Please come see the lecture and say hello – I’d love to meet you in person. If you’d like more information on specific dates, just email  aaron@aaronfishermagic.com, and I’ll put you in touch with the lecture organizers. I look forward to seeing you on the road!

Here are the first dates – more will be added shortly!

Confirmed Dates

March 1 – Studio City, CA

March 5 – Las Vegas, NV

March 7 – Phoenix, AZ

March 8 – Albuquerque, NM

March 10 – Wichita, KS

March 12 – Indianapolis, IN

March 14- St. Paul, MN

March 15 – Chicago, IL

March 17 – Little Rock, AK

March 18 – Dallas, TX

March 20 – Houston, TX

March 22 -  Austin, TX

March 24 – New Orleans, LA

March 29 – Nashville, TN

March 30 – Atlanta, GA

And More To Come…

Personal Skype Lessons

In order to book this program, you must already have a student profile in the calendar system and an email admissions letter directing you to this page. Thanks for understanding.

Regular lessons one-on-one allow me to specifically guide your education and curriculum as your process evolves  from week to week. I’ll adapt each and every lesson, technique, exercise and homework assignment to match your developing strengths, understanding and practice process. This highly individual approach ensures your maximum growth from each session.

You’ll receive an archival video record (for personal use only) of each 45 minute lesson to aid your practice. Whenever relevant, you’ll also receive access to pre-recorded Progressive Lesson Tutorials to make sure you get the most from upcoming lessons.

While most students in this program schedule one lesson approximately every two weeks, many students get enough supervision to make strong, consistent progress taking only one lesson a month.

Lessons can be purchased singly for $95, or in groups of three or five lessons at once. Most students in this program purchase the ‘Five Lesson MVP Package’  and save $100—that’s  20% savings off the regular cost.

If you have any questions,  feel free to email aaron@aaronfishermagic.com. Otherwise you can purchase your one, three or five lesson package now.

Thanks so much for your attention – and welcome to the party. We’re going to have a really good time working together!

Aaron

Guided Learning  Program

In order to book this program, you must already have a student profile in the calendar system and an email admissions letter directing you to this page. Thanks for understanding.

Each Guided Learning cycle runs for two months, and combines 8-10 pre-recorded Progressive Lesson Tutorials with a Pre-Meeting Progress Report and a Personal Skype Lesson.

• First I’ll carefully instruct you, twice weekly, in a series of pre-recorded Progressive Lesson Tutorials, each running five to ten minutes in duration. This isn’t just a collection of sleights—but a unified, dynamic curriculum I call the Natural Sleight System (NSS). When you adopt this simple, practical, largely unknown foundation for effective card magic, you’ll realize lasting improvement  and increased confidence —almost  overnight.

• These lessons build one idea at a time over roughly five weeks, and include specially developed NSS Training Workouts. These carefully formulated drills and exercises  ensure you integrate and master each skill fully as you progress. Just practice each simple exercise for a few minutes a day and you’ll quickly improve. Even more important, you’ll master the practice process itself. The NSS Training Workouts actually show you how to practice for maximum results. Once you can do that, you can learn anything you choose!

• Once you complete the Progressive Lesson Tutorials you’ll have the option to send me a simple video to show me your progress. You’ll receive a valuable Pre-Meeting Progress Report, with personal feedback. You’ll find out where you’re really ‘getting it’, and also where you might focus your efforts in advance of our upcoming Personal Skype Lesson.

• A week or two later we’ll meet for a Personal Skype Lesson online in real time. We’ll correct any problems you’re having and polish your new skills. I’ll answer your questions and provide you the guidance and support you need to move into the next two month Guided Learning cycle.

Each successive module adds to your growing mastery and confidence. In addition to the Natural Sleight System and the many interlocking techniques it contains, I’ll show you how to add misdirection, presentation and performance  to your ever expanding toolkit. The finished result will be magic you’re genuinely excited to perform, and experiences your audiences will remember for a lifetime.

Your tuition for two-months of Guided Learning is  $120. In other words, this complete education program costs you less than $2 a day, and will develop your magic more quickly and more effectively than any other method available—at any price.

