Is the Tarbell Course in Magic still relevant?

You've no doubt heard magicians talk about this series in hushed, reverential tones. But is it really relevant to today's magicians when you can learn so much online (and for free!)? Let's dive into this classic set...
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⏳ Timestamps:
0:00 - Still relevant today?
0:40 - A brief history
2:00 - The influence of these books
2:33 - Comprehensive subjects covered
3:55 - Comparing learning resources
6:25 - Speaking of magic books...
7:20 - The relevance today
8:43 - The beginner's path
9:22 - How Tarbell has inspired me
10:04 - Conclusions

[@EruditeMagic]

📰 Can't get enough Erudite Magic on Sundays? Join my Newsletter and be part of the conversation as often as you'd like: eruditemagic.substack.com

[@jimdriscoll]

Another insightful episode. And ironically, this week Chattanooga Ring 112 decided that our theme for an upcoming meeting will be “I learned from Tarbell. (And I’ll use this comment to shamelessly promote Ring 112. After several years of inactivity, it’s back and meeting on a regular basis. All magicians from this part of the country are invited to join us!)

[@EruditeMagic]

How serendipitous, Jim. Hope you get a lot of activity from your ring as you study Tabell!

[@jethro1963]

Thought this was a very interesting quote I read in the Genii Forum (it definitely applies to me). "If one wanted to make a living performing magic, only a few books would be necessary, a five foot shelf would almost make you a hoarder. However, if you're bitten by the affliction that compels you to keep purchasing books long after you've reached the number that you could possibly read in your lifetime, rearranging is a real pain in the ..." :)

[@EruditeMagic]

🤣 yup!

[@mattsickmeier8443]

I bought the whole course from Don with your discount code and got a good deal

[@EruditeMagic]

Woohoo! 🥳🙌

[@ScottRSmith1964]

Don is awesome! Don’s Magic and Books rocks!

[@ExecuMutant]

I've been on the fence regarding obtaining the Tarbell set for years. Thank you for your analysis: time to pull the trigger!

[@EruditeMagic]

Can't wait to hear your feedback. You have quite a treasure trove of magic in store!

[@markcorbett5245]

I started magic like most magicians as child seeing a magician in my elementary school in late 70s, I still have booklet that he gave to everyone that help his show! I recall going home so excited and telling my dad that I wanted to be a magician! He found a working magicians in my area and asked if he could give lessons, unfortunately he was too busy but he told my dad he knows a older magician that is semi retired. His name was Fred Marco, He open up the world of magic to me including Tarbell, It one of the first books I purchased at Tanners in Ny! Tarbell is a great foundation in magic. It’s a magic book I go back to this day!

[@jethro1963]

Like many kids in the 70s I went to the Marshall Brodien School of Magic. I bought a TV magic kit for probably $5 and that led to the ads in Popular Mechanics et al for catalogs and then I settled on a mail order dealer (Morrissey Magic) and the rest is history.

[@ScottRSmith1964]

@@jethro1963I got the TV magic kit about 1974 when I was 10. I fell in love.

[@EruditeMagic]

So cool to see pieces of everyone's magic story!!

[@redblack8414]

@@jethro1963 Herb Morrissey had a magic shop in Montréal when I was a teenager. Spent my Saturday's afternoons there.

[@EruditeMagic]

Saturday afternoons at the magic shop - those were the days!

[@jethro1963]

I don't think we can discuss the topic of Tarbell's relevancy without mentioning Dan Harlan's Every Trick in the Book series of videos. If that treatment was given to every classic (and I'd love to see it) we could see the timelessness by updating the "possibly outdated" core. Another YT channel has recently done a Tarbell video and in it was the quote from Denny Haney "Of almost anything you want to know in magic, it's in Tarbell"

[@EruditeMagic]

Except it's another barrier to entry. The books aren't cheap (if you get the whole set), and buying all the videos is another expense, just to see someone else's work on updating the tricks.

