I picked up Scott's Train Your Brain & Entertain, because I've enjoyed the things I've seen on the Internet, and I have an interest in memory work & techniques. For those not familiar, let me preface this post by saying that the software doesn't teach "magic tricks." Rather, it teaches specific memory techniques and applications for those techniques that can be used in an entertainment capacity, the type of thing that has been discussed in the works of both mentalists AND magicians (e.g. Corinda, Baker, Loryane...)

What you learn:

How to memorize long lists of unrelated words, in order.

The "blindfold knight's tour," a chess feat wherein the knight goes to each of the 64 squares on a chess board without hitting the same one twice. Yes, without looking at the board.

"Calendar Memory." Someone gives you a month, day, & year; you give him/her the day of the week.

"Card Stack" An application of memory technique to memorize a stack of playing cards. Yes, a stack of 52, if you want to for magic or gambling purposes.

Huge strings of numbers, leading us to...

The first 400 digits of pi, as well as the technique to memorize significantly more than 400. He makes it much easier than you'd think, too.

The software explains the techniques involved in learning each of these feats, and also provids interactive quizzes ("What is the 247th digit of pi?" e.g.) By the way, it's 9.

The interactive quizzes are particularly useful. I first became interested in this stuff when I saw Harry Lorayne's "Memory Magic Square" in Reputation Makers. The only part about working on it at the time was getting people to put up with my asking them to create lists of objects over and over, pick numbers, etc. (if you know the effect, you know what I mean). Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, that's no longer an issue. If you're working on the word lists, the computer will do that stuff for you.

Scott also includes a template for printing off reference cards for the first 400 digits of pi, which can be passed out in a performance setting, perpetual calendar tables, a reference source for dozens upon dozens of memory-based magic effects... it's a complete package.

For those who would say, "But there aren't any MAGIC tricks..." just take a look at the vast array of magic effects cross-referenced that ARE memory-based (I believe that's been discussed on here). All I can say is, if the software doesn't teach you how to do this stuff, or if you can't make the stuff you learn entertaining... you're not trying. Big hit, in my book. I was very happy with it.

Thanks for the review!

For anyone who is interested, you can see Flash slideshows of the program for yourself:

Mac OS X screenshot slideshow
Windows screenshot slideshow

The program itself is available here.

Update: You can now have your favorite magic store order Train Your Brain and Entertain from Murphy's Magic Supplies! You can specify Windows or Mac OS X.

Hey Scott,
I just got your TYBE software today. I'm pleased with it.
I like the fact that it generates random word lists. How many words are programmed into this?

I also really like it that I can use my own peg words, card stacks, and card images.

I like the 400 numbers of PI chart. I think I may add that to my act because it seems impossibly hard.
But I wonder if it might be too geeky for the audience to relate to? Anyway that's not your problem is it?
You've just provided the software to learn it and print it.

I also like the calendar test. Oh this is much easier than digging through a Palm. I haven't printed the perpetual calendar yet, but I know that I'll use that.

I also liked the list of Memory Demos and Tricks using memory. I read through the whole list today. It gave me some ideas for my act. I've also been collecting a list of memory demos and tricks.

For a 1.0 software, it's a real good accomplishment.

Thank you! I'm glad to hear you're using AND enjoying it!



The internal word list contains 1400 Nouns and 646 Verbs! I figured this was more than enough to generate plenty of random word lists with which to practice.



When I set out to program it, I knew there were too many variations of words and card images to limit it. Programming that feature was probably the hardest part of putting the program together.



Well, with my performing persona, "too geeky" has never been a problem I've had. More like "not geeky enough".

Seriously, it's a great routine. The trick does lie in finding out why your particular persona would memorize so many digits of Pi. Perhaps he has access to a memory-improving elixir, or perhaps your character was a geek back when he was younger, and this is the lone evidence of your character's "secret shame", something he hasn't been able to forget. Maybe he learned it as part of a bet, or any of a number of other things.

If you like it enough to use it, you'll be able to find a way to get it to work with your persona.



This is a classic, and far less geeky than the Pi feat. The store in which I work sells a 100-year digital LCD calendar, so I've been demonstrating the feat when someone shows an interest in it. My favorite reactions are along the lines of, "Wow! Even the stores in Vegas put on shows!"

A quick tip to make the calendar feat seem more impressive: Let's say you determined that December 12th, 2009 was on a Sunday. You can instantly say that the only other time in 2009 on which the 12th will fall on a Sunday is in the month of September. How can you do this quickly? Just recall which other months have the same key number as the one you figured! In our example, December has a key number of 5. Obviously, within the same year, only months with the key number of 5 will have the 12th fall on a Thursday. The only other month with a key number of 5 is September.

For this feat, remember to make sure, in cases of the date being the 29th through the 31st, that the other months include such dates. Also, don't forget that, during leap years, the month key for January and February are decreased by 1.



Thanks again for the compliments!

If you have any memory demos and lists that aren't on my current list (see the Grey Matters Blog for the most up-to-date list), let me know (including a description), and I'll add them to the list!

(For anyone else interested in this software, it's available from me at links in the earlier post, as well as from Hocus-Pocus Magic, World of Magic, Play With Sand and Penguin Magic!)