Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook © 2010
www.Awesome-Magic-Tricks.com
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Dedication
To my loving wife, Staci, and my two great sons, Joshua and Caleb: Thank you for your undying patience with me. I love you.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Table Of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................. Part 1 - Cards
!. "asic Card #andling................................................................................$ %. Secret Sleights.......................................................................................!! &. Classic Card Tricks................................................................................!' . Trick Cards.............................................................................................%( Part 2 - Coins
(. "asic Coin Sleights................................................................................&% $. Classic Coin Tricks................................................................................&) ). Trick Coins.............................................................................................! Part 3 - Other Stuff
'. "all *agic...............................................................................................' +. ope *agic............................................................................................(+ !-. Silk *agic.............................................................................................$ !!. *entalism.............................................................................................)Part 4 - Miscellaneous
!%. Closeup Stunners...............................................................................)+ !&. Stage Classics.....................................................................................' Part 5 - Illusions
!. Stage Illusions......................................................................................+& !(. /rand Illusions.....................................................................................++ Part 6 - The nd
!$. /etting 0aid.......................................................................................!-
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Introduction
1elcome2 Congratulations on purchasing this course. If you are a beginner, then you made the best decision you could have made. In these pages, you will find the most comprehensive, yet easytolearnfrom method ever produced for mastering the fascinating art of magic. If you are already an e3perienced magician, you will find thoughts and ideas that are sure to take your magic to the ne3t level. "efore we begin, let4s go over four rules that every magician should always follow: !. 5ever reveal the secrets of your tricks2 6s you will see, some of these secrets are astonishingly simple, so once your audience reali7es how easy it was for you to fool them, you run the risk of them not wanting to see any more of your tricks. The only e3ception to this rule is teaching magic to someone who has demonstrated a genuine interest in becoming a magician themselves. In purchasing this course, you have demonstrated such an interest. That4s why I can let you in on these ama7ing secrets. %. 8on4t tell the audience what4s going to happen ahead of time. The art of magic depends 9uite heavily on the element of surprise. If your audience knows what4s going to happen ahead of time, then they4ll know what to look for. This increases the chances that they4ll be able to catch you and figure out how you4re doing your trick. &. 5ever repeat a trick for the same people on the same day. This also robs you of the element of surprise. 1hen they ask to see a trick again and they will;, they are most likely
et me show you something else you might also en
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Part 1 - Cards
"y far, card tricks are the most popular branch of magic. 0roperly performed, they can be among the most ama7ing. Just make sure to rarely perform more than three in any one sitting. @therwise, you may wear out your welcome2 There are two main kinds of card tricks: Card tricks with regular decks, and card tricks with trick cards. Aach of these categories divides further into two subcategories. 1ith regular cards you can do tricks that depend on sleight of hand, while you can also do tricks that are =self working.= That is, they depend on some kind of special arrangement or clever mathematical principle. In the world of trick card effects, there are those in which the entire deck is 44gimmicked,= and those in which only some of the cards are gaffed. In this part of the course, you will learn a little about all of these branches of card con
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 1" #asic Card $andlin%
The *echanics /rip The Swing Cut The #indu Shuffle
The "iddle /rip The @verhand Shuffle
Aven something as seemingly mundane as holding a deck of cards, not to mention shuffling them, re9uires detailed attention from the magician. The proper e3ecution of these rudimentary maneuvers paves the way to the more advanced manipulations that follow. So, don4t be tempted to rush through this chapter. "efore proceeding, take the time to make !-- sure that you are e3ecuting each and every movement precisely as instructed. 6s a result, you will find it much easier to learn the more difficult sleights when the time comes. The Mechanic&s 'ri!
"efore you can learn to correctly cut or shuffle a deck of cards, you must learn to correctly hold them. There are two main ways of holding cards employed by magicians. The first is known as the =mechanic4s= or =dealer4s= grip. In describing this grip, a picture is worth a thousand words. The key points to note are:
The deck is held in the left hand. The thumb rests lightly on the top of the pack. The forefinger is curled loosely around the far end of the pack. The other three fingers rest along the deck4s right side.
6 proper mechanic4s grip is essential to a number of sleights, including finger breaks, false deals, and double lifts. @nce you4ve become comfortable with it, you4re ready to move on to the other common way of holding a deck of cards...
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
The #iddle 'ri!
6nother common way for a magician to hold a deck of cards is called the ="iddle= or =overhand= grip. #ere4s another picture for you: The key points:
The right hand reaches over the deck and holds it by the narrow ends. It is held between the middle finger at the far end and the thumb at the near end. The forefinger is slightly curled in toward you, its nail resting lightly on the back of the top card.
The "iddle grip, though not 9uite as versatile as the mechanic4s grip, nonetheless renders possible some advanced techni9ues of its own. In fact, it is the very first step in the move to follow: The S(in% Cut
This particular method of cutting the cards is popular with magicians for a couple of reasons. Dirst, it provides a natural way to e3tend the deck toward the spectator for the replacement of a selected card. Secondly, it can be easily converted into a false cut, as we4ll discover in chapter two. 6s noted before, you begin in "iddle grip, with one minor ad
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
6s the hands separate, the left hand takes its half of the deck into mechanics grip. The hands come back together, the right hand placing its half of the deck on top of the other half, thus completing the cut. The swing cut is also known as the =kick= cut. The O)erhand Shuffle
So far, we4ve learned two ways to hold the deck and one way to cut it. 5ow, we4ll learn a couple of ways to shuffle, beginning with the =overhand= shuffle. To get into the right starting position, turn the deck face up and take it in "iddle grip. 5ow, turn your hand so that the backs of the cards are facing to your left . 1hen you bring your left hand up to meet the deck, your thumb will contact the back of the deck, while your fingers are inserted between the bottom of the deck and the palm of your right hand.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
5e3t, pull the right hand up and the left hand down at the same time. 6s this happens, the left thumb drags a small batch of cards down into the left hand. 5ow that whole action is repeated. @nly this time, the cards in the left hand and your fingers go between the bottom of the deck and the palm of your right hand. Continue in this manner until the entire deck is in the left hand. @f course, like the other techni9ues we have studied in this chapter, this shuffle can be easily adapted for nefarious purposes, a couple of which we4ll run into in the ne3t chapter. The $indu Shuffle
@ur last techni9ue in this chapter is a little less common than the others, especially amongst non magicians. It4s very similar to the overhand shuffle. In truth, the only real difference is that the cards are shuffled from the narrow ends, rather than from the sides. To begin, hold the deck in a "iddle grip, but sideways. 5ow, point the narrow end of the deck away from you. 5e3t, bring the left hand up from underneath, and take the deck into mechanic4s grip... but don4t let go with the right hand. 0ull the two hands apart, dragging a batch of cards off the top of the deck, and letting them fall into the left hand by rela3ing the left fingers;. 6gain, this whole process is repeated, every new batch of cards falling onto the last until the deck is entirely held in the left hand. There are mischievous advantages that can be had via tweaking this shuffle as well, which we4ll learn, you guessed it... in the ne3t chapter. :;
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 2 - Secret Slei%hts
The Dlash Dorce The Dalse Cut The 8ouble Endercut
The @ops Control "reaks
5ow that you know how to properly handle a deck of cards, it4s time to get familiar with the building blocks that tricks are made of. Sleights are secret maneuvers that bring about apparently magical results cards change, reverse themselves, etc;. 1e must master these moves before we tackle the tricks themselves. This is similar to learning to play a musical instrument in that you must learn how to play the individual notes before you combine them into your first song. There are hundreds of different sleights in the realm of card magic. In this chapter, we will only learn a handful of them. The ones you4ll learn here, though, really will take you a long way in card magic. They are essential to becoming proficient with the pasteboards. 1ith them at your command, you will be able to at least perform a version of most of the card effects that are out there. In effect, there are two different kinds of card tricks tricks where a card is chosen, and tricks that don4t re9uire a selection. 1hen a card is selected and apparently; lost in the deck, the way the magician finds the card is what makes one of these tricks different from another. So, if you know only one way to find a card, but one hundred ways to reveal that it4s been found, then you know one hundred tricks. 6ll of the methods for finding selected cards can be divided into two main categories. Dirst, there4s controlling a card. 6 card is returned to the deck, and by shuffling and cutting that deck in special ways, the magician is able to keep track of where the card is usually the top or the bottom;. Secondly, there4s forcing a card. #ere, a spectator thinks he or she is freely choosing a card, but in reality is being =forced= to choose the particular card the magician wants them to. The added advantage here is that after the card is replaced, the spectator can shuffle and cut the deck themselves, because the magician already knows the card2 ?ou4ll be taught multiple e3amples of both of these categories in this course. The *lash *orce
1e4ll begin with an easy method of forcing a card. Start with the card you want to force on the bottom of the deck. "egin a slow #indu shuffle, inviting the spectator to call =stop= whenever the Spirit moves her or him;. 1hen the call comes, turn your right hand so the spectator can see the bottom card.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
#ere, a couple of psychological subtleties come into play. 6s you4re displaying the card, turn your head away, as though you are trying not to see the card. 8on4t say anything, et them shuffle first. @ften, if you watch for it, the spectator will inadvertently show you the bottom card while they4re s9uaring the deck after a shuffle. Just try not to stare at it. If you don4t catch a =glimpse= of it, that is what magicians call this, by the way;
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
cards as you remark, =Seems like you shuffled them 9uite thoroughly2= This gives you ample opportunity to secretly note the bottom card. The +Oo!s+ Control
6t the beginning of this chapter, I mentioned that one of the ways to find a selected card was to keep track of it to begin with. 5ow it4s time for me to teach you one of my favorite methods for accomplishing this. It4s called the =oops= control. To begin with, you need a second or two to =reverse= the bottom card. That is, you turn it upside down, so that it is now face up, but still on the bottom of the deck. @f course, the spectator must not see you do this. The easiest way to make sure that they don't is to start with the card reversed and the deck in the card case. Take the deck out of the case, spread them out face down between your hands, and ask the spectator to select a card. 6s you do this, be careful not to spread too far, otherwise the spectator might see the reversed card on the bottom. 6fter the card is selected, s9uare the cards and e3ecute the first half of a swing cut. A3tend the left hand4s half of the deck toward the spectator, whereupon you ask him or her to kindly replace the selected card. @nce this is done, you place the cards in the right hand on top of those in the left hand, completing the cut and burying the selected card. In doing this, you have also placed the previously reversed card directly on top of the chosen one2 The ne3t thing we4re going to do is shuffle the deck in such a way as to make sure that they stay together. To do that, we4ll use what4s known as the =overhand shuffle with key card control.= The reversed card, in this case, is your BkeyH card.; 8espite that long name, it4s really very simple. A3ecute an overhand shuffle, and when you get down toward the middle of the deck, your thumb peels off a big batch of cards instead of
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
>astly, turn the left hand back over, and replace its cards on top of those in the right. Enknow to the spectator, her card is now top of the deck2 This takes longer to describe than it should take to do. 1ith this and all other sleights, the individual steps should blend together into one smooth, unhesitating se9uence. The *alse Cut
@nce you have secretly =controlled= a selected card to the top of the deck, as in our last sleight, it is often helpful to psychologically =seal the deal= by apparently cutting the deck. This suggests, of course, that even if, by chance, the card in 9uestion had ended up on top of the deck, it certainly isn4t there now2 ?ou don4t want to call attention to this move, though. ?ou
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
@k, here4s the move itself: Start with a swing cut, but don4t replace the halves on top of each other. Instead, bring the halves together and do what you see pictured. 6s you can see, you4ve tilted the cards in the left hand up on their side. ?ou then tap the left side of the right hand4s cards against the middle of the left hand4s cards, as if to s9uare them. 5e3t, place the right hand4s cards onto a table. Then, bring the right hand back up to grasp the left hands card4s, and place them onto the cards on the table. It will look to the spectators like you genuinely cut the deck. @f course, you didn4t. ?ou
The little finger or =pinky= break and the thumb break are among the most important things you4ll ever learn in card magic. This is because they4re preparatory to a large number of the most versatile sleights that e3ist. To establish the first one, perform a swing cut. 6s you replace the two halves of the deck together, allow the tip of your little finger to press against the side of the deck, slightly holding the halves apart at the rear. Drom your point of view, it should look like what you see in the picture. "efore you remove your right hand, though, you should make the motion of s9uaring the pack. This, of course, wordlessly suggests to the spectator4s mind that the deck is, in fact, s9uared. That is an e3ample of the kind of attention to detail that separates the professionals from the amateurs in magic. @ne more detail here introduces us to the important magical concept of =angles.= @nce you have obtained a little finger break, if
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
you tip your left hand a little down and to the right, you will greatly minimi7e the chances of any of your spectators being able to catch a =flash= of your little finger, especially if the left side of your body is slightly toward the spectators. Since the front end and left side of the deck are s9uared, the spectators will assume that the entire deck is s9uared. The other type of break I want to teach you is a thumb break. "y the way, these are called =breaks= because the deck is =broken.= That is, the cards are separated.; To pick up a thumb break, start with a little finger break. The right hand takes the deck into "iddle grip, and the thumb e3erts
6 card has been selected. ?ou have performed a swing cut in order to facilitate its replacement and obtained a little finger break. ?ou then transfer that little finger break to a thumb break. 5ow, things get different. ?ou perform a swing cut, but only with the top half of the deck. 5e3t, place all the right hand4s cards on top the left hand4s, retaining the thumb break. The thumb break is only held for a moment as you then take the bulk of the cards beneath the thumb break into the left hand and replace them on top of the small portion in the right. oila2 :;
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 3 - Classic Card Tric,s
The Color Changing 8eck The Card on the Ceiling @ut @f This 1orld
Card 1arp Triumph
1e4ve finally gotten to the point where we4ll start learning actual tricks. "ut these aren4t
It is appropriate that this is the first trick, because it makes a great =opener.= ?ou4ll need an e3tra card that4s the opposite color of the deck you4re using. "egin with that card on top, and the deck in its case. The case should be the same color as the e3tra card. 1hen you pull the deck out of its case, the spectators will only see that top card. If that card is red, and the bo3 the deck came out of is also red, then the spectators will assume the deck4s red. 1hat you4re going
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
to do now is turn the deck face up, then begin a #indu shuffle. 8uring the shuffle, periodically =flash= that top card like in the =flash force.=; 6 good way to do this is to gesture with the right hand packet toward the face of one of the cards in the left hand. @nce the entire deck has been shuffled, turn it over and spread it out between your hands. It will look like all of the backs changed color. Just don4t spread too far, or the spectator might see that odd colored card. Card .ar!
