The Shift
Trilogy
The Shift
Trilogy
Trilogy
Dedicated to magic
The books we’ve always wanted to write, because they’re exactly what we wanted to read years ago.
Ever feel like something is ‘off’ with your magic, but you could never quite put your finger on it? We certainly have.
Over time you work through these blockers, discovering the true secrets to learning and performing powerful magic—the actual why and how behind effective practice and hard-hitting routines.
But what if you could cut decades off your journey?
That’s The Shift.
Comprehensive
All aspects of sleight of hand
This trilogy of publications holistically improves your magic through curated discussion of technique, practice, and psychology.
Each volume contains three effects, techniques, and theoretical essays dedicated to fundamentally improving all aspects of your magic.
Purchase any volume individually, or save money and advance further with the complete collection.
Prepare to go deeper
While focused on cards, any performer will benefit from the ideas inside. The Shift dives beneath the surface of magic and gives you solutions to problems you didn’t know you had.
The Shift #1
1. Effects:
- Spinner: A transposition of two folded and signed playing cards; one held by the spectator and one held at the performer's fingertips. One of the most deceptive card transpositions.
- Just a Second: Ben's handling of the classic Stop Trick, where the cards are fully shuffled, and the participant gets to stop anywhere they like, yet somehow always find their selection.
- Out of Oil: An ‘Out of this World’ version where the performer does not touch the deck during or after the participant starts dealing.
2. Technique:
- The Overhand DPS: The fairest-looking DPS possible built into an overhand shuffle.
- The Combination Shuffle: A full-deck false shuffle that’s 100% natural, burnable, and deceptive.
3. Theory:
- A New Angle: It doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been in magic, you’re holding the deck wrong.
- The Art of Practice 1: An introduction to ways to develop more effective abilities and eradicate fundamental problems. The right way to practice.
- Influence and Deception 1: Explore the similarities and differences of deception as it relates to magic.
The Shift #2
1. Effects:
- Stepping Stones: A baffling three-phased sequence of productions and transformations with thought of cards. This in-the-hands gem was specifically designed for maximum psychological impact in the real world.
- Slow Roll: A truly impossible card location in which the spectator genuinely shuffles the deck, freely selects a card, freely returns it and shuffles again… yet the card can be found in any way the performer wishes. Utterly baffling, this is a beautiful disguise for an ancient principle…
- M-Theory: A hyper-surreal handling of the Ambitious Card in which a selection and a signature repeatedly appear and disappear at different moments in time and space. This routine leaves the spectator with an ‘impossible object’ and will inspire a new appreciation for this classic effect.
2. Techniques:
- The Erdnase Top Palm: New insights, advice and a detailed breakdown of the best top palm in the world.
- The Riffle Force: A subtle finesse on the classic Riffle Force which you will immediately start using.
- A False Swing Cut: An amazing in-the-hands False Cut which looks extremely natural. Ben has popularized this technique in recent years and has some beautiful touches which make it impossible to detect.
3. Theory:
- Breaking The Frame: How we can make our card magic more deceptive with very simple alterations to our technique and blocking.
- The Art of Practice 2: A sequence of six unique training drills to improve your magic technique—using nothing but a rubber ball and your feet!
- Influence and Deception 2: The second in a series of essays dealing with the nature of deception and its relationship to magic, specifically lessons learned from other domains.
The Shift #3
1. Effects:
- Deep Transposition: Two cards change places during a discussion about sleight of hand vs magic. The construction of this effect makes the transposition very magical and a total surprise.
- Blue Moon Triumph: Simply the most impossible Triumph routine. The spectator shuffles the deck face-up into face-down, they think of a card, the deck is placed into the box and they put the boxed deck into their pocket. Not only do you tell them what card they are thinking of, but when they remove the cards the only card facing the opposite way is their selection! This routine is a reputation maker.
- Octopus: The spectator genuinely thinks of any playing card they wish, yet the performer is able to cleanly and directly produce their card—an ultra-streamlined handling of ‘Out Of Sight Out Of Mind.’
2. Techniques:
- Advanced Loewy Palm: A supremely practical and clean palm from the top of the deck into the left hand.
- Shuffle Pass: A devilishly simple pass disguised as an innocent shuffle.
- Touch, Think: A clever and subtle way of creating and controlling a mentally selected playing card.
3. Theory:
- Now Shuffle The Deck: A discussion about the deceptiveness of card control and the fundamental importance of shuffling after a selection is returned to the deck.
- The Art of Practice 3: Exploring advanced ways to practice; this chapter concerns better proprioception, posture and coordination through practical and functional balance drills.
- Influence and Deception 3: How people detect anomalous reactions and how to effectively modify your deceptions to avoid all notice. This ‘type’ of information and research has previously only been available within UK military/government groups.
Shift your mindset
Shift your mindset
Dedicate to magic
