I wanted to talk more about visual noise in magic as mentioned in Lesson #1.  I really want to stress the importance of having less tension and awkward moves just for the sake of the method.  Laymen’s perception of magic usually boils down to a few things.  We are “faster” than the eye and misdirection.  It’s not good if the spectator says “Well you did it while I was looking away.”  Even if they can’t figure out the real method, they will tell you that you are just doing sleight of hand (horrible at that).  What other explanation do they have since all they see is you man-handling the cards.  These are prime examples of having visual noise.  Does it make the effect weaker?  Would people even understand what is going on?  Dai Vernon said it best, “Confusion is not magic.”  Roll Film.  Excuse my language.  This stuff pisses me off.  Please don’t do it.

Link Dead

you are god damn right.  It is fucking confusing.

Link Dead

did you catch his “classic” pass?

This will be my diary on learning the classic pass.

I had never really thought about the classic pass before but the blog has given me a new excitement for this move.  I will be able to share my thoughts and thinking process.  I think the best way to learn from others is to also learn side by side with them.  I am not a beginner in any sense but I am aware of the weaknesses I have with the move.  Every time I post, I will post a video of me doing the classic pass.  Hopefully looking back in a few months it should get better.

Whoever wants to tackle this with me please feel free to send me a link of you doing the classic pass.  (preferably on vimeo and passworded).  I will put your video side by side as this diary progresses.  I think it will be a great experiment for all of us.  So here is a video of me doing the classic pass as of 11.26.08.

Password is “What is a form of a pass/shift that the basic packet movement is opposite of the classic pass?” Answer is “______ Pass.” I mis-spelled it. It only has 1 “r” and 2 “n”

Since the new website. I need new people to have the “embed” option on. for now here it is.

Alex’s Pass is here
Frank’s Pass is here

If you guys think this is a stupid idea, feel free to express it in the comments.  I feel this would be a interesting way to collectively try to learn one of the most difficult moves out there.

I am taking off the tutorial because of the lack of credits for the move.  I too hastly put the tutorial on without giving credit and references to the move.  That is my fault and I apolagize.  I will put the tutorial back on in the future when I find proper credit and also make it better and more refined.

I am taking off the tutorial because of the lack of credits for the move.  I too hastly put the tutorial on without giving credit and references to the move.  That is my fault and I apolagize.  I will put the tutorial back on in the future when I find proper credit and also make it better and more refined.

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Here it is guys.  The nitty gritty on the push off double I use.  If you have any questions, post them in the comment page and I will try to help you out.  Here are some wishes I hope people respect when viewing this.
This is intended for people who respect the art of magic.  If I see anyone post this anywhere else or passing it off and not crediting this blog, I will take it down.  It’s free so hopefully none of this will happen.
If I see some person trying to do this on youtube and is horrible, I will take it down.  Take the time to perfect it.  Please.  That’s all I ask.
Have fun with it.  This isn’t a easy sleight and is really for people who really love sleight of hand.

Password is from The Expert at the Card Table.  In the description of the S.W.E shift, he writes “We have not dubbed the following process with our initials because we wish to appear ‘big on the _____,’”.  Fill in the blank.  Hope you like it.

Think we got a small group of people reading the blog (thank you by the way) that I will begin to start giving little tips and advice on card magic.  If you guys hang in with me, down the road will be some good lessons that wouldn’t want to miss.  Any feedback would be great.  Thanks guys.

Password is the answer to this question “What state is the U.S. Playing Card Company located?”

Lesson 1 Visual Noise from Tony Chang on Vimeo.

At a bar with some friends.  Sooner or later you get drunk and throw up, or do card tricks… Its not perfect I know, but you know what? Its my blog and its shielded from the public so fuck the police!

Password : Who invented the card trick “Twisting Aces”?  Answer: Dai ______

Random magic trick from Tony Chang on Vimeo.

So I have a confession to make.  The only thing that gets me through the day is to watch kids ruin the name of magic.  It’s like watching someone torture a turtle.  I don’t like it, but I sure hell would watch it.  For fun only of course.

