While I'm still not happy with my classic pass, I'm nearly always doing Steve Draun's midnight shift.
It suits the most of the situations for me.

I should've said, just to be clear: My pass is pretty terrible under strict monitoring, hence why I only do it when they ain't looking.
I'll keep practising though. I want it to be instant like some I've seen.
Good luck with yours everyone,
Paul.

All the time. But if you don't like it, don't use it.

Tilt might be, but not double undercut. There was an experiment about card controls where audience response to double undercut is least deceptive to them. (reference: http://www.thejerx.com/blog/2018/12/19/control-panel )

Peace,

Things are a lot less fun if you go on the record and acknowledge all the golden eggs of knowledge you shared in the middle

For anybody interested in Jonathan Kamm's pro-torial on the classic pass (link at the bottom) -

As I mentioned before, I've always used a variation of the Hermann pass. I've always made it suit my needs. Nonetheless, I just blindly purchased Kamm's pro-torial on the classic pass without being able to find much information on it. With exception of one review giving it very high praise on a different forum, I couldn't find much about it. Honestly, the 40-second trailer on Kamm's site doesn't answer many questions or give the tutorial the justice it deserves. I thought I'd take a moment to give my first impressions about this pro-torial. Once again, I JUST purchased this tutorial a few hours ago. This is NOT a full review about the instruction quality given in the pro-torial, but a first impression about some things I had trouble finding pre-purchase about the pro-torial.

- It's approximately 20 minutes long.

- It's loaded with small nuances that will probably take your classic pass to the next level. For me, I've never taken the time to properly learn/use the classic pass so it will 100% take my classic pass to the next level (with a lot of practice ahead). If you already use the classic pass, I suspect this pro-torial will improve your pass in some way, shape, or form. It may even change your thinking about how it should be performed. Although I've never taken the time to properly learn the classic pass before now, I've certainly read many descriptions and watched many tutorials on it. Kamm's pro-torial definitely hits some details that I've not seen mentioned in many other sources.

- It's filmed and taught from various angles. The video & audio quality is excellent.

- As the trailer shows, Kamm also uses clear blocks to assist in teaching (among other things).


Do NOT be fooled by the simplicity of Kamm's site or the basic 40-second trailer. Neither give the pro-torial the justice it deserves. I paid with PayPal (via Kamm's site below) and had an email from Kamm with the pro-torial download link within moments. For whatever reason, the pro-torial REALLY reminds me of one of my massive hardcover Jack Carpenter books (sorry, the name escapes me at the moment). I'm not sure why: Maybe it's the small details given in the instruction or the professional quality of the tutorial? Not sure. Either way, I'm VERY pleased with this purchase. This is the type of tutorial you'll keep around after "mastering" a move for future reference purposes.

http://jonathankamm.wixsite.com/kammagicshop

AsL

While the pass is a staple sleight, it's not central to contemporary sleight-of-hand card magic (the same could not be said a hundred years ago). I'd guess most people put more into the move than they ultimately get out of it. Still, there are certain conditions that can only be efficiently achieved using a pass.

If two magicians show me the same trick, except one uses the Bedwell Dribble Control while the other uses the pass, not only will the former's most likely look better, I'd bet he also probably has a better looking pass.

I don't use the classic pass much, but if I do, I always add some misdirection since my pass is not perfect. I still practice it everyday.

I use the spread pass and turnover pass in performance. Both are Hermann Pass variants. Don't see much need for a Classic Pass.

The consensus appears to be that many practice it, but most do not use it in performance.

This is confirmation of the principle, "Practice at the edge of your ability, perform from the center of it." I fall firmly in this category as well. I've practiced it far more than would ever be warranted by how much use I've gotten from it in front of real people. Just something fun to do whilst no one is watching--this should be your credo whether you're practicing or performing!

That's my motto too, only I'm envisioning that Game of Thrones skydoor.

Well I love doing the classic pass! I do use it and will do whenever I feel I can. It's hardly a biggie.
Not sure what the fuss is about, I must be dim.

The Kamm video:

I only use it to do a face up sequence in my ambitious card routine.

Since the whole concept is about me doing a move that they just forget about, it fits in nicely. Even if there is some kind of "flicker" it feels more like bad editing than sleight of hand, which is the exact feeling I want to give anyway.

That might be a good way to build up your pass confidence. Try to surround the move around a moment that it's ok if they see or feel that something happened. Then you can tell by their reaction just how good your pass is getting. Kind of like classic forcing a card when you don't have to, to help practice the move.

Good luck. It's a beast!

Best,
Brandon

Michael Ammar talks about "why change the places of 52 cards, when you only need to control one?" and advocates techniques like the side steal instead. There are quite a few hidden single card controls available, including some of the most classic, such as the Diagonal Palm Shift, to the more contemporary, like Guy Hollingsworth's palm from Drawing Room Deceptions, heck, someone just realeased a sleight called one armed bandit, that is a one handed center steal.

I practice my pass, but don't have a good understanding of the angles. I learned from Richard Kaufman's dvd, but that video focuses mostly on showing many variations, and not so much on the in depth detail of the technique.

Everything in its place.

It's worth considering, though, that it's not very difficult to simply openly cut the deck and have that action fly completely under the audience's radar. You just have to stage things so the action is so unimportant they don't perceive it. Given the choice between performing a pass and simply cutting the deck, both of which can achieve exactly the same end, I tend to lean in one particular direction. But to each his own.

Natch. But also, ain't nothing wrong with a sure thing.

Ha, ha...I didn't mean to imply that this was an argument against the pass.

After 20+ years of performing professionally, I don't do a classic pass. For me it's something that's fun to practice, and that's about it. In the real world for real people, I use a double udnercut, flip flop plop, a control by Gary Oullet I can't remember, and a few different Herman pass variations. VERY few people, including a few big name card guys have a truly invisible classic pass. Mostly this is because they don't understand the concept of misdirection and as Malini said..."Vaiting a veek." Jonathan however, is someone who earns his entire living doing REAL magic for REAL people, much of it card magic. His pass is really one of the best I've "never" seen.

Interesting to hear opinions on a classic (pass) of magic.

I use the Classic Pass most times I ask someone to return a card to the deck and I need to control it to the top. I don't use it as a method to reveal their chosen card; I use it, because it is the most succinct method to get it to the top, which is where I like to manage it from. Of course there is "context" that needs to be considered, but that's a lesson all on its own.