How to Master Pen Spinning

You can begin with an ordinary pen that feels comfortable across your fingers. A relatively smooth barrel and securely fitted parts make handling simpler. Retract or cover the writing tip, check that the cap will stay in place and avoid a pen whose clip repeatedly catches your fingers.

A pen made specifically for spinning is often called a pen mod. Such pens vary in length, weight and balance. They can change the feel, but they are not a requirement for trying the fundamentals. Darren, known as nhk9, demonstrates beginner tricks at The Troposphere using an ordinary unmodified pen.

Find the balance point

Rest the pen across a finger and move it gently until it balances. Notice where that point lies relative to the barrel’s visual middle. A heavy cap or unequal ends can shift it. This gives you a useful reference when a tutorial asks you to hold near the centre of balance.

Use the same pen for several sessions before deciding that every difficult attempt requires another model. Changing equipment constantly changes the movement you are trying to learn. If a particular feature clearly causes trouble, such as a loose cap or catching clip, address that specific problem.

Let drops be ordinary

Practise over a clear, forgiving area, such as a towel on a desk or a suitable soft surface. Keep the pen away from faces, drinks, screens and fragile objects. A low hand position reduces the distance of a drop and makes retrieval less disruptive.

Do not try to catch a flying pen at any cost. Let it land in the prepared area, pick it up and reset. Reaching suddenly across a crowded desk can create more trouble than the missed trick itself.

Sit or stand comfortably with room for the forearm and hand. Avoid holding the wrist at an awkward angle simply to match a camera view. The useful part of a demonstration is the relationship between the pen and fingers, not the exact position of the performer’s chair.

Keep the object simple

There is no need to add heavy improvised ends or dismantle several pens before you understand a basic spin. If you later explore pen modding, use a clear design and appropriate tools. For the first exercises, a secure, manageable object is enough.

Keep small loose parts contained, especially around children and pets. Stop if the movement causes pain or persistent discomfort. The aim is a pleasant hobby you can return to, not a test of how long you can force an uncomfortable grip.

Once the pen and space are ready, place the pen down for a moment and learn the finger labels. They will make the next instructions much easier to follow.

Pen-spinning tutorials often use short notation so they can describe a movement precisely. The thumb is commonly written as T, the index finger as 1, the middle as 2, the ring as 3 and the little finger as 4. These labels refer to the same fingers on either hand.

A slot is the space between fingers holding the pen. Slot 12 is between index and middle; 23 is between middle and ring; 34 is between ring and little finger. T1 refers to thumb and index. The numbers name fingers, not a count of rotations.

Choose a consistent view

A video filmed from the performer’s viewpoint is often easier to compare with your own hand than one filmed from across a table. Notice whether the palm faces up, down or sideways. A movement can look reversed when the camera changes position even though the trick has not changed.

If you use your left hand and the demonstration uses the right, follow the relationship between fingers rather than copying screen-left and screen-right literally. A mirrored view can help, but make sure you know that it is mirrored before comparing directions.

Understand what “reverse” means

A named reverse trick uses the opposite motion from that trick’s normal form. It does not simply mean doing the ordinary trick with the other hand. Nor does replaying a video backwards necessarily provide a useful learning sequence, because the initiating finger action may be different.

For now, follow one normal-form demonstration for each trick. You can explore reverse versions later. Learning several directions at once can make it difficult to recognise which movement your fingers are actually producing.

Pause a demonstration at the start and end. Name the slot in each frame, then notice which finger moves out of the pen’s path. That is often more useful than watching a fast clip repeatedly from beginning to end.

Try a simple notation exercise without spinning: place the pen in 12, then 23, then 34, using your other hand to help. This is a position check, not a trick. It lets you read the later instructions without also solving an unfamiliar finger arrangement.

When a term becomes confusing, return to the physical question: which fingers hold the pen now, and which should hold it next? That question stays useful even when the full trick name is long.

A ThumbAround carries the pen once around the thumb and returns it to a controlled catch. Begin with the pen supported by the thumb, index and middle finger. Place the middle finger near the balance point, the index farther along the barrel and the thumb between their contact positions on the opposite side.

The Adobe Summit ThumbAround handout illustrates this grip and divides the action into setup, push and catch. Use the diagrams to check the relationship of the three fingers before adding speed.

Release the index as the middle finger initiates

Give a light, directed push with the middle finger while moving the index out of the way. The pen should begin travelling around the thumb. Keep the thumb relatively steady as the pivot instead of chasing the pen with a large hand movement.

Too much force tends to send the pen away. Too little may leave it falling before completing the circuit. Make small adjustments to the push while keeping the starting grip similar. If you also change the pen position every time, it becomes harder to identify what helped.

Learn where the catch belongs

As the pen returns towards the thumb–index area, bring the index back to receive it. Catch gently enough to stop the motion without an abrupt squeeze that knocks the pen away. A full revolution followed by a controlled hold is the target.

If the pen makes the turn but drops just before the catch, that is useful progress. Inspect whether the index returned too late, whether the pen travelled too far from the thumb or whether the final grip was simply in the wrong place.

The PenSpinning Blog’s ThumbAround tutorial also shows the middle-finger initiation and index release. Compare a slow demonstration with one of your attempts, paying attention to the instant when the index stops holding the barrel.

Use an assisted path briefly

You can guide the pen slowly around the thumb with your other hand to understand the route. Keep the fingers comfortable and avoid forcing the joint position. This is a demonstration of the path, not a completed ThumbAround. Remove the assistance when you practise the actual release.

Try a small set of attempts, then pause. Count separately the attempts that begin the correct rotation, those that complete it and those that finish with a clean catch. This prevents a missed catch from hiding an improvement in the release.

When a few catches feel deliberate, reduce unnecessary movement. Aim for the same starting grip and a quiet finish. A single reliable ThumbAround is more useful than several accidental rotations that leave you scrambling to recover the pen.

A Charge rotates the pen between two fingers while it remains in the same slot. The ends describe a circular or conical path; you are not merely rolling the barrel around its long axis. Start in slot 23, between the middle and ring fingers, holding near the balance point.

Keep the grip light enough for movement but secure enough that the pen does not simply slide out. Let the other fingers rest comfortably. A rigidly clenched hand makes the small adjustments harder to feel.

Understand one rotation before repeating it

The middle and ring fingers change their relative positions to guide the ends around. Begin with slightly bent fingers, then gently vary their bend so one end rises and continues through a circle. As the pen reaches the other half of the path, the fingers adjust again to complete the movement.

The Charge sequence at PenSpinning Blog breaks down those changing finger positions. Watch it slowly and compare the pen’s path rather than trying to reproduce a fast continuous spin immediately.

A beginner may use the thumb area briefly to support the starting position, but the continuing Charge belongs between the two fingers. Work towards starting and maintaining the motion without repeatedly catching the pen against the thumb.

Use a small assisted circle

With the pen held lightly in 23, use the other hand to guide an end through a slow circle. Notice how the holding fingers must make room. Stop if the movement strains the hand. Then remove the assistance and try to reproduce a short part of the same path.

It is fine to practise one rotation and stop deliberately. Continuous Charge comes from joining controlled rotations, not from launching the pen harder and hoping it keeps going. A slow, recognisable circle gives you something repeatable to build on.

Notice where the pen drifts

If it gradually slides towards one end, reset the grip near the balance point and reduce excessive squeezing. If it keeps striking another finger, check whether that finger is unnecessarily blocking the path. If the whole wrist is making large circles, try a smaller movement and let the two holding fingers do more of the work.

Do not demand that the wrist remain perfectly motionless. The useful aim is to reduce extra movement that makes the action hard to control. A little natural adjustment is different from swinging the whole hand to force every rotation.

Practise a single Charge, then two connected rotations, then a deliberate stop. Record the longest sequence that stays controlled, but also notice how easy the first rotation has become. Starting cleanly will matter later when you use the Charge as part of a combination.

When the pen remains in 23 throughout, you are practising the intended skill. If it moves into another slot, pause and identify that different action rather than calling every circular-looking movement a Charge.

