Ollie
Legend
This is going to be a tutorial specifically for BLD memorization, so you should already know what letter pairs are. You should also have decided on a lettering scheme for your 3x3x3, your 4x4x4 or whatever cube it is you plan on memorizing. Plus I'd recommend that you become familiar with the Journey Method, Roman Rooms - some sort of method of loci. But it is not compulsory, depending on what puzzle it is you are planning to memorize. It simply makes storage and recall of the information so much easier later on.
In essence, sentences is a 'freestyle' letter pairs system with no strict rules of how to memorize. Because I am building images from nouns, verbs, adjectives and filler words, all of which come from letter pairs, the aim is to be able to get anything from 8-16 targets, maybe more, into one image.
For example:
AD:
TE:
If you haven't guessed already, the trick to using sentences well is to have more than one word per letter pair. Don't be put off by this - remembering letter pairs is, sort of, a 'passive' process. Some letter pairing are easy to make multiple words out of straight off the bat (such as AD) and as you will see later, many words that you will come up with in the heat of the moment will stick.
The best way to demonstrate these is with examples. Numbers correspond to rooms. This is what a 'simple' letter pairs images memo might look like compared to sentences:
AB + CD + EF + GH + JK + LM
Another example:
AC + EG + JL + NP + RT + VX
Memorizing this way allows you to be more imaginitive which is one of the most important things in making an image memorable enough to recall later on and/or memorize very quickly. If you come across an image with new letters, for example, that literally makes you laugh out loud, you are instantly more likely to remember that image later on.
For example, during a recent 5BLD attempt I came across this:
WD WO PK = WooDy WOodPecKer
You will also remember the words you used in making that funny image. From now on, I will forever associate WD and WO with wood, but I'll be able to differentiate between them. Previously they were; WD = wads of cash, wed; WO = "wooo!", wool; PK = Pikachu, pick. I am simply making new connections between letter pairs and words and/or people from the real world. That example is also a good one because you're making the most of the information available and you're being efficient with your images.
One more:
BD + FH + KM + OQ + TU + WX
Some other tips:
1. Don't overdo it - this should be obvious, but don't try to pack 22 targets into one image with lots of small details that you are likely to miss later. You should be able to interact with the whole image, as if you are witnessing/taking part in it yourself. The detail that you add from extra targets should improve the image and help you recall the image later effortlessly.
2. Audio sounds - try throwing in some audio sounds mid-sentence:
TD WP BE AH = TeD (Scrubs) is WhiPping a BEe, the bee goes "AAAHHHHH!" or if the bee is enjoying it...
TD WP BE JA = "ohhhh JA JA JA."
You can also try and form parts of speech to images. If: OH CR = "OH CRap" is something your friend never/always says then the image will stick out more.
3. Assign some colours to letter pairs - adding colour to images aids your visual memory and your recall. If something is a different colour to what it should be then you are more likely to retain that information later.
Some of the 'essential' examples:
BL = blue, BK = black, RD = red, OR = orange, GR = green. But choose your own letter pairings.
4. Use people and celebrities - we remember people and people's faces a lot easier than other types of infotmation. People you know or celebrities that you like will often have a verb associated with them as well. If you associate DB with David Beckham you could it with a football.
DB TE = David Beckham drinking TEa.
TE DB = A cup of TEa with a football floating on top.
This is a key part of a simple but very powerful system called the Dominic System. It is used by the 8-time World Memory Dominic O'Brien, so I'd really recommend reading about that. The condensed idea is that you can assign letter pairs all the combinations of digits from 00-99, but each letter pair is assigned to a person, rather than a word/object, who has a verb/activity associated with them.
5. Use your imagination - be creative with your letter pairs:
AU/AG = gold/silver.
XL/XS = obvious
QT = cutie
GJ/BJ/TY/NP...
Sentences take a lot of practice to become fluent in. Imagination is also an active process so your progress at the start might be slower as you spend a bit more time thinking of good words and finding a good 'rhythm' or 'style' in which to make images in. But once you spend enough time on it, you will eventually find your brain adjusts to the workload. It'll become much more efficient in finding new objects, people and words to use. It'll get better at forming more memorable images that are funny, gross, happy, sad, weird, creepy, whatever. You will also begin to build a huge mental dictionary of good words to use, making future memos even easier until it becomes fun to memo! Eventually the process becomes automatic - if you come across TN mid-sentence you will know instantly whether to use the noun form (TiNtin) the verb (tanning on a beach) the adjective (tanned) or the filler word (TeN), because it'll be the only one that fits into the sentence.
