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[Video] Roux as a Beginner Method

DeeDubb

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So, I put together a series of videos over the weekend explaining how to solve a cube. It's targeted for complete beginners who can't solve the cube at all. The pace is very slow, but it's extremely thorough. The first video covers basic concepts (cube is made of pieces, centers don't change places, every piece is unique) and also notation. From there, it goes into a simplified form of Roux, where the DF edge is used to load the edge pieces onto the corner piece. This is, of course, not efficient, but neither is the beginner's method. Once they get through the first two blocks, I show how to use Niklas to permute the corners and Sune to orient the corners. From there it's L6E, which isn't terribly difficult. I also keep track of which moves are allowed and not allowed during each step.

Positives to using Roux as a beginner method:
No rotations, so beginner's shouldn't get lost.
Simplified block building concepts are easy to follow.
The only step where you could possibly mess up what you've already done is CMLL, and the two algorithms for that are very easy.

Negatives:
The one I could think of is that if they have a very poor cube, M slices may be difficult.

Anyway, I really need people to test out my video series, so if you are a complete beginner, or know a beginner, or you are an advanced user who just wants to "audit" my series, feel free to watch and give me any feedback.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB-y0XQiN0M&list=PLajHGvYF36nSsL1r_DqrpDY07TnJwqEpn

Part 1: Fundamentals and Notation

Part 2: Left Block

Part 3: Right Block

Part 4: Corner Permutation

Part 5: Corner Orientation

Part 6: Fixing Bad Edges

Part 7: Solving Left and Right Edges

Part 8: Last Four Edges
 
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DeeDubb

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This is an awesome idea. I never considered roux to be a beginner like method as I'm pretty awful at it myself, but this makes me feel otherwise.

Thank you, I appreciate it.

It's hard to tailor my video to everyone's needs, so it probably would be too slow for some people. I would rather have too much information than too little though, so hopefully enough people are patient enough to make it through the hour+ of video.
 

Lady Pitch

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YES! Thank you for this. This is awesome. You couldn't have posted this at a more perfect time for me.
I was just talking with Brest last night about Roux, he was trying to help me understand. The last handful of steps are throwing me for a loop and all the other video tutorials and written explanations were not computing inside my brain.

I love this.
This is exactly what I needed.
 

DeeDubb

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YES! Thank you for this. This is awesome. You couldn't have posted this at a more perfect time for me.
I was just talking with Brest last night about Roux, he was trying to help me understand. The last handful of steps are throwing me for a loop and all the other video tutorials and written explanations were not computing inside my brain.

I love this.
This is exactly what I needed.

I'm so glad it worked for you. Thank you for your feedback, and welcome to the Roux darkside ;)
 

Lady Pitch

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i have been sitting here for the past 30 minutes and FINALLY feel like I can comfortably get up to orienting my last 6 edges... now onto the last two steps and if by the end of the day I can solve the cube within 4 minutes using roux... if we ever meet i am hugging you SO HARD.
 

Lady Pitch

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So my current average for CFOP is around 1min... after learning the Roux method (over the past day) thanks to your videos I am at 1:35min solving. I thought it was going to be a lot slower for a lot longer. Heh.
Thank you again for these videos. I am excited to continue perfecting this method.
 

DeeDubb

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Thanks, the videos actually teaches a very easy to learn beginner's roux. I'm sure you'll be doing more advanced versions later?

I was thinking of adding supplemental videos for each step that show and "intermediate version". For now, I'm pointing people to the other guides, like Donovan's. My main goal is to give people a stepping stone to fill the gap between Roux as a speedsolving method, and just being able to solve the cube. The way that Beginner's Method transfers easily to CFOP is how I want my Roux Beginner's Method to transfer to Roux as a speedsolving method.

Awesome! I have been trying to find some good Roux tutorials that i can understand. I will watch them tonight and then guve feedback.

Thanks Rocky. For you, I would use: Donovan's Roux Tutorial for corners, because you already know most of the algorithms. My version is very simple (only two algorithms for corners), but also not very fast. But, my block building stuff should help you, and also my edge stuff. Good luck!

So my current average for CFOP is around 1min... after learning the Roux method (over the past day) thanks to your videos I am at 1:35min solving. I thought it was going to be a lot slower for a lot longer. Heh.
Thank you again for these videos. I am excited to continue perfecting this method.

Wow! Congrats! After you get comfortable solving my way, start looking at the other guides again, especially for block building. My method is NOT fast, it's just meant to get you solving. It's the stepping stone to Roux as a speed method.

Also, you can watch my Walkthrough Solves video, where I use more advanced methods for each step:
 

streamer45

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Many thanks to the author. Even a total noob like myself was able to follow and get it done! Great stuff!
 
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Seems like a pretty solid tutorial from what I've watched of it. I think some good additions would be a discussion of colour neutrality (I know you aren't colour neutral, but a lot of Roux users are), and M-slice technique. You touch on it in the first video, but it's a good thing to establish early on to avoid bad habits: Kirjava's write-up describes the same technique I use, and using that technique means you never have issues transitioning between any M move and any U move. Again, it seems that this differs from your style, but I think it's worth looking into. Overall, it's always nice to see encouragement and resources for people to pick up different methods rather than blindly diving into CFOP.
 

DeeDubb

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Seems like a pretty solid tutorial from what I've watched of it. I think some good additions would be a discussion of colour neutrality (I know you aren't colour neutral, but a lot of Roux users are), and M-slice technique. You touch on it in the first video, but it's a good thing to establish early on to avoid bad habits: Kirjava's write-up describes the same technique I use, and using that technique means you never have issues transitioning between any M move and any U move. Again, it seems that this differs from your style, but I think it's worth looking into. Overall, it's always nice to see encouragement and resources for people to pick up different methods rather than blindly diving into CFOP.

Thanks for the feedback. I will touch on those things in follow-up videos intending to transition them into speed solving. For now, the main thing is just getting them to solve the cube. I'm not teaching them a speed solving method, just an alternative to the beginner method (which, of course, isn't a speed solving method either).
 

DeeDubb

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So, I'm considering where to take this series from here. The two directions I'm considering:

1. Create follow ups for each video in the series, explaining how to transition from beginner style into actual Roux.

2. Put out example solve videos and Roux tips/tricks videos every week until I run out.

Honestly, my original intention was going with 1, but the more I consider the currently available resources, I feel like having more example solves and tips/tricks people can add to their arsenal might be overall more beneficial.

There's also a 3rd option:

3. SHUT UP UNTIL YOU ARE SUB-15 NOOB! This one is kind of reasonable, but I think even at my intermediate level, there's lots of cool stuff I've picked up along the way that might help up and comers.

Anyway, what do you guys think?
 

PJKCuber

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Hi DeeDubb, I recently watched your series and it is amazing!!!!:) I think you should create follow ups for your begginers tutorial. YOu could do example solves, but maybe just one or two.
 

Logiqx

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I just wanted to say that I enjoyed watching your videos, whilst I was on my rowing machine! They are really well made an deserve a much wider audience.

What I particularly liked was how you can potentially scale the method into fully optimised Roux. I think your plan to write follow up videos for intermediate and advanced solvers is a good one.

Keep up the good work!
 

DeeDubb

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Hi DeeDubb, I recently watched your series and it is amazing!!!!:) I think you should create follow ups for your begginers tutorial. YOu could do example solves, but maybe just one or two.

Thank you for watching, and giving feedback!

I just wanted to say that I enjoyed watching your videos, whilst I was on my rowing machine! They are really well made an deserve a much wider audience.

What I particularly liked was how you can potentially scale the method into fully optimised Roux. I think your plan to write follow up videos for intermediate and advanced solvers is a good one.

Keep up the good work!

I'm glad my videos made good workout viewing. I guess that means they filled time well.

It sounds like I really should move into intermediate for now. I will do advanced when I consider myself advanced or expert. Right now, I'm deep into intermediate, so I think I'm qualified to speak on that at least.

Actually, I'll just do all 3 kinds of videos, I think. I'll start doing intermediate videos, and also have 1 example solve and 1 tip per week. I think for Roux, getting more information out there is the best way to do it.

As for the wider audience, of course I agree :) . However, they are new, and I'm not really pushing them around anywhere yet. I think when I have a good library of videos, maybe I'll see if some bigger YouTube cubers might toss me a promo, but I want to make sure my content is fully worthy of being promoted beforehand.
 
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