This isn't a move by move explanation. I just wanted to see what others include in their card routine (not moves just the flow).

I start off producing a four color fanning deck from a hat. Color changes, multiple fan displays, four color display and a few flourishes. Then I move into fan productions. Dropping the cards into the hat.

Once that deck is exhausted, I produce a powdered Bee deck and the music changes. A lot of card juggling follows— arm spreads, waterfalls, and some more flourishes. I spring the cards into the hat and begin single productions, produce two fans and do diminishing cards. A few more fan productions and close with McBride's Double Jumbo Climax Fans. I hope to add jumbo manipulations but cannot find a good enough finale.

The theme is a power struggle between the cards and myself. The hat tries to help but eventually the cards win.

Joe

This is funny timing for the question, because I began this weekend designing a new manipulation routine. I have the intro section about hammered out, but may change.

The running effect I want is that my hands are always empty, so I will rely on loading and misdirection a lot. I am also writing the music for the routine, which allows me to choreograph both the music and moves so they work together for maximum effect. For the music style I have chosen romantic Spanish guitar, which I believe works beautifully with a slower pace manipulation routine. It will encompass cards, jumbo coins, billiard balls, and fire.

The one issue I'm struggling with is that the jumbo coins make so much noise as they are appearing that I have to crank the romantic guitar music to Van-Halen concert levels to cover the clinking.

Michael

Michael,
I really like your choice, re: the music. I can really see that working well. I'm interested what type of billiard balls you use. Wooden, Fakini, etc. Also, where could I find a good jumbo coin routine in print or on tape? Thanks for any suggestions.
Jim

"I'm interested what type of billiard balls you use. Wooden, Fakini, etc."

I use both Fakini and Vernet. I may attempt to go from billiard balls to candles, in which the Fakinis would probably work better. (I havent tried candles before, so I'm new to the idea.)

My other route is to go from manipulation balls to a zombie ball production, and then into a short zombie routine. Since I have a Vernet zombie ball, I would probably use the Vernet manipulation balls if I did the zombie production since they match.

"Also, where could I find a good jumbo coin routine in print or on tape?"

That's a good question. I have Jeff McBride's World Class Manipulation Videos enroute to me now, and they are supposed to have some jumbo coin work on them. I have a very clean two jumbo coin production that I discovered just by messing around, but I particularly need some ideas on the jumbo coin vanish. Michael Rubenstein has a jumbo coin vanish on his knockout coin magic video set, and I may be able to incorporate the "idea" of it somehow into my routine.

Michael

I am going to do a card production, colour change, and vanish routine by producing some cards, changing their colour and then vanishing them.

If memory serves me right I believe that Dave Neighbors has a jumbo coin manipulation video out. Dave does some great stuff with jumbo coins. He posts here all the time as "coinjuror".

:angry:

I start of with a four card sequence, then I bring out a deck and do some split fans and singles. I finish that deck with a fan in both hands. As I am ditching the last fan, I steal another deck, do some card spinning (I catch in my hat), some more productions, split fans, mercury productions, and I end with cards from mouth. (I am hoping to get a card fountain very soon to end with.)

Garrett Thomas does some amazing stuff with jumbo coins. Check out "Any Questions?". Big Coin, Little purse will crush you.

Here is a copy of a recent post of mine on this subject. This routine was performed on stage as part of a 25 minute program:

1. Cane and top hat to table
   
2. Deck rises from cardcase
   
3. 4 color changes using 4 methods plus a fancy one handed cut
   
4. Springing card flourishes and arm spread with toss and catch
   
5. Spin cards from deck with catch in deck and two cards spin out at once with catch in each hand. Spin one or two cards into audience.
   
6. Cardini Singles
   
7. Fan productions: LePaul Instantaneous Palm Flourish, my own Left Pivot Palm steal and fan from fan production, LePaul Card Fan Fourish
   
8. Perfect Palm Singles Production followed by fan
   
9. Split fans, acquitment, fingertip production from front palm
   
10. Fan Vanish and Production
    
11. Simultaneous Right Splits and Right Cardini singles with left Snap Production
    
12. Left hand spin cards into hat (my own "short distance spinner"), more singles and final fan production.
    
13. Hat brought out to edge of stage and held high in the air while card fountain sprays cards into audience.

I have evolved this routine over many years and and it runs less than 4 minutes. I frequently practice this as a daily workout to keep my hands conditioned. By the way I use both the Marlo method of split fans as well as occasionally the Ganson method just to mix things up a bit.

Do any of y'all do card manipulations in your opening, do other tricks, then go back to card manipulations? Or is this considered not to be good technique? I was thinking about about taking off my golves in the opening, doing split fans, then proceed to gloves to flowers etc. Then go back to cards later. Or is it better to put all your card manipulations in one part of your act?

Why don't you get the book:

"Jumbo Coin Manipulation" by Graham Kirk? It has loads of stuff in it! Try it.

Maylor.

As a teenager, I used to open my show with Ganson's card production routine, producing fans and then finally singles. Per Ganson, I wore white gloves and then ditched the gloves and produced a final 25 cards worth of fans and singles. 75 cards in total. I wish I had a film of my old show.

Larry, your routine sounds great! Does sleight of hand help keep your fingers nimble for your work?
Jim

The great thing is this: when wearing white gloves, the back palm position if slipped slightly and the borders protrude through the fingers slightly, they are invisible next to the white of the glove.

Nice ideas you guys have....



Symmatrix

I usually start with single productions, followed by split fan productions, then work my way into the eclipse and million dollar productions. Still trying to get the interlock production though. THAT'S a tough one!

Where can I purchase different color gloves to wear while performing card manipulations?

Silk gloves can be purchased from stores which sell women's scarves, hats, etc.

I am sure they are available in several colors - I once had to search for a purple pair for something I was working on.

Hope this helps,
-Kevin-