Al Schneider - Volumes 1-3

Al Schneider Volume 1

This DVD contains a collection of classic coin effects that Al Schneider has been working on for the last 50 years. The experiments presented are an attempt to move these classic 20th century effects into the 21st century. Fifty years of Al's magic experience has been focused on making these effects more streamlined and more magically powerful with the spotlight on coin routines that depend on gimmicked and extra coins.

Quantum Tunneling - This began as a routine with three coins and a shot glass. Traditionally, the first two coins went through the table. Then, because the power of the shell expired, the performer would use some other sequence to finish the routine. In this updated version, all three coins go through the table one after the other. However, a suitable surprising finish is incorporated into the handling, making this a more stunning effect.

Heisenberg Routine 1 - This is a classic Coins Across routine. It was enhanced with Al's Pop-Up Move. This version is an experiment to improve the conclusion of the effect with the addition of a move called Max Al Ping Chen. This routine is intended for formal sit-down shows. Three silver half dollars are held in the left hand. An odd coin is held in the right hand. One at a time, the silver coins magically find their way to the right hand.

Special Export 1 - This is essentially a modification of Heisenberg Routine I. The primary goal of this experiment was to shorten the routine, making it more suitable for casual or walk-around situations. It's quicker yet takes advantage of the Max Al Ping Chen technology and shell theory.

Katanga - This is a bleeding-edge experiment that attempts to open a door to a new kind of magic. The goal is to place coins on the table in some kind of symbolic pattern. Small cards are then placed over the coins and when the cards are lifted, the coins form a different pattern. This is repeated and the coins form a different pattern yet again. The cards are placed over the coins and then removed one last time for a spectacular conclusion.

Sparrow 1 - This experiment is to capitalize on shell technology and also to provide an easy-to-master sequence of motions. This is a basic Coins Across routine in which three silver coins travel from one hand to another to join an odd coin such as a copper coin. This could easily become a favorite routine as it is easy to present and gets the magic job done, leaving the performer to focus on presentation.

Zen Matrix - This is a length and complicated experiment with a goal to enhance the reaction power of the standard Matrix routine. Many have complained that, though Matrix is powerful, it is too short. Many add to the routine to make it longer. What they add, however, often makes the routine weaker. In this routine, Matrix is the finish. The added material is put in front of a perfect Matrix presentation and the entire routine uses a sophisticated Zen approach to heighten the impact of the Matrix concept. In the end, the audience is convinced the most powerful method of doing magic is to do nothing and let the Universe do the work.

Hexpansion of Texture - The goal of this experiment is to match the power of mentalism. People view mentalism as real, which thus makes it more powerful than bland magic tricks. We want to kick up the power of magic to appear as real magic. One of the most powerful tricks is Expansion of Texture and our premise is to increase this power by a factor of six. Therefore, in this effect, six quarters are borrowed and a spectator forms a bag out of a handkerchief. The six quarters magically enter the bag while the spectator is holding it, which stuns them into motionlessness.

Stargate - This experiment is, perhaps, the most significant of the bunch. The roots of it are the standard method of doing Al's Coins Across routines. During a 50-year long search to find a better way to conclude a Coins Across routine, this experiment has emerged with a superior technology. The problem with most Coins Across routines is that the first transpositions are the best. Often, the last transposition is some hacked together combination that only serves to end the routine. In this experiment, the last transposition not only capitalizes on the preceding technology but also adds to it, yielding a truly powerful ending. This routine can be repeated immediately for those situations where you walk around and an enthusiastic audience member follows you.

Osmosis - Handkerchief coin penetrations have been around for a long time. Expansion of Texture is one of the better ones. There are other routines in which three coins are held in a handkerchief and the coins extracted one at a time. Then, the trick was enhanced with a see-through cloth instead of a normal handkerchief. Still, the effect depended on trick folds and funny twists. The Osmosis experiment strove to remove all strange manipulation. In this, three silver dollars are held at the fingertips. They are covered with a see-through cloth. Then, with little motion, the coins are magically pulled, one at a time, through the cloth. A real magician could not do better.

C/S Envelopes - Two large but completely different coins - one silver and the other brass (with a hole in it) are very fairly placed into small envelopes yet change places under the fairest of conditions. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the use of double-sided envelopes rather than double-sided coins to produce a transposition effect.

Al Schneider Volume 2

Research in this DVD is dedicated to locating routines that do not use gimmicks. In general, one can carry some simple props or even borrow something from someone to accomplish miracles. Though the props are simple, the experiments presented here are about high complex and advanced logic. There is some new stuff, some old stuff, and some new twists on old stuff - but it's all natural!

Heisenberg Routine 2 - This is a takeoff on Al's standard Coins Across routine. It is designed to use the Max Al Ping Chen sequence. In addition, this experiment studies the use of a standard finger palm and the Al Schneider Snap Back Move to accomplish the Pop-Up sequence.

False Start - This is an experiment to use a false count and simplified handling to cause a card to disappear and appear in a ribbon spread of cards. The spectator selects a card and places it with a small packet of indifferent cards. The card vanishes from the packet and appears suddenly when the main part of the deck is ribbon spread. This is a trick done with a normal, shuffled deck of cards. Double effort is invested in convincing the spectator the card really has vanished.

Excalibur - In this copper/silver exchange routine, only two coins are used: a copper and silver. The trick is structured so that the routine can be done in the spectator's hand without the heavy-handed coaching normally done with tricks in the spectator's hand. The handling is very clean and very direct. Carry two coins and do this effect anytime.

Spell Switch - A very normal red and blue deck is used. Cards selected from each deck change places. The effect is repeated. The method is so deceptive, you won't know how it works when you perform it.