At the time of recording this, I have at least 3 words for each letter pair for A-X and I am close to having one word of each word type for each letter pair and it helps massively in achieving those sub-45s 4BLD times and sub-2:00 5BLD times. Not to mention Multi where you actually have more time to go back through your memo and substitute letter pairs that aren't working.
It is an efficient, fast and fun system to use and definitely worth a little lookyloo.
Recommended sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic_dominic_system
http://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/List_of_letter_pairs
In essence, sentences is a 'freestyle' letter pairs system with no strict rules of how to memorize. Because I am building images from nouns, verbs, adjectives and filler words, all of which come from letter pairs, the aim is to be able to get anything from 8-16 targets, maybe more, into one image.
These are simply words that can be added to your sentence in order to help it make more sense or just to add more targets to an image to make it more efficient. Some examples are: RL = really, BT = but, SO = so, NX = next, NW = now, IN = in, FS = first, etc.
SP TH DG = SPot THe DoG.
Just a warning on filler words - they need a bit of practice to really get right. It is easy to confuse which letters are the key letters and which are just filler to make it make sense. Personally, I try to stick to using just consonants to make filler words so I can differentiate between the important letter targets.
SP TH DG = SPot THe DoG.
Just a warning on filler words - they need a bit of practice to really get right. It is easy to confuse which letters are the key letters and which are just filler to make it make sense. Personally, I try to stick to using just consonants to make filler words so I can differentiate between the important letter targets.
For example:
AD:
- Nouns: Advert, Adam
- Verbs: to advertise, to add to something
- Adjectives: cheeky (my schoolfriend Adam was cheeky. I will always associate AD with the word cheeky as a result!)
- Possible filler words: AiD, AnD, ADd
TE:
- Nouns: a cup of tea, a golf tee, a tee-shirt
- Verbs: to make tea, to tee off, to teach
- Adjectives: tea-coloured/covered in tea stains, grassy (associates with golf -> tee)
- Possible filler words: ThE, TEll
If you haven't guessed already, the trick to using sentences well is to have more than one word per letter pair. Don't be put off by this - remembering letter pairs is, sort of, a 'passive' process. Some letter pairing are easy to make multiple words out of straight off the bat (such as AD) and as you will see later, many words that you will come up with in the heat of the moment will stick.
The best way to demonstrate these is with examples. Numbers correspond to rooms. This is what a 'simple' letter pairs images memo might look like compared to sentences:
AB + CD + EF + GH + JK + LM
1. ABe (Simpson) listening to a CD.
2. Emilie Frost talking to a GHost.
3. The JoKer picking LuMps off his body.
= 12 targets in 3 rooms.
2. Emilie Frost talking to a GHost.
3. The JoKer picking LuMps off his body.
= 12 targets in 3 rooms.
1. ABe is recording a CD with some beEF in his mouth.
2. a GHost playing a practical JoKe with fake LuMps of pus.
= 12 targets in 2 rooms.
2. a GHost playing a practical JoKe with fake LuMps of pus.
= 12 targets in 2 rooms.
1. I throw an ABba CD at Emilie Frost's GHost, it travels straight through and pops the JoKers LuMpy... (NOse?)
= 12 targets in 1 room, but sentence is good enough to continue to comfortably add one more pair = 14 targets in one room.
In order to remember that I was throwing specifically an ABBA CD, I would picture the band on some sort of album cover and imagine the feel of the case in my fingers as I threw it. Other than that, the rest of the sentence is straight forward!
= 12 targets in 1 room, but sentence is good enough to continue to comfortably add one more pair = 14 targets in one room.
In order to remember that I was throwing specifically an ABBA CD, I would picture the band on some sort of album cover and imagine the feel of the case in my fingers as I threw it. Other than that, the rest of the sentence is straight forward!
Another example:
AC + EG + JL + NP + RT + VX
1. ACe Ventura throwing EGgs (or practicing EG) on top of some jelly.
2. (A girl with huge nipples, she shall not be named...) wRiTing a letter inside a VorteX.
= 12 targets in 2 rooms.
2. (A girl with huge nipples, she shall not be named...) wRiTing a letter inside a VorteX.
= 12 targets in 2 rooms.
1. Roger Federer (ACe!) eating an EGg shaped JeLly (Haribo?) until his NiPples get bitten by a RaT, which causes a VorteX to open, sucking them both inside.
= 12 targets in 1 room.
I do use both ACe Ventura and any fitting tennis player when I use AC. I may also picture a previous image playing tennis, or smashing another object into something/somewhere else, like a tennis serve.
JD AC TG LH = JD (from Scrubs) ACe(ing) a TiGer into a LightHouse.
= 12 targets in 1 room.
I do use both ACe Ventura and any fitting tennis player when I use AC. I may also picture a previous image playing tennis, or smashing another object into something/somewhere else, like a tennis serve.