[@jethro1963]

@@EruditeMagic How much do the books go for today? When I bought them in the late 70s/80s they were under $20 each. I just checked a Micky Hades Book a Log from 1986 and Vol 1 was $15, Vols 2-7 were $18.50 and Vol 8 was $22.50. There's a blast from the past! :) But I don't think anyone who can't afford the entire set of either (books or vids) will be buying both. That's getting into the it would be nice to have area. Personally, if I had it to do over again (especially in the different buying market of today) I would get a 5 foot bookshelf of classics and books of personal sentimental value and everything else would be PDFs and videos (but that's just me)

[@duanedow1261]

I have the books but am also subscribed to Penguins Tarbell series by Dan Harlen. It’s 19.95 a month and you get a new lesson every week. It’s a great way to go through the course!! 😊

[@supremekarate1]

For Tarbell to be relevant today. I also think that you need to pair the books to Dan Harlan's video series which updates these 100 year old books

[@EruditeMagic]

You're not the only one to say this. I think that's the *easy way to make them relevant, but obviously only for the effects Dan thinks were worth including 🤷

[@dgoldberg2008]

Late to the comments on this video BUT I say YES Tarbell and all of the other classics are VERY relevant. Just yesterday I went down the rabbit hole looking through my old copy of BoBo's Modern Coin Magic and lo and behold I came across a technique that I just learned from a download I purchased from Vanishing Inc. Funny because I thought this move was new or newer but here it was in the old Bobo's book. There is another erudite magician from the UK Dan Trix who also is a great book lover and he has performed MANY items out of Tarbell on his videos and yes it caused me to "rush" to my bookshelf. Many of those effects still hold their own today. Plus we have the ability to create the arts and crafts with modern tools & tech. I've finally been learning some items out of Stars Of Magic. Thanks for the channel and I'll "Keep on reading"

[@EruditeMagic]

Way to go, David! 💪

[@markcorbett5245]

I’ve been watching a UK magician on KZbin Dantrix He performs magic from books, he did a series of his magic from the Tarbell course. He does not expose the magic but tells you where in the book to find the trick. His style and character is very clown like but so cool seeing his take on classic magic books!

[@EruditeMagic]

Yes, I've seen Dan's work! I appreciate that he likes to share the results with us, and always from magic books...

[@jethro1963]

I sub to his channel, love the concept, not so keen on his presentation.

[@DougJames-ym9qf]

The Tarbell Course in Magic will always have a special place in my library. While the patter lines are obviously very dated at this point, there’s just so much great material in the set that it’s a nearly inexhaustible source of both methods and inspiration. Thanks for another great video, Jeff!

[@EruditeMagic]

You bet, Doug!

[@redblack8414]

I bought the first 6 volumes of the Tarbell Course (published by Tannen) from a magician friend in 1967 when I was seventeen. I paid 60$ Cdn for the set. That was quite a sum of money. A few months later I found an almost mint copy of the original Greater Magic. Dr. Tarbell made the drawings in Greater Magic. He was one of the really great illustrators in magic. I think that his drawings of the human hands are without equal. I spent so many long winter nights reading and practicing magic from these books. I can't see how I could have learned magic without these. I am now 74 and I have quite a large magic library but I still consult Tarbell and Hilliard regularly. These authors and their work represent for me the general culture of the magic art.

[@EruditeMagic]

Between those, you really do get a complete picture of the art of magic!

[@jethro1963]

Back then I believe $60 would have been a weekly wage for a low earner. You were probably like me and starved to save the money. Tarbell was supposed to be my lunch money in high school. :)

[@jethro1963]

At first I thought $60 was a lot for that time but I just figured out that when I bought them (between 1978-81), Volumes One to Seven cost about $123, double the price in 10 years. I just saw prices are now ranging from $208 to $280 (I didn't check too many sites)

[@redblack8414]

@@jethro1963 In 1967 I was a student. My father was a general contractor and I worked for him during summers. My salary was 1.50$ per hour. I earned 60$ for a 40 hour week. This is in Canadian dollars. The satisfaction and pleasure that I have retired from magic compensated a great deal for the cost of books and props. I am sure that this is the same for you and for all of us who love magic.

[@vedder10]

I literally just used your link to buy volume 1 from Don's site.

[@EruditeMagic]

Love that!! 💙 Enjoy

[@donunicycle]

Denny Haney was a HUGE advocate of the Tarbell Course. “It’s in Tarbell.”

[@EruditeMagic]

Yup! If you saw my newsletter a couple of weeks ago, it's even included on his tombstone! 😲

[@jethro1963]

Don, have you seen the Morrissey Magic spiral bound books, authored by Merlyn T Shute and illustrated by Sid Lorraine. Whaddya think of them?

[@donunicycle]

@@jethro1963 They are ok. Some good ideas. They’re usually fairly inexpensive, so worth taking a look at if those topics are something you are interested in.

[@ScottRSmith1964]

Our St Louis S.A.M. Assembly 8 are rotating every month between Tarbell and Royal Road to Card Magic. It’s fun to finally have a reason to go through the whole series.

[@jethro1963]

I find it helpful that both classics have videos to help keep them relevant ie Dan Harlan Every Trick in the Book and Paul Wilson Royal Road to Card Magic.

