Quietclicks

The Technical Pass

 Classic Pass

Visual Pass

Dribble Pass

Soft Pass

Up Pass

Contact Pass

Riffle Cover Pass

Herrmann Pass

Longitudinal Shift

Brake Shift

Half Pass

Charlier Pass

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Notes and Outline for The Technical Pass

1. Introduction to the Pass 0:00

Notes:

The pass is an important fixture in the world of sleight of hand. The

most basic form of relocating a card in the deck is cutting the deck. The
pass is cutting the deck invisibly without the spectator knowing. The
difficulty with the pass is that cutting the deck comes with some intrinsic
problems. So the pass is possibly the most foundational concept in magic
and yet it also one of the most difficult moves.

a. Pass – A method of cutting the deck without the spectator

knowing.
b. The essential choreography for the pass is natural.
- An important point about the hands being
together is that they should not be together for
very long because it is unnatural. Imagine
holding your phone with two hands. The longer
you hold your phone the more unnatural it
becomes.
c. Because of the nature of the pass it can always be improved
upon whereas most moves hit a roof where they can no
longer progress.

2. Problems with the Pass – 1:30

Notes:

This is probably the most important part of this project. The pass is not
an excellent move by itself because it has problems. What makes a pass
excellent is confronting and solving the problems within the pass.

a. Cover/Overt Theory – Either your pass is a visual pass or an

invisible pass.
b. Small Packet Theory – When doing the pass it is easier,
more efficient and less discrepant when using a smaller
packet.
c. The Glitch – Because of the nature of the pass there is
always a packet that is slipping over another packet. The
packets slipping over each other present a visual problem
that must be solved.
- Two solutions
o Obscure – Visually obscure the glitch so
that you cannot see it happening.
o Speed – Move the packets so fast that the
eye cannot see the move happening.
d. The Tension Problem – When the move happens the fingers
become visibly tense.

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 e. Square up – When doing a pass the packets are dislodged
and they must square up to finish the move.
f. The Rhythm Problem – A cover move will throw off the
natural pace that your hands move and the spectator can
feel the change.
g. End for End and Side Pass Theory – The idea that it is more
efficient to pass the cards over the side of the deck than the
front or back of the deck.
h. Economy Theory – The idea here is basically that if you do
the move as efficient as possible it will smooth a lot of the
rough edges of the pass.
i. The pass is an open book that can still be improved.

3. Classic Pass Basics – 6:55

Notes:

The person who has influenced my approach to the classic pass the most
is Brian Hart. Brian has an excellent download with Orbit from a couple
years ago. Brian addresses some of the major issues with the pass and
presents some amazing pass philosophy. One of the major philosophies
that I have gleaned from Brian is not looking directly at the deck when
executing the pass. If I can tell that the pass is happening in my
peripheral vision it is just as bad as if I were burning the deck. So when
you’re practicing the pass try not to look directly at the deck and see if
you can still tell when it’s happening. It’s an interesting challenge and it
brings some much needed practical thinking to the classic pass.

a. Learn the fundamental technique – Erdnase Pg. 57

b. Start with a small packet
c. The Break – Keep the break small and towards the rear of
the deck. The break determines a lot about the classic pass
because it plays the most significant role in controlling the
packet that is moving.
d. Pull back – The pull back helps the packets to slide over
each other and also helps to reduce flash in front of the
deck.

4. Problems with the Classic Pass – 9:32

Notes:

When looking at the problems with the classic pass people tend to focus
their attention the most on the glitch. The glitch is important but can be
mostly eliminated with good choreography. Tension and the get ready
are probably the biggest issues in my opinion. Jerky and tense
movements during the move will always betray the pass even with
reasonable misdirection. The real problem with the get ready is that it
typically breaks your natural rhythm when handling the cards.
Typically the get ready forces the hands to readjust which might bring
attention to the hands at the exact moment when the pass is executed.
The glitch will usually go unnoticed in the peripherals whereas tension

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and the get ready are larger body tells that are more obvious to the
spectator.

a. Angles – The best angle for the classic pass is typically

viewing the deck from the top down.
b. The Glitch – Viewing the deck from the top is also the worst
angle for the glitch. People typically use speed to prevent
the glitch from being seen.
c. Tension – When doing the classic pass it is important to
think about what your hands look like especially the back of
the top hand. Tension really comes down to practice
because once you build the muscle in your hands it will be
less stressful for your hands.
d. The Break – The break in the front is typically covered by
your top hand but it is still important to notice.
e. Get Ready – Typically when doing the classic pass you need
to create space between your bottom hand and the deck so
that your fingers can extend and so that the packet that is
coming down has a space to rest.
f. Sound – The packets slipping over one another make a very
slight sound that is very difficult to eliminate.