Before commencing this revolutionary course of study, students must meet with me for a special Orientation lesson. During that first lesson we’ll get to know each other, and I’ll prepare you for the exciting journey that awaits and ensure you have a real understanding of how to get maximum value from the process.

Make sure to purchase the product on the ‘shop’ page labeled ‘Guided Learning Orientation’. Then use your credit to book the lesson on our calendar.  When it’s time for your lesson, I’ll call you on Skype and we’ll begin!  Right now, f you have any questions, feel free to email aaron@aaronfishermagic.com. Otherwise you can purchase your orientation lesson now.

Thanks so much for your attention – and welcome to the party!

Aaron

Have a question you don’t see answered here? Leave it as a comment below!

After I perform Panic, can the audience examine the cards?

In short—absolutely.

Many ‘vanishes’  look great, but  have serious structure problems. For example, have you ever made a coin disappear, only to have the spectator grab your other hand? That unpleasant result happens when we try to make something vanish without employing a larger, more secure, trick structure to support that visual moment. The structure of Panic does just that–and that’s
the reason audiences are mystified, even when a particular performance of PANIC could stand improvement.

If however, you’re a performer who just pulls out the gaffs and demonstrates thebefore an audience, you can expect problems no matter WHAT trick you perform.If however, you perform panic as described in the instruction video, the audience will not only be able to examine all the props after the performance, that won’t even bea concern. They simply won’t want or need to.

What back designs and colors can I use with Panic?

As you may know, the magic world went into a tizzy a few years back when USPCC, the makers of Bicycle Rider Back Playing
Cards, changed their policy–and refused to print any cards that altered the beloved Rider Back design in any way.

For many magicians, myself included, this presented a real problem. Authentic card magic can only occur when the audience
has a deep abiding sense that the cards are truly ordinary–just like the ones they themselves have at home. Many of us felt
that if a trick can’t be done using red or blue Rider Backs, it probably was not a trick worth working on.

Mandolin Back Designs came into existence to fill just this gap–and often succeed admirably at the task. During the ‘Panic
Display’, the audience only sees the back design of one card–an ordinary King of Hearts. For that reason, Panic lovers can really rejoice.

You can perform Panic with any matching color pack of Rider Backs with absolutely NO difference in effect. Just replace one of the cards in your set with a Rider Back King of Hearts from another deck. That’s it—you’re ready to go. No one will ever suspect you of using ANYTHING other than a regulation deck of Rider Back Playing Cards.

What will the new video training teach? Will there be many variations?

A few years ago, I had a conversation with Tim Conover, one of the greatest magic thinkers, and finest performers, I’ve
ever had the pleasure to meet. He spoke to me that day about the importance of choosing for performance only the clearest,
simplest, most direct effects. To my thinking, Tim was one of the most intense magic minds there was. When he took an interest in a trick, he thought about every conceivable method and approach. The day we spoke he told me in no uncertain terms: it’s ok to love the endless process of discovery and the variations it creates, but for your real audiences, you should insist on only the strongest, most direct effects.

That’s how I feel about magic, and that’s how we present Panic in this new release. With the help and direction of my good friend, the very talented Wayne Houchin, we’ve created a new 45 minute online training DVD, designed to show you everything you need to perform panic in every conceivable situation. Instead of spending a lot of time explaining variations and applications, we encourage you to perform Panic the strongest way you can–with the complete confidence that comes from knowing that nothing can happen during your show that you haven’t already anticipated. These are the exact approaches, handlings and tips I use myself in the real world.

I already own Panic. Can I access the new online training video?

Absolutely. After Panic goes on sale, we’ll be happy to make the instruction video available to you for a nominal charge. Simply email aaron@aaronfishermagic.com for more information.

I already own Panic. Will I be able to get ‘refills’ when my set wears out?

This is a completely new edition of Panic with a new online video training DVD. When Panic originally hit the market, the gaffs came inside a DVD case. This was a bit of a waste, since in order to get a new set of gaffs, you were almost forced to get a new DVD in the process. This time around, we’re hosting the DVD online through my Instant Access Streaming Program. That means once you own Panic, you can view the full DVD online any time by visiting the link you’ll receive within moments of your purchase.

We chose to pass those savings on to the consumer by making this new edition of Panic less expensive—as low as $15 a set when you buy the red/blue combination pack. We’ve done this to ensure that any performer who wants to use panic regularly finds it affordable to do so.

