One of the difficulties in reviewing items from Dan Turcotte's YouDoMagic.com is categorizing the items. This forum, like most forums, would like us to distinguish between books and videos, and tricks would be a separate division in itself.

Dan's products could fit any of these categories, because YouDoMagic bypasses the infernal (and eternal) arguement of Book vs Video. In Turcotte's world, you learn best by READING a book, WATCHING a video, and much rehearsing.

Such as this product, the Top Change lesson.

Name: THE TOP CHANGE With 16 Misdirection Power Statements and Fine Points

Author: Dan Turcotte

Price: $7, available on CD or d/l

Publisher: http://www.youdomagic.com

Pages/Length: 5 pages (counting credits and cover); video: about 3.5 minutes. Requires Quicktime.

Difficulty: 6; It's not that it's difficult to DO, it's that you need practice to make it invisible.

Out of 10: a solid 9.5 -- If I weren't butterfingered, I'd rate it 10.

Contents: one 5-page PDF booklet, one Quicktime video (see above)

Comments: This sleight has been around a lonnnnng time, and the very best card magicians are usually the only ones using it. Why? Because it's difficult to explain and because it takes practice. If you don't look natural while doing this, you're sunk.

Dan takes the time to explain the Top Change in the simplest, most basic terms. And he shows how it can be used in real situations. That's the beauty of combining print and video; each "covers" for the other's weaknesses and each is used for its greatest strengths.

For instance, Dan spends a page talking about misdirection - and giving some clues as to just how he directs his audience's attention to anywhere-but-there. After reading his clues and directions, play the video and see just how he applies these principles and statements. Especially watch the "card under glass" segment in which he really does tell them what he does!

I'm not going to say you'll be performing this flawlessly within 10 minutes of reading/viewing Dan's work. I will say that you'll have all the knowledge and impetus to rehearse this sleight until you can use it for oh-so-many routines. (It can really make your Ambitious Card routine sing!)

David Williamson has a great top change also.

YES! It's incredible. You can burn his hands and miss it.

I worked a gig with David Williamson once and saw him perform one routine where he top changed a card about six times in less than one minute. He'd produce a card and then top change it, produce another card and then top change it, produce another one, etc. While I watched, I looked at him like he was totally insane because I saw every one of the moves, but then I realized that I was the insane one because I was thinking like a magician and every top change he performed flew by the entire audience.

I haven't seen Dan Turcotte's work, but it sounds very thorough. I just purchased this and will post some thoughts later.

Larry D.

Mormonyoman and Larry thank you both for the very informative posts.
This is the way IMO that all post should be like giving information/ not just say who does the BEST to change..
vinny