5. Visual Classic Pass - 14:32 This approach uses the classic pass as a
visual eye candy instead of a covert sleight.

Notes:

I do not prefer this pass simply because I will usually opt for a more
convenient and more whimsical visual. The visual pass is often jerky
and tense and does not bring a very magical feeling to the moment.
Another criticism I have for this pass is that the grip is cagey. The left
thumb adds a cagey feeling to the pass that doesn’t seem very open or
visual. All that being said this pass presents some great ideas on solving
the glitch problem.

a. Alex Pandrea is the major contributor to these ideas.

b. Left hand thumb – The left hand thumb lies on top of the
deck to obscure the glitch and add stability.
c. Slide forward/Jiggle – The jiggle helps the packets to clear
and adds extra motion to eliminate discrepancies from the
glitch.

6. The Dribble Pass – 17:42 This approach uses a dribble to disguise

some of the problems with the classic pass.

Notes:

The main issue with the dribble pass is that it demands very specific
choreography. The reason I have included it here is that it is one of the
best attempts at choreographing an effective cover for the pass. The
dribble pass solves many of the most prevalent problems with the classic
pass. This pass represents a lot of really good theories that could be
taken far.

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 a. Tension – When dribbling the cards your top hand is
naturally tense and so dribbling disguises the tension that
comes from the classic pass.
b. Plane Shift – The dribble also covers any change in the
angle of the deck.
c. Sound – The dribble sound covers the sound from the
packets slipping over each other.
d. Choreography Problems – When doing the dribble pass you
have to do the unnecessary/unnatural action of bringing the
packets together before dribbling again.
e. Slight Dip – When I do the dribble pass I do a slight dip to
cover any flashes in the front.
f. Swing to the right – A slight swing of the body adds a little
bit more motion to the pass and ending the dribble in a
more open position.

7. The Soft Pass – 23:46 This pass approach physically obscures the
discrepancies in the pass while opting for a slower and softer
technique.

Notes:

Most people will say that this idea is basically Fuji Akira’s and it is but
there are some minor differences in approach that I have taken. The
choreography is slightly modified to accommodate for a more versatile
performance. Another slight modification is the lifting action of the
pinky. This pass is another interesting way of solving some of the
problems with the classic pass but the difficulty is the choreography and
rhythm of the pass.

a. Fuji Akira has a similar approach to the classic pass.

b. The Dip – To cover the glitch start high and then as the
move happens lower the hands to cover the bottom angle.
c. Get Ready – The pinky needs to slip into the deck and form
a pass break and the index finger of the bottom hand needs
to move to the side of the deck to provide stability later in
the move.
d. Lift – Pinch the packet between the pinky and ring finger
and lift and pull the packet off the face of the deck.
e. Tilt – Use the bottom hand to tilt the deck backwards
behind the top hand. This movement is to obscure the top of
the deck to cover the glitch.

8. The Up Pass – 28:21 My personal ideas and approach to doing the

classic pass.

Notes:

These are my personal touches to the pass to hopefully solve some of the
major problems with the pass. I think one of the things that is
problematic for this pass is that I have not addressed the glitch at all. To
do this pass you must be technically proficient enough at the classic pass
to eliminate the glitch almost entirely with speed. Something about this

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pass that I did not mention in the video is that the pass is done at a
slight angle. The angle of the deck can help to eliminate the glitch a
little bit but ultimately it will not give you much to work with. When I
was thinking about this pass I wanted to get away from all the cagey
pass grips. I moved the deck to an elevated grip and I was pleasantly
surprised to see all the nuances and advantages it had. In the
peripherals the deck feels very open and free and the get ready is almost
eliminated.

a. The general idea is to keep the deck in an elevated grip

while doing the classic pass.
b. Elevated Grip – Curl the index finger under the deck and
hold the deck at the finger tips. The elevated grip is more
natural and creates space under the deck which helps to
eliminate the get ready.
c. Modified Jiggle – The bottom hand does a pull back and
creates a weird jiggle under the deck. The jiggle here does
not have the same visual effect as the usual jiggle but it
helps to make the pass more efficient.
d. The Neutral Position allows for a smooth transition into
either hand and helps to make the square up really fast and
efficient.
e. The grip in this pass frames the deck in a more open view so
that it does not feel like you are obscuring the deck.