This tour will feature some special surprises,  so if you live anywhere in Michigan, Toronto or Illinois, make sure to join us. I be performing and teaching new magic magic and offering you new ways to make your sleight of hand easier, stronger and more fun to perform. 
I’ll also be offering a limited number of private workshop lessons in the Chicago Area the weekend of March 25th.

Check the dates below and drop me an email for more information. Just let me know which dates or dates you’d like to attend, and if you’d like more information about private lessons and I’ll get right back to you.

You can email aaron@aaronfishermagic.com for more information! I’m looking forward to meeting you in person soon!

March 16 Grand Rapids, MI

March 17 Detroit, MI

March 20 – The Browsers Den (appearance only) Toronto, Ontario

March 22 Chicago The Aces, Wheeling Illinois

March 23 Chicago (workshop), Prospect Heights, Illinois

March 26 Midwest Magic, Franklin Park lllinois

March 28 Jensen Entertainment, Roselle Illinois

March 29 Society of American Magicians, Joliet, Illinois

March 30 Society of American Magicians, Danville, Illinois

I first met the author of this article, Ricky Smith, many years ago. I’ve seen him grow into a heavy card man, a serious scholar and a truly charming performer. This article, reprinted here with permission, will offer you more card magic than you’ll ever be able to learn.  For many of my students, this discussion has proven an invaluable jumping off point for our advanced  studies. After you read this astounding piece of writing, leave a question or comment below to let me know what you think!

Enjoy,

Aaron

—————————————————————————————————————————————

An Education in Card Magic by Ricky Smith

In The Expert at the Card Table, under the heading “Importance of Details”, Erdnase writes, “The finished card expert considers nothing too trivial that in any way contributes to his success, whether in avoiding or allaying suspicion, or in the particular manner of carrying out each detail; or in leading up to, or executing, each artifice.” Learning things the right way means learning every aspect of a move or routine. You need to know how to get in and get out of amove, where and how to direct your audience’s attention so that you present the audience with a fluid picture that looks whole to them but leaves plenty of room for you to hide the method, all while presenting the effect in an entertaining manner. The secret is in the details and, for the most part, the best way to acquire the knowledge of these details is through books. In the following couple of paragraphs we will look at a variety of books: those that will prove helpful to the beginner and provide a firm grounding in the art,those that will provide further instruction and a thorough understanding of the art, and, finally, books for the accomplished card handler.

Starting off right can be done in a variety of ways depending on your desires and how much you are willing to invest to start out. A cost-effective and proven book for beginners is the Royal Road to Card Magic, which will teach a variety of techniques, flourishes, and effects, while setting up the beginner with a thorough grounding in the theory of the art. This book will teach you valuable lessons in a straight forward manner that will be beneficial and prove valuable throughout your studies, even at the highest levels of understanding. It is a bit antiquated in some aspects, like writing style, but the study will contribute greatly towards your ability to comprehend other books further on in your career. As a bonus, R. Paul Wilson, an excellent magician and thinker, has a superb DVD set that focuses on this book which will aid in your understanding of the work and magic in general immensely. Another path one could take which is more modern and thorough, in my opinion, is Roberto Giobbi’s Card College. These books represent a greater investment than the Royal Road but are absolutely fantastic. There are five books in the series and purchasing all of them to start out with may be a little extravagant, so I would recommend getting the first two to start if you are hesitant. The first book is an excellent starting point and will get your hands accustomed to some of the commoner sleights and build your dexterity, while the second book will take you into some more advanced techniques and tricks putting you well on your way to becoming an adept in the art. The next volumes feature many more techniques and theory that will really round out anyone’s education in the art, and they are highly recommended. The whole series really represents a practically complete understanding of the art consolidated within its covers, and one could easily be considered an expert with just the knowledge contained in these books. Regardless of the path you choose, omitting the study of some form of basic text is ill advised; it is likely that your study of more advanced books will be hindered without a good base knowledge of the art.

