|
|
Kevin Gardner Regular user Richboro, PA 177 Posts |
Here's a serious question:
When performing a coin change in a spectator's hand, can a spectator feel the hole in Chinese coin (or African dime)? Specifically if you only perform the change once. For example changing a Morgan dollar into a Lassen Miracle Enjoyment Chinese coin. Personally I'm too scared to find out for myself. |
David Neighbors V.I.P. 4910 Posts |
I do it all the time! And it works Fine For Me!
|
J-Mac Inner circle Ridley Park, PA 5338 Posts |
I have asked family and friends and they can't tell the difference. Some said they could but failed misa=erably when I tested them.
Jim |
Akal Singh New user 87 Posts |
Hi Kevin,
Coin magic is my favorite branch of magic, so I'd like to touch on three things to answer your question: (1) the limitations of sensation (2) the power of routining, and (3) the psychology of magic. (1) LIMITATIONS OF SENSATION Two telling corollaries come to mind: (a) the classic routine with a Scotch & Soda set (which never quite suited my tastes) and (b) Michael Ammar's Bent Penny Transposition (which I did a lot for a few years). As you probably know, in the Scotch & Soda trick, the spectator thinks (even swears!) that he holds a Mexican Centavo in his hand when, in reality, he holds a US quarter. A Centavo is closer in size to a half dollar than it is to a quarter, and yet the spectator still swears that they hold the Centavo inside of their fist. In second trick, the spectator thinks that he is holding a regular penny when, in reality, he holds a penny that has a very visible bend in it. (FYI: Ammar "attempts" to make a penny in the spectator's hand change places with a dime in his. He fails, however, and asks the spectator to open his hand whereupon the intransigent penny is found but now with a huge bend in it. The idea is that Ammar couldn't get the coins to change because the spectator was holding too tight.) Even though the hand has an incredibly dense concentration of nerve endings (I won't mention which organ has an equally dense amount!), it is still very difficult for the brain to translate the sensations of a clenched coin into a clear image of what the coin looks like. That is, unless the spectator works the coin to his finger tips to try to find out. Enter... (2) THE POWER OF ROUTINING In the two tricks above, the quarter and the bent penny are surreptitiously brought into play. The spectator doesn't know the surprise coin exists at all until he opens his hand to find it there. If you are doing a single coin change (coin x turns to coin y), you probably already routine your trick the same way, as it sounds like you should at this point. If you are doing a coin transpo, (coin x changes places with coin y), then you have to introduce coin y before it ends up in their hand... so you can't follow the same routine structure. I suggest that when you apparently put "coin x" into their hand and actually put (a duplicate of) coin y in there, you don't make a big deal out of it. You can routine the trick so that they don't know exactly why they have "coin x." This is especially easy to do if, as you wrote, "you only perform the change once." If, on the other hand, they know that a transpo or a change is coming, then they will be more likely to question whether coin x really made it into their hand as you lead them to believe. I don't know exactly what you're going for, but my point here is that the routine and presentation can make it or break it. So definitely give that some thought. Whatever routine you're doing, however, a performer's demeanor is the final topic that came to mind when I read your question. And this concerns... (3) THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MAGIC I couldn't do better, here, than to quote one of the greats, Slydini: "Unless you convince your audience that you believe these things yourself, no one will believe you... The average spectator wants to believe. If your expression, your attitude, do not express belief, people will immediately see in your face that whatever you are saying or doing is not true. If, on the contrary, you can convince them that you believe, they will follow you in your faith." (from the Foreward to "The Magic of Slydini" by Lewis Ganson). Once you've set up a routine that works in your favor (#2), then go for it! Remorselessly, man! Don't be scared. If you run; they will chase, tar, and feather you! Be cool. Believe (#3). I trust that you will soon find yourself comfortably relying on the fallibility of sensation (#1). All the best! -Akal Singh |
Atom3339 Inner circle Spokane, WA 3242 Posts |
Kevin, A couple ideas for you: Study Al Schneider's theory of INTENTION. And check out David Roth's DVDs and the NYCMS DVDs that deal with coin in the spectator's hand routines. Also Curtis Kam does an excellent routine in POS 3, I believe---could be 4, where spectator Reed McClintock ends up surprised with a holey coin in hand. Studying the DVDs helps with your manner of approach, patter and practical mechanics.
Also, seems silly---but makes sense to me: Have one of your friends put various coins in your hand, as in a routine, while you look away and see how well YOU can discern them. THIS may be the convincer you need!
TH
Occupy Your Dream |
David Neighbors V.I.P. 4910 Posts |
Well I have had no one tell it in the last 30! Years!!! So I think it works So as Al baker Said " Don't run if no one is chaseing you" ! But if you think that thay will! THAY WILL!!!!
|
Kevin Gardner Regular user Richboro, PA 177 Posts |
Many thanks for all your comments, it means a lot to me.
|
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Nothing up my sleeve... » » Can they feel the hole? (0 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |