When reading magic Books, Or taking notes about theory or an effect, when I take notes this is one line after another

I am looking for a system to help me to remember the steps of a trick easier

I have Trid Mind Maps like: freemind, imindmap, but the explanation of the effects are long so each branch

I Saw the Magic Modeling Language of Alvo Stockman, it is intersting but it is for the effect and doesn help me to remember the steps of the trick.

Anyone have a good method of taking notes / study?

Hkmagic,
Don't know if it will help, but I listed all my tricks in a database file on my computer. The columns I created were: No., TITLE (i.e., Twisted Sister, Invisible Deck, Professor's Nightmare, Scotch & Soda, etc.), CATEGORY(i.e., Cards, Ropes, Coins, Etc.), LOCATION (i.e., my trunk, my close-up case, bookshelf, etc.), REFERENCE (File Cabinet, DVD#, Computer File #, etc.)

This database allows me to sort the tricks (to put together a show), filter the list, etc. The column I use to refer to the trick's set-up or explanation, is the REFERENCE column. This column tells me where to find the details on how to set up and how the trick works. It works like this: If my instructions came with the trick, then I store them in the file cabinet alphabetically. So, in the REFERENCE column for that trick, I just put "CAB". If the instructions are located on my computer in a PDF file or word processing file, I just list the file #. If the instructions are located on a DVD, then I just list the catalog # of the DVD in my library. If you learned a trick from a friend... then, rather that take notes... just list the friend's name in the REFERENCE column (i.e., Bob S.)

So, when you print up a list of the tricks you want to work on, the REFERENCE column will tell you where to look to locate the instructions.

It took a long time to set this up, but it has saved countless hours of hunting, to brush up on the setup or instructions.

Hope this helps.
Dave

Repitition

Just keep going through it slowly.

Do you use any illustrations in your notes? I find it helpful to add illustrations of distinguishing features to my notes. Gives a visual of differences in phases and helps me to remember them more distinctly. I also practice separate parts of an effect alone before combining them and running the entire effect in sequence.

I highly recommend How To DEvelop A Perfect Memory by Dominic O'Brien, available from lybrary.com

I use his journey method (actually it is a very old method) to remember the steps or sequences of all sorts of things. That is the easiest method I have found.

I think the first 5 chapters are available for free at google books and those might be enough to explain the basic method.