What's your favorite method for a double-L get ready? Curious to know everyone's options and opinions on this? Thanks!

myn would be pinky count its a great move once you mastered it

Niels

I think a lot depends on what you've done right before and your personality/style. I think most any "get readies" can be covered by good mis-direction. Engage the person with something else to think about other than the "get ready" action. It can be done through conversation, pulling your pants down, a gesture, etc. I'm by no means the best or even very good at this (except for pulling my pants down), but it works every time. So I guess my "favorite method" is misdirection...followed closely by pantsing myself.

Well, the best get-ready at any particular moment depends on the context, and since you didn't supply a context...

Working from a squared deck, for example, there's the pinky count, or one can do a slight push off and retraction. There's also lowering the deck from beneath the top two cards to create a break.

If you're picking up cards from the table and replacing them on top of the deck, it's usually best to get your break as the cards are put there rather than squaring up and doing a pinky count afterward.

If one is inserting cards into the middle of the deck at the moment, one can do a pinky count to set up for a double or even do a thumb count under cover of the other cards and the right hand (assuming you're right handed) and transferring the break to the little finger.

If a card is being selected, one can spread and slightly injog the third card while having a card removed from the middle. In squaring up, push down on the injogged card to get your break.

If picking up a spread of cards from the table, use your right thumb to injog the third card as you sweep them up.

If displaying cards one by one, take each one by its lower right corner and show it face toward the spectator, taking each new card on the face of the previous one. Step or jog the third card, though, so that after the displays, you can get a break beneath two at your convenience.

Under patter, take off and show the top card as you push off the next card with your left thumb, retract it, and get a break. Then replace the card you took off.

If toying with the deck, there are all kinds of alternatives. For instance, dribble the cards softly from hand to hand, but hold the last card back with your right hand for a second. Just before you let this last card fall, use your left thumb to quickly injog the top card of the deck. Let the last card coalesce. Use your left little finger to push up on the injogged card to get your break as you square the cards.

Etc., etc., etc. …

Cheers!


Lance

Well, that about covers this post!! Well done Lance. I thoroughly enjoy your posts. Please keep it up!

Hello people,
I prefer to not use a get ready and do an instantaneous DL.
I wasn't sure about this when I first saw it (Daryl),but after some practice it's now my method of choice.
One of the best get ready moves I have seen is on Gregory Wilson's 'Pyrotechnic Pasteboard' DVD.
He uses it on his Ambitious card routine and it is a great single-handed get ready.

DavyBoy.

Lance, explanations like yours are what keep me coming back to the Magic Café. Thanks for such a thorough answer!

Thanks, Rowdy!

DavyBoy brings up a good point in that there are ways around getting ready at all. There are strike (or "hit") double turnovers and double push-offs. Personally, I think any form of hit double turnover is to be avoided, but that's just personal opinion.

The only drawback I've seen to a pure double push-off is that there's a minor moment where the performer pauses or pushes very slowly at the first before pushing the cards at a more normal speed…usually to make sure only two cards are moving. I think it would be hardly noticed by most people (it's often very subtle) but I've never seen a "two-push offer" who didn't do it. However, it's quite viable.

On the other hand, just about every get-ready has a tip-off of some kind, too. Splitting hairs and trading off…six o' one, half dozen o' the other…

Cheers!


Lance

I use Daryl's get ready off his Ambitious Card video, but you have to do it exactly like he does.

Aaron fisher bourhgt up this topic about hit double on the magic radio show, much to Ashers disliking ! See, Aaron thinks, like me that your sleight should happen in an instant, hit doubles don't do that. If you prepare a breakm then turn over when the time is rght. But this very rigid forefinger movement and delay in the turnover suggests something fishy.

Watch a video or what ever, you will see the top card come up and the fore finger will go all tense and, although you will see nothing, the finger just hangs there and it is very un natural. As Aaron says, tension is not a good comapanion for any card worker.

As for d/l get readies I've seen and practised quite alot, and my favourite get ready would have to be from the first few pages of expert card technique. It is an effective way to count for doubles triples or quadrupuls. But, I know alot of people don't like this because "you don't need two hands to hold pieces of paper". But I feel a relaxed state ( see Gary Kurtz Mis Direction and Direction notes for active and relaxed states) then there will be no suspicion, and they wont even notice that two hands are holding the pack.

And of course, never forget the second deal My favourite being the master method from the Phantom at the Card Table I believe from Mr McQuire himself

While my deck hand is in motion or thru other misdirection, thumb count two cards and walk the break around to either the outside upper or lower corner (depending on what DL I'm going for). Always done one-handed.

Cheers!

I personally use DLs without get-readies. I like double push-overs, but I'm partial to the strike DL because there's nothing to get caught on. I've worked on that DL for so long now that it's natural--almost exactly like I would normally turn over a card (Although I normally would push the card over a little and then turn it over, hence the double push-over DL).

Although not the most practical DL of all time, one of my favourite DLs is the Snap DL (Larry Jennings). It feels great to do, it's one-handed, and I love that snap when it goes. It's great for a single card also, but, as I said, this DL is not very practical, because it uses a thumb count (Which cannot really change--the thumb count would be there even for a single card and it's really part of the DL), but I still like it (Although I won't often use it).

The strike, or hit, DLs are, in my opinion, the best when done smoothly. No get-ready, just an instant lift of the cards without hesitation or odd-looking moves.

And the turn over, don't forget the Tamariz Subtlety!!!

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Brother John Hamman's method for the double turnover. It is very natural with no get ready and is very deadly. I would encourage any cardworker to take a look at this wonderful technique.

Take care all

What is the Tamariz subtlety? I'm sorry
I don't know spanish and when people talk
about his stuff I feel left out. Maybe I'll
learn spanish.

I use Brad Burt's get ready and display of the card(s). I've worked on this for sometime (like a good little magician!) and now I mimick the same move to turn over just one card. It's worked great for me.

I just push over a few cards and get the break as I talk. There is no reason to make a "move" out of it. Just be casual. No one's looking to see if you're getting a break (unless their magicians in which case I wouldn't be doing DL effects for them).

I agree with Marko, why make it difficult for yourself?

try to make it as simple as possible which looks natural the most and it will works most of the time.