A FingerPass moves the pen through adjacent finger slots. A common complete route is 12 to 23 to 34, then back through 23 to 12, using successive passes. Start by learning a single transfer. You do not need to make the whole journey smoothly on the first attempt.

Hold the pen near its balance point in 12 with the hand comfortably turned sideways. Let the index bend to tip an end downward while the ring finger prepares to receive the pen. The middle finger is shared by the starting and ending slots.

Open the receiving slot before releasing everything

As the pen turns around the shared finger, bring the ring finger into position to hold it in 23 and let the index clear the path. Keep the movement small and supported. This is a controlled pass, not a throw into the air followed by a lucky catch.

Hadrien’s FingerPass tutorial at PenSpinning.fr describes the alternating finger movement and includes a demonstration. Watch which finger folds away and which comes forward to receive the barrel. Those details are easier to see at a slow playback speed.

Once the 12-to-23 transfer is comfortable, practise 23 to 34 separately. The receiving little finger may feel less coordinated at first. Reduce the range and let the pen settle after each transfer instead of trying to push through the whole sequence.

Practise the return route separately

The return from 34 through 23 to 12 has its own receiving-finger timing. Do not assume that reaching the little-finger side automatically teaches you how to come back. Use a visual demonstration to check which side of each finger the pen travels around.

The slot sequence alone does not fully describe the direction of rotation. Normal and reverse passes can share starting and ending slots while taking different paths. Follow one demonstrated version consistently while learning the full FingerPass.

Make pauses shorter gradually

At first, stop securely in each slot. Then join two transfers with a smaller pause. Finally, try the full route while keeping the catches light. Smoothness develops when the receiving finger is ready on time, not when you force the pen through the sequence faster.

If one transfer repeatedly fails, practise that link on its own. A strong 12-to-23 movement cannot compensate for an unprepared little finger later in the chain. Give the difficult link a clear starting position and a modest number of attempts.

Avoid using the thumb to rescue every transfer without noticing. It can help reposition the pen between attempts, but a completed FingerPass exercise should follow the intended finger route. Separate the practice reset from the movement you are measuring.

When the route begins to flow, enjoy it at a comfortable pace. A slow sequence with reliable handovers is already a worthwhile result and a useful foundation for other transitions.

A basic Sonic 23–12 moves the pen from the middle–ring slot to the index–middle slot during its rotation. The middle finger folds out of the way, the index and ring briefly guide the pen, and the middle returns so the pen can finish in 12.

This differs from a Charge, which remains in one slot, and from an ordinary adjacent pass. Reaching the same ending slot does not automatically make two movements the same trick. Watch the route taken between the start and finish.

Begin with the familiar Charge shape

Hold the pen near its balance point in 23 and begin a small rotational action. As the pen moves, fold the middle finger away enough to let the index and ring take over briefly. Bring the index towards the ring to provide that temporary support, then return the middle finger to receive the pen with the index.

The Sonic tutorial at PenSpinning Blog shows the temporary index–ring relationship and the return to 12. Study those two positions before trying to make the entire movement fast.

Rehearse the handover without forcing the fingers

Use your other hand to support the pen while you slowly move from the starting slot towards the temporary hold and final slot. This is an orientation exercise. Keep the movement within a comfortable range; the fingers do not need to be pressed together painfully to understand the route.

Then try a small unassisted rotation. The index should be ready to receive rather than arriving after the pen has already escaped. If the pen drops through the gap, review the timing of the temporary support instead of simply adding more force.

If the pen stays in 23 and makes a circle, you have probably performed another Charge. That is useful information: the rotation exists, but the finger change has not happened at the required time. If it transfers slowly as an ordinary pass, compare the path with the demonstration again.

Finish in a usable grip

A Sonic that reaches 12 but leaves the pen barely hanging from its end will be hard to connect to anything else. Aim for a stable finish near the useful balance area. Reduce the launch if the pen travels too far along the fingers during the movement.

Practise one Sonic and stop. When that becomes familiar, begin from a deliberate Charge position rather than relying on an improvised thumb catch for every start. You can then explore how the same rotational feel supports both tricks.