#ere4s a card trick that4s totally uni9ue. It was invented by a man named oy 1alton, and it only uses two cards. The =effect= is that a card turns itself inside out while folded inside another one. The secret that makes this possible is that one of the cards is secretly torn ahead of time. The first step when performing is to fold both of the cards in half. ?ou fold the torn one lengthwise, and the other one widthwise. 1hile you are making these folds, keep the secret tear covered with your thumb. #old the torn card with the tear closest to you. 5e3t, it4s going to look like you place the other card inside the other card. 1hat really happens is that the card does go inside the top half, but in front of the bottom half. 5e3t, cover the bottom halves of both cards with your fingers, and open them up. Close the cards back on themselves, so that that they are now both facing out. 5ow, if you push the long card through the short one, it will look like it4s turning itself inside out. If you angle it slightly, you4ll end up with something that looks like the last picture.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Spectators like to look at that, and it certainly does look impossible. 1hen you4ve had your fun, pull the long card out
impossible situation now before your spectators. @f course, you destroy two cards every time you do this trick. I use old decks for it.
The Card on the Ceilin%
This makes a good =closer.= It can only be performed when you have a smooth ceiling to work with in a place where you won4t get in trouble for permanently sticking a card up there. 1hen you do it, though, people will remember it forever2 ?ou4re going to need to visit a magic shop or go online; and ac9uire some magician4s wa3 it4s cheap;. It has to be magician's wa3, and not
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
one at a time once you get near the end. 1hen you4re finished the card will now be on top again, even though you shuffled twice2 1e4ll use this move again in a different trick.; #ave the spectator =choose a spot= on the ceiling. 1hen they look up, secretly transfer the wa3 from your thumbnail to the middle of the top card misdirection again;. Stand under the spot they chose, and throw the deck at it. The throw should be done with a loose wrist, and it4s more like =pushing= the deck toward the ceiling. 6lso spin the deck like a frisbee when you throw. It will take some practice to ac9uire the knack, but you should get it after a few do7en private trials. The last step is to en
This blockbuster effect by the late 8ai ernon gets its name from the fact that despite being in a seemingly insurmountable predicament, the magician =triumphs= by being able to locate the selected card. The original version utili7ed a type of false shuffle that is beyond the scope of this book. The version I will teach you here is far easier, and has the same end result. 6fter a card is chosen and returned to the deck, the cards are mi3ed in such a way that some of the cards are face up and others are face down. Then, with no false moves, the magician spreads the cards out to reveal that the cards all now face the same direction, e3cept one... the selected card. @f course, you will first need to control the selected card. To do that, you can use either the =oops= control or the double undercut. Dor this trick, I like to use a =short card= to control the selection, which is something we4ll talk about in the ne3t chapter.; ?ou can use any other method you know or learn in the future; as well. In fact, in magical literature, you will often read instructions like =control the selected card,= with no indication as to how this is accomplished. In situations like that, simply employ what magicians call =?D*= your favorite method;. So, you4ve controlled the card. 5ow whatF 1ell, you need it to be on the bottom. emember what we did in the last trickF "egin an overhand shuffle, the left thumb peeling off the single card first. Dinish the shuffle, and the card is now on the bottom of the deck. ?ou may want to throw
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
in a false cut here as an added =convincer.= @nce the card is on the bottom, we4ll need to shuffle the deck in such a way as to make it look like some of the cards are face up and some are face down. In reality, half will be face up, and the other half will be face down. The chosen card will be on top face down;. #ere4s how that4s done: The move is similar to the =oops= control. 0ush off a small batch of cards with the left thumb, and take them into the right hand. 5ow, turn the left hand over, and push off a small batch of face up cards with the left hand. Drom the bottom of the packet.; 0lace these on top of those in your right hand. 5e3t, turn the left hand back over, and push off some more cards. This time, they4re face down again. 0lace these under the cards in the right hand. This sounds confusing, but try it with the cards in your hands, and you4ll see how simple it is. The left hand keeps turning over and back. The face up cards go on top, and the face down cards go on the bottom. 1hen you get to the last card, it will be the selection. Simply place it face down on top of the entire deck. If you4ve done all of that correctly, then you4ll be in a situation where the spectators think the cards are face up and face down at random, with their card hopelessly lost somewhere in the middle. eally, though, their card is face down on top, followed by a batch of face up cards, then a batch of face down ones. Still, we4re going to convince the spectators of the =hopelessness= of the situation even further . 0lace the cards into the left hand dealer4s grip. Cut off about a fourth of the cards in "iddle grip, and turn the right hand over, so the audience can see the bottom card of that packet. They will now be looking at the back of a card on top of your right hand packet, and the face of a card on top of your left hand packet.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
eplace that packet, then cut again, but deeper this time K of the deck;. Instead of a back and a face, the spectators will now be looking at a face and a back. eplace this cut one last time. 6t this point, if you look at the end of the deck closest to you, you will see clearly where the piles are back to back, because there will be a tiny gap there. This is due to the natural bend in a deck of cards.; Cut at that tiny gap, show the cards back to back, and replace the cut, but don't turn the right hand packet back over . The result of this action is to bring the selected card to the middle of the deck, while righting all of the other ones. 6ll that remains is to spread the cards, showing that they4re all now facing the same direction... e3cept for the selected card2 Out Of This .orld
Invented by 0aul Curry, this is my favorite card trick to do, though it is admittedly a little long. ?ou have the spectator separate the cards, without looking at them, into different piles, by telling you whether they think they are red or black. Sometimes, they even place the cards into the appropriate piles themselves2 In the end, the cards are checked, and the spectator got them all right2 >egend has it that a magician showed this trick to 1inston Churchill, and he wanted to see it again and again. 6s a result, an entire world war was delayed... or so the story goes. :; To begin, show the spectator the back of a card, and ask the volunteer to guess its color. ight or wrong, show them the card, and place it face up on the table. 8o this again with a card of the other color. There are now two face up cards on the table, one of each color. 5ow, hold up one, two, or three cards, all of the same color . #ave them guess again. This time, don4t show them. Just place the cards onto whichever face up card represents the color they said. If they say red , then place the cards; on the red card on the table, etc. If they4re wrong, it doesn4t matter. ?ou4ll see why in a minute.; Leep going, making sure that all of the cards that you offer the spectator for guessing at are the same color. Stop when there is only one card left of that color. Say something along the lines of, = ?ou4re doing pretty well. I don4t want you to get stuck in a 4psychic rut,4 though, so let4s change things up a bit.= 5ow, take that last card, and one more card of the opposite color, and place them onto the cards on the table...changing the piles. 6re you ready to do something rather gutsyF #and the rest of the cards all the same color; to the spectator2 Tell them, B1ithout looking because that would be cheating;, place the cards where you think they should go.= 1hen they4re done, you4ll be in a situation that looks like the picture. @ne of the piles is already correct. The other one is e3actly the opposite from how it should be.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
You pick up that pile. >et the
spectator pick up the other one.; 1hile the spectator is checking their pile and being ama7ed;, simply transfer one card from the top to the bottom of yours. This Bfi3esH your half so that all of the cards are now grouped together by color. Spread your cards out, and reveal that the spectator guessed the colors of all the cards correctly. 6t the end of this trick, I like to say, =1ow2 ?ou got them all right2 I4ve never seen anybody get them all right2 I have 5@ idea how you did that. 8on4t tell me. I don4t want to know.= ?ou really should try this trick. I think you4ll find it =@ut @f This 1orld.=
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 4 - Tric, Cards
Cutting To the 6ces The =Stop Trick= The Invisible 8eck
The Dour 6ce 6ssembly @ther Svengali 8eck Ideas
So far, we4ve only been using normal cards. 6s you may already reali7e, this is not always the case with magicians. I mentioned before that =trick cards= can mean that some of the cards are gimmicked, or that all of the cards are gimmicked. 1e4ll learn more about both of these cases in this chapter. #owever,
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
in this chapter. In addition, one more trick deck, the =Invisible= deck, will be discussed. 6ny of these trick cards can be bought from a magic shop for very little money. Cuttin% To the 0ces
This is a great use for a short card. The ability to cut to the four aces in a shuffled deck really impresses people, and with a short card, it4s easy2 Dirst, you need to either take a short card out of a Svengali deck, or make your own. To make your own, get a pair of scissors and trim a tiny sliver off each end of a playing card. *ake it as straight as you can both times. 5e3t, carefully round the corners. 6gain, tiny clips. ?ou can always clip away more, but you can4t put any back. 5ow that you4ve ac9uired a short card, let me show you a cool way to use it before we get into the trick itself. Start with the short card on the bottom of the deck. #ave a card selected, swing cut, and ask the spectator to replace the card. 1hen you complete the cut, you4ll be placing the short card right on top of the selection2 Swing cut one more time, transferring about a third of the cards from the top to the bottom. 5ow, you can actually give the cards a riffle shuffle see the picture; and the two cards will stay together2 iffle the inner end of the deck with your thumb from a "iddle grip;, and you will hear and feel a distinct =click= when you get to the short card. Cut the deck at that location, and complete the cut. Show the spectator the short card and ask, =Is this your cardF= 1hen they say no, casually insert it into the middle of the deck. Their card is now on top.
5ow, on with the trick... Start with the four aces on top of the deck, and the short card on top of those. A3ecute an overhand shuffle, drawing off about half the deck in the first action. 6fter the shuffle, riffle to the short card, and cut the deck. Ese the short card to flip over the ne3t one. It4s an
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
ace. eplace the short card on top of the deck. epeat this entire se9uence three times. Take a bow. The *our 0ce 0sse/bl a,a +McDonald&s 0ces+
This is by far my favorite use of doublefaced cards. It is widely considered one of the most effective card tricks you can possibly perform. There are far more complicated versions, but this one works et4s back up for a moment, though. >et4s say the second touch in the whole process is the correct pile. 6ll you have to do then is say, =@k, now please push one of those toward me,= and then interpret the decision to suit your purpose. Aither way, as you can see, we4re going to end up with the pile we want. This is a perfect e3ample of why we shouldn4t tell spectators what4s going to happen ahead of time.; @nce we have our =selected= pile, gather the remaining piles, place them on the rest of the deck, and cut the cards three times, completing the cut each time. Dlip the deck over a few times, and the spectators should now be sufficiently confused to not remember the e3act positions of the cards. iffle them three times toward the =chosen= pile, then spread them out face up.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
The spectators will no longer be able to see the aces, because they are on the other sides of the double facers. They also won4t see any duplicates, because you removed the cards that correspond to the double facers ahead of time. 1hen they check the =selected= pile, they will see the three real aces, creating the illusion that they magically teleported into the selected pile. *r. *agic strikes again. The +Sto!+ Tric,
6t the beginning of this chapter, I e3plained what a =svengali= deck is. 5eedless to say, this is an extremely effective tool for =forcing= a card. Dirst, though, you want to display that the cards are all different. To do that, hold the deck in a "iddle grip, and tilt it up on its end, the faces of the cards away from you. ?our thumb should be on top, and your fingers should be on the bottom. "egin to release the cards from your thumb, letting them fall into your cupped left hand. The picture is from the spectator4s point of view. 8o that again, and ask the spectator to say =stop= whenever they4d like. 1hen they say stop, stop. A3tend the left hand pile to them, and let them look at the top card. @f course, it will be a force card. eplace the right hand cards on top of those in your left hand, and continue with your trick. /ive the cards a 9uick riffle shuffle, so that their alternating order will be preserved. Turn to a second spectator, and ask them to say =stop= as you begin to deal the cards one at a time into a single face down pile on the table. 6s you deal, count the cards. If you4re stopped on an odd numbered card, show it. If you4re stopped on an even numbered card, show the next one. It will look like the second spectator stopped you on the first spectator4s card2 "y the way, if you tap an end on a table first, it will ensure that your riffle shuffle doesn4t disturb the arrrangement of your Svengali deck. Other S)en%ali Dec, Ideas
The last trick makes it obvious that after having a card selected and returned and then shuffling the deck, you could have any number between one and fiftytwo called out and then show the card at that number. The
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
number could also be arrived at by adding the digits in the date of a coin from the spectator4s pocket, or maybe even from the roll of a pair of dice. Just use your imagination. ?ou could also cut right to the selected card, even covering the deck with a napkin first2 If it4s a paper napkin, you could wrap the deck in it, and have the spectator stab a dull knife into the cards. The =selected= card could then be shown right ne3t to the blade2 Since you have forced a card in et it dry, and find yourself a victim, I mean, volunteer old
This is another trick that some people regard as the greatest card trick ever. ?ou can make your own deck for it, or you can astly, the face up cards are arranged in se9uence with alternating colors, like this:
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
5ow, I reali7e that this is all very complicated, but once you actually put the deck together and practice with it, this system will become almost automatic for you. The usual presentation begins with you pulling an =invisible= deck out of your pocket, and handing it to the spectator. 6sk them to shuffle, but of course, they have to take the cards out of the bo3 first2 #ave them =remove= a card, =show= it to everyone else, and replace it into the deck, upside down. They then place the cards back into the Bbo3,H and hand it back to you. :; 0lace the =bo3= back into your pocket. 6sk them which card they picked, then pull the real deck out. If they picked an odd card, pull out the deck with the even side up, and vice versa. Thumb cards over into your right hand until you get to the partner of the selection. #ere, e3ert a little e3tra pressure, revealing a face down card. Show it to be the selection, and you4ve performed a miracle. ?ou4re a regular Criss 6ngel2 6s an alternate presentation idea, you could tell the spectator ahead of time that you4ve made a prediction. #ave them name a card, pull out the deck, and show their selected card to have been reversed.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Part 2 - Coins
Coin magic can make for a refreshing change of pace after doing so many card tricks. 6s a matter of fact, from time to time, I like to begin a performance with a coin trick. I try to always carry one in my pocket, ever prepared for the re9uest to show a trick. I thought about putting the coin section first in this book, but since card tricks are still more popular, and since most general magic books start with a chapter on cards, I decided to stick with that tradition. >ike card tricks, coin tricks can be done with regular coins or =trick= coins. 1hat size coins to use depends a little on the si7e of your hands. Esually, half dollars work for
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 5 - #asic Coin Slei%hts
The Dinger 0alm The Drench 8rop Spellbound
The Classic 0alm The Spider anish The "obo Switch
6s I mentioned in the introduction to this section, it is often easier to perform some of these sleights with larger coins. The best advice I can give you here is to simply e3periment. If you have difficulty learning any of this material, try a different si7ed coin. In this chapter, I4m going to teach you two ways to =palm= a coin, that is, to keep it secretly concealed in your hand. There are, of course, many more ways, but the two ways I will teach you are by far the most common. I will also cover two ways to =vanish= a coin. This is traditionally accomplished by apparently placing it or taking it one hand, while in reality it is secretly retained in the other. Interestingly, this techni9ue is not always used astly, I will teach you a couple of ways to secretly e3change one coin for another. Throughout this chapter, the most important point to bear in mind is that your hands must look natural at all times. 6ny awkward or cramped position of your hands will, of course, draw the spectators4 attention, and thus arouse their suspicion. So, to aid you in your studies, I highly recommend that you practice in front of a mirror. That way, you can see what the spectators will be seeing. @ne more thing: Leep in mind, for future reference, that these sleights can be performed with other small ob
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
The *in%er Pal/
This is the easiest method of palming a coin, and by far the most common. The hand is held loosely in such a way that the fingers are naturally curled. The coin rests at the base of the second and third fingers. "ecause of the curl of the fingers, the coin will not fall out, and the hand looks natural.