After acquiring a good knowledge of the common methods and gaining some understanding of the principles involved, there are several branches of books that will prove helpful and round out your knowledge base while giving you a look at some of the more interesting and clever applications our art has thus far created. One group of books that will prove immensely helpful, give you a sense of the history, and teach you about some of the more prominent practitioners we have had are, what we might term, the classics. These books have been the high water marks throughout the years and each one has many excellent features. I will provide a short list and then point out acouple I think are necessities:

• Memoirs of Robert-Houdin by Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin
• Secrets of Conjuring and Magic by Jean EugeneRobert-Houdin
• Sleight of Hand by Edwin Sachs
• The Art of Magic by T. Nelson Downs
• The Modern Conjurer by C. Lang Neil
• Magician’s Tricks and How They are Done by Henry Hatton and Adrian Plate
• Our Magic by Maskelyne and Devant
• Greater Magic by John Northern Hilliard
• …and a Pack of Cards by Jack Merlin
• Card Manipulations by Jean Hugard
• Expert Card Technique by Hugard and Braue
• Effective Card Magic by Bill Simon
• The Fine Art of Magic by George Kaplan
• Professional Card Magic by Cliff Green
• Encylopedia of Card Magic by Jean Hugard
• Magic by Misdirection by Dariel Fitzkee
• Showmanship for Magicians by Dariel Fitzkee
• Magic and Showmanship by Henning Nelms
• Close Up Card Magic by Harry Lorayne
• Card Control by Arthur Buckley
• Stars of Magic
• Dai Vernon’s Inner Card Trilogy by Lewis Ganson
• Dai Vernon’s Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic by Lewis Ganson
• The Dai Vernon Book of Magic by Lewis Ganson
• The Cardician by Ed Marlo
• Revolutionary Card Technique by Ed Marlo
• Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram by Ross Bertram
• Bertram on Sleight of Hand by Ross Bertram

In order to round out your education and get a good history of the art it is recommended that you acquire several of the classic texts. These would include the Robert-Houdin books (he is considered the father of modern magic), Sach’s Sleight of Hand, and The Art of Magic by Downs. Generally these can be found quite cheaply in paperback and are good to have in one’s library, although they are not card magic specific, the Memoirs of Robert-Houdin is in fact an autobiography, but is highly entertaining and motivational while providing a picture of the kind of effort required to become a master and the shenanigans one can become involved with while practicing the art.

Another classic that is great to have, if you can find it, is the Modern Conjurer by C. Lang Niel. In addition to some excellent descriptions and photographs, this book contains an excellent description of the pass which was regarded highly by the Professor, Dai Vernon. Other noted descriptions are in Erdnase, the Tarbell Course, and The Card Classics of Ken Krenzel. Some of Dai Vernon’s work on the pass can be found in Ultimate Card Secrets andRevelations. Finally I would recommend reading the description in Card College and the one in John Carney’s the Book of Secrets.

On a more card magic specific note, Greater Magic, Expert Card Technique, Stars of Magic, Effective Card Magic,…and a Pack of Cards, Card Control, The Fine Art of Magic, Card Manipulations, and Professional Card Magic are true classics of the genre. Most of them can be acquired very cheaply as paperbacks and are considered some of the best books card magic literature has to offer. Greater Magic is quite an investment even when it is in print, so you may try looking for Card Magic by Hilliard which is a reprint of just the card magic material from Greater Magic. Also, Effective Card Magic is in paperback under the title Card Tricks for Amateurs and Professionals. Out of the books mentioned above Greater Magic, Expert Card Technique,and Stars of Magic are some of the most seminal and best texts extant. Expert Card Technique can be had in paperback for a reasonable price and features many excellent sleights, thoughts, and routines by some of the best in magic. Although hard to come by, the third edition ofExpert Card Technique features two additional chapters featuring the work of Dai Vernon and Dr. Jacob Daley that is not in the other editions, so this is recommended if you can find it. Stars of Magic is probably one of the most valuable books in the entire lexicon as it consists of a number of truly talented masters of the art (John Scarne, Francis Carlyle, Dr. Jacob Daley, Ross Bertram, and Dai Vernon, among others) going into great detail on some of their greatest effects, all illustrated with numerous photos. It is here that you will find some of Dai Vernon’s classic effects explained, including Triumph, Cutting the Aces, the Slow Motion Ace Assembly, and the Travelers, all classic effects and worthy of careful study.