Ring and Pencil - This effect must be included with any set of tricks not using gimmicks. A ring is placed on a pencil. A spectator holds both ends of the pencil. The ring disappears from the pencil and appears on the performer's fi'ger. This is a guaranteed audience pleaser.

Pop Thru - This goal in this experiment is to apply the Pop-Up Move to Coins Through the Table. The result is a very clean demonstration of solid through solid using only three coins. Each coin is clearly and slowly placed into the hand above the table. That hand slaps the coins onto a table and one falls through. This is repeated with the other two coins.

Special Export 2 - Special Export 1 modified to use natural coins and the new Max Al Ping Chen move. The result is a practical, quick and flashy Coins Across routine that startles even the most experienced magician. Good for walk-around.

Quick Card Tricks - What do you do when you pick up a deck of cards? Here are three very nice magical card flourishes. Two of these are quick card changes. In the third, a card just disappears.

Sparrow 2 - This is an extension of the Sparrow 1 Coins Across routine from the first volume. It keeps the handling simple while eliminating the gimmick used. Three coins jump from one hand to the other hand one at a time. Simple and direct.

New Off - This is an updated version of Off from Al's previous DVD set. In this routine, a finger ring is threaded onto a short piece of rope and simply falls off. This is repeated three times. In this version, both hands are shown empty before the ring falls off the rope.

Clipper - Four half dollars are placed on the table in a square pattern. Two dollar bills are placed on two of the coins. In three moves, three half dollars move under one of the dollar bills. The handling on this is very clean. It is somewhat like Sympathetic Coins. However, the handling is very direct and magical. You can move slowly and the spectators will still shake their heads wondering what just happened!

Bottoms Up - Three sponge balls are placed under a table one at a time. Each time they pop up through the surface of the table. No gimmicks or extras. It just looks like magic. This is one you will do.

Matrix - This is the classic Matrix presentation by Al Schneider. Four coins are covered with four cards. The coins are not touch but all the coins magically travel to under one card.

Al Schneider Volume 3

In this set of experiments, we are looking for odd and novel methods and effects. The goal is to locate more effects that are cerebral. We want things that twist the mind. Who would think of a broken and restored potato chip? (The method is weirder than the effect...!)

Diffusion - One person picks a card from a face-up deck. The other person picks a card from the same deck but held face down. Both selections are absolutely free. The cards are placed back to back and the molecules from each diffuse into each other, melding them into a single card.

Back & Forth - An oriental coin and silver half dollar are shown. The silver dollar is openly dropped into a coffee mug. A spectator covers the opening with their hand. The performer holds the oriental coin which changes in his hand into the silver coin while the spectator dumps the oriental coin from the mug. This is repeated but this time, the oriental coin is put into a coin envelope. Although the spectator controls both coins, they still change places.

Sly Cross Card - Two cards are crossed on the table. Three coins are also lying on the table. The performer picks up one of the coins and causes it to disappear. Both hands are shown empty. The coin in found under the two crossed cards. This is repeated twice more. This is a sophisticated coin routine and with its flowing motions, would look very pretty performed to music.

Goo Go - The performer shows a silver dollar which is slowly placed into a closed hand. The hand is then opened and the coin is gone. The hands are shown on both sides. Then the hand is closed and the other magically extracts the coin from it.

Universal Card - A spectator selects three cards. Several blank cards are shown. One is used to show Marlo's Universal Card concept. The blank card brushes the packet of three cards three different times. Each time, the blank card takes on the value of one of the three selected cards. This is a cerebral trick and there is no sleight of hand involved.

Eight Dollar Matrix - Four dollar bills and four silver dollars are placed on the table. The bills are used to cover the silver dollars and a Matrix routine is performed. The different handling of the bills enhances the cleanliness of the routine. For a finish, the bills are placed in the middle of the table and the four silver dollars vanish from the hands and appear under the dollar bills.

Diamonds and Coins - An oriental coin and a silver dollar are shown along with a large acrylic diamond. The diamond is placed on the oriental coin while the silver dollar is held at the fingertips. The coins change places several times.

Broken & Restored Potato Chip - The performer pops the lid on a container of potato chips. A chip is placed into the left hand and is crushed. The right hand covers it for a second and then moves away to reveal that the chip has become whole. With this technology, the king's men could have put Humpty Dumpty back together again!

Synchronicity - A spectator cuts a deck of cards and then deals a number of cards into two equal piles. The performer picks up one of the piles and deals the cards on the table. However, the spectator can dictate when any two cards can be switched. This is repeated with the other pile. The top two cards of each pile are then turned over to show that they are the same color and value. Then, the rest of the cards in each pile are turned over to show that they match as well.

Twentieth Century Yarn Yank - Two small pieces of red yarn are tied and placed into a small coin envelope. A piece of yellow yarn is placed on top of the envelope. A hand is waved over the yarn and envelope and the yellow yarn disappears. The envelope is opened to reveal that it is now tied between the two red pieces.

Out of Control Ace Collection - A spectator is given a deck of cards and asked to run through it and find the Aces. As they're found, the Aces are placed face up in the performer's hand. Then, the spectator is given the deck as the performer turns the Aces face down and deals one onto the table. The spectator is then asked to deal three cards on top of the tabled Ace. This is repeated with the other three Aces. The spectator is asked to select one of the piles of four cards and the Aces then gather at that location.

No Slide Envelopes - This is an experiment to test using self-sealing envelopes with a slide. In this experiment, a coin envelope is shown. A coin is then vanished and appears inside the envelope.

Shadow Coins Across - Three silver dollars are lined up on the table. A copper coin lies to the right of the silver coins. The performer moves slowly and covers the silver coins with one and the copper coin with the other. Without any moves, one silver coin joins the copper one. This is repeated slowly twice more.