9. The Contact Pass – 35:12 This approach is trying to eliminate the

hands being together for a long time.

Notes:

The contact pass is an idea that I have been thinking about for a long
time. The contact pass stands between one handed shifts and two
handed shifts. I wanted to create something that eliminated the get
ready and the glitch and this is what I came up with. There’s a lot more
to be explored with this concept and I have barely scratched the surface.
The choreography can feel a bit contrived but in the proper context and
with proficient execution the move can be extremely effective.

a. The pass happen before the spectator is expecting because

the shift is happening right as the hands contact.
b. The Pull – Using the ring finger and pinky, pull the top
packet down and back. Once the pinky clears the deck use
the index finger to push up the bottom packet to help move
the top packet to the bottom.
c. Cardini Cover – As the top hand comes to grip the deck,
flare the fingers so that it covers the slight motion that
happens on top of the deck.

10. Closing Thoughts on the Classic Pass - 40:31

a. The Classic Pass is a Practice Move

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 - Practice the way that you plan on performing it.
I typically use the pass in a spread context so I
practice it using the spread.
- Practicing the classic pass is about becoming
proficient enough at the move that you can do the
move even in most difficult situations.
b. The Pass is Adaptable – Being a well-rounded passer can
mean being able to change your technique or approach
depending on the situation.
c. The pass is still open for improvement. The pass is not
finished being perfected or else it would be perfect.
Therefore keep thinking and improving to keep the
discussion moving forward.

End Part 1

11. The Riffle Cover Pass - 0:00

Notes:

Most people think about the cover pass as a slow and deliberate move
that has the opportunity to be entirely invisible. To put it simply I
wanted a practical cover pass that wasn’t overemphasized. My friend
Alex(@spread.control) really liked doing the dribble cover pass but I
wanted to cut the move down to the bare bones so instead of doing a
dribble I opted for a riffle. The major problem with this move is the
choreography and the top card kick.

a. I don’t like the original cover pass very much so with the
help of Phil Tran I adapted Dan Fishman’s dribble pass into
a riffle cover pass.
b. Kick Out – Dribble to a selection and then use the top index
finger to kick out the top card. When the packet is replaced
on top of the deck align the top card with the edge of the
deck and allow the rest of packet to stick out under the top
hand.
c. Riffle – Using the top hand thumb riffle the bottom packet.
The riffle is adding a beat to help break up the moment
when the move is happening. The riffling is also giving the
illusion that the top card and the bottom packet are just the
top packet getting riffled.
d. Pull Down – As the thumb riffles part of the bottom packet
pull the top packet, which is now in straddle grip, down and
under the bottom packet. The key here is that the packet is
getting pulled into the middle of the deck not the bottom.

12. The Herrmann Pass Basics - 6:44

a. Personally I don’t think that the Herrmann Pass is a very
good covert move because of the rhythm problem that the
move presents.

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 b. The Glitch – The Herrmann Pass glitch is harder to cover
because the move is usually slower than the classic pass and
also there is a ledge to overcome.
c. Keep the bottom index finger on the side of the deck.
Typically the index finger would be curled on the bottom but
having the index finger on the side helps to square the
packets.
d. Tilt – When executing the move tilt the bottom hand so that
the bottom packet can slide up and onto the top of the deck
easier.
e. The Drop – To overcome the ledge I use the drop. As the
move happens allow for a little bit of space underneath the
bottom packet so that you can drop the top packet under the
top packet.

13. The Visual Herrmann - 11:14

Notes:

When approaching this move I want to create a very open visual. When
doing a Malone Shift type of pass I want to make it seem like the top
card is exactly the same and part of that is not obscuring the top of the
deck. A little bit of upward motion can go a long way with Herrmann
style passes.

a. The key is to eliminate the glitch

b. The Glitch:
- The Drop
- Come up
- Cover the upper edge of the deck
c. The Malone Shift – Doing the pass and taking a top card for
cover.
d. My adaptation of the Malone Shift – Covering the pass by
taking the top card to display it.
- Get a break under the card
- Do the drop
- Turn over the top card
e. Double lift

14. The Up Herrmann Pass - 17:23

a. Since the Herrmann Pass is the reverse of the Classic Pass
the dip in the classic pass can be reversed into a reverse-dip.
b. I use the choreography of handing out the deck to motivate
the upward motion.