@nce you4ve mastered that , you can add a little e3tra convincer known as the =amsay subtlety.= Curl your fingers in a tad further, and point your first finger up, displaying your empty palm to the spectators. "ecause your spectators see your empty palm, they think your whole hand is empty. @f course, you shouldn4t draw attention to this, and it should be casually e3ecuted under the cover of some other natural gesture.
The Classic Pal/
#ere is another method of palming. In fact, it is from this method that =palming= gets its name. The coin is placed in the center of the palm. The little finger and the thumb are both curled in slightly. That way, the flesh at the base of the little finger and the flesh against the base of the thumb press against the opposite edges of the coin.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
?ou can now allow the spectators to see a little flash of the pads of your fingers. This is known as the =Lapps subtlety.= 6lso, you can flip another coin in the air and catch it on your fingertips, snap your fingers, pull back your sleeve, or even hold a wand. 6nything you do with your hand while an ob
This is perhaps the most basic false transfer of a coin from one hand to the other. 8espite the fact that I now know many more =sophisticated= methods, it remains my favorite. 8one correctly, it is extremely convincing, and I4ll e3plain why. Dirst, though, let me teach you the move itself. ?ou start out holding the coin between the tips of your right thumb and fingers. The left hand approaches the coin. The thumb goes behind it, and the closed fingers go in front of it see the picture;. 5e3t, three things things are going to happen all at the same time. The right thumb is going to move up, releasing the coin and allowing it to fall into a right hand finger palm. The left hand is going to close into a fist. Dinally, your right hand is going to turn over to the left as the left hand moves away, apparently holding the coin.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
6s the left hand moves away, your eyes follow it. This is another important principle of misdirection. The audience will watch what you watch. They4ll also watch what moves. Those two principles, serve to rivet the spectator4s attention on your empty; left hand. The brief glimpse of empty space that the spectators see between your right fingers and thumb where the coin once was is the other factor that makes this false transfer so convincing. It is important to note that the Drench drop can be performed with either hand. The S!ider anish
This is a neat way to throw the spectators off your tracks. "egin with the coin in Drench drop position, but in your left hand. each over with your other hand the right one;, and really take the coin, but directly into classic palm. *ake a throwing motion with your right hand, retaining the coin in classic palm. 5ow, open your left hand, showing it empty. That4s the spider vanish. This is great to use at the end of a se9uence of Drench drops. Dor e3ample, do the Drench drop, then pretend to =reproduce= the coin from behind your knee. 5ow, do the Drench drop with the other hand, and =re produce= the coin from the other knee. >astly, e3ecute the spider vanish, causing the coin to disappear =completely.= ?ou can end this se9uence by pinching your nose with the first finger and thumb of your right hand. *ake a blowing sound, and release the coin from right hand classic palm into your cupped left hand. Dor a touch of humor, offer the coin for e3amination. 6 9uick series of sleights with a single coin like this is known in magic as a =flurry.= S!ellbound
#ere4s a way to make a coin appear to visually change into another one right before the eyes of your bewildered spectator. It was invented, as was =Triumph,= by the late great 8ai ernon. 6gain, begin with a coin say a half dollar; in left hand Drench drop position, 6 second coin say an Anglish penny; is finger palmed in the right hand. The right closed fingers cover the left hand coin. 6s soon as that coin is covered, the left thumb releases it into finger palm. The right fingers deposit the other coin in its place, and get out of the way. The illusion created is that the coin was visually transformed. 1e4re not done yet, though. 8ump the newly revealed coin back into your right hand. 8isplay it there. 0ick it up with the left hand, releasing the finger palmed coin, and turning the right hand over. The secret coin has now switched hands. ?ou have apparently shown both hands empty e3cept for the new coin. @f course, if you4re seated at a table, you could
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
It is e3tremely useful to be able to make an undetectable e3change of one coin for another. In this type of switch, the spectator doesn4t reali7e that the coin has changed... unless and until you want them to. Coin 6 is in the palm of the left hand, and coin " is finger palmed in the right. 0ick up coin 6 between the tips of the first two fingers and thumb of the right hand. Toss it back into the left. epeat this whole se9uence of moves once more. @n the third toss, retain coin 6, but release coin ", dragging coin 6 back into finger palm with the right thumb. Immediately close the left hand around the new coin. It4s important that this switch be made with a consistent tempo and under the cover of some casual remark.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 6 - Classic Coin Tric,s
The =6ssisted= Coin anish Coins 6cross
The Incredible 0enetration The Dour Coin 6ssembly
In this chapter, you will learn four coin tricks that each have an established track record of ama7ing spectators. >ike our classic card tricks, there are many versions of these apparent miracles. So, again, I encourage you to do some independent research on the ones you really like and develop your own routine for them. The +0ssisted+ Coin anish
#ere4s a routine that, like the Card @n the Ceiling, can only be performed under certain circumstances. 8espite its simplicity, it will really ama7e people. 6 great magician by the name of *ichael 6mmar once wisely said, =5ever underestimate the power of even the simplest magic= ?ou4ll need a coin and an opa9ue handkerchief. I recommend ac9uiring the handkerchief from a store called =*en4s 1arehouse.= They sell =pocket s9uares= that are perfect for magic, and they come in a wide array of colors. 0ick one that suits your taste. They are less than ten dollars. Show the coin in the palm of your left hand, and cover it with the handkerchief. 6pproach a spectator, and lift the edge of the handkerchief with your right hand, allowing them to reach under and feel that the coin is still there. 6pproach a second and third spectator with the same re9uest. Enbeknownst to the other spectators present, that third spectator is secretly removing the coin for you2 :; It4s best to use somebody that the other spectators don4t know. This person should seem like a stranger to you, as well. >astly, he or she should be a good enough actor to seem ama7ed by the vanish of the coin, without over acting. 5ow you see why I told you this can only be performed on certain occasions. @nce the steal has been made, with as much showmanship as you can muster, whisk the handkerchief away, revealing that the coin has vanished. To make it come back, simply reverse the procedure. The Incredible Penetration
1hile this isn4t e3actly the kind of trick you can carry around in your pockets, it4s a great one to use when you really want to astound a guest in your home. 6n entire laboratory was once devoted for a few hours to figuring it out. To do it, you4ll need a tube of chap stick and a clear, late3 balloon
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
from a party store. Cut the balloon in half widthwise. Stretch that piece out far enough so that the middle section becomes completely transparent. "efore that, you have balanced a 9uarter on the end of the vertical chap stick tube. >ower the late3 over the 9uarter and let it rela3 around the coin. In the picture I used a solid balloon so you could more easily see what you4re supposed to do. In performance, use a clear one.;
?ou will have created the illusion that the coin rests on top of the late3. Stretch they sheet of rubber around the mouth of a glass, and leave that on a low shelf or coffee table so the underside of the late3 can4t be seen;, waiting for your guest to arrive. 1hen the time is right for magic, have them press down hard on the coin with their finger. "e prepared for them to spend the rest of the evening trying to get you to tell them how the coin got down into the glass. Coins 0cross
This effect is often performed with four coins, each coin mysteriously traveling from one hand to the other. I still prefer this older version, which is performed with six coins, only three of them making their invisible flight through space. In magic,
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
your hand empty e3cept for si3 coins without saying so. That4s the Bshuttle pass. B 1ith the first two fingers and thumb of the right hand, pick up one of the coins on the table and toss it into your left hand. 0ick up a second coin and toss it the same way. 1hen you toss the third coin, toss the classic palmed coin along with it, and immediately close your left hand. 0ick up the three remaining coins in your right hand, classic palming one of them. /ive both of your hands a little shake to =make the magic happen,= and drop the four coins in your left hand onto the table. 8rop two of the coins in your right hand onto the table, retaining the third one in classic palm. "ring both hands back toward the edge of the table and rest them there. This is known as =rest position.= The illusion that has been created in this se9uence is that you started with three coins in each hand, whereupon one of them disappeared from one hand and reappeared in the other. epeat the same se9uence to make the next coin complete its magical
#ere is another e3ample of my preference for the =classics= over their modern =improvements.= 8espite the fact that I have now given you two e3amples of that in a row, this isn4t always the case with me.; There was an old trick called the =Sympathetic Coins= that was around at least early enough to have been written about by the great #arry #oudini himself. It was done with four coins, a handkerchief, and two inde3 cards. Dast forward several decades. 6nother magician, by the name of 6l Schneider, lost the handkerchief and added two more cards. #e changed
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
the method as well. 6fter that, there were still more magicians who made further variations on Schneider4s handling. I know that many magicians will disagree with me, but I still prefer something similar to the original trick. That is what I will teach you here. Spread a handkerchief out on your working surface, and place one coin onto each of its four corners. Cover the two coins furthest away from you with the inde3 cards, hori7ontally. 5ow, cover the two coins on the right hand side, vertically. 5e3t comes a secret steal that is the foundation of this routine. Cover the right hand card with the left hand card. 6t the same time, the right fingers pick up the coin at its corner, and carry it away with the card. The coin and the card are then carried to the upper left corner. The card in your right hand covers that coin, dropping the stolen coin alongside it. @penly pick up the coin at the lower left corner with your right hand, and lift that corner of cloth up between the first and second fingers. 0lace the right hand coin under the cloth, and apparently under the upper left hand card. An route to that corner, the right hand secretly places the coin between the second and third fingers of the left hand hidden by the corner of cloth between the first and second fingers;. This move should be practiced so that it can be e3ecuted with no telltale hesitance. 1ith the right hand still under the cloth, knock the two coins on top together so that they make a clinking sound. "ring the right hand out and with it, remove the card to show the two coins. 8eposit the card into the crotch of the left thumb, covering the stolen coin. 8eposit the stolen coin ne3t to the two you
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter - Tric, Coins
0resto Chango Coin "ite The Coins Through the Table
The CopperGSilver Transposition The Coin in the "ottle
*ost people know there is such a thing as trick cards, though they often donNt know that there are so many kinds of them. 6n even smaller number of people reali7e that there is such a thing as trick coins. There are, again, far more types of trick coins than lie within the scope of this book. I will teach you mainly about three of them: The doublefaced coin, the folding coin, and the shell coin. "efore I get to those, though, I would like to mention a particular set of trick coins known as BScotch and Soda.B This set consists of a thin coin that shows a *e3ican coin a twenty centavo piece; on one side, and the tail side of an 6merican half dollar on the other. The ne3t component is a hollowed out BshellH coin with the head side of an 6merican .(- piece showing. 6 genuine *e3ican %- centavo piece is traditionally included as well. The shell coin snaps onto the doublesided Binsert, Bcreating the illusion of a normal half dollar. ?ou also get a special device known as a Bbang ringH that serves the purpose of separating the shell from the insert. The standard trick with this set is to put a 9uarter inside the shell, and slide these over and under the insert copper side up;. @n the last slide, the insert goes between the shell and the 9uarter. The coins are s9uee7ed as they are placed into a spectatorNs hand. The spectator is asked to place both hands behind his or her back, and one coin into each hand. 6sk them to hand you the smaller of the two coins, when they do, they will be ama7ed to see that it has been BtransformedH from a copper *e3ican coin into a quarter . There have been several books and videos published that teach tons of different tricks, routines, and ideas with just this set of coins. If youNre interested, I recommend you refer to those resources. 0ersonally, I donNt use them very much. I included them because they are the highest selling trick coins on the market, and often sold to beginners. 6mong the trick coins I do use is the doublefaced coin. ItNs like the insert in a scotch and soda set, but thicker . 6lso, the copper side is usually an Anglish penny which is what it used to be in Scotch and Soda sets;. 6nother coin I like to use is the folding coin. It is broken into three pieces with a notch carved all the way around the edge. These three pieces are held together by a tiny rubber band, creating a coin that looks normal, but easily folds into thirds. >astly, INll cover the expanded shell coin. This is similar to the shell coin in a Scotch and Soda, but it has been stretched to fit loosely over a genuine half dollar. This gimmick is sold with either a head side or a tail
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
side showing. The tail is better, because there4s more room in the shell. @ne more note on the e3panded shell coin is that you will have to e3periment to find coins that it fits on. "elieve it or not, there are virtually imperceptible si7e differences among half dollars. Leep trying, and youNll eventually find coins that slip easily in and out of your shell. If one should get stuck, drop the coins into a glass and cover its mouth with your hand. Shake the glass vigorously, and the coins will come apart. Presto Chan%o
Two silver coins change to copper, then back to silver. Dinally they change to one of each and are passed out for e3amination2 0lace the copper side of a doublefaced coin against a half dollar and place these in the little inner pocket of your blue
There are versions of this effect that are accomplished purely by sleight of hand. In this case, though, as you will see, the addition of a gimmicked coin renders possible results that would be unattainable by sleight of hand alone. #ere then is an e3ample of what I mean when I say that some of the most powerful magic combines sleight of hand and gimmicks. #ave the double faced coin finger palmed in the right hand, and hand the other two coins out for e3amination. 6sk the spectator to place one of the coins in each of their hands, palm up. 0ick up the copper coin in your right hand and the silver coin in your left hand. Say, BINm sorry, they should be reversed.B 0lace the silver coin in the spectatorNs opposite hand,
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
and then toss the copper coin into your left hand, e3ecuting the "obo switch. 0lace the gimmicked coin in the spectatorNs still empty hand on the fingertips;, copper side up. It looks like you
This effect has become very popular since 8avid "laine performed it on one of his television specials. #e used a folding 9uarter, which works well, since 9uarters are so common. In theory, though, you could also use a folding half dollar. The method is simplicity itself, but to really BsellH it, you need two folding coins. Take one of them apart, and hide the upper third in your mouth, between your upper teeth and cheek on the side. ?ou will e3perience no discomfort, and you will still be able to talk
#ereNs another great classic of magic. 5owadays, it4s occasionally performed with ob
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
canNt be e3amined. 1ith a coin, it can. Sometimes the coin used in this trick is a 9uarter. I still prefer the half dollar, because it seems more impossible to get a half dollar in a bottle than a 9uarter, even though neither can actually be done. ?ou may have to look around a bit for a suitable glass soda bottle. Start with the folding coin in your left pocket, and hand the real half dollar to an audience member for e3amination. *ention that the best way to tell whether a half dollar is real or not is by the way it sounds when its dropped. 1ith that, ask the person to drop it on the ground or floor. The time it takes the spectator to pick it up provides great misdirection for you to reach into your left pocket and retrieve the folding coin, which is then stuffed into the neck of the bottle and covered with your left hand. The bottom of the bottle should be facing to your right. #and the bottle to the spectator, his right hand replacing your left hand. "e careful that the gimmick is not seen while the transfer of the bottle is taking place. Stand to his right, and e3ecute the Drench drop with the real coin, pretending to take it into your right hand. 5ow, the coin is transferred from finger palm to classic palm as the left hand reaches to touch your spectatorNs shoulder. @pen the right hand suddenly as you slap the bottom of the bottle, and be ready to catch your spectator if he passes out after seeing the coin appear inside it. :; 5ow, we have the problem of getting it back out. 1rap your left fingers around the mouth of the bottle, which is now pointed down to the ground. The left little finger is pressed against the opening, in order to keep the folding coin from flying out. Shake the bottle hard and down one time. This will cause the folding coin to get stuck in the neck of the bottle hidden by the left fingers;, while simultaneously the real coin is released from the left palm, creating the illusion that you simply shook the coin out of the bottle. 1hile someone e3amines the coin, you can get rid of the gimmick. This last move is easier with a folding half than with a folding 9uarter.; The Coins Throu%h the Table
