== Direct Visualisation ==
Visual memory is the most direct form of memorizing the data needed to do a blindfold solve. It entails merely memorizing in order the locations of stickers that must be "shot" to (for Pochmann-derived methods), or the location of where various commutators must be performed (for freestyle methods), without the use of any sort of systematized association method. It is quite difficult for some to memorize in this manner, while others are able to perform sub-1:30 solves after practice. Former world record holder Ville Seppänen uses a combination of visual memory and lettering of edges to perform sub-minute solves on average, and he and many others are also capable of memorizing larger cubes with visual memory alone.

One of the most basic methods used to aid visual memory is "tapping." This involves simply touching out the stickers in order (usually in groups of between 2 and 4 stickers, depending on how the sticker sequence progresses) until the tap sequence is memorized, then returning to this "tap" memory when solving. After practice, physical taps are often dispensed with altogether, and everything can be performed mentally.

Other methods of visual memory are more individual and can involve the visualization of shapes, lines, noticing of patterns, or such tricks as visualizing a roller coaster or airplane moving from point to point.

== Letter Pairs ==
One method of memorizing a cube is to label pieces on the cube using letters. An imaginary lettering scheme is placed on the cube in such a way as to represent the solved stated, and when memorizing the cube you may memorize the letters as they describe the current state, or you may memorize the cycles that would be necessary to restore the letters on the cube to the original solved state. A standardized lettering scheme exists for the purposes of communicating piece cycles called [[Speffz]].

When used with [[Old Pochmann]], the entire cube state is memorised as a sequence of letter pairs. Each letter pair represents a cube position. Positions can either be memorised using face names, for example UF (Up Front), or face colours, for example YB (Yellow Blue). Memorisation starts from the buffer piece. The colours of the cubie occupying be buffer position are read in a specific order, usually starting with the U-face. Next the cubie occupying the position of the one currently in the buffer position is read.. TODO...

== Colour Pairs ==
The memorisation method described by Stefan on the original [[Old Pochmann]] webpage involves remembering a sequence of memorable objects each representing a pair of colours for each edge: for example, Red-Blue might be represented by Spiderman (red costume with blue), Yellow-Green is a slightly under-ripe banana, etc. It is necessary however to differentiate between the orientations so for example Blue-White is a Smurf whereas White-Blue is Donald Duck! A story is memorised from this sequence of objects and characters that can be recalled during the solve. For corner memorisation only two colours need to be remembered if the stickers are always "read" in a consistent unambiguous way, e.g always clockwise (this is detailed badmephisto's blindfold cubing video).

{| border="1"
! Colour Pair
! Image
! Thoughts
|-
| Yellow-Blue
| Homer Simpson
| Yellow skin with blue pants - I picture him at a sporting event with his shirt off (hence no white!) and people are chanting "''HOME-R, HOME-R''"! He's also the buffer (or "HOME") position and so indicates the end of my first cycle!
|-
| Blue-Yellow
| A Swedish Flag
| Here I think of anything or anyone Swedish: for me that would be IKEA, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Wallander Wallander], Mats Bergsten, Alfred Nobel, ABBA, etc. (most Swedes uses the Swedish post office logotype [http://www.posten.se/img/framework/logotype.gif] for blue-yellow)
|-
| Red-Blue
| Spiderman
| His spidey suit is mostly red with blue. I borrowed this image from Stefan's page.
|-
| Blue-Red
| British Rail ("BR")
| The old BR uniform was navy blue with a red logo! I doubt this would be too useful to people outside the UK or those young enough not to know of British Rail's history!
|-
| White-Red
| Bandage
| With blood! Another borrowed from Stefan's page.
|-
| Red-White
| Santa Clause
| Santa's red suit with furry white trim!
|-
| Orange-Green
| An Orange
| Very fresh and zesty - still has a green leaf attached!
|-
| Green-Orange
| "GO!" Traffic Lights
| Green and Orange lights - just drive through!
|-
| Blue-White
| A Smurf
| A little Blue guy with a White hat!
|-
| White-Blue
| Donald Duck
| Bad-tempered white water bird with little Blue sailor suit!
|-
| Green-White
| Xmas tree
| Little Green pine tree with White snow on it!
|-
| White-Green
| Polo mints
| White mints with a hole - green packet.
|-
| Yada, yada, yada
|
| You get the idea!
|}

(A full set of objects may be useful to include here but people may find that they have familiar memorable objects that make no sense to anybody else! --[[User:Msemtd|Msemtd]] 16:08, 2 October 2009 (UTC))

== Numbers ==
For corner/edge permutations, assigning numbers to each position. Hexadecimal, using bits for orientation.

== Journeys ==
A memorable journey can form a "background" upon which a varying sequence of items can be memorised: each location in a fixed sequence is mentally associated with one or more objects so that the correct order can be later recalled. A very nice tutorial can be found here, on MemorySports.com: [http://memory-sports.com/2009/03/28/how-to-become-a-memory-champion-part-1/ "How to become a Memory Champion, Part 1: The Elephant Path"].

== PAO ==
Stands for '''P'''erson '''A'''ction '''O'''bject. In this method, a story or sequence of pictures is used in order to memorize the original state of the cube or the required sequence (e.g. for Pochman derived methods).

== Phonetic Memorization==
If one has trouble with direct visualization. One can also use phonetic memory. You assign sounds to particular cubies and then you make words with them. It is a very fast memorization technique. A nice tutorial can be found here: [http://memory.uva.nl/memimprovement/eng/phon_peg.htm "Phonetics"] and [http://www.speedcubing.com/chris/memo-words.html "Chris's page"].

== See Also ==
* [[Blindsolving]]
* [[Multi-BLD]]
* [[SpeedBLD]]
* [[Blindsolving Methods]]

== External Links ==
* [http://memory-sports.com/ Memory Sports]
* Speedsolving.com: [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?t=785 Memory Methods]
* Speedsolving.com: [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21339 BLD Memo Method Poll]
* Speedsolving.com: [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18830 SpeedBLD Memorization Methods?]
* Speedsolving.com: [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16329 Roman rooms + multi]

[[Category:Blindsolving Methods]]
[[Category:Methods]]
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