15. The Longitudinal Shift Introduction – 19:32

Notes:

One of the most interesting advantages of this shift is that the packets
move forward and backward. Because the packets move forward and
backward the glitch is of a completely different nature than the more
typical passes. The eye has a harder time tracking packets moving

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forward and back so keeping the deck reasonably high will actually help
the pass. Another interesting thing about this pass is that the get ready
and the square up are very small in comparison to most passes. The
major problem with the get ready is moving the deck to an elevated grip
where the pass can happen. Once the deck is moved to the proper grip
the pass is really quite simple as long as the packets are squared up.

a. A lot of people see the Longitudinal Shift as inefficient

because of the way the packets move but they forget the
advantages that the move provides.
b. Learn The Longitudinal Shift in Erdnase Pg. 80

16. Longitudinal Shift Basics – 20:41

Notes:

The Longitudinal Shift is a difficult move to master. It takes a

considerable amount of time to acquire the knack of the move. The major
problem is that the move is so energetic it is almost out of control. My
ideas are mostly just to help the hands control the deck as the move is
happening. Once control is established the hand can apply a lot of
energy to make the pass faster and it will only improve the move.

a. I don’t like the first method for executing the Longitudinal

Shift so I will be working with the second method that is
briefly mentioned at the end of the description.
b. The Catch – As the bottom packet springs up it is caught by
the palm of the top hand.
c. The Step – When doing the shift use a step instead of
relying on the pinky and thumb to pull the top packet.
Create the step by pushing the bottom packet forward with
the top hand.
d. The Middle Finger – The middle finger of the top hand
should be the only finger pushing down on the step so that
the other two fingers can be used to stabilize the bottom
packet.
e. Pulling the Top Packet – When removing the top packet
only use the pinky and thumb to allow the packet to move
freely.

17. The Contact Longitudinal Shift – 28:42 A way of doing the

Longitudinal Shift that happens as the hands come together.

Notes:

The Contact Longitudinal Shift is one of the hardest moves I know. The
move is probably best executed right at the moment when the hands
come together because delaying the shift can be awkward for the hand
holding the break. This move is great for magicians that move a lot and
have very open handling. Probably the most significant problem with
this idea is the top hand probably has to spring up when the pass is
made.

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 a. All you need to do the shift is a step.
b. The Step – To create the step use your pinky to push the top
packet into the thumb. The packet will slightly turn and it
will create a step at the front of the deck.

18. Longitudinal Shift Choreography – 31:50

Notes:

These are the most reliable choreographies I’ve found to execute the
Longitudinal Shift live. They seem a bit odd at first but in my experience
they are very disarming and leave the spectator completely unsuspecting
of any subterfuge. The moves should be done loosely and without any
thought. The Longitudinal Shift opens up some interesting ideas but
also has some very unique constraints when relating to choreography.

a. Choreography 1:
- Have a selection
- Bring the packets together and leave a step
- Execute the shift as the hands swing to the right
and come apart again
- Ask the spectator if they would like to change
their mind
b. Choreography 2:
- Dribble peek
- Have a selection
- Bring the packets back together and execute the
move
- Bring the top packet up to seemingly view the
card and call out the peeked card

19. The Brake Shift – 37:46

Notes:

The Brake Shift is a bit odd. On camera it doesn’t fly very well but in a
real world context the move is interchangeable with most passes. Even if
the spectator burns the hands it is still a really invisible move. If done
really slowly the move can be entirely imperceptible on camera. The
move can be done slowly or quickly and can be effective in both instances.

a. Elevated Grip – Hold the deck in the same grip as the

longitudinal shift but keep the top index finger straight.
b. Let the packet slide – Loosen the fingers of the bottom hand
so that the top packet can slide out under the cover of the
top hand.
c. Slide the bottom thumb underneath the deck to catch the
packet as it slides out.
d. Pull the packet back and down and replace it underneath
the deck.

20. The Half Pass – 42:04

a. Move the bottom fingers towards the rear of the deck.

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 b. Pull the packet down and push it up into the palm of the top
hand with the bottom index finger.
c. Turn the packet over by curling the bottom index finger up
under the deck.

21. The Charlier Pass – 47:58

a. This method is by Ross Bertram and is described in Expert
Card Technique on Pg. 46.
b. To do the pass at the break simply push the upper packet
with the pinky and form a step. To do the pass use the
thumb to lift up at the step.

22. Closing Thoughts – 51:31

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