In this effect, four coins appear to magically pass through a solid table top, one at a time. 8espite the use of an e3panded shell coin, you end Bclean. B That is, the four coins can be e3amined at the end of the trick. @f course, you must be sitting at a table to perform this trick, making it a great after dinner piece. To prepare, secretly pull a flap of cloth from your left pants leg over onto your right pants leg. This prevents BlappedH coins from falling between your legs, and is a great aid to lapping in general. @f course, if youNre in a restaurant with cloth napkins, you can simply use one of those instead.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
The four coins should start out hori7ontally lined up near the edge of the table, the shell covering the coin on your right . /rip the coin on your left by its edges between the first finger and thumb of your right hand, and drag it toward you, off the edge of the table. Continue by swinging that hand forward and placing that coin near the center of the table. epeat this procedure with the next three coins, each one overlapping the one before it. 6s you drag the shell, its real coin will secretly fall into your lap. 5otice I said place the coins. If you drop them onto the table, the spectators will hear the different sound the shell makes, and become suspicious. The *irst Coin Passes Throu%h"
?ou now have what appears to be four coins in the center of the table, overlapping each other. eally, the fourth one is the shell . 1ithout allowing the spectators to see the back of the shell, arrange the coins into a fan held between the right first two fingers and thumb. 0lace your left hand under the table, secretly retrieving the coin from your lap in the process. /ently tap so that you donNt bend the shell; the coins onto the table, nesting one of the coins into the shell. Spread out what
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
appears to be three coins near the edge of the table, and show the fourth coin in your left hand, placing it aside. The Second 8 Third Coins Pass"
Dor the second coin, simply repeat that entire procedure. Dor the third one, drag both coins toward you at the same time , allowing the secret coin to again fall into your lap. 0lace the coin and shell onto the middle of the table, the shell overlapping the coin. Cover these both with your right hand, which smears them in a circle, nesting the two together. >ift your hand, revealing only one BcoinH there, and produce the third coin from under the table, placing it aside. The *ourth Coin
@ne last time, you4re going to use a variation of the move where you drag the shell toward you, lapping a coin. 0lace the shell on the table, but only a few inches in from the edge. Cover the shell with your fingertips, and slide them forward, leaving the shell in place. Spread your fingers apart, revealing that the coin is not there. It is now hidden beneath the balm of your right hand.; Immediately reproduce the fourth coin from under the table, and toss it toward the spectator. 6t the same time, misdirection again; pull the balm of your right hand backward , dragging the shell off the edge of the table, and into your lap.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Part 3 - Other Stuff
6lthough there isnNt as much material in the world of magic that is performed with ob
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 9 - #all Ma%ic
Sponge "alls Cups 6nd "alls
The Color Changing "all to Jumbo S9uare The *ultiplying /olf "alls
1hen it comes to performing magic with balls, there are mainly three kinds of balls that magicians use. Dirst, thereNs sponge balls though there are other kinds of sponge obastly, the venerable classic BCups and "alls,H most often makes use of little cork balls with crocheted covers, though miniature baseballs are in vogue for this as well. S!on%e #alls
Sponge cubes were originally used in manipulative magic sometimes they still are;, then magicians started carving them into little spheres. Sometimes, theyNre even carved into the shape of little bunny rabbits2 Sponge balls are sold by magic dealers 9uite ine3pensively in a wide range of si7es and colors. I prefer the ! O inch si7e, but I suggest you e3periment and find out what si7e works best for you. Color, again, is a matter of personal preference. The last decision to make is between regular or Bsuper softH sponge. 6 lot of magicians like the Bsuper softH ones, but I prefer the others. The reason is that I carry them around in my pocket all day, and the super soft ones tend to shrivel as a result. 6lthough technically there are a vast number of tricks that can be performed with sponge balls, seldom if ever is one sponge ball trick performed by itself. ather, the usual procedure is that one trick flows logically into another until a clima3 is reached. This is known in magic as =routining.= 6 routine is a series of tricks, and a show is a series of routines. Sponge balls provide an e3cellent e3ample for me to use in illustrating the concept of routining. To begin a sponge ball routine, you can either simply remove a sponge ball from your pocket, or you can create the illusion that it magically appears from nowhere. The simplest way of accomplishing this is to start with the ball finger palmed and pretend to pluck it out of the air. Dirst fi3 your eyes on a spot, and then bring the ball up to that spot, pushing it into view with the thumb. 6s the hand comes away with the ball, your ga7e now follows it. ?ou could then hand the ball to the spectator for e3amination. 6nother way to BproduceH the ball is to use what magicians call a Bpurse frame.H This is the metal part of a coin purse, without the leather
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
bag. ?ou have two balls and the frame in your right pocket, and two balls in your left pocket also. each both hands into your pockets at the same time, finger palming a ball with your left hand and bringing out the frame with your right. 6fter displaying the frame, place it between the crotch of your left thumb and your curled left forefinger, with the back of the left fingers toward the audience. @pen the frame and insert the first three fingers of the right hand. Then, show both palms, so that the spectators can see that your hands are BemptyH e3cept for the frame which is really hidden behind the tips of your right fingers;. !everse this action, then reach into the frame and produce the ball. #aving
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
6sk the spectators if they would like to see the balls back together. 1hatever the reply, place the balls touching each other on the table and say, BSee, theyNre back together2 B 6fter this bad ift your right hand, and place the ball under it in your left hand. 0ick up the ball under your left hand in your right hand. #olding the fists closed about !'H apart, ask the spectator how many balls are in each hand. TheyNll say =one.= 1hat youNve
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Take the ball that has
#ereNs a good trick for your stage and platform shows. ?ou have to buy it from a magic shop. 1hat you get is a hollowed out sponge cube red;, a black ball, and a regular red sponge ball. 0lace the black ball on top of the cube and press down, turning the cube inside out around it. 1hat youNll end up with will resemble a red ball, but itNs really the cube with the black ball inside. 0lace this into your pocket, and youNre ready to begin. 0ass the real red ball out for e3amination. Epon retrieval, youNre going to e3ecute a new sleight, known as the thumb palm vanish. #old the ball between the tips of the first and second finger in the right hand. That hand is palm up. 6s the hand turns over to BplaceH the ball into the left hand, curl the two fingers in and nip the ball in the crotch of the right thumb. 0retend to place the ball into the left hand, closing the left fingers around the imaginary ball.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
*ake the ball disappear, and then reach into your right pocket to BreproduceH it. eally, leave the real ball behind and bring out the fake one, keeping the opening covered. 0lace the opening on top of your left fist, and press down on the ball with your right forefinger. This causes the ball to turn inside out as it enters the left fist. ?ou now hold a black ball and a red cube. "ring your right hand over, and take the ball into it without the spectators seeing it yet. 6llow a piece of red sponge to peek out of your left fist, and ask the spectators to guess which hand the BballH is in. @f course, most of them will guess the left hand. @pen that hand, showing a cube. "e careful here that the opening is toward your palm, so they won4t accidentally see it.; They will want to see whatNs in your other hand, so open it and show them the black ball. Trust me, this gets great reactions. Cu!s 0nd #alls
This effect is regarded by many as the oldest magic trick in the world. The skill of a magician is often
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
the cup, unseen by the spectators. This is called the inertia move. 0ractice it a few times. 6s a side note, this should be performed on a soft surface such as a carpeted floor, or a magicianNs =closeup pad=; so that the spectators donNt hear the balls hitting a hard table when they do fall under the cups. A3ecute the inertia move with the ne3t two cups, stacking them onto the first one as you count. @ne. . . two. . . three. emove the ball from your pocket and place it atop the cups. Say, BThis trick also uses three balls. @f course, thatNs ift the ne3t cup and place it and its ball to the left. The spectators now see a ball on top of each cup. 0lace the two end balls down on your working surface, and thus conclude phase one of the routine. Cover the ball on the middle cup with the cup on right, and tap the top of the stack. >ift the entire stack, revealing the ball beneath it. It looks like a ball penetrated the bottom cup2 epeat the inertia move, covering the ball you ift it, as though you are e3pecting to see three balls. 6ct as surprised as they are that there are only two. 6ccuse them of trying to pull one over on you, and reveal that =they= made the ball
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
0ick up the cup on the right, revealing that its ball is gone also. 6t the same time, allow the ball in your right hand finger palm to fall into the cup that that hand is holding. 0lace these two end cups on their sides, a little back from the center cup. Show both hands empty front and back because the e3tra ball is now hidden in the right hand cup;, and then lift the center cup, revealing that all three balls have mysteriously gathered there. This concludes phase three of our cups and balls routine. There are two left. 0lace the two end cups upright, and place a ball on top of each cup. Say, BSome people think I use more than three balls.H #old the left hand in front of the cup on the right end, and tilt that cup forward, dumping that ball into your left hand. Transfer that ball into your right hand, and pretend to place it into your pocket, finger palming it. >ift the middle cup, and dump the ball on it into your left hand, sneaking the finger palmed ball underneath it as you put it down. epeat this procedure with the last cup. 6s you place away the last ball, retrieve the first vegetable, and keep your hand by your side, its back toward the spectators. This sets you up for the final phase, which is still to come.; >ift the right hand cup with the left hand, and say, B#ereNs ball number four.H 0lace the cup in your right hand, repeating the loading move you used in the first part of phase three. 0ick up the newly revealed ball, and place it into your left pocket securing the turnip;, then place the right hand cup down on its side. The cup being on its side suggests that youNre done with it, and that it is empty.;
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
1ith the right hand, pick up the center cup, and say, B#ereNs ball number five.H 0lace the right hand cup into the left hand, repeating the loading move with the turnip this time. 0ick up the newly revealed ball with the right hand and place it in your right pocket, securing the last vegetable. 0lace the center cup on its side, also, and repeat the loading move by picking up the left cup with the left hand, and placing into your right one. >oad that last veggie at this point.; The last ball goes into the left pocket. The last cup gets laid down on its side. ?ou have now secretly loaded a vegetable into each cup, and all three cups are lying on their sides, looking empty. This is where phase five appears to begin, but really youNre already done. 0ause for a beat, as though your trick is over. 6s you place the three cups upright with your obviously empty hands, say, BI hope my efforts to entertain you with the cups and balls have proven fruitful, but INm afraid they may not have. ?ou see, this isnNt fruit. These... snap your fingers, and begin to lift the cups; are vegetables. ?ou have now produced some produce to the sheer delight of your bamboo7led audience. The Multi!lin% 'olf #alls
"ack in the day, this trick was commonly performed with balls that were made of wood. They were usually either red or white in color. The most talked about balls for performing this effect nowadays are called =Dakini= balls and they4re made of silicone. They come in a wide range of colors. They4re 9uite large and very e3pensive. I do like the way they feel, and I like they fact that they bounce. 6lso, they4re very visible, even on the largest stage. They do have one drawback, though, and it has to do with the real secret of the multiplying balls. In any set of multiplying balls, one of the balls isn4t really a ball. It4s a shell that fits over a ball. In the $akini set, this shell is extremely thick, making for some pretty awkward handling. The set I do use is manufactured by a company called >oftus International, and is designed to resemble a set of golf balls. They4re yellow , which helps with visibility. They4re made of soft rubber, so they bounce. The most important benefit of this set, though, is its shell. It fits tightly enough so that when you have it on a ball, and toss that ball into the air, it won4t come off. It looks for all the world like you
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
?our little finger keeps the ball from falling out. "low some bubbles, then reach into them with your left hand, producing the ball. It will look like you grabbed one of the bubbles, whereupon it magically became solid. ?ou can then follow the rest of my routine from there. This could look really great with a bubble machine on stage. 0erhaps your background music could be =Dorever "lowing "ubbles.= :; To prepare for my usual routine with the golf balls, place a ball with the shell on it into your right back pocket. 6nother ball goes into the waistband of your pants, right behind the belt buckle. The remaining ball is classic palmed in the left hand. ?ou4re now going to produce that first ball after e3ecuting what4s know as =the change over palm.= Show the front and back of the right hand, then begin to turn your body slightly to the left. 6s you turn, the two palms come together. 6bout halfway through your turn, your fingers touch each other like you4re praying;, so that the ball is never seen. 6s you continue turning, the ball is classic palmed in the right hand. Show the left hand, front and back. ?ou have now shown both hands empty, one at a time. 0luck the ball from the air, the same way I taught you to do with a sponge ball. 6s you do so, say, =This is a trick where I produce a ball from thin air.= "ounce it off the floor and catch it, tacitly demonstrating the fact that it is ordinary. Say, =5ow, on the count of three, I4m going to make it disappear.= Count, =@ne,= and toss it up into the air. Catch it in both hands, the back of the left hand and the left side of your body; should be toward the spectators. Toss it again and catch it. @n the third time, keep it classic palmed in the left hand, while your right hand turns its back to the spectators and swings down behind your body. 0retend to slip the ball into your right back pocket. "e really obvious about this so the spectators will think you really pocketed the ball. Say, =@kay, you caught me, I snuck it into my back pocket.= 0roduce the ball and shell; from your pocket as if they were the ball you started with. ?ou have the ball you actually did start with classic palmed in your left hand.; Immediately produce that ball also, and bounce it. 0lace it between the first two fingers of the right hand, stealing the ball out of the shell at the same time into the left hand classic palm.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
This steal is a key move in the routine, practice it well.; 0roduce that third ball, bounce it, and place it between the second and third fingers. 5ow, youNre going to apparently take the middle ball with the left hand. Cover the ball with the back of the left hand toward the spectators. 1ith the right second finger, roll the middle ball down into the shell. Close the left hand loosely itNs supposed to contain a ball; and move it away as the right second finger returns to its original position. 0ractice this move in front of a mirror, too. It4s another key one. 0retend to hear that someone wants to examine the ball, and pretend to throw it to them, making it disappear. *ove the ball between the second and third fingers down one slot, stealing the shelled ball again in the process. 6sk the spectator to throw their imaginary ball back to you, and pretend to catch it, reproducing the ball you
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
right elbow. eplace it in your right hand, stealing a ball yet again. #old the two BballsH really a ball P the shell; beside your right knee, your fingers pointing straight down. 8o the vanishing move again, and reproduce the ball in your left hand from behind your left knee. It will look like the ball magically
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter < - =o!e Ma%ic
The Cut P estored ope opes Through Spectator4s "ody
The 0rofessor4s 5ightmare
ope tricks have been attractive to magicians for decades, perhaps because there are so many things you can do with a piece of rope. There are various trick knots, escapes, and other manipulations that can be performed. opes can even be made to apparently pass harmlessly through people or other solid ob
This is probably the most famous rope trick there is. I will teach you two versions. The first one is my favorite. The second one is the classic version. The reason the first one is my favorite is twofold. Dirst, you seem to cut the rope into three pieces, not
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
other loop. ?ou will now have what appears to be three short pieces of rope tied together. If you pull hard on both ends at the same time, the