Keep the first goal modest: correct starting slot, recognisable path and controlled ending slot. Speed can follow once those three features happen together. A clear slow Sonic is much easier to improve than a fast movement you cannot yet identify.

A combination is more than performing several tricks with a complete reset between each. The finish of one movement prepares the next. That means slot, pen position, direction and hand orientation all matter. Two tricks you can perform separately may still need a new transition.

Begin with a short practice phrase rather than a long routine. Choose two movements you understand well enough to recognise their starts and finishes. Give the connection its own attention.

Try Charge 23, then Sonic 23–12

Perform one controlled Charge in 23 and stop deliberately in a position from which you can begin the Sonic. Then perform the Sonic and finish in 12. At first, the pause is part of the exercise. You are learning where the first movement leaves the pen.

As both actions become reliable, shorten the pause while preserving the useful starting position for the Sonic. Do not remove the pause so quickly that the second movement begins from a random angle. The eventual flow depends on matching the phases of the two actions.

Separate a reset from a transition

If you use the other hand to reposition the pen, that is a practice reset. It is perfectly useful while learning, but do not count it as a continuous connection. Keeping that distinction clear lets you measure the skill you actually want.

A small adjustment within the spinning hand may also interrupt the flow. Notice it without treating it as a disaster. You can work on reducing that adjustment later, once you know why it was needed.

For a ThumbAround finish, inspect whether the catch leaves the pen in a comfortable position for the action you want next. A secure catch and a connection-ready catch are related but not always identical. Practise the ending position rather than repeatedly adding force to the initial push.

Use a short beginning and ending

A pleasing mini-routine can have a clear start, two or three familiar actions and a deliberate stop. You do not need to keep spinning until the pen drops. Choosing an ending turns a practice sequence into something you can repeat.

Try a slow FingerPass cycle followed by a controlled hold. Then repeat the cycle from the same grip. This is another way to practise continuity without adding a completely new trick. Keep the hand relaxed enough that the final slot still feels usable.

When a connection fails, identify whether the first trick ended poorly or the second began too early. Practising the second trick alone will not solve a first trick that consistently leaves the pen in the wrong place.

Use notation to record only what you can describe accurately. “Charge 23, pause, Sonic 23–12” is a useful practice note. You can remove “pause” when the connection becomes continuous. Clear notes make progress visible without pretending that every session already produced a polished combination.

A drop is feedback about a particular moment. The pen may leave immediately, stall halfway through, slide along the fingers or complete the motion before the catch fails. Describe that moment as precisely as you can. “It keeps falling” is a starting observation, not yet a diagnosis.

Take a small set of attempts and look for the most frequent pattern. Choose one adjustment for the next set. If you change grip, force, hand angle and pen all at once, a better result will be difficult to explain.

Use a camera for one question

A short clip can reveal a finger blocking the route or a catch arriving late. Frame the whole hand and pen against a plain background. Review the specific moment you are investigating rather than judging the clip as a performance.

Slow playback is particularly useful when a trick happens too quickly to follow. Compare start, transition and finish with a clear demonstration from a similar viewpoint. Remember that a mirrored view changes the apparent screen direction.

Check equipment only when the evidence points there

A loose cap, catching clip or slippery surface can interfere with practice. A missed catch does not automatically prove that you need a longer or heavier pen. Try the familiar basic movement first and look for a repeatable mechanical problem before changing equipment.

If you do switch pens, allow a short adjustment period and keep the task simple. The new balance changes the feel. Compare like with like rather than trying a difficult new combination and crediting or blaming the pen for every result.

When your grip becomes tighter after each miss, put the pen down briefly and relax the hand. Restart with an easy position or one slow transfer. More tension can make the very release you need harder to produce.

Stop if you feel pain, tingling or persistent discomfort. Return only when the movement is comfortable, and seek appropriate advice if symptoms continue. There is no practice count worth forcing through a physical problem.

End a review with a specific next action: release the index sooner, reduce the push or prepare the ring finger earlier. A small instruction is much easier to use than a general command to become smoother.