Ever since Dan and Dave Buck came out with two card transpo trick Tivo, there has been a shit-load of “variations” from kids trying to make it better.  They don’t.  Which comes to the topic for today.  Why do these kids think that their variation is better, more visual, and more magical?  Roll film.

LINK DEAD.

I won’t go into all the little things he is not doing well since it seems like he is a beginner.  The major things that stand out is the construction of the trick itself.

After the first insertion, he does a DL but uses a KM move to get the card in place.
Besides using the KM move at the worst time, the logic behind it is just plain horrible.  There are much better ways to get the card into position for the change.  This is a case and point of a magician doing something different for the sake of difference so he can call it his own.  If it doesn’t add anything to the effect, its not worth it.

After the transpo, he takes way too long to reveal the card has changed places.
Did the kid forget where the card transported to?  The fact that he takes more than 10 seconds to turn over a card is enough to say that this method is poor.  Is it really that hard to turn over a card?  I mean, can’t you just turn the fucking card over?  Instead, you pull it out while holding the double, then put the card back on top of the deck putting the double card back on top, then thumb off the top card to show the card that was in the middle?  I mean watching this guy makes more sense than the method of this trick.

The only reason this kid made this variation was that he wanted to be “original” and get praise from the chat groups.  In fact, many kids put videos on solely for this purpose.  It is amazing how these kids even think that their variations are improving the original method.

I will leave you with a post that the creator of this video wrote.  It says it all…

"Yes it is a simplified tivo  more cleaner though"

To quote from the show Boondocks, “Bitches love the smiley face.”

People ask me what my favorite books or videos are.  I personally prefer books over videos.  Although I did learn many tricks from Michael Ammar’s Easy to master card Miracles series,  it was books that taught me the subtleties and theories needed to surpass the Ammar clone of doing magic.  Yes, I said it, I was a Asian Ammar Clone.  (magicians call it A.A.C)  Before I give my list, I will not be listing the basic books that everyone needs to have.  That is of course the Card College series, Expert at the Card Table, Royal Road to Card Magic, and Expert Card Technique.  There are many more, but those are my must haves.  So here is my top list of books that I recommend.

Paper Engine by Aaron Fisher
This book focuses on taking tension out of your card magic.  Designing moves around gravity is an amazing concept.  My favorite book of all time.  When magic is done slow and elegant, we call that person a “Smoothie”.   I love Smoothies.  Not sexually.

By Forces Unseen by Ernest Earick
Move Monkeys beware.  This is the hardest book ever devised on sleight of hand related to a deck of cards.  Currently my Bible®.  You will be seeing more videos from this book.

Card Fictions by Pit Hartling
Even though it is a small book, It’s the only book I would perform every single trick to an audience. Try “Color Sense”.

Revelation by Dai Vernon
The new edition that just came out this year is by far the more beautiful book I have seen.  It is a must have.  Not only do you get to go through Expert at the Card Table again, you get to hear what the master, Dai Vernon, has to say about it.

Pure Effect by Derren Brown
This book is pure gold.  Derren Brown’s touch of mentalism while he was still a card magician?  What else do you need.

Absolute Magic by Derren Brown
This is the only book on theory I would really recommend.  I read it every half year to inspire myself.

No major updates today.  Filling up the blog with some fun sleight of hand stuff.  Dug this video up from the grave.  Tell me if this is convincing as a false cut.  It’s something that either looks good or is just plain obvious.

Password is again the same as the last post.  “What was the Elmsley Count first called?” The _____ Count.

False Swivel Cut from Tony Chang on Vimeo.

Good friend of mine, Gary “Auuuu sexy” Au doing some quick passes for the blog.  Nothing major, caught him off guard doing some passes.  He has some great hands and a major move monkey when it comes to magic.

The password for the video is the answer to this.  “What was the Elmsley Count first called?”  the _____ Count.

Gary Au Pass Work 11.09.09 from Tony Chang on Vimeo.