knots will =pop= off, and the rope will be restored. The tips of the scissors in the picture below indicate the location of the cut and demonstrate the appearance of the knotted loop at each end. To do the second version, hold both ends of a length of rope in the crotch of the left thumb. The center hangs down below. Insert the first finger and thumb of the right hand into the bottom of that hanging loop from the side away from you. 0oint them straight up and to your right . >ift that center up into the left hand. @n the way, grab the right side of the rope about three inches down from the end and lift this piece up into view behind the left fingers. This is the secret move. The ne3t picture shows the situation you should be in after you follow this paragraph of instructions. Cut the loop and you will have four ends of rope sticking up out of your left hand. /rab the two middle ends with your right hand, and let the other two fall. It will look like you are holding two lengths of rope in your right hand. In reality, you are holding one long piece looped over one short piece. Tie the short piece around the long piece, pretending to tie the two lengths together . ?ou can even pretend to =tighten= the knot for an e3tra Bconvincer.H #old one end of the rope in the crotch of your left thumb. ?our left hand is now holding what appears to be two lengths of rope tied together. 1hat you actually have is one long piece of rope with a short piece tied around its middle. 1ith your right hand, begin to coil the rope around your left fingers. 1hen you get close enough to the knot to do so, close your right fingers around it, continuing to coil the rope. The knot will slide along the length of the rope as you perform this action. Aventually, the knot will come off the end of the rope and still be in your right hand. each in your pocket to retrieve a pinch of
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
=magic woofle dust= really nothing;, leaving the knot behind. =Sprinkle= the =magic woofle dust= onto the rope, then uncoil it. It has now been made whole again. The Professor&s >i%ht/are
#ere4s a trick where you apparently take three une9ual lengths of rope, make them e9ual, and then make them une9ual again. To make yourself a set of ropes for this, begin by cutting one piece about (444. 6 second piece should be about &4, and the last piece about '44. The longest piece should be folded in half and looped over the short piece, like in =The Cut P estored ope.= >aid beside it, these two folded lengths should be the same length as the medium si7ed piece. To begin the trick, show the three different lengths and let the spectator e3amine them. *ake sure he or she tugs on them and sees that they don4t stretch. 5ow, hold all three pieces in the crotch of the left thumbM short, medium, then long. >ift the short end, and place it ne3t to the long end. ?ou now have four ends in your left thumb crotch. epeat this with the other two ropes, in order. ?ou are now holding si3 ends. 1ith the right fingers, switch the middle two. 5ow, grab the three right ends, and pull them slowly but not too slowly; to the right. To the spectators, it look like the ropes transformed before their very eyes and are now all the same length2 To apparently show them separated, we4re going to use a false count. >et go of the right ends of the ropes, and pull out the middle rope with your right fingers. 6s you pull this rope out of your left hand, drag it over your left forefinger. Say, =one.= 0lace this rope between your left first and second fingers. 6t the same time, take the ne3t two with your right forefinger and thumb. 8rag them over your left forefinger, and say, =two.= /rab the last rope with the same hand right; that is holding the other two. 8rag it over your left second finger, and say, =three.=
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
This =one for two= switch is the most important move in this routine. It should be done smoothly and without hesitation. 0ractice it well. To the spectators, it should look like you simply counted three e9ual lengths of rope from your left hand into your right. To prepare for the last part of your trick, grab the lower ends of the ropes with your left hand. 0lace the right hand ends into your left hand also, so that you4re holding all si3 ends in the left hand again. 5ow, simply pull out one rope with the right hand, and lay it over your shoulder. 8isplay the two remaining ropes in separate hands. It will look as if the ropes instantly returned to their original condition. =o!es Throu%h S!ectator&s #od
In this trick, which is great for stage magic, you appear to cause two long pieces of rope to instantly and visibly pass right through a spectator4s body... and their coat2 The ropes themselves should be about ten feet long each. To prepare them, fold them in half and tie their two centers together with a short piece of white thread. In the picture, I tied them together with an orange balloon, so you could see what I mean. In performance, use a thread color that matches your ropes.; ?ou4ve created a false
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
spectator. If they4re the right ends, then you should place them into your spectator4s right hand, and vice versa. 6sk them to place this hand into the appropriate sleeve of the coat while holding onto the ends. This threads the ropes through the sleeve. Ese your now free hand to assist your spectator with his coat. epeat this process with the other sleeve. ?ou can now let go of the false
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 1? - Sil, Ma%ic
0roduction P anish "lendo
%!st Century Silks Sympathetic Silks
=Silks,= as magicians call them, are s9uare handkerchiefs made either entirely of silk, or some other lightweight blend. "ecause the fabric is so thin, these handkerchiefs are very compressible, yet highly visible. This, along with the fact that they are very colorful, makes them e3tremely popular with magicians. They usually come in solid colors, but various patterns are available as well. There are basically four categories of effects that are popular with silks: vanishes, productions, color changes, and various types of trick knots. 1e will look at an e3ample of all of these e3cept the color change; in this chapter. Color changes are usually accomplished with a double silk or silks; that can be turned inside out, or a small metal tube called a =dye= tube; that aids in switching one silk for another. In the case of the small metal dye tube, one silk is inside already. 6s the first silk is pushed in, the second one is removed. The tube itself is then secretly disposed of. The most popular methods for vanishing and producing silks or even color changes, for that matter; depend on the size of the silks. Dor small silks, a thumb tip is commonly used. This is a plastic =fake thumb.= The thumb tip is in the left fist, and the right thumb stuffs the silk inside it. The right thumb is then removed from the left fist, wearing the thumb tip, with the silk inside it . To produce a small silk, the procedure is simply reversed. 6 color change is accomplished by having a second silk in the left fist along with the thumb tip to begin with. (arger silks are typically vanished and produced by methods that will be taught later in this chapter. @ne particular device that I would like to mention before we go any further is the =change bag.= 6ll of the effects possible with silks can be accomplished with this tool. It is a doublewalled bag. The secret compartment can be opened and closed from the handle of the bag, and the bag can even be turned inside out to show it =empty,= while something is inside) The best change bags even have a 7ipper at the bottom so that you can reach your hand all the way through the bag, further demonstrating its =emptiness2= I use the change bag a lot when performing magic with silks, as well as other ob
Aither producing or vanishing a silk can be a trick by itself . *ombine the two, and you4ve got a great little interlude to be performed toward the middle of a show. @f course, either the production, the vanish, or both could also be performed as a small part of a larger, more elaborate effect.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
1e4ll begin with the production. To prepare, we4re going to fold the silk in a special way, so that we end up with a small, neat bundle. The si7e silk typically used for this type of production is !'44. "egin by placing the silk flat on the table in front of you so that it looks like a diamond. Dold the left and right corners into the middle so that they are touching. 5ow, fold the edges into the middle. Continue folding the edges into the middle again and again until the silk is about &44 wide. Dold the silk in half lengthwise;, and turn it so that it is now hori7ontal. Dold the right end up at a +- ° angle. oll the rest of the silk around that tab, then tuck the other end in at the bottom. The finished product should look like this: To perform this particular production, you must be wearing either a longsleeved shirt or a
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
1ith a pull, as you can see, you can vanish a larger silk than you can with a thumb tip. 6lso, this will fool a lot of people who already know about the thumb tip, because you don4t have to hold your hands any particular way once the silk is gone. In the ne3t trick, we4ll add some elements around this production and vanish, e3panding them into a larger routine. 21st Centur Sil,s
This trick has actually been around a long time. It used to be called =%-th Century Silks.= Since we4re already past the %-th century, the name has been changed. The effect is still ama7ing. Two silks of the same color are tied together and given to a spectator to hold. 6 third silk, of a different color, is made to disappear. It reappears tied between the two silks held by the spectator 2 ?ou4ve already learned how to make a silk disappear. 6ll that remains is to cover its reappearance between the two other silks. >ike most magic tricks, there are multiple methods for accomplishing this. The easiest is to
In this classic effect, multiple silks =blend,= and become one larger silk. 6gain, there are multiple methods. In the case of very small silks, the
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
thumb tip is utili7ed. In the classic method, the final, large silk that is displayed is really a =bag,= similar to the one in =twentyfirst century silks.= The smaller, individual silks are inserted into this =bag.= The final, =blended= silk is usually a multicolored one like in the picture, or an 6merican flag.
6s with many silk effects, my favorite device to use for this routine is a change bag. The final, =blended= silk is in the secret compartment. The bag is un7ipped. I reach through the bag, then turn it inside out. The bag is unmistakably empty. F; I 7ip the bottom shut, then drop the individual silks into the bag. I flip the lever, switching the compartments in the bag. The spectator can then reach in and pull out the final, =blended= silk. 6s an afterthought, I turn the bag inside out one last time, tacitly demonstrating that the small, individual silks are no longer in it. The S/!athetic Sil,s
In the sympathetic silks, you take the simple act of tying a false knot and e3trapolate it into a routine that truly e3emplifies the idea of packing small and playing big. Three silks are gathered and placed into the spectator4s hands. Three corresponding silks are tied together into a chain and placed on your table. The three silks in the spectator4s hands are removed, and they are now tied together2 These silks are untied, and the
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
other three are shown to have magically untied themselves as well2 6 truly
=sympathetic= reaction. The silks in the spectator4s hands are tied together to begin with. They are false counted in such a way as to appear separate. This false count is very similar to the one you used in =0rofessor4s 5ightmare.= Tie three of the silks together by the corners end for end;, then hold them by the crotch of the left thumb, like in the picture. The fourth silk is gripped closer to the tip of the left thumb, and the last two are gripped between the first two fingers. /rab the first of these, and drag it across the curled first finger, counting =one.= /rab the next silk, leaving the one between the first two fingers. 8rag this second one across the left first finger, counting =two.= "ring the hands together again, depositing the two silks in the right hand alongside the silk between the left first and second fingers. grab the three silks that are tied together, and drag them out of the left hand as before, counting =three.= 0lace these three silks in a pile into the spectator4s hands. Count the last three silks, =four, five, si3.= 0lace one of these silks onto the table and tie the other two using a special knot that can be undone by the simple act of picking up the silks. It4s called the =double fadeaway knot.= It will look to the audience like you are tying a s9uare knot. ?ou almost are. The only difference is that for the first overhand knot, you substitute the action of merely twisting the corners of the silks around each other, rather than tying them,. If you then tie a real overhand knot on top of that , you can even hold one end of the silks up and they will not fall apart. Shake it, however, and that's a different story2
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
0ick up the third loose silk and tie it onto the first two, using another Bdouble fadeawayH knot. 0lace all three of these silks in a pile onto the table. #ave the spectator remove the silks that are in his or her hands, and he or she will be surprised to find that they are now tied together2 +ntie them. 0ick up the silks from the table with a moderate amount of force. The knots will come loose, and the silks will appear to have untied themselves in response to your untying the other three. #oudini would be proud. :;
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 11- Mentalis/
The Three 1ay Test Spoon "ending The Cra7y Cube
The Center Tear The /olden Star The 8rawing 8uplication
*entalism is sometimes referred to as =mind reading.= This is a bit of a misnomer, and not only because you don4t really read minds. =*ind reading,= aka =telepathy,= is eave the tip in the envelope, and pull out the slip, as if it came from inside. eally, you =loaded= it there. If you4re using a soft thumb tip, you can crumble the envelope up 9uite casually prior to pocketing it. This concept of =loading= could also be used to create the illusion of telepathy . This is most commonly accomplished with the aid of a device known as a =thumb writer.= 6 thumb writer is a metal clip that fits on your thumb. It has a piece of pencil lead poking out of it. It is more commonly known as a =nail writer= or =swami gimmick.= 6n e3ample of the type of effect made possible by a thumb writer is as follows: #ave a spectator think of any three digit number. #retend to write it on a little pad of paper, then put the pencil down. 6sk them to say the number out loud. Talk about how =significant= it is that they chose that number. 1hile blabbering, actually write the number on the pad with the thumb writer . Turn the pad around, revealing that you =read the spectator4s mind.= Stealing is another commonly employed techni9ue in covertly obtaining information for the purposes of apparently reading someone4s
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
mind or creating other =psychic= phenomena;. A3amples of =stealing= will be given later in this chapter, in the form of =The Center Tear= and =The Cra7y Cube.= $orcing , on the other hand, is a concept you4ve already encountered in the section on card magic;. Still, you can =force= more things than
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
>et me try to read your mind now : I bet youNre thinking, BAnough with the theori7ing2 >etNs learn a trick already2H If INm right, youNre in for a treat. If INm wrong, now you see why I donNt use a whole lot of guessing in my mental routines. :; Aither way, letNs get started... The Three .a Test a,a +Mental !ic+
In listing the principles of mentalism at the beginning of this chapter, there is one I didn't mention that is fairly significant. It4s called the =one ahead= principle, and this classic is the best illustration of it that I know. 6lso, this one trick demonstrates the effects of telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition... all at once2 ?ou4ll need something to write with, some paper, and a container of some sort. The container is commonly a cup, a hat, or a bowl. 6sk if anyone in your audience has any change in their pockets, but tell them not to take it out. Instead, you4re going to try to use your powers of =clairvoyance= to =see= the hidden coins while they're still in the spectator's pocket) Incredibly, you4ll guess the amount before you ever even see the coins2 @r, so you lead your spectators to believe. :; In reality, draw a circle on a little piece of paper and fold it up. Tell the audience that4s going to be e3periment =6.= 1rite a =C= on the folded slip, and drop it into your container, not allowing the spectators to see the =C.= @nce you4re =committed,= have them count the change so that everyone including you, but don4t point that out; can see how much there was. 5e3t, collect four small ob
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
routine. 5ow, when your spectators check your guesses, they will all be correct. @f course, it4s important that you only use your powers for good. :; The Center Tear
The techni9ue you are about to learn is very popular in mentalism. It is an e3cellent e3ample of =stealing.= It can be used to secretly obtain any piece of information the spectator can write in a relatively small space. A3amples are first names, or last names;, state abbreviations, small numbers up to about four digits;, names of cards, shapes, etc. Deel free to use your imagination and develop your own presentation. To actually obtain the information, get a 44344 piece of paper, and draw a circle in the middle of it. Call the circle a =crystal ball.= 6sk the spectator to write their thought in it. 5e3t, ask them to fold the paper in half, then in half again. Take the paper from them, and hold it so that the one completely folded corner is in the upper right. Take a look at the picture and you4ll see what I mean. 1e4ll call this the =key= corner. It actually contains the information you want2 Tear the folded slip in half, right down the middle. 5ow, place the half with they =key= corner behind the other half on the side closest to you;. otate the entire packet one 9uarter turn to the right. Tear top to bottom again. 6gain, the right hand packet goes on your side of the left hand packet. ?ou4ve torn the packet into four pieces, and the piece you need is the one closest to you. ?ou4re now going to =steal= that piece. Take the pieces into your right hand in such a way that your thumb is directly on top of the piece you want to =steal.= Ese the fingers of that hand to drop three of the pieces into the spectator4s hands, helping them close them up with your free hand. t the same time, drag the right thumb backwards, retaining the =key= corner finger palmed in the right hand. #ave the spectator stand back to back with you, and while they are doing that, surreptitiously unfold the piece and glimpse whatNs inside. efold the piece, then turn around and face the spectator again. 0retend to be having trouble, and ask for the pieces back, ostensibly so you can Bfeel the energyH from them. eally, you are secretly adding back the stolen piece and returning them all to the spectator. 0retend to read your volunteerNs mind, and write their thoughts on a new slip. #and it to them. "e ready to catch them when they pass out. :;
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
S!oon #endin%
Spoons aren4t the only metal ob
#ere now we have a =mind control= type effect that serves to illustrate the principle of =multiple outs.= The spectators freely choose one of three different colored stars no =magician4s choice=;. ?ou even give them the opportunity to change their mind2 Still, you reveal beyond the shadow of a doubt that you knew ahead of time which one they would pick2 @r, did you use your powers of =mind control= to bend them to your will F #mmmmm...
