Price$14.95
Media TypeDVD
CategoryGeneral, Close Up
Date AddedSep 12, 2015
Master Course Cups and Balls Vol. 2
Easton, Daryl
Murphy's Magic Supplies, Inc.
(Based on 2 reviews)
Now, renowned Master Magician, DARYL, brings you the first and last word on the subject with the 2 Volume Master Course on Cups & Balls.
This is an additional treasure trove of Cups & balls magic to accompany your Volume 1 of the Master Course on Cups & Balls, using step-by-step instruction to teach you everything from masterful tricks to the most advanced routines. Classic sleight of hand skills, props and techniques are all explained in the thorough detail previously only obtained with private lessons.
DARYL brings decades of experience and an easy-to-understand teaching style in a multi-camera production designed to show you everything you need to know with the Master Course in Cups & Ball Magic.
Vol 2 includes:
"Nick's routine" (Nick Trost)
Dai Vernon's routine
Dai Vernon's impromptu routine
Tips for handling
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Private Investigation by Dire Straits
Master Course Cups and Balls Review
Volume II
One DVD, $15 bucks and one Master Course Cups and Balls Review. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Master Course Cups and Balls Review (II): Effect
Um . . . cups and balls . . . duh.
Master Course Cups and Balls Review (II): Method
Like volume I, this is a study of the Cups and Balls rather than just an effect and/or method. The main focus here is on three classic routines (two from Vernon, and one from Nick Trost).
Master Course Cups and Balls Review (II): Ad Copy Integrity
Again, the ad copy is simple and makes no crazy claims, just simply states the facts.
Master Course Cups and Balls Review (II): Product Quality
As with most Murphy's Magic productions, the quality is top notch, easy to navigate, well lit, well mic'd, etc. And per the usual, Daryl is an excellent teacher and easy to follow/understand, etc.
If you remember yesterday's review, volume I, you'll know that it got a less than favorable score. This, round, however, the rating is much better. I think it would have been much more accurate to call volume I the beginner DVD and this volume the advanced DVD . . . still not sure if "Master Level" is the right title, but I'll chalk it up to semantics and move on.
On this volume we learn the original Dai Vernon routine which is the foundation for pretty much every modern cups and balls routine. We also learn Vernon's impromptu routine along with Nick Trost's routine.
Each routine is performed by Daryl. Then it's taught; then it's performed again . . . I felt that performing it again was a bit unnecessary. He states that it's good to re-watch the routine with fresh eyes once you know the method. While I agree with that, I think the rewind button would suffice thus making room for even more material on the DVD.
Master Course Cups and Balls Review (II): Final Thoughts
Overall, this DVD comes much, much closer to the claim of being a Master course. The material is much less beginner-ish than the previous DVD. Frankly, all three DVDs could have been one DVD . . . easily. I would say that Volume I is a pre-requisite for this DVD unless you already know your way around the cups and balls. However, even at the beginning of this DVD, he re-hashes some stuff that was covered on volume I. There is a beautiful retention vanish taught on this DVD that, if you're unfamiliar with it, may be worth the price of the DVD for you.
Lastly, I think that the expectation going into something called a "Master Course" is that even a seasoned pro who performs the routine regularly would be gaining some healthy new insights into the effect, but I don't think that'll be the case. To keep with their college analogy, this is more like an Associate degree level, or maybe . . . may . . . be . . . a Bachelor level.
Either way, the material is worthy of study if you are not familiar with the cups and balls. If you already perform it, you probably won't learn much new here.
Final Verdict:
3.5 Stars with a Stone Status of gem.
Available at your Favorite Magic Dealer. Dealer's see Murphy's Magic for details.
(Top ▲)
Yet again, as with Volume 1 of the Cups & Balls series, Daryl shows us exactly why he is a master magician and one of the best teachers in the art today.
Again, the audio and video quality of the disc are very clear and crisp and are phenomenal. The menu is nicely laid out and very easy to navigate. As with Volume 1, you are given a choice to watch the DVD in English, Japanese or Spanish with professional dubbing and translation.
