riffz
Member
Threads that pose questions concerning memory methods for BLD solving pop up constantly in this sub-forum, and for those of us looking to have actual discussion, it can be very annoying to answer the same questions over and over again. The information that is requested is almost always already available, but finding it can be difficult. The "Memory Methods" thread is massive, and some of the posts in it are very outdated.
This thread is intended to be a reference for new BLD cubers. I will provide summaries of some of the common memory methods that are used, as well as helpful links to other sites/resources. I expect that you already know a BLD method and are comfortable with the concept of solving cycles of pieces.
NOTE: This post will only be useful if you use a method that solves the orientation and permutation of pieces at the same time, such as Old Pochmann, M2/R2, BH, etc. I have no experience using methods such as 3OP.
Contents:
1. Visual
2. Sentences
3. Images & Journey / Roman Rooms
4. Auditory (Sounds)
1. Visual
Visual memorization involves simply memorizing the cycles directly. One way to do this is to visualize an airplane or roller coaster track going from one sticker to the next, or tapping each sticker in sequence.
This is a very popular method. Perhaps the most common use of visual is memorizing the corners of a 3x3. Although some people can memorize 4x4s and even 5x5s using purely visual memo, most have difficulty memorizing large amounts of information using this technique.
When using multiple memory techniques to solve different types of pieces it is usually best to leave visual memorization to the end, then don the blindfold and solve those pieces immediately. This way you are less likely to forget what you have memorized.
2. Sentences
An easy way to memorize the cube is using stories or random sentences. These don't necessarily have to be coherent, just memorable. To do this, you should assign a letter to each sticker on your cube. There are endless lettering schemes that you can use, and many people prefer different ones. I recommend that you come up with one that feels right for you. An example of a predefined lettering scheme is Speffz.
To use this memory method you simply make up a story or sentence that will help you to recall the sequence of letters that correspond to the cycles you need to memorize.
For example, if your corner memorization is represented by the letters CTNCET, you might make use the sentence "CaTs are NiCe to EaT" to help you remember it.
It can sometimes be difficult to come up with a coherent story on the spot, depending on the string of letters that you happen to get. This can be avoided by preparing a list of words you might use for each single letter or pair of letters.
It might be a good time to mention that, for sentences, as well the techniques I will cover next, memorizing 2 letters at once like I did previously can help to condense your memorization. Using the same string of letters that I used in the last example, CTNCET, I could have also memorized one letter per word, such as "Cocky Tourists Need Carrots Every Tuesday", which might be easier but is not as efficient and as a result may take more time.
3. Journey / Roman Rooms
Chris Hardwick has a page that explains this technique:
http://www.speedcubing.com/chris/memo-images.html
4. Sounds
Once again, Chris Hardwick has a great page on this technique:
http://www.speedcubing.com/chris/memo-words.html
This thread is intended to be a reference for new BLD cubers. I will provide summaries of some of the common memory methods that are used, as well as helpful links to other sites/resources. I expect that you already know a BLD method and are comfortable with the concept of solving cycles of pieces.
NOTE: This post will only be useful if you use a method that solves the orientation and permutation of pieces at the same time, such as Old Pochmann, M2/R2, BH, etc. I have no experience using methods such as 3OP.
Contents:
1. Visual
2. Sentences
3. Images & Journey / Roman Rooms
4. Auditory (Sounds)
1. Visual
Visual memorization involves simply memorizing the cycles directly. One way to do this is to visualize an airplane or roller coaster track going from one sticker to the next, or tapping each sticker in sequence.
This is a very popular method. Perhaps the most common use of visual is memorizing the corners of a 3x3. Although some people can memorize 4x4s and even 5x5s using purely visual memo, most have difficulty memorizing large amounts of information using this technique.
When using multiple memory techniques to solve different types of pieces it is usually best to leave visual memorization to the end, then don the blindfold and solve those pieces immediately. This way you are less likely to forget what you have memorized.
2. Sentences
An easy way to memorize the cube is using stories or random sentences. These don't necessarily have to be coherent, just memorable. To do this, you should assign a letter to each sticker on your cube. There are endless lettering schemes that you can use, and many people prefer different ones. I recommend that you come up with one that feels right for you. An example of a predefined lettering scheme is Speffz.
To use this memory method you simply make up a story or sentence that will help you to recall the sequence of letters that correspond to the cycles you need to memorize.
For example, if your corner memorization is represented by the letters CTNCET, you might make use the sentence "CaTs are NiCe to EaT" to help you remember it.
It can sometimes be difficult to come up with a coherent story on the spot, depending on the string of letters that you happen to get. This can be avoided by preparing a list of words you might use for each single letter or pair of letters.
It might be a good time to mention that, for sentences, as well the techniques I will cover next, memorizing 2 letters at once like I did previously can help to condense your memorization. Using the same string of letters that I used in the last example, CTNCET, I could have also memorized one letter per word, such as "Cocky Tourists Need Carrots Every Tuesday", which might be easier but is not as efficient and as a result may take more time.
3. Journey / Roman Rooms
Chris Hardwick has a page that explains this technique:
http://www.speedcubing.com/chris/memo-images.html
4. Sounds
Once again, Chris Hardwick has a great page on this technique:
http://www.speedcubing.com/chris/memo-words.html
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