Al Schneider Technique

A legendary figure in magic - the inventor of Matrix and many other singular creations - teaches you not only how to do a magic - but how to be a magician! Al Schneider has spent his life not only studying magic but analyzing what makes magic effective for an audience and you'll see the amazing results on this remarkable DVD.

Volume One - Theory and Magic
Worth the cost of the entire series, this first volume in Al Schneider's landmark video series is a significant contribution to the why's and how's of performing magic. The value of the information presented here cannot be underestimated as Al Schneider presents the principles that lie at the very core of magic deception. And, to drive home each principle, an effect is performed to clearly show the importance of the principles involved. First, the effects will fool you and then you'll watch again to review the sound magic theory they represent. Al Schneider has truly developed an advanced graduate course on the theory, practice and delivery of powerful magic.

• CROSSED CARD JR. - A stunning beginning that introduces the concepts presented in this volume. You will want to watch this carefully to get all the subtleties of this routine.
• AL SCHNEIDER'S BASIC VANISH - A very versatile coin vanish that will impress the most seasoned magician.
• AL'S EXPANSION OF TEXTURE - A silver coin melts through cloth to join a copper coin in a hank held by a spectator. A powerful routine demonstrating the use of the Schneider Vanish.
• FIVE STEPS OF DECEPTION - You must understand these to know what your audience expects to see.
• CHINK-A-CHINK (SHADOW COINS)
• VANISHING SALT SHAKER - Another classic improved by the Schneider touch. Demonstrates how to add impact to a trick.
• QUICK CUPS - A simple routine with the Adams Cups and Balls that's easy to carry and do. Audiences consistently gasp at the conclusion of the routine. Demonstrates how to build suspense to get the gasp and add impact.
• SNAP BACK MOVE - You will simply want to do this.
• SPELLBOUND - Al Schneider's take on this classic, presented with his own methods of doing the various Spellbound moves.
• GERMAN FRENCH DROP - An innovative vanish by Al capitalizing on his principles.
• POP-UP MOVE - A better, smoother handling of the move created by Al.
• DOUBLE LIFT - A push-off double and a new Schneider double lift.
• PERFECT PALM - Palm a card with the audience looking directly at your hands.

Volume Two - Close Up
More than just a collection of tricks, the material demonstrated and taught in the second volume of Al Schneider's landmark video series could easily form the backbone of an entire close-up act! Master any of these magical showpieces and you'll quickly earn a reputation for performing professional-caliber magic like one would expect to see in Las Vegas. This is truly powerful material!

• AMBITIOUS CARD - A selected, signed card is returned to the deck four times yet continually rises to the top. This classic of magic is enhanced by Al Schneider's handling of the basic move that makes this effect work, turning a standard card effect into a miracle.
• CARD TO CARD CASE - A great closer for the Ambitious Card routine. Very simple, yet very convincing!
• DYNAMIC COIN - A coin interlude in which a coin disappears, reappears, penetrates the back of the performer's hand and much more. Lots of magic - and all you need is a half-dollar!
• TRI VANISH - Three coins disappear only to quickly appear at the ends of your elbows. If you learn it and perform it just once, your audience's response will convince you to use it in every show.
• COINS ACROSS - Though all eyes are glued to your every move, three coins magically travel from one hand to another. It's done slowly and deliberately - and it'll knock their socks off!
• OFF - A finger ring is threaded onto a length of rope three times yet comes off with just a simple tap on the hand. A spectator who watched Al perform this ten times in one evening finally asked, "Where do you hide the other ring?"
• CROSSED CARDS - Coins seem to melt away to nothing and appear under cards crossed on the table. Spectators are often heard to say, "That's beautiful!"
• SLY NAPKINS - The perfect impromptu routine. A small bar napkin is torn into two pieces and each piece is rolled into a ball. The small balls magically jump from one hand to another, vanish and reappear. It's an any time, any place effect that's loads of fun.
• HIMBER WALLET ROUTINE - Several blank pieces of paper are magically turned into real twenty-dollar bills! Several principles have been combined to make this a very deceptive routine for a common prop, plus - it's easy to do!
• ONE HALF GONE - In a very slow and convincing way, the performer sandwiches a half-dollar between four copper coins and puts everything into a coin box. However, the silver coin manages to escape, despite the very fair conditions. Easy to do - and you'll love the surprise ending!
• HUGS AND KISSES - Three large silver coins with "X's" cut into them and three copper coins with "O's" change places in a very mysterious way.
• MATRIX - This is the trick that made Al Schneider a legend. Four coins, placed under four playing cards, magically gather together. Though it's one of the most imitated tricks in the history of magic, Al's original version is still the best and chances are, you'll almost certainly fool magicians who haven't seen it.

Volume Three - More Close Up: Quick Tricks
In this third volume of his landmark video series, Al Schneider demonstrates and teaches a wide variety of professional-level close-up material that is sure to become a staple in your own act. Give any of these honed performance pieces the attention they deserve and you'll be performing world-class close-up magic in no time.

