I have been working on card manipulation for about 3 years, and just recently ran into a problem.

It seems that the cards are slipping out of my pinkey when switching from fans to singles. Its almost like my hand have become crippled all of the sudden. It really urgs me because its a big part of my skill for my act I plan to compete with soon.

Any Advice?

Chaz

I think losing the pinkey grip is a typical problem the first time most of us tried producing singles. At least, I remember when I first started (more than 40 years ago) it was one of my stumbling blocks as well.

I'm not sure if the following technique is unique with me or not, but I offer it for your consideration:
1. I think most manipulators produce singles by using the thumb to reach between forefinger and second finger to pull on the lower index corner of a card so that the corner between the little finger and ring finger is freed first. Then the freed card is pulled between forefinger and second finger and then into view.
2. When I produce singles, my thumb reaches _over_ the forefinger and presses down on the card to free the index corner (between first finger and second finger) first. But instead of immediately pulling the card into view, I let the natural "springiness" of the card straighten it just a little so that the index corner is actually pressing against the forefingernail.
3. The thumb now pulls the card into view. In this way I also find that the card is held pernedicular to the fingers with the bottom edge of the card extending below all four fingers, thus hiding the corners per Ganson's recommendation so that the corners of the remaining cards are hidden from view.
4. In a sense, the card is pulled not just over the fingers, but _around_ the fingers as well.

If you view my card routine on the web at
http://members.cavtel.net/parmenides/cardmanip.mov
you can click on the pause button when the singles productions begins and then (using the right arrow on your keyboard) move frame by frame through the video to see what I mean. (Note also the unorthodox production of the last card in the singles production. That's a knack I picked up after seeing a publicity photo of Del Ray in Wilfrid Jonson's _Magic Tricks and Card tricks_ reprinted by Dover. Years later when I saw Del Ray do his stage act, I was mystified by his electronic magic but a little disappointed that his card manipulations was limited to some pressure fans and other flourishes as the intro to his rising cards.)

While we're on the subject of producing singles, I'm curious if anyone on this discussion group does what I think is called the "Perfect Card Production" from one of Frank Garcia's books. I remember seeing Sakoh of Japan do it in the IBM stage competition back in the 70's. I also saw Frank do it in a lecture in Washington, DC. I can't remember if Jeff McBride covered it in his card manipulation videos or not. But it really is a nice feat of magic. (Speaking of Sakoh, I remember all of us contestants warming up backstage before the contest began, and when I saw Sakoh spread the cards along his arm for what I thought would be the standard toss and catch, he shocked all of us when it looked like he was going to toss the cards and catch them, but instead they visibly changed to a silk!!! That was MAGIC!

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez

Amando "Sonny" Narvaez

I used the Cardini single productions. The thumb reaches over between the index and middle finger releasing the pinky grip first then pulls the card through.

I have never heard of a production in which you reach over the index finger and release the index grip first.

I am downloading quicktime so that I can check out your card manipulation video.

Thanks for sharing your insight, and hopefully quicktime will download correctly so I can view your video.

Chaz

Very nice card manipulation!

I was able to view it frame by frame, but still couldn't determine exactly how that production worked.

Chaz

The pinky problem is a common problem for most card manipulators when they start out with card manipulation. The best way to overcome it is through practice. It is only through practice that the pinky is strengthen and will be able to do better.

I switched back to the Bee Brand and have solved the problem

Thanks for the insight!

Chaz