd some Café members and they have helped with some slights.
Breathtaking Magic;
Not Breath Taking |
billmonroe Regular user Annapolis, MD 181 Posts |
Get the CCC DVD it is worth the price, plus you get additional ideas from Shoot Ogawa and Apollo Robbins but I can't recommend Troy's book enough. Maybe wait til you are a little more familiar with the terms used, but definitely get the book. Cheers,
Bill |
fbnc Loyal user Memphis 227 Posts |
I too had been out of magic for a long time,got back into it last year
Troy hooser's book Destroyers was one of the first books I purchased. Great book, You won't have a problem following along. Nice illustrations aswell. |
waltsal Loyal user 278 Posts |
The DVD of CCC will give you a much faster learning curve than the book
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Trick coin trickery » » Troy Hooser Pamphlets (1 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |