Module 2 – Part 7: The ‘bird’s eye’ view…
Benji
The ‘bird’s eye’ view…
Alright, I know we just got super ‘deep’ into that last effect.
Let’s zoom out and recall the big picture that we’ve been going over:
When you work with your memorized deck Skyscraper, we like to think of it in terms of the 4 main ‘views’ you can offer audiences:
- The ‘Mental’
Use the memorized deck to showcase the power of your mind—predictions, revelations, divinations, memorizations, and service stations.
(Ok…not the last one. Just seeing if you were paying attention.)
We took a look at (in my opinion) one of the greatest examples of this in Chan Canasta’s work, the workings behind it, and a simple but entirely baffling effect that utilized these principles (Predictably Unpredictable).
- The ‘coincidental’
This type of effect makes it look like ‘fate’, ‘destiny’ or just plain old magic has somehow arranged impossible coincidences in the cards.
We took a look at a beautiful example of this in Juan Tamariz’ ‘ACAAN’…perhaps the ultimate ‘coincidence’ effect!
You discovered ‘Per Capita’—a devious effect that uses the ‘one ahead’ principle in combination with the memorized deck.
- The ‘technical’
My go-to method for making myself look more skilled than I am is a memorized deck. With these effects, the cards (and your knowledge of their positions) do all the work, but you look like a cardsharp of the highest quality.
We shared a fast but powerful effect utilizing this view—’Ninja Warrior.’
- The ‘musical’
My favorite type of memorized deck effect…this one is hard to define precisely because, by definition, you can’t define it!
It’s whatever happens ‘in the moment’—the memorized deck gives you so much ability to improvise and think on your feet that you can create a truly unique experience each time you perform.
As an example, we dug into the mechanics of my ‘ACAAD.’
Those are the 4 main views.
It’s important to note that you can have effects that use the same ‘method’ but are presented as entirely different ‘views.’
For example, the ACAAD effect could be presented as:
- Mental: as a prediction (you say you placed a card in that position beforehand)
- Coincidental: the card just so happened to be in the position rolled by the dice
- Technical: using dazzling skill, you controlled the card to that exact location in an instant
- Musical: someone asks you if the numbers people pick are genuinely random, or if you’re influencing them—so you, on the spur of the moment, borrow some dice from them to test your skills with REAL chance.
As you can see…the effect IS the view.
What Darwin Ortiz might call the ‘outward reality’ of the effect.
In a Skyscraper, we’re literally looking ‘outward.’
Not ‘inward.’
Not at the method.
Another note:
You may be wondering if there’s any point to the order in which I listed these effects.
Turns out the answer is ‘YES’.
I’ve listed them as such because I think the ‘mental’ and the ‘coincidental’ can crossover, but it’s hard to crossover the ‘mental’ and the ‘technical’.
(if you’re doing it with the skill of your hands, you don’t need to use your mind. And if you’re doing it with your mind, why would you need sleight of hand?)
And, as you are also seeing, the ‘musical’ category is the broadest—but also the narrowest.
That’s because nearly any effect can FEEL musical, but only the most skilled performers are able to engineer those situations. So it’s broad in theory, but in practice is the most challenging one (but also the most rewarding.)
What about the 7 core principles that help us achieve those effects?
We discussed many of these in the context of certain effects, but I figured it was worth laying them out in a clear list here.
Here they are:
- Each card of the deck is a KEY CARD (as discussed in our training on ‘the mental.’)
- The ‘open index’ (as discussed in our training on ‘Ninja Warrior’
- Ruses such as (not discussed in-depth, however, we’ll return to this in detail next module)
- The ‘secret identity’ factor of cards in a memorized deck (as discussed in our training on ‘the mental.’)
- Half stacks (we didn’t touch on this here, but don’t worry…it’s coming)
- Sleights from the wider world of card magic combined with the mem deck (double lifts, forces, etc.)
- Improvisation (ACAAD, ‘the musical’)
Actually, I want to take a moment to discuss that last one (Improvisation) in a little more detail…
One of the ‘thought leaders’ in regard to improvisation with the memorized deck is a magician named Michael Close.
One of the early proponents of the Aronson stack in America, Michael has long been regarded as one of the most skilled memorized deck practitioners in the world. And so, when he has something to say, magicians listen.
In one of his early works on the memorized deck, a book titled ‘Workers 5’ (5th book in his landmark series ‘Workers’) Michael coined the term ‘jazzing’ in relation to a memorized deck.
He compared working with the memorized deck to a jazz artist who improvises and creates beautiful music on the spot.
At the time, this comparison was widely accepted.
However, recently he changed his mind entirely and said something VERY interesting:
He no longer believes that memorized deck work can be called ‘jazzing’
He gives a few reasons for this (see his book Road to Riffsville for all the juicy details), but it really comes down to one thing:
When you work with the memorized deck, you actually know far in advance what you’ll do in any given situation, whereas in music the whole thing is truly new and improvised in the moment.
Or at least, that’s how he sees it.
I personally happen to disagree.
Here’s why:
To an extent, I understand what he means.
However, the example he gives in his book is of bringing a named card to a certain area of the deck and then performing a predetermined ‘out’ for wherever it lands.
In this scenario—sure. It’s not REALLY improvisation. We have ‘contingencies’ for any possible outcome.
But I think the mistake is defining memorized deck work by this ONE example.
The memorized deck is simply too big a beast to pin down in one effect. The truth is, there’s SO much you can do with the memorized deck that it’s just plain wrong to try and define it by one effect.
The memorized deck is closer to a genre than an effect.
And so many of those effects CAN’T be ‘mapped out’ in advance. For example, my ACAAD relies on a random card choice and the result of 4 random dice rolls. The number of possible combinations is HUGE—and I can’t feasibly prepare for ALL of the possible eventualities.
I HAVE to be able to think on my feet, adapt, and yes…improvise.
But it’s not just my dice routine. There are so many variables and possibilities that will come up within performance that you simply have to be ‘switched on’ enough to note and take advantage of during your routines. Perhaps someone names a card for one routine, and then they name a card for another routine, and it just so happens that the distance between those two cards in your memorized deck is just the right length for you to spell their name starting at one of the chosen cards and ending on the other?
(and by the way, as these things go, that’s a pretty ‘tame’ example)
So that’s one factor.
And to be fair, Mike talks about this kind of improvisation. He says that only the true masters like Juan can consistently pull this off at the highest level.
To which I would reply:
That may well be the case…but why on earth should that stop us from aiming for that?
Isn’t that the whole point? To seek mastery?
Here’s the other factor:
At which point do we ‘draw the line’ between rehearsal and improvisation?
As a musician myself, I have a little bit of insight into the topic of ‘improvisation’ in music.
I know that when I pick up the guitar and ‘improvise’, I’m only ever going to be playing notes that I’ve played before.
I’ve played every single note on that fretboard before. None of the notes I’m playing are ‘new’ notes. However, I’m always combining them in new ways.
With the memorized deck, you’re in a similar situation. You’ve ‘played’ every card in the deck before (and if you haven’t yet, you will in time.)
None of the cards or positions are going to be ‘new’ in performance…but you can find ways to piece them together in new ways each time you perform.
Anyway, that’s just my ‘2 cents’ on the whole debate.
Let’s move onto the ONE thing you should always keep in mind when performing with a mem deck…