Well, I'm new and quite interested in magic, though I don't think I'd want to do it as a career (but maybe as a part-time kind of thing). I can do some really basic card tricks (self-working ones, like pick a card and tell me which row it's in, I'll re-order the cards, tell me what row it's in again, and I'll show you your card stuff), so I'd like to learn some more advanced stuff (including backpalming cards, which I am currently trying).

Anyway, I've searched the forums but I can't really find any tips on how to practice backpalming (I've seen videos on how it works, but they only explain what to do, not how to practice). I don't have any magic books or DVDs (except a few easy card trick books), but I am going to look some up at the local libraries and book stores in the next few weeks. For now, I'll just seek advice here. Any help is greatly appreciated, and please correct me if I didn't post this in the correct place.

Welcome to this forum . . .

I would like recommend Mark Wilson's Course in Magic to get some basics and a better idea. Please use the search engine to read more about it.

Andy

Hi,

Andy gave a good example. Mark Wilson's Course in Magic is really a good book. You must read it many many times.

magicially yours,

Nedim Guzel

Except I can't find back-palming in my copy of Wilsons !

I wouldn't get hung up on back palming. If you are a beginner, I would concentrate more on Passes, false Counts, false shuffles, DL's and maybe some forces. Practice the sleights that you will actually use. FYI, I know Tarbell vol. 2 covers back palming. Tarbell Vol.s 1 and 2 will be a good start for you.

Jeff McBride has videos out with manipulation moves like back palming. If you have seen how it is done, then the practice is simple, you take a deck of cards and go through them one at a time trying to back palm them. Do it slow, until you are not dropping many cards, then gradually speed it up. When I learned many moons ago, I just kept a deck with me, when watching TV or doing some other largely idle thing and kept going through the deck, continuing to backpalm the same card until I dropped it, then take the next and so on, running though the deck, then pick up all the cards and start over. It takes a few weeks to get it down well, but eventually you will.

Early in my study of magic I got caught up in learning the back palm and it's applications. My first introduction was in Henry Hays "Amateur Magicians Handbook I believe. I read books on Houdini & how he was dubbed "The King of Cards" with all those fancy card productions and manipulations. I believed that this was "real" magic. I got pretty proficient with the back palm when I was young even with coins (Thomas Nelson Downs was a fav with me). But then I discovered. magicians such as Dai Vernon, Harry Lorayne, Ed Marlo who specialized in SOH for close-up magic/miracles. I discovered that this was more to my liking. Well, today I rarely do any back palming with cards as I found out it's limitations (I have arthritis and that's the real reason why I don't do it anymore LOL). Don't get me wrong but I still enjoy a good act like the great Cardini performed, it's just not my kind of thing. But, the world is made up of diversity and uniqueness and we are all in it for entertainment and self fullfillment, to each his own. What I'm saying is don't get caught up with just one thing, learn all that you can and have a taste of what the whole realm of Magic has to offer. There are limitations to everything that you learn about this venerable art, but the imagination has no limitations, it is mor important than knowledge IMHO.
Cardamagically,
<<<KRaZy4KaRdZ>>>

Jeff McBride does, http://www.yourmagic.com/catalog/index.p......4da488be

Ahh, thank you all for the feedback. I like that idea of going through a deck of cards, though I'd probably go through it very quickly (drop them quite often ). As for the books, I will look into them (especially that Mark Wilson one), and I also believe I have several books with false shuffles and things so I will read them up again. Thanks!

Great - keep us updated of your progress . . .

I would agree with Photius Jeff McBride is a great teacher on manipulations I learned all my card stuff from his dvd's. And as far as the back palming goes you need to set aside about 4 hours and just do it over and over (may I suggest a long car ride maybe) eventually it will just click, then you have to start all over with two cards and so on

I remember a game that came out in the seventies. The advertisements for the game had the tag line "a minute to learn, a lifetime to master."

Backpalming playing cards is similar. It's not hard learn with a little practice, but to master it, especially with multiple cards, takes years. IMHO there are few people who really make it look magical.

The Cardini method??? in front and back palm?? Cardini is cardini. But,and however
the production of his front palm the card remains a bit hidden by the thumb in the open hand,I like to make it appear in my upper thumb and forefinger tips
making more visible to the audience.

I simply cannot backpalm to save my life, I will learn to work around it, and have fun with what I CAN do.

Backpalming is mentioned in "Expert at the Card Table", and although there are better ways to backpalm, it's a good starting point. Besides, if you want to do anything with cards I always recomend EATCT. Just my humble opinion.

Royal Road to Card Magic? Not much on backpalming to the best of my recollection, but possibly the best place to start on cards. Unless productions and flourishes are the only things you want to do, I wouldn't have thought that backpalming is the best place to start with card magic. If it is, then you can't go wrong with Jeff McBrides Art of Card Manipulation DVD series.

Scott