Who here does a different version of the cups and balls other than the classic. I use 4 cups,and that it appears that I mess with only 4 balls. I do multi routines. I also will do a 3 cups and 3 balls, a little different from the classic.

Just to ask, what ones do you use.

I'll be devil's advocate this time:

Why four cups? What can you do with four that you can't to with three (or less?) What does the extra cup add to your routine?

Derek, I have a different question, although Dave's question is a good one.

Which are you considering the classic routine? Something similar to the Vernon/Malini routine? Something actually classical, similar to what was performed by the Roman acetabulari, with its modern cousins and descendants, the shell game and the Indian cups? Something with spongeballs, like the Ryan/Kaps/Mullica routine, or the Paul routine? One container routines, like "Senator" Crandall's, the Benson Bowl, Shigeo Takagi's solid cup routine (and descendants of all of these) and so on?

I do more than one type of routine which fall into the category "Cups and Balls," depending on cirumstances. If you're looking for ideas, there is a universe of ideas and structures out there just waiting for you. Like magic with cards and coins, there are many different ways to perform magic with the cups and balls.

Is this question just a survey, or is there something you wanted to know regarding particular cup and ball routines?

The Classic version is when you cups stack up each other, in top cup, have a ball, then it passes through ( or appears to) other cups, to the bottom. Then cover the one Ball, then put a ball in the top cup, then you have two balls on the bottom, do that again, then you will have three balls.

I use four cups, so that I can have two balls, put them in between cups, then show that empty, and have two other cups, have one ball in them. I will use that, four cups is easier than just three.

I am just curious, to see what other people do. I am not really into the secrets. I always try to come up with my own stuff.

I would disagree with this. This is called "the magic set version" or "the Adams routine" or perhaps "the basic version for beginners." Calling this "the classic version" is like calling the version of the linking rings that came with the Enardoe set the "classic linking rings."

You want classic -- go back to Hocus Pocus Jr. That's the oldest cups and balls routine in print. Even Scot doesn't have an actual cups and balls routine in it. And the Hocus Pocus Jr. routine is far more complex than what you are describing.

Most people who actually do the cups and balls consider the Vernon routine or one of the others of that type to be one of the classic routines. But I don't think anyone on this forum besides you would consider this "the classic routine."

Derek, there is nothing wrong with coming up with new ideas. However, what you describe is usually just a single phase in a full routine.

Hmm... I guess I want to point out that originality is a great thing, but there is nothing wrong in also exploring what has come before. I'd recommend you learn at least one of the full basic routines, found in so many books like the Mark Wilson book or Tarbell's, ending with the unexpected load(s) at the end.

Learning such a routine completely will give you a larger skillset with which to work when developing your own ideas. Although you may abandon the structure of a learned routine, at least you will have learned all kinds of techniques (palms, loads, steals, etc.) which you can then apply when giving expression to your own creation.

Remember, the greatest musicians usually have a grounding in whatever greatly interests them, and then move out from there. If musicians had to reinvent the wheel in order to become competent, instead of taking advantage of the experimentation and technical developments of those who came before, it is doubtful there would be so much wonderful music in the world.

You can choose to stand on the shoulders of giants, all those conjurors who came before us, and to let their experimentation at least show you some things which may not have occurred to you.

Good luck!