Price$19.95
Media TypeDVD
CategoryClose Up
Date AddedMar 29, 2014
Master Course Sponge Balls Vol. 4
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 4 Volume, Essentials in Magic, Master Course on Sponge Balls.
VOLUME 4
- Productions
- Balls from the Mouth
- Klayder Vanish, Hiram's Retention
- Routines
- Growing Ball
- Ireland Cups and Balls
- Chinese Chowhe Big Time
This is a complete and comprehensive tutorial on Sponge Balls, using step-by-step instruction to teach you everything from entry-level 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 Essentials in Magic, Master Course in Sponge Ball Magic.
Additional Audio Tracks:
Available in Japanese
disponible en español
Reviews
(Top ▲)
Overview
So, I'm going to use a word that I've never used here to describe this video: EPIC. This thing contains a robust array of ideas, moves, sleights and routines. I've been chest deep in magic for a long time, and there were things here I have NEVER seen.Daryl shows a routine, sort of a Cups and Balls/Shell game thing using red sponge balls that is just spell binding. Heck, the explanation itself was magical! He has a short production bit using a tiny old fashioned medicine bottle that I will be working into my performances soon. He does sponge ball production moves I have never seen or even read about and does a lovely job of explaining them slowly and patiently.
To list all the stuff here, I would need to pack a lunch, but let me help: There are MULTIPLE "chapters" on this disc... does that help you make up your mind? I would give this one 5.5 start if I could. If you can't purchase the entire set, you need this one!
Effect
Loads of moves, productions and explanations. Yes, this should be considered 'advanced' stuff, but nothing here is totally beyond someone what has been moderately deep into magic for at least a year or so.Method
Daryl, of course, was a stellar teacher and he is truly at his pinnacle on this one!Product Quality
Great quality, good menu --again, there is a LOT of material to be found here. You could spend 6 months working through all of this stuff.Ad Copy Integrity
Rock solid -- delivers on what it promises. Good quality, truthful: heck, you get MORE than what is touted!Final Thoughts
You absolutely need this one in your library... now!(Top ▲)
*Since it is not mentioned in any of the ad copies, I want to mention that the singular DVD called "The Essentials in Magic: Sponge Balls" by Daryl, while not part of this four disc Master Course, it is the precursor to them. It teaches the foundations of all the sponge ball work on these four volumes and is especially aimed at the beginners, but even more advanced magicians might still find valuable information on it. I will review that DVD in another review altogether.*
I will open with what has become almost a cliche statement among magicians in regards to sponge ball magic: You either love sponge balls (or sponge products) or you hate them. I love them and always have - there is so much material you can do with sponges if you just use your imagination!
This DVD begins with the option of watching it in English, Spanish or Japanese. The menu for each language is laid out very nicely - each has a Play All button, or you can watch each individual chapter as you like. In this fourth disc, there are 15 chapters to explore that cover the use of different gimmicks, how to pick and choose effects and methods, various types of productions and vanishes, performance considerations and more.
After he teaches you how to do certain moves and sleights and other ideas - the building blocks - he shows you different routines that make use of them and how to develop your own routines around them. This is a great way to progress through the learning process and each of the volumes is a gradual progression of more and more advanced techniques and ideas. This disc runs at just under 60 minutes - the shortest but probably the most densely-packed of the four volumes.
The contents of this volume (#4) by chapter are:
Productions
From a Bottle
Smaller Bottle
Balls from the Mouth
Passes and Vanishes
Slydini Pass
Direct Roll
Klayder Vanish, Hiram's Retention
ROUTINES
Growing Ball, The Big Ball Pump It Up
Throw in the Sponge
Opening Sequence of the Laurie Ireland Cups & Balls Routine
Chinese Chow
Chinese Chow Explanation
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned previously, this is the shortest of the four volumes but probably the most densely-packed as far as the material is concerned. The routines are certainly lengthier as would be expected of a fourth volume teaching a natural progression of advancement in techniques. He also teaches one of my absolute favorite Benson Bowl-type routines that I have been doing for a long time - Chinese Chow by Fred Kaps. It always gets great reaction and is very easily tailored to your own style and tastes. I really liked some of the additional touches he put on it, and some of them I will certainly use myself.
Daryl is and has long been considered one of the best and most requested teachers in magic - this DVD shows you exactly why! He not only teaches the basic ideas/theory of each move/sleight/idea, but he also gives you pointers on how to practice them, different variations to perform and even when to use or not to use them, and why. His crediting and history of the items presented is phenomenal!
