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igorkovic New user 8 Posts 
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I am working on my pinky count. I believe it is an important base for a beginner. I was wondering if you had any ideas on how to “muscle up” my pinky. It is super weak, I am having hard time building strength. I can’t even count one card. Any help would b3 appreciate, videos, book, practice… thank you.
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davidpaul$ Inner circle Georgetown, South Carolina 3096 Posts
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Why not try beveling the deck a little so it will be easier for your pinky to navigate the cards.
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
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Kjellstrom Inner circle Sweden, Scandinavia, Europe 5204 Posts
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In the great book by Darwin Ortiz - At the card table, you will find some very useful info about the Pinky Count at page 11.
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic-......n-ortiz/ In one of his videos, Darwin talks about the Pinky Count, I will check out which video... |
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landmark Inner circle within a triangle 5194 Posts
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This month's Genii magazine has a lengthy tutorial by Rafael Benatar.
Click here to get Gerald Deutsch's Perverse Magic: The First Sixteen Years
All proceeds to Open Heart Magic charity. |
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Pedrovincent New user 25 Posts
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Giobbi has a very pertinent remark about the pinky count: it is not so much about the strength (which often become a give-away) as about the flexibility and finesse. If you bevel the cards slightly anti-clockwise, it will be easier for you to feel just by touch the lower right corner of the cards with your pinky and to the count. A light pressure with your left thum on the the top left corner of the deck should help give that little "hop" when you run down the cards with the pinky. My advice would be to focus less on strength and more on the light touch of the pinky (+ bevel and a little bit of pressure on the opposite corner with your thumb). It has to be said that it takes time to learn to do a good pinky count. It's one of those things that are good to practice while watching a movie or so.
Good luck! Pedro |
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Pedrovincent New user 25 Posts
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Quote:
On Mar 5, 2024, Pedrovincent wrote: *** if you bevel the cards clockwise (of course!) |
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epsilon97 Regular user 178 Posts
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Practice, Practice, Practice. About 7 years ago, I was really hitting the magic practice hard. Through about three months of pinky count practice, I got really good at it. At first, I didn't think it was a possible move for my pinky. But I got better and better. You can too. Try to count five cards off, then 10, then 15. Start over every time you mess up. You will eventually be able to get this.
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davidpaul$ Inner circle Georgetown, South Carolina 3096 Posts
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Quote:
On Mar 6, 2024, epsilon97 wrote: So true about Practice Practice Practice. I went to a lecture by Daryl showing his Hot Shot Cut. I wanted to do that cut badly. Could never get it but was determined. Finally after "some time" I got it and was able to do it with my left and right hand, same with the one handed riffle shuffle.
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
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Rafael Benatar V.I.P. Spain 165 Posts
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Try what I call the violin grip (described in detail in my Genii column), with the left fingers almost parallel to the edges of the cards, maybe 15-20 degrees. This eliminates the tension of pulling with the pinky and the action becomes the more natural one of simply closing the hand. Checkpoint: the outer joint is hardly bent.
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gaddy Inner circle Agent of Chaos 3530 Posts
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Start with smaller packets of cards. 15-20 cards or so, and work your way up to a full deck from there.
*due to the editorial policies here, words on this site attributed to me cannot necessarily be held to be my own.*
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igorkovic New user 8 Posts
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On Mar 3, 2024, davidpaul$ wrote: Yes, I do, I thought that was part of the technique? Thanks |
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igorkovic New user 8 Posts
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On Mar 5, 2024, Pedrovincent wrote: Thank you Pedro for this detail advice. I like it and I put it in use now.. as I watched a few videos I see many people saying there are different finger positions and I basically have to find the correct position for me. Is that true? |
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igorkovic New user 8 Posts
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Quote:
On Mar 7, 2024, Rafael Benatar wrote: Rafael, thank you, yes, someone has mention this article. I live in Taiwan and couldn’t find this magazine here, I guess the only option is to buy a subscription online, too bad coz I love actual mags. But I’ll read your article. The last couple of days I was able to do a one count for a few times but then I’ll forget the grip and can’t do it anymore. I feel way too much tension in my hand and lower arm. So, more practice….. And thanks again. |
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igorkovic New user 8 Posts
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On Mar 6, 2024, davidpaul$ wrote: Yes of course, I work at it everyday, few hours a day with other basic techniques. Thank you. |
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Pedrovincent New user 25 Posts
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On Mar 9, 2024, igorkovic wrote: Anytime! Well... This is obviously just my opinion, but I would say that it's true under certain conditions. As I see it, all sleights have certain criteria that must be checked for the move to be considered one sleight and not another. The more specific the sleight, the more criteria must be filled mechanically for a move to count as that sleight (compare the generic term "one-hand cut" with the more specific term "charlier cut", or "second deal" with "push-off second deal"). There will always be some interpretative freedom in the performing of a sleight, but how free you are in your interpretation depends of how specific the sleight is. When it comes to the pinky count, I don't think there's that much room for creating bad habits anyway (asides from doing it in a way that makes the hand look cramped/ exagerately tense). Behind "the practice, practice, practice"-attitude lies the idea, I would say, sure, of developing muscle memory and dexterity, but also of adapting the move to your own hands - which are completely unique from all the other hands in the world. Imitate your references to the extent that it is possible, and adapt the moves where you, in so doing, experience improvements in the sleights. So in addition to practice, practice, practice, I would add the little parenthesis "and listen to yourself" 
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Bob G Inner circle 2860 Posts
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The latest issue of Genii is available on Penguinmagic.com . Not sure if they'll ship to Taiwan though. Good luck!
Bob |
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igorkovic New user 8 Posts
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On Mar 10, 2024, Pedrovincent wrote: Again, great explanation. Thank you very much. Yes, for the moment my hand looks very tense and cramped, I am aware of it so I keep on just practice, practice and more practice. Thanks again. |
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252life Inner circle Ninth Circle, Hades 3268 Posts
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I’m starting to think my pinky might do better reading.
Look for all the world like you're counting the brain cells in his cranium.
-Theodore Annemann |
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wulfiesmith Inner circle Beverley, UK 1339 Posts
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With the greatest respects ... I personally feel this count is far from "beginner", and might discourage anyone who is interested in card magic.
Basic card controls, like false shuffles, cuts and manipulations lend themselves to professional routines and develop muscle memory and dexterity ... and of course pinky counting. Regards WulfieSmith |
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Hudson52Sleights New user Australia, Brisbane 23 Posts
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Wulfiesmith is correct. This is not a beginner move and it should not be thought of as one. I never really found the pinkie count too hard though because I play the piano which increases pinkie strength by far! another tip is that when I first learn't the pinkie count, My ring finger was actually stopping the card from hopping but if you release the pressure of the ring finger on the top card, the pinkie count will work a lot better!
Hope that helps! From. Hudson52Sleights |
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Posted: Mar 2, 2024 02:22 pm 