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
To make this up, get yourself some of those =gold star= stickers that teachers use. They actually come on sheets of multiple colors. ?ou4ll also need some blank business cards, a matchbook, a slip of paper, and a small =pay= or BcoinH envelope. 0ut a different colored star on each of the business cards. 1e4ll say you4re using gold, blue, and red. @n the back of the card with the gold star, write, =I made you pick the gold star.= @n the inside cover of the matchbook, write, =I made you pick the red star,= and close it up. 0ut all of this into the pay envelope, along with a slip of paper that says, you guessed it, =I made you pick the blue star.= The rest you can probably figure out from here all by yourself. "ut, et them read the message on the slip. emember, as should be clear, you can4t do this trick twice for the same person. "ut, what if they pick the gold starF emove the matchbook, and ask them to turn over all three cards. If they pick the red one, have them open the matchbook. @nce they4ve made their initial selection, don4t forget to offer them the opportunity to change their mind. 5o matter what final selection they make, you4re covered. ?ou4ve got =multiple outs2= It dawned on me as I was writing this that you don4t necessarily have to use blank business cards. you could use your actual business cards, providing there4s enough space on the front for you to write a prediction on one of them. If they pick the one that has your prediction on it, what a great way to hand out your business card2 Aven if they don't , after you have revealed the correct prediction,
This is one of those little tricks that you have to buy from a magic shop. 8espite the fact that it is included in some children4s magic sets, it4s still one of my favorites. I4ve never had anybody figure it out. I even use a little =wrinkle= of sorts to throw the spectators off the tracks even further . The effect is that you have the spectator place the die in a little film can with whatever number they want facing up, and put the lid on. This is done while your back is turned. 1hen you turn around, you even give them a larger can to put the smaller can in. -hen they put a lid on that , and hold the whole thing themselves2 Still, without fail, you are able to =read their
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mind= and tell them e3actly which number they chose. Sounds impsossible, doesn4t itF A3actly. :; The secret is a bold e3ample of =stealing= information: 1hen the die is pressed up against the lid of the smaller can from the inside eg. when the can is tilted toward you;, you can actually see though it2 The =wrinkle= I told you about is that I have them place the selected number face down. This takes all the =heat= off the gimmicked lid. =#eat= is magicians4 slang for =suspicion.= Since the two sides of a die always add up to seven, you
That last image of their tightly closed fist is the one they will remember. The rest is acting. 0lace one of your open hands above their closed fist, and the other below it, but don4t touch them. >ook into their eyes, take a couple of deep breaths, and tell them the number they4re thinking of. Trust me. They4ll be blown away. The Dra(in% Du!lication
In this chapter, I have definitely saved the best for last. This effect is the kind of thing people will talk about for a long time. It also illustrates our final principle of mentalism, dual reality . The effect is that before the show someone draws a picture and seals it in an envelope. They do this in a different room from you. They keep the sealed envelope with them until you call them up during the show. ?ou then take a sketch pad, and without asking any 9uestions at all, you make a drawing of your own. -hen, they open their envelope and show their drawing to the audience. ?ou show yours. The drawings match2 5o, it isn4t witchcraft. :; ?es, the person who made the drawing is fooled. #e or she isn4t quite as ama7ed as the rest of the audience, and there4s a reason for that. The person who makes the drawing e3periences the effect a little differently . "efore the show, you gave them ten inde3 cards each with a simple line drawing on it. 6 boat, a house, a tree, etc.; Aach drawing is in a different color. ?ou also give them ten colored Sharpies matching the colors of the drawings;, something to draw on, and an envelope.
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?ou asked them to choose a drawing and duplicate it in the appropriate color. ?ou instructed them that when they were finished, they were to replace the cap on the pen and seal their drawing in the envelope. @f course, they were to then keep the envelope in their possession at all times until you call for it in the show. 6fter that a few minutes alone with the pens told you everything you needed to know. ow/ Simple..?ou prepared them ahead of time2 #ere4s how you should do it: 1hen you first buy the pens, take an ice pick and bore a tiny hole in them
The Cra7y *an4s #andcuffs The ing, The String, P The Safety 0in
The Dloating "ill
The three effects you will learn in this chapter are real blockbusters. Drom time to time, I have used them all as closers during professional restaurant magic engagements. The first one has even been performed by none other than 8avid Copperfield himself on national television2 #e performed it on two of his network television specials, and many of his talk show appearances. If you like it, and want to e3plore the topic of rubber band magic further, I recommend a 88 series from 8an #arlan entitled, appropriately enough, =ubber "and *agic.= The second trick we4ll study here introduces you to the BupliftingH sub
#ere4s the popular and ama7ing rubber band effect I told you about at the beginning of this chapter. Though popularized by 8avid Copperfield, it4s actually been around for 9uite a while. 6ll you need is two matching, normal si7ed rubber bands. It can be performed anytime, anywhere. Since the rubber bands are in fact completely ordinary, they can be e3amined by your spectators at the end of the trick. This leaves no clue as to the e3planation of this incredible mystery, in which two rubber bands seem to visibly melt right through each other. To begin, hold one of the rubber bands stretched out between the first finger and thumb of your left hand. #old the other rubber band stretched out between the first finger and thumb of your right hand. 5e3t, remove your right thumb. >oop that rubber band inside the other one, like in the picture. Stretch them against each other, to prove that they4re interlocked.
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1hile stretching the rubber bands against one another, you4re going to perform a secret move. 1ith your right second finger grip the top of the right hand4s rubber band. That way, a piece of the right hand4s rubber band will be gripped between the first and second fingers of the right hand. Twist your right hand in toward yourself slightly, and place the first finger of that hand into the same loop of rubber band that your right thumb is in. 5e3t, two things will happen at the same time. Spread your right first finger and thumb apart, and let go with your right second finger. These two simultaneous actions should take place as your hands are moving back toward one another, releasing the tension on the rubber bands. The end result of following the preceding paragraph of instructions is that you4ll be in a situation where the rubber bands are already on the opposite sides of one another from where they started. This fact is, of course, unknown to the audience. To keep it that way, make sure you don4t let the rubber bands touch each other so firmly that they bend . They should et4s recap: ?our current situation is that the spectators think the rubber bands are interlocked. eally, they are on opposite sides of each other, softly touching. To create the illusion of penetration at this point would be too soon. 1e need to put some time between the execution of the secret move and the revelation of the effect . This illustrates an important concept in magic known as time misdirection. Slide the right hand rubber band over to the lefthand thumb and stretch it out, demonstrating to your onlookers that the rubber band is not going to slip off on that side. 8o the same thing against the left forefinger , then return the band to the middle. 5ow, wiggle your hands
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effect for the same audience on the same day. -his trick, however is one of those rare instances where repetition actually enhances the impact. The second time you penetrate the bands, you can even turn around and let them watch from over your shoulder2 If you do the secret move correctly , they still won4t see it. ?ou probably shouldn4t do this more than three times. @n that third time, a nice touch is to let your spectator hold the rubber band herself , as pictured below. ?ou then simply e3ecute the same series of motions. 6 nice touch here is to gently place your left hand on her right one as you perform the secret moves. This seems to provide
The *loatin% #ill
The floating bill has been a mainstay of my closeup repertoire for a number of years. There are a number of variations, but I still find the classic handling I4m about to teach you to be as good as any. emember, to the uninformed, a floating bill is a floating bill. 5uance of method is generally only appreciated by other magicians. Speaking of method , you may have already guessed this one. ?es, there actually is a =string= of sorts holding the bill up. It4s called =invisible thread.= ?ou can purchase it from a magic dealer, but it4s much less e3pensive to purchase it from a sewing supply store. They will know it as =1ooly 5ylon.= ?ou want the black color. 1hen you first open your =invisible= thread, you will probably think, =1hy, this stuff isn4t invisible2 I could see it from the back of a dark room2= That4s because what you4re looking at is actually about forty strands, each thinner than a human hair. ?ou need to strip one out. To help you see the individual strands, you need to be working in a brightly lit room. It also helps to work over a sheet of white paper. "reak off a piece of your thread that4s about four feet long, and grab a strand. Start pulling out that strand, and slide the rest of the strands down it until they bunch up. This is very similar to coring a piece of rope, which I have already taught you. 5e3t, take a piece of clear cellophane tape about %44 long, and wrap the strand of thread around it. 1ad the tape up into a little ball, and place it
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into your mouth between your cheek and gum. Continue unbunching the thread, and pulling your strand out. 1hen you get to the other end of your strand, wrap it around another piece of tape and stick that onto a deck of cards. ?ou may now wrap the rest of your 4 thread around a playing card with two tears at opposite ends see picture;. That way, you can store it for future use. 0lace the deck of cards into your shirt pocket and you4re all ready to go. 0erhaps you4ve done a couple of tricks already, including a card trick. eplace the cards into the bo3, and place the bo3 onto the table. Step back a bit, pulling the thread taught. ?ou4ll feel a slight tug. "e careful not break it. "orrow a dollar bill. 6s you ostensibly roll the bill into a ball, you are really wrapping it around the thread. est the bill on your hand. >eaning back slightly will cause it to rise above your hand. 6t this point, wave your hands above and below the bill. 0eople assume that when they4re as close as they are, if there were any kind of string, they4d be able to see it2 They also assume that even if they can't see the thread, you wouldn4t be able to wave your hands above the bill. "ecause the thread is actually horizontal , you can2 "e careful not to perform this in daylight or florescent light, though, and you4ll be fine. The =in%A The Strin%A 8 The Safet Pin
This is probably my favorite closeup trick. I have never had anyone figure it out on me. ?ou take a piece of rope, a metal ring, and a safety pin. ?ou cover these three ob
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from underneath the handkerchief, and grab the end of the rope on the same side you4ve pinned the loop. 1ithout lifting your other hand from the table, pull the end of the rope until the entire rope is out from under the handkerchief. The handkerchief has been omitted from the picture so that you can see what4s happening underneath.; 6ma7ingly, the ring will now be on the rope, in the place isolated by the safety pin2 @f course, what really happened is that thanks to the clever placement of your finger, one end of the rope was pulled through the ring underneath the handkerchief. 1hile practicing, in order to fully understand what takes place, do the moves without the covering of the handkerchief. In performance, when you remove the rope, your body language should casually convey the attitude that you are merely pulling the rope out to show the spectators that the ring is already on the rope.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 13 - Sta%e Classics
The >inking ings The 8ove 0an
The "ill in the >emon The >ota "owl
There are basically two main types of stage magic. @ne is illusions, which will be covered later. The other is commonly referred to as =platform= or =parlor= magic. It is this second type that will be looked at in this chapter. *entalism, rope magic, and silk magic are all common in this category. Aven some card and coin tricks can work for this type of performance. This chapter will detail some very popular effects for stage performance that aren4t easily categori7ed. 6lthough =street= magic is e3tremely hot in magic at the time of this writing, the kind of stage magic described in this chapter is still the my favorite branch of con
The >inking ings is such a popular classic that it could be considered the =Cups 6nd "alls= of platform work. There are almost as many different se9uences for this effect as there are magicians who perform it. Though very old and fre9uently e3posed, it is still a hit with audiences. 8one well, it will still fool them, too. I will teach you the routine as % perform it. Deel free to vary the handling to suit your own whims. Dirst, though I will describe the contents of a standard set. In the first phase of the routine, you are going to display what appears to be eight separate rings. Enbeknownst to the audience, three of the rings are permanently linked together. There4s also a set of two permanently linked rings, along with two that actually are solid and separate. The last ring in a standard set has a secret opening in it. This is known as the =key= ring. The material my rings are made out of is stainless steel, and they are !-44 in diameter. There are various types and si7es available, so find what works best for you. To prepare for the routine, fold the set of three into a neat stack and place it on the table. @n top of this, place the key ring. The set of two, folded, goes on top of the key ring. The last two rings, the ones that are actually solid and separate, get placed atop all the others. 0ick the stack up in your left hand. The solid, separate rings should be facing the spectators. The rings should be held in such a way as to make sure your fingers are covering the opening in the key ring. This opening should remained covered throughout the entire routine.; ?ou4re now going to learn a false count that4s designed to suggest to the audience that all eight of the rings are solid and separate. each all four of your right fingers into the rings from the front and let go of one of the rings. See picture.; 5ow, open your two hands out like
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the covers of a book as you count, =@ne.= Close the =book,= drop the second ring, then open the book again, counting =Two.= Close the =book,= drop the ne3t two rings, counting =three, four...= @pen the book again, and turn the right hand around. Say, =Dour in each hand.= ?ou4re now going to learn the second half of this opening false count. eturn the hands to the =closed book= position, and drop the fifth ring the key;. pen the book, counting, =Dive.= Close the =book= one last time, but the other way, so that the back of the left hand is toward the audience. 8rop the last three rings, counting =Si3, seven, and eight.= The entire stack of eight rings is now in your right hand, their order having been reversed. 0lace them into the crook of your left elbow, turning your right hand in the process. The two solid, separate rings are now back on the side closest to the audience. "y the way, if you wear a long sleeved shirt while performing this effect, you4ll be much more comfortable, and the gap in the key ring will stay hidden better.; 6sk for the assistance of two audience members. #ave one of them stand on your left, and the other on your right. #and the two =normal= rings to the spectator on your right and ask him or her to link them. Take the next two rings and hold them in your hands with your right hand on one side and your left hand on the other. 1e4ll call this =driving position.= /ently rub these two rings together and slowly pull them apart. ?ou are pretending to link them. They4re already linked, but the audience doesn4t know that. Trade your now =linked= set with the spectator for their unlinked set. 0lace the unlinked set into the crook of your right elbow, and ask the spectator to try unlinking the set that4s in their hands now . 5e3t, we4ll finally turn our attention to the spectator on your left . /ive that spectator one of the solid rings, then take the key ring for yourself. #old the key ring as pictured. The gap is hidden by your right hand. 1ithout changing the position of that hand, revolve the ring, allowing it to travel through your left hand. ?ou are apparently displaying a solid ring, but don4t make a big deal out of this. Still holding the gap in your right hand, let go with your left hand. #ave the spectator hold their ring in Bdriving positionH away from their face. ?ou are now going to perform what is known as the =Crash >ink.= @f all the ways to link two rings together, this is one of the most spectacular. #old your ring above the spectator4s, in a
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perpendicular position. Tap the bottom of your ring to the top of theirs, by swinging downward. @n the third swing down, move your ring forward while performing the tap. The two rings will become linked, while the spectator is holding one of them2 In the picture, I am holding the solid ring myself.; 5e3t, we4re going to apparently spin both of the rings we astly, drop the same ring again and spin it again. The spectators will think you spun each ring once.; Just like there are multiple ways to link the rings, there are multiple ways to unlink them. 1e4re going to unlink the rings using a techni9ue called the =8rop Enlink.= 0ull the solid ring up into the same hand as the key ring, unlink them in the process. ?ou4re now holding two unlinked rings in the right hand. 0rop the solid ring, and catch it in the left hand. This should be performed as if you were showing the spectator on your right how to unlink their rings. 0lace your rings now unlinked; into the crook of your right elbow , so that the key ring is in the front . *ove the chain of the three from the crook of your left elbow to the left fingertips. Take the chain of two back from the spectator, and send them both back to their seats. ?ou are now ready to continue with the second half of the routine. The grip that the left hand should now assume is very difficult to describe in words, so I4ll let the picture do most of my talking here. Just to clarify, the back of the left hand is toward the spectators. The ring furthest from you is held by the curled in forefinger. The other two rings are held on the other three fingers. The right hand forcefully places its two