[@EruditeMagic]

That's cool, Scott!

[@EruditeMagic]

Videos can definitely be a useful supplement!

[@ScottRSmith1964]

@@jethro1963yes, I am in the middle of my subscription of Dan Harlan’s classes. He did great. I have the dvd for RR, but I have not watched it. Is it really good?

[@jethro1963]

@@ScottRSmith1964 Is it good is something you have to decide for yourself, I think it is but that's my opinion. In your case you have the DVD so it's too late now :) I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Paul Wilson has a nice, slow teaching style, that personally I like.

[@Fredrickconjurer]

As you point out, Tarbell is highly relevant however it will take work and imagination to bring it up to date. The comprehensive nature has never been reviled. Many of the tricks released today can often be found in Tarbell. A set of Tarbell and a set of the Jinx can keep you busy for a long time.

[@EruditeMagic]

"a long time" = lifetimes!!

[@jethro1963]

I think you mean "revealed", hopefully not "reviled" :)

[@Fredrickconjurer]

@@jethro1963 Ha - close I meant “rivaled” 😁

[@Uniquettt]

the Spiritual Applications for Tarbell. two volumes are useful too for those into gospel magic some would say outdated but if you can not update anything in old magic books then time to reread them

[@EruditeMagic]

Agreed. The techniques, sleights, and methods haven't changed all that much. Presentation always needs to be appropriate for your audience, which is obviously more contemporary, but also varies from person to person

[@jonathannelson7584]

Perfect timing! I've always done card magic exclusively, but some time ago I decided I wanted to take my study further, and I got the first Tarbell book, and I'm also watching Dan Harlans videos. I never thought I would own a thumb tip 😄 Anyways, I have a long but hopefully fun journey ahead of me, because I want to study it all 👍

[@EruditeMagic]

You definitely have a long and hopeful journey ahead of you - enjoy!

[@jethro1963]

Everything old is new again. There is a line in Tarbell in the Silk to Egg Trick, and I'm going on memory so feel free to fact check me, . It says "There seems to be some doubt as to the legitimacy of the vanish" That could have been a normal line of patter in 1920s/30s pre war America likely to the point of being delivered seriously. I think it's hilarious and could be used with a deadpan expression for comic effect today.

[@EruditeMagic]

🤣 made me laugh just reading it - good share!

[@rosscoman]

Tarbell is absolutely foundational. It’s sort of like asking if biologists need to know anything about Darwin or Mendel.

[@EruditeMagic]

Ha! I don't know if I go that far, but I get your point ☝️

[@barkbagarn]

Thank you for this informative video.

[@EruditeMagic]

My pleasure!

[@dougdern-attorney]

I went to a Ren Faire last week. I saw 2 full time working magicians. Their entire act was straight out of tarbell. How many working magicians do stuff out of barbell? Let's. I was standing right by you when Lance Burton said tarbell was his favorite books. My own act has 3 tricks out of tarbell 1. People use it. It's still the best.

[@EruditeMagic]

It's still awesome! Great to hear reports like this 💪

[@jethro1963]

Back in the early 80s IIRC, there was an older gentleman (not universally well known) who lectured on Tarbell and performed material from it exclusively. Kind of like the roving Yo-Yo instructor. Man, I'm old :)

[@EruditeMagic]

@jethro1963 🤣

[@themagicbuzz5728]

Great video Sir thank you. Relevant? Is learning your ABC’s and 1,2,3’s relevant? 😉

[@EruditeMagic]

😄 I'm not sure how many magicians have read it from start to finish, but my hat is off to them!

[@tommarquette9706]

Ok ... small world strikes again. My grandparents liked on Sunnyside Ave. And for more giggles and snores same grandfather knew Hummer.

[@EruditeMagic]

Ha, wow!! That is a small world

[@mathmusicstructure]

I would rather get Steve Beam's Semi-Automatic Card Tricks 12 volume set if I were going to splash out for another set of books. Tarbell looks good, but it was so influential that many of the best things in there have been referenced, updated, etc, so that if you read widely elsewhere I'm not sure how much you're missing from the original set. Also if you know what you like, you may find that there's a lot in there that you're not interested in. Thanks for the review!

[@EruditeMagic]

That might be true about being 'updated' in other places, but I'm unaware of anywhere else that has the density these books do if you want to read widely

[@jethro1963]

Tarbell does have some volumes that I prefer over others. Almost like a TV series, sometimes it's good to watch Eps 3 and 4 before the first episode. IIRC Volume One was not one of my favourites but I did learn one life lesson from it, the weighing of the candy on the scale and adding to it instead of taking away, I've always remembered that.

