I'm still at the phase of trying to get my "puts" and "takes" looking natural and I have been using a mirror. Tonight I tried actually leaving a 2nd coin in my receiving hand while taking the other so that I would get the feeling and look of it naturally. (Hope that makes sense)!
I would like to know if that is a good practice or if there are other good suggestions for this area of practice. Thank you in advance!
Mick

A good way to practice what you are talking about is to first do exactly what you are pretending to do. Actually take the coin in the other hand. Do this a few times so you know what it should look like, then perform the sleight and make it look the same (So basically what you are doing without the second coin). This should help you get it looking natural.

Take care,
Matty

I agree with Matty. I think that is the way to go. What you are practicing I think is one of the toughest things to conquer when dealing with coins, maybe even tougher than some of the most knucklebusting sleights.

Something else you may want to consider and it is something I personally am working on, which I have seen done very successfully and that is to always try and make it look like the hand in question is the wrong hand.

What I mean by that is when you are doing things like "puts" or "takes" you always have what I guess you would call a "hot" hand, but with real good misdirection and I do mean "real good" misdirection you try to "purposely" make the wrong hand look like the "hot" hand. If you do it directly and on purpose the spectators think they have caught you only to find out they were badly mistaken and at the same time it takes the "heat" off of the "hot" hand. It takes a lot of thought, but if done properly the spectators are always looking the wrong way and as long as they are looking the "wrong" way you are in the clear.....

Much much simpler to start with your basic blocking from your script and explore what motivates each transfer. If there is no compelling reason to transfer the prop from hand to hand you have found your problem... motivation. Find a motivation and make it so obvious to the audience that they will anticipate your actions and so miss out on any subterfuge.

Learn the move or routine using the mirror.

Practice the move without the mirror.

Practice the move without the mirror and without looking at your hands.

Record the move on video and critique yourself. Check not only the effectiveness of the move, but how you appear to act and react. This is a good way of picking up problems you may not be aware of such as blinking, tics, and bad posture. It can be very humbling watching yourself perform but it's great feedback to improve your execution and polish your performance skills.

Larry

For an example of what Fingers is talking about check out http://coinvanish.com/ and go to the videos section. Then watch Jumbolaya and you will see what he means especially when he is using the jumbo coin.

Jonathan, can you point to a routine in print that has at least one moment in it that you would consider properly motivated?

-Travis

Thanks guys, I really enjoy the practice and getting feedback and suggestions from those who've "been there, done that" makes it all that much better!
Matty, great tip, great routine Jumbolaya! Mr Townsend, I like that approach and will start employing it right away! Anymore tips are ALWAYS welcome and WILL at least be explored!
Mick

That is the best advise, once you figure out that not every move has to be on display. This is one of the biggest hurdle we as Coin guys and gals have to over come. Don't feel guilty and act like nothing big is going on.
Do the moves as you are talking don't talk then stop talking and do a move.Try not to look at your hands when performing sleights. where you look so will the spectator. This will all come in time just keep doing what your doing.

Travis
Pick up a magic book and read a routine. The good Magicians will have motivation for the moves you are practising, you won't do moves just to do them and they will explain at which time the move should be done.
I don't know if you comment was a smart @ss question but theres an answer for you.
Tim

Thanks Tim! I watch your 101 video daily and try to follow along and it's helping!

Best tip for doing good coin magic, is to practice each move left to right and right to left. This will make you more versatile, and improve your technique.

I said in my previous post what you are practicing is really a most difficult part of coin magic Mick and as I read these posts there is some really good information made available to you here. I would further recommend you take heed to it all.....

Have you looked at the article in September 2006 issue if Genii teaching a coins across routine?

This ONLY because I'm sure the performing script and motivations for the actions are discussed as opposed to actions merely described since most of our literature is not written in script form.

Hi Mick

You may find some value in considering several areas of development whilst practicing the techniques you speak of. One is making the move look natural to you, making sure it has good motivation within a routine and making sure that it is performed during an off beat/ utilising strong misdirection. For my continued leaning in this area I have looked at some of the greats to see how they did it and do my best to learn from them (note continued learning !!! Still needs a lot of work on my part).

I can recommend looking at some/ all of the following, they have certainly helped me:-

* Albert Goshman – Book/ DVD – Magic by Gosh and Goshman Performs (performance only) – Albert teaches strong misdirection and strong routining (a routine that he developed over his entire life!) Of particular interest I would think would be his toss vanish. It looks so natural and Albert describes some of the things he considered to make it that way – genius!
* Ramsay – Again great routining and emphasis on misdirection - Especially good is the information Ramsay gives on where to look in order to direct the audiences attention (ask Jonathan T if you require more on Ramsay….I have a feeling a rather famous routine of JT’s was inspired by him!!)
* Gary Kurtz – Leading with your head and his videos – Again cover some great ideas on these topics and expand greatly on doing moves on the “off beat”

I went to see Paul Daniels some years back and he was performing magic of the late great magician Max Malini, Paul described a comment made by Max when asked how long he would wait before performing a “move” or sleight Max relied “ I would wait a week!”

Whilst it’s great to have a natural looking move, it’s even better when there is “no” move at all. Vernon would work to eliminate moves and simplify stuff and I believe had a quote similar to “Sleight of hand is the absence of moves. “

Not sure if this on track for this thread but I hope will be of interest.

Yep Chris it IS of interest and thank you! Now with Max's accent wouldn't sound more like "I vould vait a veek"? LOL
You guys all continue to be not only a great help but a HUGE inspiration as well, THANK YOU!
Mick

I have read it. It was last year, of course, but I'll read it again.

The question of motivation is interesting to me, because it seems to me like the line between motivated and unmotivated is a bit blurry. I was asking for an example in the hopes of finding out what specifically counts as motivated to you. Of course, re-reading the Genii article should have been my first thought...

I think maybe it would be better to ask some more specific questions. For example, is the Han Ping Chien in the Schneider coins across sufficiently motivated? Why or why not? Is the open "steal" of the next coin to travel across in the Roth ] Coins Across routine sufficiently motivated? Both moments feel slightly sticky to me when I do them.

It seems to me like some of what counts as "motivated", even in good routines--I slap the coins down on the table because I think you're suspicious; I pick up the next coin to indicate that it's the next coin to travel--might not pass the "the audience expects/wants me to do that" test. It might pass the "the audience will accept it if I do the move well" test, but not the other.

The best motivated action I know of is the classic Cardini monocle thing. Every bit of it would pass the "the audience expects me to" test. And it's so organic, so natural for his character. A lot of moves in coin magic make sense within the context of the routine, without reaching that peak of integration of character and technique. The Cardini thing achieves its technical goals (a steal) without sacrificing directness, because the move is totally motivated. The Han Ping Chien in the Schneider routine achieves its goals at the price of some directness, I think.

So my question is open to anyone: What counts as sufficiently motivated to you?

-Travis

Using Jon's suggestion of what's motivating my move has helped immensely and Dr. R's suggestion of working both right and left although difficult at first is really helping and I believe it can do nothing but make my actions stronger and more fluid! Thanks again guys!
Mick