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rings with the left forefinger's ring. 6t the same time, the other three left hand fingers release their two rings. The illusion created is that you linked two rings onto one, creating a chain of three. Take the chain of three in your right hand, and allow the two in your left hand to slide back into the crook of your left elbow. 0lace the chain of three back in your left hand, then use your left fingertips to lift the key ring from your right elbow into your right hand. 5e3t, use your right fingertips to lift the bottom ring of the chain to ink= to link the top two rings of the chain onto the key. Insert these two rings directly into the gap of the key ring behind your fingers, of course;. each around to the front of the rings and grab the right side of the two rings you et them open until they are all parallel with each other. 6t this point, if you simply turn you arm out to your right, you will be able to display what appear to be the four leaves of a clover to your audience. Turn your hand over and let all of the rings go e3cept the key ring. "efore we make the rest of our shapes, grab the leftmost of the middle two rings. Enlink it from the top one, and move it down the chain, one ring at a time. 6s you do so, strike it against the other rings, creating the illusion that it4s penetrating each ring of the chain on its way down. 1hen it reaches the bottom, give it a spin. This is a particularly perple3ing se9uence for the spectators. 5e3t, twist your hand all the way to the right, and then all the way back to the left, so that there will be some tension on
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the chain of rings. 1e4re now set to begin our second session of shape making. 1ith tension on the chain, grab the bottom ring in the left hand, and pull it up beside the right hand ring. >ink the right hand ring onto it from the front, so that all four rings are now in the right hand. The left hand is free, and you4ve made a love seat. each away from yourself through the left ring with the left hand. /rab the bottom left ring, and pull it up toward yourself. This ne3t part is really hard to e3plain, so follow along with the rings in your hands. Leeping the key ring in the crotch of your right thumb, reach your right forefinger around and grab the outer right ring. "y manipulating the two righthand rings with your right fingers, arrange matters so that the key ring becomes the outer ring. In other words, switch the places of the two right rings.; 1ithout letting go of the key ring, pull your two hands apart. If you4ve done this right, you4ll now have a chain of four rings that appear to be linked together in several different places, like in the picture. If not, keep trying. 1ith practice, you4ll get it2
Dinally, let go with the left hand. 5e3t, pull the bottom of the second ring up toward yourself until it locks into place. ?ou4ve made the last shape2 It4s a tea kettle. @ne of the two middle rings is farthest from you. /rab that ring, and unlink it from the top one. epeat the se9uence where you strike it against the other rings as you pull it down the chain. /ive it a spin. 6t this point, you have a chain of four rings in your right hand. The two solid rings are in the crook of your right elbow. The two linked rings are in the crook of your left elbow. ?ou4re now ready for the final phase of the routine. *ove one of the rings in the crook of your right elbow to your right elbow. *ake sure your right hand is holding the gap in the key in such a way as to insure that the opening is et the ring on your right elbow fall toward the chain and catch it on the key ring, uncovering the gap
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spectacular link is called the =Shoulder >ink.= 8o it again, but this time with a ring that4s actually on your shoulder . ?ou now have two additional rings linked onto your chain of four. They4re on the same side of the second ring. ?ou4re going to need them to be on different sides of the second ring. 1ith the left hand, lift the outer one and rest it on your right wrist. 0lace they key ring into your left hand, keeping the gap covered. 6llow the ring on your
wrist to fall, then place the gap of the key ring back into your right hand. >ower your left hand and catch the chain of two as it falls off. Toss this chain into the air, and catch it as it falls back down. "y now, the spectators will have forgotten that these rings were already linked, so the illusion is created that they link in midair. >ink the top ring of this chain onto the key ring using the previously learned =Twist >ink.= Then, let go of them. 0ause for a beat, then lift the lowest ring of the chain of two with your left hand. 0lace it over your head, keeping the gap in the key ring covered with your right hand. each over with your left hand and place the right most solid ring into you right hand holding it and the gap.; 0ick up the left most solid ring in your left hand, directly across from the right hand4s rings. ?ou4ve formed a cross. 1ith the left hand, remove the top ring from around your head. Dold all the rings up into a neat stack this re9uires some practice;, and put them away. *ake sure to give your audience time to appreciate each moment of magic in this beautiful routine. The #ill in the Be/on
This effect has been a reputation maker for me for a lot of years. I have performed it in every one of my paid engagements since I was eleven years old. The version I will teach you here is its latest incarnation. 6 spectator selects one lemon from a bowl of lemons. It is held in view the entire time. nother spectator loans the magician a bill, which is then torn into many pieces. 6ll of the pieces e3cept a corner piece vanish. The lemon is then cut open, bill is found inside, and the corner matches2 ?ou will need a dollar bill, a lemon, a sharp knife, some super glue, and a change bag. To prepare, tear a corner off the bill and place it the corner; into the secret compartment of the change bag. 1ith the point of the knife, carefully cut the pip off the lemon and set it aside. "ore a hole deep into the lemon with a wooden kabob skewer, being careful not to pierce the other side. oll the bill up as tightly as you can, and stuff it into the lemon. Super glue the pip back on. 0lace the prepared lemon into a bowl with two others, making sure you can remember which one it is. >emons usually come with little stickers on them. I leave it on the prepared one, and remove it from the others. Dorce the prepared lemon on a volunteer using the =*agician4s Choice= force that you learned earlier. "orrow a bill, tear it up into a bunch
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of pieces, and drop the pieces into your change bag. Change the pieces of their bill into the corner of your bill. They think that corner came from their bill.; #and the corner to the owner of the bill for safekeeping. #and the knife to the spectator who has been holding the lemon. 6sk them to cut the lemon in half sideways, rotating it as they do so. @nce the cut has been made, take the lemon from them and pull the halves apart, revealing that there is a bill inside. The audience will gasp. :; 0ull out the bill and hand it to the person holding the corner so that he or she can verify that the pieces match. If you4re under eighteen, don4t use a knife without adult supervision. 6nd don4t play with fire. :; The Do)e Pan
6 dove pan is a utility production device that isn4t by any means limited to winged livestock. It4s a great way to open or close a show. I use it to close birthday party performances with the routine I am about to describe. "esides doves, it can be used to produce candy, silks, collapsible sausages bought from a magic shop, or anything else that will fit into the secret load chamber. "esides causing ob
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napkin and toss it into the pan. >ight it on fire and let it burn for
The >ota "owl is great for giving your show continuity by introducing a =running gag.= The effect is as follows: ?ou pour all of the water out of a bowl. ?ou do your ne3t trick. 6fter the ne3t trick is done, you pour more water from the same bowl2 This gets funnier and funnier every time it4s repeated throughout the show. 8ifferent magicians pour the water into different containers. Some ota "owl actually has a fluted construction and a double wall, forming a large secret compartment which holds the e3tra water. There4s a hole on the rim of the bowl. If you cover this hole with your thumb and pour all of the water out of compartment , then the air pressure will hold the rest of the water in compartment 1. >eft unattended, compartment 6 will then refill with more water. This can be repeated until all the water in compartment " has all been poured out. The =Doo Can= has a secret wall inside that holds the water in if you turn the can upside down a certain way. If you turn the can upside down the other way, the water will flow out. 1hile the water is =vanished,= you can even spin the can on the end of a magic wand, creating a powerful suggestion of emptiness, and a fitting end to a stage show throughout which you have been apparently producing water from nowhere.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Part 5 - Illusions
Some of you may find this to be the most interesting portion of this course. @thers may find it to be of frankly little value. I actually don4t perform illusions myself. 5ow, when I make that statement, I need to define the word =illusion.= Technically, every magic trick is an =illusion,= because, of course, none of them are actually real. To a magician, though, an =illusion= is a magic trick that involves a human being, an animal, or a particularly large ob
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 14 - Sta%e Illusions
Sawing 6 >ady in #alf Swords Through "ody >ady In the >ight
The Dloating >ady The >ion4s "ride *etamorphosis
The chapter after this one is called =/rand Illusions.= 1hat is the difference between a grand illusion and a stage illusionF It depends on who you ask. Some magician use the adady in #alf.= Sa(in% 0 Bad in $alf
0erhaps the first point I should make in this particular discussion is that it isn4t always a lady who is sawn in half. So, since it4s sometimes a man who gets divided, perhaps I should have referred to this classic as sawing a person in half. @h, well. :; 6t any rate, as is the case with most classics, there have been multiple versions and methods for this effect throughout the history of magic. The original version, depending on who you ask, is usually either credited to #orace /oldin or 0.T. Selbit. The basic effect, of course, is that a person gets into a bo3, which is then sawn in half and pulled apart. Sometimes, you could see the head sticking out of one of the bo3es and the feet sticking out of the other one2 ther times, the hands and feet of the victim were tied to ropes that ran out through holes in the halfbo3es. These ropes were then held tightly by volunteers from the audience. @riginally, some of the bo3es used in this illusion rested on pretty thick
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tabletops. >ater, a version was developed in which the bo3, apparently
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
The *loatin% Bad
6t least in 6merica, the floating lady was originally popularized though not originally performed ; by #arry Lellar. To see a human being floating in midair right in front of you is still an ama7ing thing. If the person is floating in a stationary position, this is referred to as a suspension. If the person moves while floating, it4s called a levitation. The earliest version of the floating lady, as you may have guessed, was a suspension. >evitations came later. 6 suspension of a human being performed on a theatrical stage usually looks like this: 6 table is on the stage, close to the backdrop. The table is covered with a cloth, but the cloth doesn4t reach all the way to the stage itself. If the cloth covering the table and the material of the backdrop are contrasting colors, it enhances the illusion of separation between the two. The table is really
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S(ords Throu%h #od
@ur first two illusions in this chapter introduced you to a few common principles in stage illusions: hidden assistants, hidden supports, wires, fake body parts, and tables that are thicker than they look. Dunnily enough, we haven4t even mentioned mirrors yet, and most people think most stage illusions are done this way. In this illusion, we will take a look at the use of mirrors, but first, we4ll learn the oldest method for performing this piece. >ike our preceding illusions, this effect, too, has multiple versions. In one, a person gets into a bo3, several swords are inserted through holes in the bo3 or basket;, and then removed. The person emerges unharmed. "elieve it or not, in many of these tricks, the person is still inside the bo32 They simply manipulate their body in such a way as to make sure the swords miss it. The swords are duller than they look for safety reasons. emember, safety should always be your primary consideration when performing stage illusions. Sometimes, after the swords are inserted, the front of the bo3 is opened, and the person appears to have vanished. This is where mirrors come into play. There are essentially three ways to make something or someone; disappear: move the ob
Aarlier I mentioned that one of the places magicians hide things or people; is behind a Bblack art panel.H 6s promised, we will now e3plore that concept further. Ironically, we won4t be looking at it in the conte3t of a vanish. Instead, we4ll encounter its use in a transformation. ?ou see, in stage illusions, as in other forms of magic, principles can be applied in multiple ways. 5ot only that, principles can be combined in clever ways as well2 1e4ll see an e3ample of that in this illusion, too. :; The effect begins with a cage being wheeled out onto the stage. It is covered, but the front of the cover isn4t lowered yet. 6s a result, the
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
audience can see through to the back of the cage no mirrors;. The table on which the cage rests is obviously too thin to contain anything. 6n assistant climbs into the cage, and the front of the cover is lowered. The cage is revolved completely around, and the cover is whisked away. In place of the assistant is now a lion, a cheetah, a puppy dog, or whatever the magician desires. The audience can see under and above the cage, as well as straight through the bars to the backdrop in the rear2 The assistant is long gone. 1e have two pu77les to solve here. !. 1here did she goF %. 1here did the animal come fromF >et4s look at that second one first . emember back when the audience first looked into the cage and could see straight through to the backF That wasn4t really the back. It was a false back, behind which the animal was concealed. If you hold a piece of black cloth in front of a black background, it will be invisible from a short distance. Thus, anything behind it will be invisible as well. That is the black art principle in a nutshell. To climb up into the cage, the assistant ascends a staircase. The table on which the cage is resting is as thin as it looks. The staircase is not . @nce the front of the cover is lowered, the assistant or performer; descends into the stair case , and the false backdrop is removed, releasing the animal. The staircase is wheeled offstage in the background as it is ostensibly; no longer needed. The cage is revolved a few times, and the cloth is whisked away, unveiling the beast within. The rest, as they say, is history. :; Bad In the Bi%ht a,a Shado( #o
6s you may or may not have reali7ed, an appearance is really a disappearance in reverse. So, any principle by which a disappearance can be accomplished can also be used, in reverse, to create an appearance. 6s we4ve already learned, two principles often used to create disappearances are moving and hiding . 6 trap door is an e3ample of the combination of these two. In this illusion, the trap door is not where you expect it to be, rendering results that are even more deceptive. nother principle is used as well. "efore we get into that , though, let4s take a look, as usual, at the effect. 6 white bo3 on wheels is revolved around so that the audience can see all the sides of it. The front is then opened, so that the audience can see inside. The front is closed, then a drop light is lowered through a hole in the top of the bo3. This light illuminates the translucent walls of the bo3 from within. Shadows begin to appear inside the bo3 and slowly take on a human form. The front of the bo3 is again opened, and out steps the performer, or an assistant, having appeared from the ether.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
To begin with, the person is already inside the bo3, plain and simple. 6fter the bo3 is revolved, they slip out a trap door in the back and are hidden behind the bo3 as the front is opened. 6 light passed between the back of the bo3 and the person will further suggest the fairness of the procedure. @nce the front is closed, the person gets back in the bo3, but stays toward the rear. @nce the light is in place, if the person gradually moves forward their shadow on the front of the bo3 will appear to grow from a largerthanlife si7e into a recogni7able human form. They can then tear through the paper front wall of the bo3, thus making their dramatic entrance2 Meta/or!hosis a,a The Substitution Trun,
This effect was invented by #arry #oudini himself. It was first performed by #arry and his brother, then later he and his wife, "ess. It has seen many modern incarnations, much like the other illusions in this chapter. +nlike the other illusions in this chapter, however, it doesn4t depend on any of the principles we4ve learned so far unless you count the trap door in the bo3;. I will begin by describing the original effect, followed by its most popular modern version. 6 lockable trunk rests on the stage. It4s surrounded by a frame that is somewhat like a puppet stage. This frame has cloth sides. The front cloth is raised to provide a clear view of the trunk. @ne member of the two person team is handcuffed and then steps into a bag that is already in the trunk. The bag is then tied. The trunk is locked, and the front curtain of the frame is closed. The second member of the team steps inside the frame, immediately followed by the first person stepping out2 The frame is whisked open, and the trunk is seen to still be locked. The trunk is unlocked, the bag is untied, and the second person is handcuffed inside it2 In modern versions, there is no frame, merely a cloth that is raised and lowered in front of the top of the trunk. In both versions, the method is the same. The handcuffs are trick cuffs. They spring open at the push of a button. There is a hole in the bottom of the bag. There is a trap door in the trunk. 6s the bag is being tied, the handcuffs are being undone. 6s the trunk is being locked, the bag is being removed. 6s the front curtains are being closed, or the cloth being raised, the escape through the trap door is made. The process is simply reversed by the second member of the team.
