Hey, how come nobody does a 1-ball or a
3-ball routine. I think they are good.

Is it because nobody wants to run around the restaurant chasing after high-bounce balls?

I saw Danny Archer do a couple in his last lecture and I thought they were quite entertaining.

Frank,

I did David Roth's 3 ball routine for some time, couple of years ago. It was one of those routines where the method seems more interesting than the effect (from a magician's viewpoint). It never got a very good response from laypeople, maybe because it is difficult to build in audience involvement?
It seems like a typical "adventures of the props and the hands" routine to me now.
I still like the technique and the routining though...
I go for coins. More appealing props, more natural to use, more variety in effect and best of all, a lot of audience participation possible.

Johnny Thompson does a two in the hand one in the pocket routine on his video as well as Frank Garcia and Paul Green. I think the effect is great for restaurant workers. Also, Greg Wilson does this two in the hand one in the pocket with rolled up napkins. I would like to try it with dollar bills.
vinny

Frank,

When you finish your 1 ball rountine, change it into sponge ball with the retention pass. Perform the sponge ball split. I'm sure you can take it from there.

I like the sponge ball video from Patrick Page. You might want to learn a rountine from his.

yes, I have that video. It too is good. That's a good point about audience involvement or lack thereof.

A very good point indeed. In fact, I'm giving some thought to my chop cup routine (john bannon's routine actually). Though I think it is very clever, the involement angle could use some work.

Thanks for reminding me about that extremely important point!

I've found a 3 ball routine always gets a good response. Lots of opportunity for audience involvement and humor. The Veron / Silent Mora routines are terrific.

Check out routines and performances as explained by:
a) Johnny Thompson
b) Scott Guinn
c) Danny Tong
d) Gregg Webb

Best,
-- Conus

My 3 ball routine has always played well for me. I sell it as a stand alone routine complete with the balls and photo-illustrated instructions. It is also in my "more" book.

But you don't need to buy my routine (although I won't mind if you do!) or anyone else's, as you can take many coin routines that you already know and translate them into routines with spheres.

what kind of balls do you guys use? standard 1 or 1.5 inch rubber ones?

regds
Jonathan

As far as one ball routines:
If you liked Archer's routines, check out Carl Cloutier's video "Lapping it Up" video. Archer routine is based on Cloutier's work. Also McBride has a lot on his manipulation tapes that uses only 1 ball or a ball and a silk. Ammar has some stuff in his topit book and videos.
Yes you are right it is almost impossible to involve a spectator in a 1 ball routine.

As far as 3 ball routines, I think that coins are more interesting(They are shiny, they make noise, and they are MONEY)
Although I love Cornelius's 3 ball routine with the FISM Flash
Joe

Richard Pitchford (Cardini) performed the absolute very best “one ball” routine I have ever seen.

The ball was a full sized, billiard, cue ball. It magically appeared, vanished, reappeared, danced at the fingertips as if it weighed nothing, and finally vanished again as if it had never been there!

There was almost a dozen effects/stunts/moves in less than two minutes. The whole sequence was a brief interlude in the larger manipulation act. It was total genius!

Aldo has "get the ball rolling" with 3 balls to a jumbo ball. It is a good one.

To add to that list try
a) The Magic of Milt Kort by Stephen Minch
b) Pocket Stuff for Close-Up Magicians by John Luka

Both are worth learning, and both give a little different handling.

MM