Losing all the 'playing cards like a shark' stuff and also any thing that looks like fanning or showing off with the cards, I'd agree with much of the above. The Hindu Shuffle is a good basic way to start learning to control and force cards.

Hey man great list but I think the biddle countis also very useful. And Erdnase color change.
Jonathan Thompson

Thanks for the very useful advice. I would aso recommend learning the spread cull as I think that is probably the easiest method of getting cards to the top of the deck.

I have a variation on the double undercut. It looks cleaner than the DU. PM me if you're interested. When I was beginning I exposed the double undercut so this might be valuable.

Excellent post if I may interject my own list here
1.of course the basics i.e. the mechanics grip the deal the riffle and overhand shuffle
2.the double undercut
3.riffle shuffle to maintain top or bottom stock
4.the double lift (nothing fancy just a simple smooth lift)and the triple lift its less used but its useful in one of my favorite tricks o I suggest it
5.false cut(s)
6.thumb fan or pressure fan
7.tenkai
8.marlo tilt
9.the glide
10.at least 2 or 3 forces (one for each position of the deck)
11.the add on control
it took me about two years of solid practice to get all those moves and now I can do an infite number of tricks (shamefully I don't know more than 10 or 15 tricks). For those of you who are REALLY new to magic the tenkia is a method of palming a card whilst still allowing use of that hand (to an extent)well I hope I have helped

Hey!

I bought some cards by Bicycle ( poker cards, 52 cards, red ). do you think it's a good choice? thanks
:kermit:

I personally love bikes. Before I got into magic we got like a 24-pack, and that's kept me going for a long time. But yes, I think Bicycle is a great choice.

Congratulations for the list.
I started at magic a year ago, and this list is very helpefull, now I can see what did I miss,thank you very much.

Geoff, thanks for what sounds like very good advice. I have at least two questions:

(1) Regarding the Double Lift, what do you mean by "the basic method?"

2. What do you mean by "slop shuffle?" The slop shuffle I know is one used in tricks to apparently get the cards all mixed up, some faceup and others facedown, but in fact they're not really that mixed up at all, and can easily be put right and shown to be all faceup or all facedown.

Is that the slop shuffle you mean? Can that be used to maintain full deck order? Or is there some other "slop shuffle?" If so, where could I read about it?

I apologize if these are dumb questions. But, you have helped a lot of people here. Thanks again. -

Jep, some very good posting around here
I am not sure what is ment with the Slop Shuffle,and for the double I think there are several methods that are good if you are just getting started.

For example the Dai Vernon double. The method taught in Expert Card Techniques or the instantanious DL( Dr. Jacob Daley)

If you are getting stuck on the double I have heard that Wilson vhs is very good on the subject and where I learned it from ( and what I can really recommend) is Daryl's Encyclopedia of Card Sleights. I know that the set is extremly expensive (I think. It still hurts in my wallet). And If you think that it's just too much maybe try out volume 5 as it teaches doubles.

Oh well got to run

Thanks everyone for the posting!

Really great info Geoff! I wish I would have started out learning all of the basic sleights instead of just tricks.

-Blake-

To start off with I got hold of a few good books and learned the basic sleights. The lists above are a really great starting point for anyone involved in magic. Obviously everyone's tastes are different but by learning these sleights it gives you a much better grounding for all types of card magic.

Personally I use a hit lift for a double, found it the easiest and most natural looking for me.

I would add one other thing that nobody has mentioned here. That is PRESENTATION. Don't try to learn too many tricks and/or sleights all at once. Make sure that each thing you learn has a purpose, that is, that you have a trick for every sleight or move you learn and vice-versa. The sleights, moves and subtleties are useless without something to use them in. Forcing a card for the sake of forcing a card is useful only as practice.

Learn a few good tricks, and by good presentation, make them into good magic. Good magic does not have to be difficult to do. In fact, good magic MUST NOT be difficult for you to do. It must be as easy to do as breathing.

So you need to practice.

To give you some insight into presentation, I recommend that you get Henning Nelms' book Magic and Showmanship, a Handbook for Conjurers. It's as relevant now as it was when it was written.

If you follow the principles in it you will be able to entertain people with your magic.

A point of view on "finger flinging" card moves.

When we show somthing magical with cards is it not more effective if we handle the deck in a natural way and shuffle like our customers?

Sure if you perform for a living as I do, riffle shuffles are nice , one handed cuts as well but the average Joe doesn't do that. Magic is more effective if it comes on the offbeat.

IMHO

Paula

I feel a bit stupid asking this question but what are passes used for, and how are they applied to real tricks.

I'm not sure whether you can answer this without exposure, especially since I don't fully understand the rule of exposing a secret.

Any answer you can give would be apprciated.

Al

Thanks to G. Weber, et al. for the advice. Now, intent on following the advice, I am looking for specific recommendations of books/DVDs, etc. which clearly and systematically teach sleights and other basic techniques. For example, what is the full reference for the "card college" book? Any other suggestions?

Much appreciation from this abecedarian avrakadavrian.

Pretty good post, and I'd have to agree for the most part. Bill Palmer makes an excellent point... the moves only serve as your tools... you need to learn how to use them in order to build a magical effect in your spectator's eyes.

I am definitely a beginner to card magic. I have several of the card college books as well as royal road and have worked through them. My question is whether anyone would recommend the Apocalypse volumes to a novice card magician. A lot of the tricks seem to be way out of my league. In terms of trying to learn ring and coin tricks is these a good source or would it be better to find books that focus on these topics specifically?

Thanks for all the good info. I'm getting back in to magic, after 20 years. So, I consider myself a beginner. There are some things that I didn't learn back then and this info will get me going in the right direction.
Thanks Bill for mentioning the need for Presentation! Any other resources that you or anyone else can recommend for creating a routine?

In magic, I beleive it is the EFFECT that is all important. If I can develop an alternative method of handling rather than have to master complicated sleights in order to perform a card trick then I will if doing so retains the original effect. Working on your PRESENTATION is, in my opinion, far more important than practicing a card sleight just for the sake of it.