UPSB v4
General Discussion / The Value of Descriptions in addition to Video
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Date: Thu, May 5 2011 22:24:02
Hi; As a pen spinner from the past getting back into it, I am saddened that there seems to be no comprehensive written guides on doing the fundamentals. Sure, vids are great, but they suffer from a big problem: stale links! Even in the UPSB wiki, the vids for the fundamentals (such as charge) are broken. I might not have looked long enough, but I really, really need a written guide on the fundamentals - not just on how to hold the pen, the hand, how to move, etc - but also on HOW to practice. *How* to practice is very, very important in any endeavor. Try to learn to play piano from just watching someone else play, and you will get nowhere, no matter much time you spend practicing. I'm figuring stuff out on my own, but it is not an efficient use of time. For example, I've learned that the best place to practice is not on a desk - because the pen can fly off the desk onto the floor and it takes time to reach down and pick it up - it is on a bed or big couch or the floor. I could give other examples, but I'm hoping someone on this forum knows of a book or written guide. I'm pretty good at thumbaround forward and sonic normal, but even after two months of trying, I'm completely baffled by charge and fingerpass. Watching the Parixer and other vids on YouTube does not help! Thanks, Raargh
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Date: Thu, May 5 2011 23:32:01
Try to find tutorials where the person actually explains. Ex: Fingerpass, you really need to do things as close to the fingertips as possible. While there are a lot of tips that can be given for like the thumbaround, charge and fingerpass are extremely hard to make a tutorial for, because it's really something that you have to get used to. Fingerpass in particular if your are looking for speed, but even charge can take a long time. Just keep on learning other tricks (thumbaround reverse, bak, etc) while fiddling with your pen trying to do charge in class, after a while you'll end up getting used to it. Trust me, it took me forever too. I do agree that written documentation is kind of outdated though. Anyway, for the charge, learning twisted sonic if you haven't already, it's easier than continuous charge (which is pretty useless anyways). Without thumbflap pressure.
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Date: Thu, May 5 2011 23:53:50
watch Ktrinh93's vids. hes really good at explaining. i learned all my tricks from him.
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Date: Fri, May 6 2011 05:17:24
DeeJaySpin wrote: watch Ktrinh93's vids. hes really good at explaining. i learned all my tricks from him.
This. :D -
Date: Fri, May 6 2011 09:15:48
Illusion wrote: This. :D
Not This. I watch a lot of tutorials on a particular trick then combine all the info i have gathered and it makes learning the trick much easier :D -
Date: Fri, May 6 2011 16:21:34
Ktrinh93 makes by far the best tutorials, and he explains a lot. Just youtube ktrinh93 + trick name, he's done a tutorial for all the fundamentals and they're how I'm learning them. Charge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEwB6ejB1RE Fingerpass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7aZ-R58Jd4 Something that I think would really help you is to bring multiple pens with you. First, learn how to make the bictory mod. Go to staples and buy a 12-pack of bic pens for like 3$, it's all you need (well, and scissors). Here's a tutorial - I didn't bother with the grips from the other pens, just the bics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyx0hIby47o Make 6 bictory mods, and bring them all with you to the bed/couch. That way when you drop one, you have 5 others you can use. And once you drop all 6, you can pick them all up at once. It's like with darts - It's foolish to throw ONE dart, and then go get it. Throw a bunch and collect em all at once. When I become actually good at this, I think I wanna make a website that goes really in-depth with the kind of knowledge that good players assume new players either know already or can figure out on their own.
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Date: Fri, May 6 2011 19:03:17
Josh wrote: When I become actually good at this, I think I wanna make a website that goes really in-depth with the kind of knowledge that good players assume new players either know already or can figure out on their own.
It's called the Wiki, but unfortunately not frequently updated. -
Date: Fri, May 6 2011 19:24:10
I don't understand this thread at all
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Date: Fri, May 6 2011 19:53:46
Advecticity wrote: It's called the Wiki, but unfortunately not frequently updated.
Wikis are good when you want a specific piece of information, but its not the kind of thing that's easy to learn from as a complete noob imo. It's all about accessibility and how the information is organized and presented. -
Date: Fri, May 6 2011 20:45:22
If you just search the tuts on youtube, you'll find plenty. MOST IMPORTANTLY: Even if a video has a strong written description, its not needed per se, as it isn't what will get you to understand the trick with your own fingers. The way our minds work revolves around schemas, basically certain neural networks that allow us to understand and, with some things, replicate certain tasks and pieces of information. This is why it isn't very good to try and force a child to be potty trained before they are able; they simply have not reached the point at which they can assimilate that schema with regards to instinct and development. IN A SIMILAR WAY, with penspinning this would explain why, even if you spent forever practicing, say, hai tuas alone, and nothing else before, it may end up just being out of your grasp or being too inconsistent to get it down; one needs to learn to crawl before walking. However, thats kinda a separate point from what I'm trying to tell you: Once you have a vague understanding of a trick and what it should look/feel like (from a vid tutorial even if no description), then you will probably get your first time doing it from luck or just happening upon the right finger motion after a while of practice. This, repeated a couple of times, will eventually give you the "muscle memory" (schema for doign the specific trick formulated in your mind, explaining why i and more experienced people can do sonics and charges half asleep, etc.) to do the trick, and pick up consistency through time. THEREFORE, do not rely on the more experienced people alone to spoonfeed you what you need, especially just for stuff like fundamentals. The videos exist, and all you ultimately need before learning the trick is seeing it done in a video, even if it just shows the trick being done and nothing more, or you watch a part over and over of a combo to see it, etc. Good luck :D EDIT: oh, and how you practice is a personal preference mostly, just discover what works best for you! over a coach and stuff is good at times, but at others once you get better and start filming real combos and such, you may find you need to devote some time to practicing over your desk where you film, although harder and less roomy, so that you can actually execute difficult things with more control and over that place ^^
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Date: Sat, May 7 2011 05:46:36
Josh wrote: Wikis are good when you want a specific piece of information, but its not the kind of thing that's easy to learn from as a complete noob imo. It's all about accessibility and how the information is organized and presented.
And you can edit it =D