[@mathmusicstructure]

@@jethro1963 I agree, but that's one of the things that makes me not buy it. I know I'm not using the spiritualist volume, for example. I know I can buy just some of it, but like I said there are still whole sets I'd love to own.

[@jethro1963]

@@mathmusicstructure I'm not sure what you're talking about. No volume of Tarbell is totally devoted to one subject. It may contain a spiritualist section but it's not the whole book. If I knew what volume you are referring to we could find out what else is in it.

[@EruditeMagic]

@jethro1963 it's a separate book - spiritual applications of Tarbell

[@Dronak]

Thanks for the video. I've seen a single-volume version of Tarbell available as well, for probably less than half the cost of the multi-book series you described here. Do you have or know enough about the single volume to compare it with the multi-volume series? Thanks.

[@EruditeMagic]

My understanding is that it is the original mail order course - the 1st sixty lessons without any of the additions and changes that were later published in the full 8 books. It will obviously be missing all of books 7 & 8

[@jethro1963]

@@EruditeMagic I haven't looked in a long time, but I don't think there is any comparison between the books and the original mail order course. The books (and content) are much better

[@EruditeMagic]

For sure

[@lucasdanielsson4852]

You should review By Forces Unseen, if you have that book! Thank you for reviewing all these books it helps a lot!

[@EruditeMagic]

Glad you find the content useful, Lucas. Sadly, I do not own that book, so it's unlikely to be reviewed here. 🤷

[@lucasdanielsson4852]

@@EruditeMagic well you can’t own every book! Even tho you own 2/3 of every magic book out there!

[@EruditeMagic]

😄👍

[@lucasdanielsson4852]

@@EruditeMagic do you have Al Schneider magic? The big boi book? Bc I’m interested in buying it but can’t find a book review. So I would be so so so so sooooo happy if you had the book and reviewed it

[@dougclark4146]

Great review Jeff as always! The Tarbell set was one of the first sets of "real" magic I bought. I inherited some money from a great-aunt and used it to buy the Tarbell set along with many other books from H & R Magic back in the late 1990's. Later on, I even bought another set to give to a young magician when he graduated from high school. Besides the 8 volumes, I also have the original correspondence course when it was compiled and released in 2011. Lastly, what are your thoughts on Dan Harlan's massive video project on the Tarbell volumes he recorded for (I believe) Penguin Magic? The few people I know who have watched some or all of them said they are very good.

[@EruditeMagic]

I haven't spent any time watching the Dan Harlan series, but I hear nothing but great things. 👍

[@dgoldberg2008]

I’ve purchased some of the Tarbell downloads from Penguin. Dan Harlan does a spectacular job on that series. I own the set as well. The downloads make a great companion to the books.

[@EruditeMagic]

@dgoldberg2008 thanks for chiming in!

[@jethro1963]

The Harlan concept was great and should be applied to all the classics. I had actually had the idea long before the Harlan series came along. I thought "Wouldn't it be great if..." I'm not sure but weren't a few sample videos released for free to give you a taste of the series. I have about two thirds of them and funnily enough Dan IIRC updated the trick with balls on a string like traffic lights. I always remembered that from the book and was pleasantly surprised somebody actually did it.

[@kalvheps5973]

They are definitely dated and that’s not in doubt but maybe a gem or two can be gleaned from these pages but most people will want up to date modern books written in today’s style.Useful reference books I would say.

[@EruditeMagic]

Interesting perspective! I like the older style of writing, but I always know I will have to put some work in. But you're right, I mostly use them as a reference set.

[@kalvheps5973]

@@EruditeMagic Yeah I can’t see the point of putting in extra work( understanding the lingo of those times,maybe a lot of tricks from those times have been updated,are they catering for modern audiences etc,etc)When you can buy a modern up to date book with relevant modern material.Maybe I’m lazy!On the other hand I have these books and I wouldn’t be without them for their historic and reference qualities.I respect that people use these great books in their own way.

[@Jim_S.]

I'll confess... I'm a magician with a decently sized library and don't own Tarbell. I don't really plan to, either. I've learned so much more from Card College and Expert Coin Magic (not exactly modern books themselves) than I have from books like Royal Road or Bobo. I know the really old books have merit and are important and I know I can learn a lot from them, but I have limited time (and magic book budget) and choose to spend it with books that I personally get more out of.

[@EruditeMagic]

Valid reasoning!