JD AC TG LH = JD (from Scrubs) ACe(ing) a TiGer into a LightHouse.
Memorizing this way allows you to be more imaginitive which is one of the most important things in making an image memorable enough to recall later on and/or memorize very quickly. If you come across an image with new letters, for example, that literally makes you laugh out loud, you are instantly more likely to remember that image later on.
For example, during a recent 5BLD attempt I came across this:
WD WO PK = WooDy WOodPecKer
You will also remember the words you used in making that funny image. From now on, I will forever associate WD and WO with wood, but I'll be able to differentiate between them. Previously they were; WD = wads of cash, wed; WO = "wooo!", wool; PK = Pikachu, pick. I am simply making new connections between letter pairs and words and/or people from the real world. That example is also a good one because you're making the most of the information available and you're being efficient with your images.
One more:
BD + FH + KM + OQ + TU + WX
1. I'm in BeD with Mo FaraH, KiM comes in and starts doing the Ockey Cokey in a TUtu, with hair WaX in her hair.
= 12 targets in 1 room.
= 12 targets in 1 room.
Some other tips:
1. Don't overdo it - this should be obvious, but don't try to pack 22 targets into one image with lots of small details that you are likely to miss later. You should be able to interact with the whole image, as if you are witnessing/taking part in it yourself. The detail that you add from extra targets should improve the image and help you recall the image later effortlessly.
2. Audio sounds - try throwing in some audio sounds mid-sentence:
TD WP BE AH = TeD (Scrubs) is WhiPping a BEe, the bee goes "AAAHHHHH!" or if the bee is enjoying it...
TD WP BE JA = "ohhhh JA JA JA."
You can also try and form parts of speech to images. If: OH CR = "OH CRap" is something your friend never/always says then the image will stick out more.
3. Assign some colours to letter pairs - adding colour to images aids your visual memory and your recall. If something is a different colour to what it should be then you are more likely to retain that information later.
Some of the 'essential' examples:
BL = blue, BK = black, RD = red, OR = orange, GR = green. But choose your own letter pairings.
4. Use people and celebrities - we remember people and people's faces a lot easier than other types of infotmation. People you know or celebrities that you like will often have a verb associated with them as well. If you associate DB with David Beckham you could it with a football.
DB TE = David Beckham drinking TEa.
TE DB = A cup of TEa with a football floating on top.
This is a key part of a simple but very powerful system called the Dominic System. It is used by the 8-time World Memory Dominic O'Brien, so I'd really recommend reading about that. The condensed idea is that you can assign letter pairs all the combinations of digits from 00-99, but each letter pair is assigned to a person, rather than a word/object, who has a verb/activity associated with them.
5. Use your imagination - be creative with your letter pairs:
AU/AG = gold/silver.
XL/XS = obvious
QT = cutie
GJ/BJ/TY/NP...
Any sort of abbreviation can be used, as long as it is possible to encode it into image form in some way. BJ is obvious, but let's take GJ:
BL GJ FX WC = a BuiLder doing a GJ FiXing a toilet (WC) - I could imagine giving him a thumbs up and the builder giving one back if I need to.
GJ FX BL WC = Tim Wong fixing a BLue toilet.
BL GJ FX WC = a BuiLder doing a GJ FiXing a toilet (WC) - I could imagine giving him a thumbs up and the builder giving one back if I need to.
GJ FX BL WC = Tim Wong fixing a BLue toilet.
Sentences take a lot of practice to become fluent in. Imagination is also an active process so your progress at the start might be slower as you spend a bit more time thinking of good words and finding a good 'rhythm' or 'style' in which to make images in. But once you spend enough time on it, you will eventually find your brain adjusts to the workload. It'll become much more efficient in finding new objects, people and words to use. It'll get better at forming more memorable images that are funny, gross, happy, sad, weird, creepy, whatever. You will also begin to build a huge mental dictionary of good words to use, making future memos even easier until it becomes fun to memo! Eventually the process becomes automatic - if you come across TN mid-sentence you will know instantly whether to use the noun form (TiNtin) the verb (tanning on a beach) the adjective (tanned) or the filler word (TeN), because it'll be the only one that fits into the sentence.
At the time of recording this, I have at least 3 words for each letter pair for A-X and I am close to having one word of each word type for each letter pair and it helps massively in achieving those sub-45s 4BLD times and sub-2:00 5BLD times. Not to mention Multi where you actually have more time to go back through your memo and substitute letter pairs that aren't working.
It is an efficient, fast and fun system to use and definitely worth a little lookyloo.
Recommended sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mnemonic_dominic_system
http://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/List_of_letter_pairs
Last edited:
Thank you for sharing 