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 15 E 'rand Illusions
@utdoor anishes
@utdoor Ascapes
6s you can see, this chapter is going to be a relatively short. I would guess that at lest ++.+++ of my readers will never perform any outdoor grand illusions. I do, however, happen to posses a keen interest in the history of this particular branch of our art. 6s far as performances go, the undisputed master in this area is none other than 8avid Copperfield himself. 6s innovation goes, however, even in the pieces performed by Copperfield, the master of the BsuperH illusion is a man by the name of Dran7 #arary. I could discuss the work of both of these men in detail, but that would be highly unethical. Instead, I will discuss principles by which these types of effects are accomplished. #opefully, if you4re that oneina million reader who gets to perform anything on this scale, you4ll be able to combine and build on things you read here in new, creative ways. ?ou will notice this chapter is divided into two parts, vanishes and escapes. This is because the vast ma
emember, there are three ways to make something disappear: move it, hide it, or move the audience. This is
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
with a window in it are standing. The camera is pointed at your massive obet4s seat our audience on a massive, circular platform. @n the platform with the audience are two towers. The audience can look between the towers to see the ob
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Outdoor sca!es
#oudini was the first to ever make a sensation out of outdoor escapes. Some might say that he has never been surpassed in his ability to create a stir in the media through these spectacular events. @ne involved him escaping from a strait et4s begin with underwater escapes. Dirst was the matter of getting the performer4s body used to the cold. This was simply achieved by gradually increasing the intensity and duration of one4s e3posure to the elements over time. The same techni9ue was applied to gradually increasing the length of time for which one could hold one4s breath. Still, even with all this training, knots were tied, locks were faked, and bo3es were rigged in such a way as to make sure that, although these restraints appeared formidable, escape could be made in a matter of seconds. Dor modern escapes from buildings in which the live audience was seated outside, what appeared to be a live feed was actually some pre recorded BdecoyH footage. 6ll that really remains for you to understand in your 9uest for e3planations in this branch of outdoor magic is the means by which one e3tricates himself from a strait
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Part 6 E The nd
Aventually, if you haven4t already, you4ll reach the point where you4d like to start making some money doing magic. 6fter all, who doesn't want to earn an income doing something they en
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
Cha!ter 16 E 'ettin% Paid
Copy 1riting /enerating eferrals
6dvertising "onus Ideas
1e4ve already established that performing at birthday parties is one of the easiest ways for a new magician to get started generating an income. It4s also one of the least e3pensive. It isn4t free, though, so keep that in mind. ?ou4ll need to spend some money in order to start making some money. That being the case, you should have another source of income established first . @ne of the first things you4ll spend money on is a website. I4ll give you some advice later in this chapter on developing the content for that site. 5e3t, once your website is in place, you4ll drive some traffic to it by advertising. I4ll talk about where to advertise, as well as what kind of ads to run. 6s soon as possible, you4ll need to start generating some referrals. I4ll give you some great ideas for how to do astly, I4ll give you some bonus thoughts about how to boost your income per show. @f course, before you can sell your show, you have to have a show. There is enough material in this book for you to use to build a great show. I will teach you the basic format I use in putting together a magic show so you will know how to do it as your knowledge increases. ?ou should begin your show by introducing yourself, interacting with your audience, and getting to the point. I use a trick for each of these three purposes. In a magic show, to introduce yourself, you want something magical to happen right off the bat. ?ou want to really impress them. It4s generally also best not to use a volunteer yet. I like to use BThe *ultiplying /olf "allsH as an opener. @ne good way to interact with your audience is to ask for a volunteer, so the second slot is a good place to use something like the BTwentieth Century Shorts.H I usually prefer to Bget to the pointH by performing something that plays big , like Bopes Through /irl,H for e3ample. The middle of your show is the time to do something different , followed by a change of pace with something quick and visual . "efore moving on to your last section, you should perform a classic of magic. I often interpret BdifferentH to mean Bmentalism.H ?ou have already been taught a number of options here. Something B9uick and visualH could be along the lines of the BSilk 0roduction and anishH or the BColor Changing "all to Jumbo S9uare.H BThe >inking ingsH is a tremendous classic of magic, and thus well suited for your si3th slot. 1ith your show nearing its finale, it4s time to have some fun before your big showstopper. Then, you can send them home with a little something to remember you by. Dor fun, I usually use a BDoo CanH to vanish the water I4ve been producing from my B>ota "owlH throughout the
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
show. B0rofessor4s 5ightmareH could also work here. *y favorite showstopper, after all these years, is still BThe "ill in the >emon,H and my favorite way to close a birthday party show is, of course, by producing a cake from a B8ove 0an.H Co! .ritin%
To succeed in your magic business, you4ll need to know how to write effective copy for web sites and sales letters. The letters will be sent to past customers and members of your magic club more about that later; about a month be for upcoming birthdays. In either case, you4ll need to start with a strong headline. Three common ways to start headlines for websites or sales letters are... •
•
•
BThe Secret @f...H B#ow To...H B1ho Alse...H
Dor e3ample, BThe Secret @f *aking ?our Child4s 5e3t "irthday 0arty @ne That They4ll emember Dorever2H 6nother e3ample would be, B#ow To *ake ?our Child4s 5e3t "irthday 0arty The Talk @f The Town.H ?ou could also use something like B1ho Alse 1ants To #ave 6 *agical, *emorable "irthday 0arty ,uaranteed To Dill ?our #ome 1ith >aughter 6nd DunFH ?our ne3t step, if this is an actual letter , is to start off with the date an a salutation. @therwise, et4s face it. 0lanning a birthday party is tougher than you thought it would be.H 5e3t, you want to Btease the solution.H Dor e3ample, BIn
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
are afraid of clowns.;H 5ow, you want to list some bullet points that specify e3actly what you offer. 1ith each bullet point, you want to answer the 9uestion, B1hat4s in it for meFH It might look similar to the following: •
•
•
?our child gets to help out in the show2 This will really make him or her feel like a star. Tons of comedy2 ?our home will @CL with laughter2 Dree magic tricks for every child2 *ore than
6t this point in your letter or on your website, you4re going to give your prospect a few things to look out for when considering other options. @f course, you4ll be the only entertainer that meets all of these criteria2; 0erhaps this section will read as follows: •
•
•
"e careful about hiring clowns2 6 lot of kids are mortally terrified of clowns. *ake sure to hire a specialist 2 Antertaining children as opposed to general audiences; takes a certain kind of personality. ?ou want somebody who knows what they4re doing, otherwise the kids might not have any fun2 >ook out for any performer who offers a magic show and nothing else2 I offer complete packages often for the same price as or less than; my competitors2
#ere we4re going to tell our potential customer what the value of our offer is. 5ot how much we charg e, but the value. @f course, the value will be higher than our actual price, creating a great deal for the customer2 ?ou might offer your customer: •
•
•
•
&- minutes of professional kids4 entertainment. 6 !)( value2; 6 DAA magic trick for every child2 6 (- value2; Dree gifts for the birthday child2 6 !- value2; Total value: %&(2
Dinally, we4re going to give them a choice between two packages. They get to choose between something and something , not between something and nothing . #ere are two packages you might offer: *y B*agical *emoriesH 0ackage !%(; •
•
*y action packed, hysterical &- minute show. 6 DAA magic trick for every child2
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
•
*ree %ifts for the birthday child2
*y B*agical *emories 0eluxe H 0ackage !)(; 6ll of the above, plus3 •
•
•
!( e3tra minutes of showtime making 45 total minutes2 DAA goody bags including magic tricks; for every child2 0 free magic set for the birthday child2
"efore we conclude our sales copy, let4s give a guarantee. 0erhaps we could call it our B!--, IronClad, Tear Ep ?our Check, *oney "ack /uarantee.H 1e could phrase it accordingly: B"ecause I am so confident that you and your guests will be delighted with the entertainment services that I provide, I can personally guarantee that, if for any reason, you aren4t !-- satisfied, then % will tear up your check) I can afford to take that kind of risk because, in all my years of performing, I have never had anybody take me up on it.H 6fter you give your prospect e3plicit instructions on how to contact you, all that remains is to include a final B0.S.H that creates a sense of urgency and offers a specific call to action. 6 good e3ample of this would be, B0.S. *y available party dates disappear fast especially on the weekends; so give me a call today in order to avoid being disappointed2H 0d)ertisin%
@kay, so you4ve got your website. 5ow whatF 1ell, you need to drive some traffic to it. ?ou will do that in two basic ways. Dirst, you will advertise online. Second, you will advertise offline. In order to advertise offline, you need to see if the area you live in has a parenting maga7ine. They will design the ad for you, and it will cost you less per month if you run it for a whole year than if you run it for only one month. The te3t you want in the ad should look something like this: BThe "est "irthday 0arty Aver2 DAA goody bags2 6 DAA magic set2 T@5S of audience participation2 ?our party will @CL with laughter, /E665TAA82H 6nd then your phone number. 6s mentioned, another avenue of advertising you should utili7e is that of online advertising. The best place to do this is /oogle4s B6dwords.H This service sells what is known as BpayperclickH advertising. Someone types in a search phrase, say Bbirthday party magician,H and up pops your ad. ?ou are only charged if someone actually clicks on your ad, and is thus whisked away to your website. The amount you4re charged will not e3ceed your ma3imum BcostperclickH bid . 6lso, you can set a daily budget and the total charges from all the clicks your ads generate will not e3ceed that
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
amount. Durthermore, you can geographically target your ads so that they are only displayed to users within your driving area2 The most important piece of advice I can give you about this form of advertising is to make sure you bid enough to be on the first page of results, but don4t worry about being !. 'eneratin% =eferrals
*ost of your business will come by word of mouth. That being the case, it4s important to reali7e that there are things you can do to make sure word of mouth advertising is taking place. Some small businesses simply hope for word of mouth advertising, while doing nothing to foster it. 6s a result, their well of customers runs dry too soon. ?ou will not take that route. In fact, you4re going to do three things in particular to attempt to generate the kind of word of mouth advertising that will keep that referral business coming in a steady stream. The first thing you4re going to do that most of your competition doesn4t; is send a handwritten thank you note after every show. 6long with that note, you4re going to enclose three business cards. @ne of these business cards will be for your customer to keep, and two will be for them to give to anyone they know who might could utili7e your services as an entertainer. This plants the idea in their head to help you spread the word. "elow you will find some suggested te3t for such a note: Dear Customer, I really enjoyed performing at your son/daughter's birthday party. Thank you so much for the opportunity! nclosed you ill find three business cards. "ne is for you to keep, and the other to are for you to pass on to any other parents you think might could use my ser#ices. Thanks, and I look forard to ser#ing you again soon. $agically %ours, %our &ame ere
6nother thing you should do to keep referrals coming is run a client newsletter. This gives you a great opportunity to utili7e a principle known as Brecogni7e and reward.H The newsletter I send is four pages long. It features humorous little stories, a couple of pu77les, a column of one liners, fun facts, etc. The idea is that three of the four pages should be fun to read. 0eople don4t really care months after they4ve used you what4s
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
going on in your business. @n that one page, though, you can and should have a paragraph or two about good things that are happening in your life as a magician. It4s what else is on that page that4s really important. ?ou4re going to have a BClient @f the *onthH column where you write a brief story about one of your customers that month. ?ou4re also going to have a B1elcome 5ew CustomersH section and a BThanks Dor ?our eferralsH section. 0eople love seeing their name in print, and seeing this section reminds them that it4s okay to recommend you to their friends2 Jack Turk sells a great template for a client newsletter done for you every month at a very reasonable rate on his website at www.magicmarketingcenter.com. ?ou should also send a small gift to anyone whose referrals result in a booking for you. I4d suggest something along the lines of a !- fast food gift card. @ne more idea that is dynamite for generating referrals is a B*onthly *agic Club.H Just write twelve newsletters each teaching a simple magic trick and make a sign up sheet for kids to use with their parents4 permission, of course; at your shows. 8o one of the tricks during your show and mention that the kids can learn it by
There are basically three ways to make more money doing magic shows: !. ?ou can ac9uire new customers. ?ou4ll do that primarily using the techni9ues that I taught you under the BadvertisingH section of this chapter. %. /enerate referrals. @f course, this had its own section as well. &. ?ou can increase the amount of money you make for each gig . This last techni9ue is what these bonus ideas are about. I hinted at these before, when I said that when you4re writing copy for a website, sales letter, or phone script, you should offer your prospect at least two options. These options could e3ist in the form of packages. ?our more expensive package could include a longer show, by about fifteen minutes;, balloon animals if you know how to make them;, and even some magic goodie bags I would only include up to eight;. The goodie bags I use contain mostly items from the @riental Trading company. They sell bulk candy I include a small handful in each bag;, wire pu77les, chinese finger traps, fortune telling fish, and even little plastic magic tricks. ?ou can also get a wholesale account at a company called 8. obbins which sells magic tricks and novelties at wholesale prices. The only catch with them is that you have to buy multiple 9uantities and order %-- worth of stuff at a time. This can still be cost effective, though, once
Kenn Ball's Ultimate Magic Handbook
you reach a certain point in your business. ne of the items they sell is a magic set for the birthday child, for e3ample; that you could perhaps include in one of your packages2 They cost less than four bucks each. The key to selling your more expensive packages is to make the difference in price very reasonable in view of all the extras your prospect is getting. Just make sure you figure enough profit margin so that you are still making more money than you would have. 1ell there you have it, you4ve reached the end of my first magic book. I wish you all the best. If you4ve en