[@Jim_S.]

@@EruditeMagic I do, however, realize I'm unfairly lumping Tarbell in with other books that I am more familiar with. Maybe the real reason is that I know if I get one volume and like it, I'll feel like I need to buy the rest...

[@EruditeMagic]

🤣 sounds like you know yourself pretty well 👍

[@jethro1963]

There's also something that is totally without validity. Speaking for only myself, I feel owning Tarbell is almost like possessing the engineering ring or knowing the secret handshake, you're part of the old school country club. Crazy, I know, but there is a twinge of that.

[@Jim_S.]

@jethro1963 I get that. I'm a card guy who has been starting at the beginning with coins for the past couple of years. Because of the difficulty, the fact that fewer magicians seem to do coin magic these days and that the props are silver and over 100 years old, I'd be lying if I said that part of the appeal wasn't that coin magic feels a little bit like the secret club you describe.

[@georgeyounts9391]

Had copy of the original mail order version. Not the Magic Makers one but an cheap one ($45) off Abebooks. Have never browsed the 8 vols. But did buy #9 ;) TBH I would be overwhelmed w/ 8 & it would compound guilt of not creating magic. Like my current tricks, books, dvds and DLs do to me :) IMHO Dan Harlan's P3 Lessons are where's it's at. Have bought over 25. Plus, they got me through Covid. So yeah, that was $250 ($10 a lesson) and you could get all the books for less. Seen sets go for $200 in the last year. But I don't want to know all of it. Just wanted to know about certain stuff and Harlan has done that for us :)

[@EruditeMagic]

Interesting! But then you're stuck with the things Harlan wanted to reinterpret, right? Nothing wrong with that, but inherently incomplete. Thanks for sharing!

[@georgeyounts9391]

Very True. But, at least from what I saw in the mail order course, it's fine with me. Harlan has thrown in other "non-Tarbell methods" on the material he was developing and teaching, Don't get me wrong! As a teacher/academic love doing research but for my magic I'm constantly narrowing my focus so I feel more satisfied. When I came back to Magic about 5 years ago I was a sponge for it all but in the last year and a half that is where I'm at now :)

[@EruditeMagic]

@georgeyounts9391 totally get it!

[@jethro1963]

I was reading the chat and saw Tarbell "Vol 9" and thought I didn't know there was a 9th volume. I did some research and found some interesting things. I guess "Vol 9" is the Harrison Greenbaum book that was reviewed here but I did see an interesting post from Richard Kaufmann from August 2023, it said "After finishing Tarbell 8, I signed a contract with Paul Fried at D. Robbins & Co., the publishers, to do Tarbell 9. But I was unable to make the project work (could not even figure out how to approach it successfully), so I returned the advance. Curious about this, since I believe D. Robbin's owns the rights, not Tannens." I thought that was interesting, my apologies if it was common knowledge as I drift in and out of the scene

[@EruditeMagic]

Fascinating! Yes, I believe D. Robbins bought almost all of the Tannen's publishing rights a while ago. I don't believe they added anything to the catalog, just reprinted what they bought.

[@ScottRSmith1964]

In my opinion, Robbins cheaped out because the print looks photocopied with parts of the letters missing. After I bought the Robbins version I bought the old Tannen’s because the print is so much better.

[@EruditeMagic]

Fascinating! I only have the Robbins books, so I have no idea if the Tannen's prints were better. Thanks for sharing, Scott 👍

[@ScottRSmith1964]

I’m sure Don could weigh in. What do you think, Don?

[@EruditeMagic]

I have two Tannen's Jinx books, and one Robbins reprint. I've never noticed a significant difference, but I really wasn't looking for it. Now I'll have to check 🤔

[@bascomwholehogue]

The camera at the side of you makes for an awkward shot. Keep the camera to the front and quit the Blair Witch camera angles.

[@EruditeMagic]

Thanks for the feedback. What makes it awkward in your opinion?

[@bascomwholehogue]

@@EruditeMagic First off, I like your videos. To me it is ackward becuse the point of view changes from speaking directly to us, to speaking to someone off camera and it loses some focus.

[@EruditeMagic]

I've given it some consideration since seeing your note. I've arrived at the conclusion that I prefer it for cinematic and artistic reasons, but I appreciate your feedback and causing me to think about it.

[@bascomwholehogue]

@@EruditeMagic I see your point. Thank you for making such good videos. I’ll keep watching❤️

[@RobertBallMagician]

These are good books and a great research of knowledge 👏🙌🪄✨️✨️😊

[@EruditeMagic]

Absolutely!