Choose one main task for a session. It might be completing a ThumbAround catch, keeping a Charge in 23 or making the 23-to-34 FingerPass transfer without help. A narrow task gives you something observable to improve.

Begin with a comfortable movement you already know, even if that is simply placing the pen in the correct slots. Then make a short set of focused attempts, pause to inspect the result and try one adjustment. Finish with something enjoyable rather than chasing a final success indefinitely.

Use stages instead of deadlines

For the ThumbAround, your stages might be initiating the correct path, completing one revolution and catching reliably. For a Charge, they might be one controlled rotation, two connected rotations and a deliberate stop. These stages describe the skill; they do not claim everyone will reach it in the same number of minutes.

Count a few attempts under similar conditions if numbers help you. For example, record clean catches out of ten from the same starting grip. Also record the dominant miss. The count tells you how often, while the description suggests what to change.

Keep one familiar reference task

When you add a harder variation, retain an easier task for comparison. A drop rate that rises while you learn a new transition does not necessarily mean your original ThumbAround has deteriorated. Separate reliability on the familiar task from progress on the new one.

Change one challenge at a time: a new slot, a new direction or a shorter pause. Increasing speed while changing all three makes the result harder to understand. You can explore freely at other moments, but a focused drill benefits from a clear question.

Save an occasional short clip if you enjoy seeing progress. You may notice smaller hand movements, more consistent catches or a calmer starting grip before you notice a much longer combination. Those are real improvements in control.

The learning progression at PenSpinning.fr offers ideas beyond the fundamentals while presenting the order as a suggestion. Choose a next move that builds on something you can already perform, rather than selecting solely for how dramatic the finished video looks.

If you enjoy small coordination hobbies, fingerboarding or juggling offers another kind of object control. Keep the practice comfortable and follow the activity that makes you curious enough to return.

Do I need a pen mod?

No. Ordinary pens can be used for basic tricks, and the linked demonstrations include that approach. A purpose-made mod changes the feel and may suit your preferences later. Start by identifying a specific equipment problem rather than assuming every missed trick requires a purchase.

Which hand should I use?

Begin with the hand that feels more comfortable and keep the practice consistent while learning a new movement. The finger labels are the same for either hand. Compare finger relationships in a tutorial rather than copying screen direction without checking the viewpoint.

What is the difference between Charge and Sonic?

A Charge rotates in the same finger slot. The basic Sonic described here transfers from 23 to 12 through a particular finger handover. The rotation may feel related, but the change of slot and path distinguish the Sonic.

Is every transfer from 23 to 12 a Sonic?

No. Different tricks can share starting and ending slots. Look at the path, temporary support and rotation, not only where the pen finishes. A clear demonstration helps you recognise those differences.

Why does FingerPass feel awkward near the little finger?

That receiving movement may simply be less familiar to you. Practise the difficult transfer slowly with a secure finish, then return to the complete route. Avoid forcing the finger into an uncomfortable range or hiding the problem by rushing through it.

Should the pen leave my hand?

It depends on the trick. The beginner actions here rely on controlled contact and release around the fingers; they are not intended as high aerial tosses. If the pen flies far away during a ThumbAround attempt, reduce the force and inspect the release.

How long should a practice session last?

Use a length that preserves comfort and attention. A short set with a clear observation can be more useful than many frustrated attempts. Pause when the grip becomes tense and stop if discomfort develops.

Can I practise while doing something else?

Familiar movements may eventually feel easy, but learning a new trick benefits from attention to the pen’s path. Choose an appropriate place and time, especially where drops or clicking would distract other people. A clear practice area also protects nearby objects.

When am I ready for combinations?

Try a simple connection when you can recognise the first trick’s ending and the second trick’s starting position. Use a pause initially, then shorten it gradually. You do not need perfect mastery of every fundamental before exploring one sensible link.

What is a good definition of progress?

You can start deliberately, recognise what the pen is doing and finish with more control. That may mean one reliable trick, a smoother difficult transfer or a useful explanation of a miss. Speed and length are only part of the picture.

Pick up the pen, settle the starting position and try one movement you can observe. The next clean catch is a small achievement, and the understanding that makes it repeatable is an even better one.