I am just wondering whether the lack of activity in this section of the forum is an indication of how few people actually use a MD?

I have just memorized the Aronson stack and I am keen to put it to use. Any recommendations for using this tool at walk around gigs would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I do not perform professionally often, but for a walk-around gig I said I would use just one deck and keep it in memorized order. It was easy (I'm lying). Carry two decks, start with both in memorized order, try to maintain one stack. I've heard people say they keep one in mem order and mix the other. The half-stack is a powerful tool, so also keep it in mind.

Take a look at Michael Close's routines in Workers 5 and Closely Guarded Secrets. Most of his memdeck work was designed so that it can reset very quickly.

Good suggestions above.

I'd also recommend the two things I think are very important in this area:

1. A good deck switch (or several) that suits your needs/performance situation, and fits within your set construction.
2. A false shuffle that matches your regular shuffle (the second part of this being most important).

Regarding switches I recommend Roberto Giobbi's book The Art of Switching Decks. It will have what you need.
As for shuffles it depends on how you prefer to genuinely shuffle cards. Learn the false equivalent.

Greg

Try the Impossible by Simon Aronson has several effects that don't disturb the nature of the deck; this is very conducive to walk around MD work. I use a MD in my walk around.

We miss Dennis Loomis. Always kept this section moving.

I love the Aronson books and have them all. The effects at the end of Try the Impossible are all excellent, don't require memorization (though it helps speed things up), and have explicit reset instructions. Just memorizing the Aronson stack myself so I haven't jumped in the men-deck effects in Simply Simon or the stack-independent ones in Card Ideas (in Bound to Please).

Love Aronson's work. I know the mem-deck cognoscenti seem to go with Tamariz, but I find Simon's oeuvre much more accessible.

Les

Les,

I'm not certain that this is entirely correct.

It is my understanding at least that, as a group, the Europeans might favor the Tamariz Stack and, as a group, the Americans (and possibly the Canadians?) might favor the Aronson Stack. I too own all of the Aronson books (and love them all) and, for completeness, I also finally recently purchased Tamariz' "Memonica" book. I'm anticipate that I'm going to enjoy looking through the "Memonica" book and reading (and learning?) some of his "stack independent" effects.

That said, I'm definitely not interested in learning the Tamariz Stack primarily to be able to place a Tamariz stacked deck into NDO nor am I interested in learning any faro shuffles if such might also required to accomplish this NDO feat.

As you can tell, I'm a "stack independent" kid of guy and am not particularly enamored with most "stack dependent" effects. I'm happy to read about (and possibly) try out any effect from either set of books (or any other mem deck books) that is not "stack dependent" upon a particular stack...be it Aronson or Tamariz...or otherwise.

BTW, welcome to the Magic Café. Like you, I really like the Aronson books. They are extremely well-written and Simon's lawyerly attention to detail is very evident. If you'd like, PM me regarding mem deck work and any of the Aronson mem deck effects you really like. I'd be happy to brainstorm with you in such regards.

Best,

Mike

The Aronson Stack has been a real friend to me over the years, none better in my opinion.
For starters, put the time in to master these two routines and I promise they will last you a lifetime, seriously everything about both routines is mind-blowing to your audience...
1. Any Card at Any Number by Barrie Richardson, Theater of the Mind (Book)
2. Photographic Memory Routine by Looch, Simple and Direct (Book), Your Thoughts are Mine (DVD)
Then do a deck switch after either and perform Extreme Mental Effort by Derren Brown from Devil's Picture Cards (DVD)...master these three things, take your time, enjoy it and focus on perfection with your audience.

Cheers,
Paul.