Title: Pulse Rate
Author: Matt Mello
Publicist: Penguin Magic
Link: http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/2742
Retail Price: $10.00
Reading Difficulty: Easy
Features:
• Downloadable PDF

Imagine having a spectator take their pulse in the middle of a show. Imagine them telling you what their pulse count is. Imagine what it would be like to hand them a sealed envelope, inside a prediction matching their exact pulse count! No billet switches, no nail writers, and nothing gaffed with the envelope, paper, or indexes. This is Pulse Rate by Matt Mello!

It’s a rare occasion when such a bloody simple idea creates such a powerful experience for the spectator, and what Matt has done with his Pulse Rate is just that. Pulse Rate is a simple method, with a powerful presentation without the need of all the fancy tricks, bells, and whistles that other mental prediction tricks rely on. Seriously, when you read the method you’ll be asking yourself why you didn’t think of it first. It’s that simple.

The PDF, like his other PDFs available through Penguin magic, is laid out in script format. That means you get very little flavor text. Matt just jumps into what the performance looks like, word for word until you get to the portion where he explains why it works. This is a wonderful little bit of mentalism, and as such is dependent on your presentation skills. While Matt’s PDF gives you a script to work from, I would have liked to at least see his presentation of the trick for a live audience. Maybe he could have included a link to a privately hosted video or two? A live performance isn’t necessary, but it certainly couldn’t hurt any.

The beautiful thing about Pulse Rate is that it can be used just about anywhere. It’s one of those effects you could set up ahead of time, put it in your wallet, carry it with you, and always have a miracle at your hand should you ever need one! Street magic, close up magic, parlor, or stage, it’s a wonderful opener that really sets the stage for other mentalism or physical type effects.

Simple to perform, quick to master, and cheap to afford! Honestly there isn’t a good reason why you shouldn’t get a copy of this trick. Well done Matt!

When I give my product scores below I am measuring them on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 Being absolute the worst score possible, and 10 being the absolute best, making a score of five average. The four points that I grade upon is Product Quality, Teaching Quality, Readability and Overall Quality.

Product Quality: 8
Cleaver trick, and a fair price.

Teaching Quality: 8
The PDF gives you a solid script to work with, I just wish he would have included a live performance video link.

Readability: 9
A quick read. 10 minutes with the PDF and you’ll have practical material you’ll be doing for years to come.

Over All Quality: 9
Great trick! Certainly went into my wallet for street shows. The extra notes on performance also give a few other gems of ideas to help make the performance more potent.

Great review, Draven. I have emailed a few times back and forth with Matt, but have no other connection or reason to be biased. This is a very clever piece that is as simple and great as it sounds. I bought it and it makes me sick I did not think of this. I immediately had to try this out on whomever I could. It is excellent

I would be glad to share my application of this to anyone who likes. Simply be prepared to provide proof (I will explain in the PM). I have Matt's permission to share my take on his great effect.

Regards,

Sean

Thanks guys!

Everyone who has enjoyed, and is using Pulse Rate, should definitely get in contact with Sean! His presentation is well worth checking out, and gives you a little extra mileage out of the effect, due to some very nice psychological subtleties/suggestions!

Matt

Hey guys,

Wanted to share a quote that I received today...

"I just read through the effect & method - I love it. The simplicity of the method allows you to layer the deception, making it almost impossible to reverse engineer. Very cool!" -- Wayne Houchin

Matt

If I may, in what kind of show would you envision performing an effect that requires someone to take his/her pulse? No pun intended, but it seems like it would disrupt the flow.

How many people know how to take their pulse? Do you do it for 15 seconds and multiply the heartbeats by four? Do you go the full minute?

Knowing nothing about the method, I would have to imagine it could be applied in other ways, like how much change to you have in your pocket, etc.

Sounds interesting and bizarre.

Best wishes,

Bobby

p.s. Nice review William. I appreciate you commenting on more than just the effect.

Hey Bobby,

Great question! I find most people know how to find their pulse, and its a simple matter to find someone who can. They only need to take their pulse for fifteen seconds, as most people are naturally used to doing!

The reason for taking the pulse is to connect with the spectator. You can even synch your pulse with the spectators pulse rate before any mind reading. You could also use it before a liar/truth teller routine...as if you're "seeing" their pulse change when they lie. And just the main effect alone of predicting someones pulse rate is very powerful!

And there are definitely other ways that this method can be applied--I mention a few in an addition thoughts section.

Matt

Matt,

Thanks for the feedback.

Bobby

Thanks for that review, William.
I've read the related thread on the Café and even if I believe I know the method, I'LL BUY IT IMMEDIATELY.
Thanks again.

Wolf

Matt tipped this to me a while back when me and him use to session. I remember thinking "wow" when I first heard of it. Then I tried it and said "holy crap." If you want a number prediction that has some serious drama behind it this is it. It's actually in my stand-up show now and it's where I can just present and hardly even have to think. It's a great effect within the show.

Matt's thinking is awesome (and no I'm not saying that becuase we are friends). His methods are usually the simplest was possible to get the desired effect. If you haven't checked out Modern Mentalism 1&2 I really suggest you check it. Some good ones off there that are REALLY overlooked: Coffee Melt, Handy Prediction, Any card at Any Number, his Billet Tear and Dark Arts. A lot of those flew over people but are REALLY good.

Check them out!

I sent two ideas for presentations to Matt dealing with his Pulse Rate:

1.)This could be used for a Mental Epic type routine using the presentation of Romance. You bring up a female and ask her if she remembers the name of her first kiss and the location
it took place in. In the end you explain that kisses, love and romance all are affairs of the heart. You want to end the demonstration with a direct connection to her heart. You do your
pulse rate. Of course, the answer to the pulse rate was your force information for the Mental Epic routine that now allows you to predict the place and name of her first kiss.

2.) I would use this for a magic square. You look at the person and ask them a bunch of questions. Now you quickly form a magic square and ask them to look at all the numbers. You then do your Pulse Rate.... and in this case I would make the prediction higher like 84. Now you explain what the numbers were all about. You tell him that numbers tend to stress people out. They have that memory of being in school and pointed at by the teacher and then having to come up to the board to solve a problem. You were hoping you could stress him out and make his pulse rise to a certain level. It rose to 84. What does that mean? Well, now you show him by pointing out all the ways 84 is added up in that square.

Greg

REALLY like that idea

I was so wrong about this! After reading a review elsewhere I was quite sure about the method. I thought it was just another b****t routine. I am glad I decided to purchase this anyway directly from Matt. He sent me the pdf a few minutes later. While reading the manuscript I couldn't help smiling. Ten minutes later I tried it on my girlfriend. She has no clue at all! Done it twice, once when she was totally relaxed and once after I made her do some jumps. I predicted her pulse perfectly (although the second time I was off by one beat ;-))
This technique allows you to aparently measure people's pulse rates from a distance. I love and I will use this a lot. I love this kind of effect.
The only negative I can find about this effect is that I am not the only one who will be performing this. Please keep this secret to yourself.

Ok...so I am intrigued enough now to acquire it...

My pulse rate increased as I moved thru this thread. Like the Monkey's used to say, "I'm a believer!"

Seriously, I love Matt's stuff.