• SOURCE - A splendid opener for any close-up routine. Two cards are shown on both sides. The cards are placed together and a half-dollar drops out from between them. This is repeated three times though the cards are shown on both sides before each production.
• COIN THRU RING - A coin placed under a hank is trapped when a ring is threaded over all corners. Then the coin melts through the ring to escape.
• COIN THRU HANK - A handkerchief is spread on the performer's hand. A coin is placed onto the center of the hank and the hand closes the center of the cloth around it. Yet, when the performer's hand is opened, the coin is gone. When the hank is pulled away, the coin is found to be resting on the performer's hand. The effect is repeated one more time, yet this time, the coin vanishes without a trace!
• RING AND PENCIL - Another classic of magic improved by the Schneider touch! A ring is placed onto a pencil and though the spectator holds both ends, the ring vanishes and is found on the performer's finger. Another any time, any place miracle!
• SPLIT SILVER - A cute quickie! A silver dollar is shown, covered for an instant and it splits into two half-dollars. The two halves are then tossed into the performer's hand and squeezed back into a silver dollar again. A great walk-around trick!
• CONE AND COIN - This is a feature item as two coins, one under a cone and the other in the performer's hand, change places under impossible conditions. It looks like real magic!
• CUPS AND BALLS - A five-phase routine that has been audience-tested by several noted performers for over 20 years. Each phase has been fine-tuned to elicit a different reaction from an audience and when they're combined, it becomes a powerful Schneider-enhanced version of a magic classic.stunner!
• MARKED DECK - A deck of cards with smudges on its sides is shown. A card is selected and the deck is cut. The smudges are now shown to display the name of the card. Very perplexing - and easy to do!
• CARD TO ENVELOPE - An envelope is in open view. A card is selected, marked and returned to the middle of the deck. The performer then opens the envelope and removes - another, smaller envelope! And, yes, the selected, signed card is removed from that envelope!
• VANISHING DIME - A simple yet impossible feat! A dime is pushed into a closed fist. The performer uses a pencil as a magic wand and taps the closed hand which is opened to show that the coin has completely vanished. Both hands are shown empty and the best part is that when your spectators want to see it again, you can do it again!
• RING GAG - The performer asks a spectator to take note of a ring displayed on his open hand. The hand is closed and the spectator is asked to describe the ring. The performer opens his hand to show that the ring has vanished, only to be found on a finger of the other hand!
• UNIVERSAL CARD - Three cards are selected and an odd-backed card - the Universal Card - changes into each selection after coming into contact with it. Another classic of magic improved by the Schneider touch!
• COPPER/SILVER TRANSPOSITION - An oriental coin is placed under a handkerchief and given to a spectator to hold as the performer displays a silver coin at his fingertips. The silver coin is covered for an instant and instantly transformed into the oriental coin. The spectator looks at the coin in the hank, only to discover that they're now holding the silver coin.
• CARD PALM TRANSPO - Two cards are shown and tabled. The performer then displays a face card on top of the deck and covers it with his hand. The card is apparently lifted from the deck as if it were palmed, but the hand is squeezed and then opened to show that the card has vanished. The two cards on the table are spread to show that the vanished card has appeared in between them.

Volume Four - Stand Up Magic
Though he is known for his legendary close-up magic, Al Schneider is also an accomplished stand-up performer and on this volume, he performs and teaches a 15-minute act that's all packaged and ready to do. Add some practice and you'll have a powerful show for any occasion.

• LINKING RINGS - A classic five-ring routine that's a great opener for any stand-up act (though it's strong enough to be your closer!). Simple and direct.
• ROPE - A knot routine that's warm and engaging. Knots appear suddenly and disappear just as suddenly! You must know how to do this to have any respect as a rope magician!
• GOLF BALLS - A complete act in itself! A ball is produced from a silk scarf, and then three more appear and then disappear. As a finale, the last ball changes into a giant golf ball in the performer's bare hands. What's more, this routine is performed entirely out of the pockets - no need for a table!
• COIN TRAY ROUTINE - A stunning routine with a well-known yet little-used prop - a simple coin tray. The spectator counts some coins and holds them tightly. The spectator gives the performer three coins. Each coin is placed singly into a handkerchief and then vanished. The spectator even touches the last coin while in the hank just before it vanishes. The three coins are found back in her hands.
• FUSION - Four single ropes are counted and with a snap, visibly become one length of rope. This is easy to do yet can be done completely surrounded. What's more, the rope can be passed out for examination immediately.
• ZOMBIE - This is the routine that inspired Tommy Wonder's work on this classic of magic. In the Schneider version, the ball seems to come to life and pick on the performer. This version can be done surrounded and even close-up! And, there's virtually no set up - just pick up the ball and go! It's a routine designed to win over even the toughest audiences!