This DVD is packed with lots of material. I have been performing sponge ball magic for a long time and it is one of my favorite things to do. I have read a lot of books and routines and watched a lot of sponge ball DVDs and even I have found some new ideas on here that I am going to use!
The production quality of this disc is absolutely stellar - the camera work was very professional and studio-quality, there were multiple shots used, the sound was very crisp and clear, the material was extremely well-taught (after all, it is Daryl!) and made very clear and very easy to understand. Also, the menu as I mentioned is well laid out and very easy to use. Each of these four volumes comes in a slim DVD case with very cool artwork on the cover. Each case tells you which volume it is by number, but the artwork on the case as well as on the DVD itself has a subtle way of telling you which volume you are holding/watching -just a cool little something I noticed!
The only negative I could think of on this disc was that for some of the work, an overhead shot would have been nice but is not really necessary and it does not in any way detract from the teaching quality, or the ability to learn the material.
The ad copy is 100% accurate. This is one of the best resources for sponge ball magic that I have ever seen and the price is great - for what you pay you are getting a lot of usable ideas and material.
VERY highly recommended!
I will open with what has become almost a cliche statement among magicians in regards to sponge ball magic: You either love sponge balls (or sponge products) or you hate them. I love them and always have - there is so much material you can do with sponges if you just use your imagination!
This DVD begins with the option of watching it in English, Spanish or Japanese. The menu for each language is laid out very nicely - each has a Play All button, or you can watch each individual chapter as you like. In this fourth disc, there are 15 chapters to explore that cover the use of different gimmicks, how to pick and choose effects and methods, various types of productions and vanishes, performance considerations and more.
After he teaches you how to do certain moves and sleights and other ideas - the building blocks - he shows you different routines that make use of them and how to develop your own routines around them. This is a great way to progress through the learning process and each of the volumes is a gradual progression of more and more advanced techniques and ideas. This disc runs at just under 60 minutes - the shortest but probably the most densely-packed of the four volumes.
The contents of this volume (#4) by chapter are:
Productions
From a Bottle
Smaller Bottle
Balls from the Mouth
Passes and Vanishes
Slydini Pass
Direct Roll
Klayder Vanish, Hiram's Retention
ROUTINES
Growing Ball, The Big Ball Pump It Up
Throw in the Sponge
Opening Sequence of the Laurie Ireland Cups & Balls Routine
Chinese Chow
Chinese Chow Explanation
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned previously, this is the shortest of the four volumes but probably the most densely-packed as far as the material is concerned. The routines are certainly lengthier as would be expected of a fourth volume teaching a natural progression of advancement in techniques. He also teaches one of my absolute favorite Benson Bowl-type routines that I have been doing for a long time - Chinese Chow by Fred Kaps. It always gets great reaction and is very easily tailored to your own style and tastes. I really liked some of the additional touches he put on it, and some of them I will certainly use myself.
Daryl is and has long been considered one of the best and most requested teachers in magic - this DVD shows you exactly why! He not only teaches the basic ideas/theory of each move/sleight/idea, but he also gives you pointers on how to practice them, different variations to perform and even when to use or not to use them, and why. His crediting and history of the items presented is phenomenal!
This DVD is packed with lots of material. I have been performing sponge ball magic for a long time and it is one of my favorite things to do. I have read a lot of books and routines and watched a lot of sponge ball DVDs and even I have found some new ideas on here that I am going to use!
The production quality of this disc is absolutely stellar - the camera work was very professional and studio-quality, there were multiple shots used, the sound was very crisp and clear, the material was extremely well-taught (after all, it is Daryl!) and made very clear and very easy to understand. Also, the menu as I mentioned is well laid out and very easy to use. Each of these four volumes comes in a slim DVD case with very cool artwork on the cover. Each case tells you which volume it is by number, but the artwork on the case as well as on the DVD itself has a subtle way of telling you which volume you are holding/watching -just a cool little something I noticed!
The only negative I could think of on this disc was that for some of the work, an overhead shot would have been nice but is not really necessary and it does not in any way detract from the teaching quality, or the ability to learn the material.
The ad copy is 100% accurate. This is one of the best resources for sponge ball magic that I have ever seen and the price is great - for what you pay you are getting a lot of usable ideas and material.
VERY highly recommended!