This DVD is a culmination, of sorts because rather than learning more moves and sleights, Daryl will teach you three different professional routines for the Cups & Balls, each one in great detail.
While he does not teach you additional sleights separately, he does cover any newer ones in each routine as they might crop up. Each routine is very minimalistic as far as sleights are concerned, yet all of them are fit for professional performances.
The first routine you will watch Daryl perform is the Nick Trost (rhymes with 'toast') routine called "Nick's Routine". The second routine you will see is probably the most-performed routine even among professional performers. It is the classic Dai Vernon Cups & Balls routine. He then performs the Dai Vernon Impromptu Routine.
Each routine is then taught in complete and concise detail with nothing left out. He gives you the names of individual moves as well as the resources on where to find them, he shows you what to do and what not to do as well as giving you alternate ideas to try.
After each explanation, you will see the routine performed once again so that you can appreciate what you just learned and you can see it once more in real time. In other words, you will see each routine performed, and then explained and then performed once more.
As I mentioned before, each of the routines rely on routining to make them work more than on sleights, though once you progress in skill, you could certainly add different sleights and flourishes to suite your style and taste. As they are, they are perfect for beginners and intermediate performers as well as being perfectly suited for professionals. In fact, Michael Ammar is very well known for his Cups & Balls act and even he essentially performs the Dai Vernon routine almost exactly as you will learn here. Of course, over the years he learned, just as you will, to add your own flavor to make it more unique to you and your style.
At the end, Daryl gives you extra hints and tips for further study and consideration, more resources for continuing your education on the Cups & Balls as well as his insights from years of performing.
This makes up the bulk of the DVD, which runs for about 90 minutes.
If you have already studied the previous volume in this series and/or are an intermediate performer looking to further your education on the Cups & Balls, look no further!
VERY, VERY highly recommended!
Again, the audio and video quality of the disc are very clear and crisp and are phenomenal. The menu is nicely laid out and very easy to navigate. As with Volume 1, you are given a choice to watch the DVD in English, Japanese or Spanish with professional dubbing and translation.
This DVD is a culmination, of sorts because rather than learning more moves and sleights, Daryl will teach you three different professional routines for the Cups & Balls, each one in great detail.
While he does not teach you additional sleights separately, he does cover any newer ones in each routine as they might crop up. Each routine is very minimalistic as far as sleights are concerned, yet all of them are fit for professional performances.
The first routine you will watch Daryl perform is the Nick Trost (rhymes with 'toast') routine called "Nick's Routine". The second routine you will see is probably the most-performed routine even among professional performers. It is the classic Dai Vernon Cups & Balls routine. He then performs the Dai Vernon Impromptu Routine.
Each routine is then taught in complete and concise detail with nothing left out. He gives you the names of individual moves as well as the resources on where to find them, he shows you what to do and what not to do as well as giving you alternate ideas to try.
After each explanation, you will see the routine performed once again so that you can appreciate what you just learned and you can see it once more in real time. In other words, you will see each routine performed, and then explained and then performed once more.
As I mentioned before, each of the routines rely on routining to make them work more than on sleights, though once you progress in skill, you could certainly add different sleights and flourishes to suite your style and taste. As they are, they are perfect for beginners and intermediate performers as well as being perfectly suited for professionals. In fact, Michael Ammar is very well known for his Cups & Balls act and even he essentially performs the Dai Vernon routine almost exactly as you will learn here. Of course, over the years he learned, just as you will, to add your own flavor to make it more unique to you and your style.
At the end, Daryl gives you extra hints and tips for further study and consideration, more resources for continuing your education on the Cups & Balls as well as his insights from years of performing.
This makes up the bulk of the DVD, which runs for about 90 minutes.
If you have already studied the previous volume in this series and/or are an intermediate performer looking to further your education on the Cups & Balls, look no further!
VERY, VERY highly recommended!