Our Magic, the Fitzkee books, and Magic and Showmanship are the classic books on theory of performance and misdirection. They are a necessary and insightful read for those looking to perform and should be studied no matter what branch of magic you are working on. If these are interesting to you, it would also be good to study the Books of Wonder by Tommy Wonder and Stephen Minch. These books contain some of the brightest and most insightful essays into the magic art ever produced and are highly recommended. Other notable works in this genre include: Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz, Designing Miraclesby Darwin Ortiz, and Magic and Meaning by Eugene Burger and Robert Neale. Also, for the study of misdirection, it would behoove the reader to search out the works on John Ramsay written by Andrew Galloway.

This list is by no means complete and there are many other books worthy of study. However, I think it will represent a valuable guide.

	Anything written by or about the Professor, Dai Vernon, is considered, by this author, a classic and must have text. The previously mentioned Stars of Magic is one of the best introductions to the Professor’s magic and philosophy and will encourage further study of this past master. His classic works on card magic are the Inner Secrets Trilogyand Ultimate Secrets of Card Magic, both by Lewis Ganson. The Dai Vernon Book of Magic features a couple of excellent card tricks but is more important for its writings on practice and the Vernon Touch, a philosophy for naturally performing and handling magic that truly elevates the art. You will also encounter a lot of his ideas in almost any book you decide to study, including Expert Card Technique and Greater Magic. Further study of the Professor should include Select Secrets and the Vernon Chronicles, four excellent books featuring magic collected near the end of the Professor’s life as well as reminisces about the various exploits he lived and experienced during his 98 year life span. The Professor was also instrumental in writing two books on two of his heroes, Nate Leipzig and Max Malini. These are titled Dai Vernon’s Tribute to Nate Leipzigand Malini and His Magic, and both are highly recommended because of the fascinating talents of their subjects as well as their association with the Professor. Also, a study of the professor would not be complete without reading Dai Vernon: a Biography by David Ben or the Vernon Touch, a collection of all of the Professor’s columns from Genii Magazine.
	Another true master is the cardician, Ed Marlo. He contributed more to card magic literature than anyone in the history of the universe probably, and, as a result, I will just focus on a couple of things and leave his massive oeuvre for you to seek out and enjoy as your inclinations desire. Marlo’s most notable work must be the massive Revolutionary Card Technique. The chapters were first published individually, but the text has recently been consolidated into one big hard bound book, and it is certainly a worthwhile investment. The chapters run the gamut from card switches, changes, controls, steals, faro shuffles, false deals, estimation, etc, and each of the topics is thoroughly covered with numerous techniques and tricks. In addition to the latter book, I would look into purchasing the Cardician or Marlo in Spades in order to get a look at some of Marlo’s effects and ideas outside of Revolutionary Card Technique, as it will give you a better perspective on his work in general. Marlo has numerous other books should you be so inclined, and he also published numerous privately circulated manuscripts which are sometimes difficult to find, but generally contain thinking of a very high degree so lookout for those as you advance.
	One final past master, who has books available, I would like to mention is Ross Bertram. He produced two excellent classic works, the Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram and Bertramon Sleight of Hand, which are indeed highly recommended. David Ben, Ross Bertram’s sole student, mentions that one of the important achievements while learning magic is that of teaching the hands to work together. This is indeed a true and necessary lesson, and, as Mr. Ben related, one of the best ways to go about it is by studying the two Bertram books, as well as Erdnase, of course.

Having looked at classic works, another avenue for study is that of the contemporary. We will look at some contemporary masters and their contributions as well as a list of excellent books.

	One of the Professor’s greatest students was Larry Jennings, and he has a number of excellent books available which represent some of the best thinking card magic has to offer. The classic Jennings text is the Classic Magic of Larry Jennings by Mike Maxwell, and it features many of his finest originations. His other works are all recommended including Neoclassics by Stephen Minch, The Cardwrightby Mike Maxwell, Jennings ’67 by Richard Kaufman, and Up in Smoke by Bill Goodwin. Every one of these is a treat, and it is very exciting to note that Mr. Kaufman is working on two new works, one called Mr. Jennings Takes it Easy and one called Mr.Jennings Takes it Tough, which are certain to be instant classics and a fitting tribute to this late master.
	A contemporary of Mr. Jennings and also a student of Dai Vernon, Bruce Cervonwas another great master of the art. His works are quite good, worth having in your library, and include: The Cervon File, Ultra Cervon, and Hard Boiled Mysteries. He also has some earlier works if you desire to look them up and recently his Castle Notebookshave started to become available. Although expensive, these will represent a great value to the student.
	Another student of the Professor’s, who I feel exemplifies the Professor’s thinking to a rare degree, is John Carney. He is absolutely exceptional and one of the greatest magician’s extant. His two hard bound books, Carneycopia by Stephen Minch and the Book of Secrets, are some of the finest treatises magic has to offer and two of the best tools for learning sleight of hand in existence.
	One of magic’s true inventive geniuses was Alex Elmsley, and he left us with two extraordinary books. These are the two volumes of the Collected Works of Alex Elmsley by Stephen Minch. Their contents are to be dazzled at and are unreservedly praised. The effects and sleights are exceptionally clever, inventive, and profoundly devious. Study these for a look at the output of a true giant in the field.
	Roger Klause: In Concert by Lance Pierce is a book of profound content and, no surprises here, features the work of none other than the master of the underground, Roger Klause. Mr.Klause is undeniably one of magic’s greatest thinkers, a true master, with a talent for subtlety and deception that belies an understanding of magic that must be unfathomably deep. In addition to the In Concert book, always be on the lookout for anything by Mr.Klause, as it is sure to represent thinking at a superlative degree.
	The current master operating at the highest levels cardmagic has to offer and with an otherworldly sense of magic’s greatest secrets is undoubtedly the Spanish master, Juan Tamariz. Not all of his output has been translated into English but what has been is truly exceptional. A look at some of his books or the opportunity to bear witness to one of his performances is to glimpse uncanny thinking and design coupled with an unwavering dedication to performance. His books in English include Sonata, the Magic Way, The Five Points in Magic, and Mnemonica, currently, and we look forward to any further installments with great anticipation.
	Another Spanish master is Arturo de Ascanio, also known as the Maestro. His thinking and theories are of the highest order, and his work on the theory of palming and handling double cards is required study. His works are currently being published as the Magic of Ascanio by Jesus Etcheverry, in a four volume set, and two volumes have thus far been released.
	Before I start listing books, I want to take the time to urge you to study one other contemporary master of the art, Roy Walton. Conveniently a lot of his work has been collected into a two volume set of books called the Complete Walton. These books are excellent and contain a vast quantity of practical effects. Most importantly, Mr. Walton has a unique talent for using sleights in a wide variety of ways that will increase your knowledge of these moves by leaps and bounds.

Here is a list of books that I think are uniformly excellent and will be a valuable addition to your library, as well as get you acquainted with the other masters of the art I neglected in the above:

• Tangled Web by Eric Mead
• The Paper Engine by Aaron Fisher
• Drawing Room Deceptions by Guy Hollingworth
• By Forces Unseen: the Innovative Magic of Earnest Earick by Stephen Minch
• Secrets of an Escamoteur by Harry Riser
• Workers 1-5 by Mike Close
• Dear Mr. Fantasy by John Bannon
• Close Up Elegance by David Costi
• Classic Sampler by Michael Skinner
• Phantoms of the Card Table by David Britland and Gazzo
• The Little Green Lecture Notes by Pit Hartling
• Handcrafted Card Magic by Denis Behr
• Tricks by David Ben
• Steranko on Cards by Jim Steranko
• Versatile Card Magic Revisited by Frank Simon
• Cardshark by Darwin Ortiz
• At the Card Table by Darwin Ortiz
• Scams and Fantasies with Cards by Darwin Ortiz
• 52 Memories by Andi Gladwin
• Diverting Card Magic b
• Card Fictions by Pit Hartling
• y Andrew Galloway
• F.A.S.D.I.U. (from a shuffled deck in use) by Paul Cummins
• F.A.S.D.I.U. II by Paul Cummins
• Don’t Blink by James Swain
• Miracles with Cards by James Swain
• 21st Century Card Magic by James Swain
• Epilogue by Karl Fulves
• The Collected Almanac by Richard Kaufman
• Totally Out of Control by Chris Kenner
• The Art of Astonishment by Paul Harris
• Apocalypse by Harry Lorayne
• The Feints and Temps of Harry Riser by Ed Brown
• Williamson’s Wonders by Richard Kaufman
• Andrus’ Card Control by Jerry Andrus
• Andrus Deals You In by Jerry Andrus
• The Secrets of Brother John Hamman by Richard Kaufman
• The Secret Ways of Al Baker by Al Baker edited by Todd Karr
• Roy Benson: By Starlight by Levent
• Cardini: The Suave Deceiver by John Fisher
• Impossibilia by John Bannon
• Smoke and Mirrors by John Bannon
• Imagication by T.G.Murphy
• The Card Magic of Edward G. Brown by Trevor Hall
• Bound to Please by Simon Aronson
• Simply Simon by Simon Aronson
• The Aronson Approach by Simon Aronson
• Try the Impossible by Simon Aronson
• Million Dollar Card Secrets by Frank Garcia
• Super Subtle Card Miracles by Frank Garcia
• Cy Endfield’s Entertaining Card Magic by Lewis Ganson
• Fechter by Jerry Mentzer
• The Magic of Rezvani translated by Dariel Fitzkee
• But Not to Play by Wilfrid Johnson
• The Complete Works of Derek Dingle by Richard Kaufman
• Variations Revisited by Earl Nelson
• Any Second Now by Stephen Minch
• Sleight Unseen by Stephen Minch
• Ever So Sleightly by Stephen Minch
• Secrets of a Puerto Rican Gambler by Stephen Minch
• For Your Entertainment Pleasure by Stephen Minch
• The Pallbearer’s Reviewby Karl Fulves
• Modus Operandi by Jack Carpenter
• The Expert’s Portfolio Vol. 1 by Jack Carpenter
• Down Under Deals by Andrew Wimhurst
• The Legendary Hierophant by Jon Racherbaumer
• The Legendary Kabbala by Jon Racherbaumer
• Card Finesse by Jon Racherbaumer
• Card Finesse II by Jon Racherbaumer
• Penumbra edited by Bill Goodwin and Gordon Bean
• At the Expense of Grey Matter by Bill Goodwin
• Lecture 1988 by Bill Goodwin
• Notes from the Batcave by Bill Goodwin
• Picking the Carcass Clean by Bill Goodwin
• The Ancient Empty Street by Bill Goodwin
• Solomon’s Mind by Eugene Burger
• The Wisdom of Solomon by David Solomon
• The Card Classics of Ken Krenzel by Harry Lorayne

The latter books and notes have served me well, although I am still learning of course, and will cover the gamut of card magic technique from basic simple tricks to the most difficult imaginable (for example By Forces Unseen or the Bill Goodwin notes mentioned above). At this point I would like to get into the study of truly advanced sleight of hand, and it is here that I will need to switch from recommending good books to recommending a method of study. This is a result of the difficulty in learning some of the more particularly intricate sleights such as false dealing, riffle shuffle work, shifts, and palming among other things. The best way to learn these things in my experience is to seek out as many references as possible, as there are avariety of ways to accomplish these things, so that you can try out a number of methods and find the ones that are right for you to learn. Most things will be covered in the books mentioned above, and you will be able to go through looking for descriptions of the move you desire to learn, find a number of references, decide which ones you will attempt to practice, and hence arrive at a suitable solution. Sometimes, however, the answers will be found in some obscure text, so it is a good idea to not limit yourself only to the references mentioned and to look for recommendations on each individual sleight as you come to them. For example, when learning the Zarrow Shuffle, it might be a good idea to look up Gary Plants’ handling, Karl Fulves’ write up in Riffle Shuffle Technique, David Ben’s description in Genii Magazine, and, even, the original description in the New Phoenix, in addition to the description in Card College, etc. The process of learning many of the advanced sleight of hand maneuvers can take years, and it is best to learn correctly the first time, rather than un-learning years of wasted practice.

