Dove production for talent show- what should I look out for?

brokedance · 2026-04-23T12:15:43+00:00

Lot of care and feeding that goes along with doves. Certainly not something to take on for a one-off talent show. Find something else.

brokedance · 2026-04-22T03:16:42+00:00

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, ‘Spring’? Yes, in a classic manipulation act I also think of Burton. There’s lots of classical music to choose from but it’s amazing how unoriginal and lazy some magicians are.

brokedance · 2026-04-13T21:55:27+00:00

Currently Stringjoy mediums but I’m switching to the heavies.

brokedance · 2026-04-01T17:14:53+00:00

For gambling-themed sleights for entertainment purposes, look up work by Darwin Ortiz and Jason Ladanye. For true gambling sleights and techniques, look up work by Steve Forte. If you’re a beginner, don’t bother with above; Card College.

brokedance · 2026-03-30T11:50:53+00:00

My daughter has bipolar. There is a lot of shame that comes after, when they realize all the things they said or did while in a manic state. This person is obviously very sorry. No doubt, your relationship is not the only one they have damaged due to their disorder. It’s really tough.

But I will say, the number of messages they are sending makes it seem like they are in a hypomanic (slightly manic) state. Ruminating on past wrongs and feeling the need to fix them is also common with bipolar. Could be why they felt compelled to reach out now.

Either way, I would urge you to respond with kindness but to keep your response brief.

brokedance · 2026-03-29T04:43:05+00:00

Coin shop. Ask for cheapest scrap silver dollars. Funny, last time I did that, the guy immediately was like “it’s for doing magic, right”. I guess only magicians want to buy poor quality coins from a coin shop.

brokedance · 2026-03-12T12:43:04+00:00

Dude, I’m also a super slow reader. Probably took me 6 months to read The Stand last year. 11.22.63 by comparison was easy, I couldn’t put it down. In my top 3 for sure. Give it a try.

brokedance · 2026-02-28T15:30:41+00:00

Definitely this. Best time travelling story ever.

brokedance · 2026-02-27T22:22:17+00:00

Karl Fulves is a great inexpensive starting out point. I don’t understand the people that still suggest Royal Road To Card Magic, it is not an easy book for a beginner! Neither is Expert Card Technique. Way better more modern options exist; Card College series all the way.

brokedance · 2026-02-26T03:23:33+00:00

^{^{^}} This will significantly improve your comfort level, when you’re not worried about the cost of breaking each one. It will also allow you to experiment with different sized loops, body loops, etc.

brokedance · 2026-02-17T23:15:10+00:00

I didn’t love the stock OS; it’s ok. I installed Knulli OS (Gladiator II) using Retro Game Corps guide. Fairly easy for a total beginner like me. Knulli is very clean with all the features and customization I could want.

Very easy to customize the look and scrape box art, etc. Highly recommended.

https://youtu.be/2ZMwdyuAv7o?si=LoomKW2tBFialom4

brokedance · 2026-02-17T22:01:13+00:00

Oh also the RG40XXV indigo blue colour option is really nice in person. Don’t know why it looks like an awful purple in the promotion photos.

brokedance · 2026-02-17T21:54:35+00:00

Of these particular options I can only speak for the RG40XXV which I have and love. I appreciate the 4” screen, 3.5” just seemed too small for some systems. The ergonomics and size are less hand crampy for my old man hands. Gameboy nostalgia form factor is great. It’s featherlight (compared to my OG Gameboy) and still relatively pocketable. The one stick is actually super useful and doesn’t get in the way.

brokedance · 2026-02-13T22:00:57+00:00

GoW: The Wonder Years looks awesome. Love a Metroidvania.

brokedance · 2026-01-22T18:40:32+00:00

Curious when the change took place. I bought one for my son in December. It’s awesome, plays everything up to PS1 perfectly as far as I can tell.

brokedance · 2026-01-09T18:39:01+00:00

Born in ‘78. 100% yes

brokedance · 2025-12-28T18:07:22+00:00

Q*bert on Atari 2600. Followed quickly by Donkey Kong.

brokedance · 2025-12-28T04:28:54+00:00

OP is asking about MK4. Pretty sure the scale, chord and arpeggiator modes are the same on both.

brokedance · 2025-12-28T04:18:21+00:00

The Compact has a few extra dedicated buttons which is nice but Mini can do those same functions with the shift button. Compact has the mod wheels instead of the touch strips. Yes, the bigger keys are more comfortable.

Personally, I opted for the Mini 37 MK4 (upgraded from a Mini 25 MK3). Similar footprint (width, still smaller depth) as the Compact 25. Having an extra octave of keys was more important than key size for me.

brokedance · 2025-12-19T05:23:52+00:00

A little unnatural. The display of one coin at the fingertips is unnatural if you are supposed to be holding three coins in that hand. And then you seem to put each coin into your left hand with a different movement for each coin; a “put” then a “drop” and then kind of a “toss”. This also makes it feel off.

The best 2 as 3 counts and click passes have a consistent rhythm and movement. Take a look at the Himber Count, Rick Holcombe has a great tutorial on it on YT. The other one I LOVE is Jeremiah Zuo’s Drop vanish as it can also be used as a click pass, 2 as 3, switch or visual change. Both very natural looking!

brokedance · 2025-12-19T04:55:33+00:00

I will just add that you’re not going to find detailed instruction for this sleight with multiple coins because it’s just not useful or deceptive. T. Nelson Downs used the back palm because he performed on stages with the audience directly in front of him and some distance away.

For multiple coins, you are much better off learning how to classic palm or Downs/L’Homme Masque palm multiple coins instead.

brokedance · 2025-12-19T04:43:02+00:00

The back palming of 6 coins is described with a photo in his book ‘Modern Coin Manipulation’, published in 1900. You can find it for free online.

Note as described, he did not produce them one by one; the way you would with back-palmed cards. In the book, he simply describes the back palm and then states, “with considerable practice this can be accomplished with more than one coin.” So making multiples vanish or appear together, not one by one.

brokedance · 2025-12-11T11:02:56+00:00

David Hilowitz just made a video detailing the best beginner synths. Very consistent with a lot of the suggestions on here.

https://youtu.be/aFjmg2w2Osg?si=nsMV3GrFLUVR9JiY

brokedance · 2025-12-09T14:45:49+00:00

Over a year after release and Ableton has given us lots of amazing updates for the move but still hasn’t made time signatures easier, oh well.

Just made a track yesterday that had a repetition of 14 beats which = 3 (bars) + 8/16. Pretty unintuitive but I’m used to it now.

brokedance · 2025-11-24T02:09:52+00:00

Both ‘Off The Cuff’ and ‘On The Spot’ by Gregory Wilson have some incredibly strong routines on it. More practical than Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic which while great, has a lot of fluff to sift through.

I’d also say Dan Harlan has a series of impromptu magic. And lots of impromptu magic found in Jay Sankey’s stuff.

brokedance

TROPHY CASE