Finally we come to what is probably the most important bookin the entire lexicon, the Expert at the Card Table by S. W. Erdnase. This book is the cardman’s bible and should be studied as such. It is recommended by the best of the best and was highly regarded by the Professor, Dai Vernon. There are also annotated editions which can be studied along with the original text. These include the Professor’s annotated editions Revelations and Revelation, as well as a very scholarly look entitled the Annotated Erdnase by Darwin Ortiz. If you decide to get one of the annotated editions, make sure to also get a cheap paperback copy for your own notes or one of the pocket editions from the Conjuring Arts Research Center. These will help your study and allow you access to the book at all times. The knowledge you receive from careful study of this work applied to your card handling will put you at the upper echelon of card handlers.

- A Rather Thorough Education in the Art of Card Magic by Ricky Smith

As a special holiday treat to thank you for a great year, I sat down a few days ago with a phenomenal magician, and one of my best friends, Nathan Kranzo. We tell some secret old stories, share some laughs and catch up after a busy season of travel and magic.

Enjoy this chat on the road to your grandmother’s house this weekend – and be sure to leave us a comment with any thoughts or questions that you have!

Thanks again for making these podcasts such a success this year.  And it’s not quite over yet.  Next week, get ready for a repeat appearance (with better audio this time!) by one of my early teachers, Peter Galinskas. We’ll be talking about the old days, the og laws of secrecy in magic and what you can learn from them that can help your magic improve. You won’t want to miss this one.

Happy Holidays and thanks again for listening,

Aaron

“Many thanks for sending The Graduate. It looks truly magical. I actually got it right away and was surprised how easy it is compared with previous versions that you mention in your credits. This has to be the best method of accomplishing this effect I have seen, to date.”

Peter Duffie

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It’s not every day you get to learn an effect that has taken 10 years to reach perfection, but that is what Aaron offers with The Graduate. The instructions are thorough and detailed in both the written and video instructions. You will not do this quickly if you are wise – it requires proper practise – but once the work is put in you will have a miracle you can perform anywhere, any time, with anyone’s cards. Like all Aaron’s great effects it is wildly underpriced for what you get – real performer’s magic with superb instructions and a great new sleight. Gimmicks come and go and generally are only usable in the effect they were designed for. Sleights have endless applications once perfected and Aaron as ever has a new one for you here. Get it, perfect it, and perform it. You will get as much pleasure from it as your audience – and that is plenty!

Archie McIntyre AIMC

Gravity Half Pass lessons move through 3 phases:

Did you know you can study with Aaron live online? For more information on Aaron’s Online Personal Training, click here.

After hundreds of years, the pass remains the gateway to advanced sleight-of-hand. One of the most misunderstood sleights,  the truly imperceptible  pass is often thought to be a pipe dream.

Aaron will teach you how to do the two major types of shifts, and show you how to use them to build incredible magic from the ground up. As you’ll see, the pass and its miracles are real – and very, very attainable.

The Hermann Turnover Pass makes the perfect first stop on our tour. It’s easier then the classic pass and normally takes place during the action of turning the pack over. Most students feel more comfortable working with the turnover pass first because you’ll be able to use it in performance sooner than the classic pass, and it’s easier to make “invisible” while the audience is burning you.

You’ll also get a first hand tutorial in the concepts of Gravity Card Magic that first got Aaron recognized in the magic world. He show you how to it, and correct your work step by step until you can do it too!

The Classic Pass – This is the pass you’ve always dreamed of – soft, elegant and invisible. Most of the books and DVDs of the last hundred years are filled with misleading information. Students get mired down in conflicting instructions and get helplessly lost before they ever really get started. Often, diligent students stick with one of the ‘recommended’ video sources, and end up mastering a shift that can only be performed for a video camera (or a one-eyed spectator) no more than a foot away!

During this class, you’ll learn the true secrets of the classic pass, its mechanics and application in the real world of performance, where you’re surround by the audience on all sides. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see what the masters know – there is simply no more useful sleight in card magic.

Putting It All Together

Aaron will work with you to understand not only how to practice, perfect and perform these passes, but how to recognize when you should use them, and which one to apply in any given scenario. You’ll learn major variations, like the riffle pass, and many others – you’ll learn what these  covers can do for you, and what they can’t.

Finally, you’ll learn to see in the pass what the masters saw – the true power and beauty in this ancient technique. Just as they did, you’ll begin to favor this sleight in many real world situations. Your work will get cleaner, more direct and more amazing.

Ultimately the lessons you learn in this class will permeate your work and allow you to perform the kind of magic you’ve always dreamed of.