Lesson 30 How to Remember Numbers, Color and Tune

In the preceding lesson, you will remember that I called your attention to the list of the various classifications of the perceptive faculties of the mind, and the memory attached to each. You will, of course, also remember that I told you that the principle applicable to one form of memory—the faculty of perception—was likewise applicable to any or all of the others, the details being adjusted to meet the specific requirements of each faculty or phase of memory. Accordingly, in this lesson, I shall ask you to apply these principles and rules to the three respective faculties, or phases, of mind and memory, known as Number, Color, and Tune.

NUMBERS. The faculty of Number manifests in mental operations concerning number, figures, calculation, etc. This is the mathematical sense, and its memory is the mathematical memory. Those in whom it is developed readily grasp the relation of number between things, and easily remember facts and details concerning them. Those in whom it is deficient, have little or no grasp of such things, and have "a very poor head for figures," and a very poor memory of them.

This faculty, and its correlated memory, may be strengthened and trained by applying the familiar psychological rule of Interest, Exercise, and Practice, coupled with associations of a pleasant nature. Interest in numbers may be built up by a series of voluntary exercises in mental arithmetic, undertaken with the idea of seeing "just what there is in it" rather than as an unpleasant task. I have known middle-aged men to take up this work, and find a new interest in it, whereas they had detested it in their school days. The adult mind will discover fresh interest in many elementary studies, if it will return to them as a pastime.

The memory of dates, prices, figures attached to things, etc., is generally regarded as depending upon the number memory, or the faculty connected with it, and many teachers have endeavored to develop such form of memory by exercise of the faculty of Number. Such exercises, while valuable, are not the ones really necessary in this case, however. The memory of dates, prices, figures attached to things, etc., is not concerned with the mathematical sense. The fact that mathematicians usually have a good memory for such things, is simply because they are interested in figures, and have acquired the habit of memorizing them in connection with their work. Some eminent mathematicians, however, have a poor memory for figures unconnected with mathematical operations.

The secret lies here: These dates, prices, etc., are simply symbols of order, just as words are symbols of thought. A figure, used in this way, has no mathematical value or connection, but is simply a symbol of order, or relation, just as is a letter—in fact, a letter answers as well in some cases of tabulation of order. The memory of figures used in this way, is simply the memory of form, and is akin to the memory of letters or words. The mathematical memory of figures, is the memory of figures and numbers as abstract things, and not as things in themselves. To persons lacking in this faculty, figures really mean nothing, and are not easily remembered unless associated with their form and position or sound—eye-memory or ear-memory, pure and simple.

The remedy for poor memory of dates, and figures used in similar ways, is to supply the eye-impression, and the ear-impression, thus robbing the figures of their purely abstract nature, and breathing the breath of life into them. This may be done by associating figures, or numbers, with their appropriate sight and sound. Think of "1776" not as an abstract thing, but as something looking this way, or sounding that way, and you impress the figures upon your memory. By looking at the printed or written figures, and then repeating them aloud, you fasten them in your memory by two kinds of impression. You wish to memorize a telephone number, or date, for instance—write it down several times, and repeat it aloud at the same time—and you rivet it in your memory. The more often you revive, and review it, the greater the likelihood of its future recollection. You either see the number in your mind as 1776, or else you hear it as "seventeen-seventy-six." If you wish to connect it with the name of the owner of the telephone, for instance, you should write it down: "John Doe—1776," and also repeat it to yourself, aloud, thus: "John Doe—seventeen—seventy-six!" Repeat this several times, with interest-attention and you will have the associated name and number sticking in your memory like a burr in the wool of a sheep. Try it!

In the same way, students have succeeded in easily memorizing dates by making a mental picture of the battle, treaty, discovery, etc., with the date in blazing letters over it—a revival of this picture, sufficiently often, succeded in making the association permanent. If you can picture Christopher Columbus Discovering America, with the figures "1492" on the banner over his head—and will review the picture a number of times, at intervals—you will always connect the two. In the same way, picture the Declaration of Independence, with its signers (the familiar picture, you know) with "1776" in red figures on the wall, and you will never forget the date. In either case, the mention of the occurrence will bring up the mental picture with its painted letters. Or, in the same way, you may picture Napoleon Bonaparte, with the dates of his birth and death appearing over his head—"1769-1821.".

Figures of this kind may also be associated with other figures of interesting or well-known things. For instance. Napoleon's birth may be remembered because the same figures happen to be our house number, or office number, or telephone number, etc., or vice versa, the best known giving the key to the least known. Or, by means of doggerel verses, so popular with some teachers of memory—these have their place, in certain instances, but must not be "worked to death." "Salt is a good thing, but who would want to be placed in pickle?" I shall call your attention to these things in a later lesson.

Finally, as at the beginning, remember: Interest, Practice, Exercise!

COLOR. As I have said, one of the perceptive faculties of the mind is concerned with the cognizance, comparison, and recollection of the colors, hues, tints, and shades of things. Like any of the other perceptive faculties, this one may be developed by interest, study, practice and exercise. The average person has a comparatively limited sense or perception of color, while others manifest an almost marvellous ability in the direction of discrimination between, and recognition of, thousands of tints, shades and hues of color. In a preceding lesson I have called your attention to the mosaic workers in the Vatican who were said to have readily distinguished between thirty thousand tints and shades of color, A good knowledge of color, however, does not require such an extraordinary perception of shades and tints, for there are only about two hundred tints and shades of color employed in modern art and commercial coloring. And, as many of these two hundred are but variations of a smaller number, the student may reduce his list to about fifty principal tints and shades which will give him a good working knowledge of the subject, and which will serve as a foundation for further extension in case the same is deemed desirable. I need scarcely add that by "knowledge" of color, I also mean recollection and recognition of the same—for the two phases are always correlated.

Let the student procure a list of the principal shades and tints, from some reliable dealer in artists' supplies—a list giving a sample of each tint and shade—and acquaint himself with the names of each. Then let him begin to practice identifying each color by name, and each name by color. A little practice will impart great proficiency. The next step is to study the variations of each principal shade or tint, and so on—the principle of classification will be valuable here, as an aid to analysis and memory. In a few words, the method is: Interest, Practice, and Exercise. Remember, the old rule of psychology: "Faculties are strengthened and developed by USE!"

The following table of colors may prove of interest and use to students:

Table of Colors

Primary Colors. All colors are derived from one or more of the Three Primary Colors. These primary colors are as follows: (1) Red; (2) Blue; and (3) Yellow. From these primary colors are derived the Three Secondary Colors, as follows:

Secondary Colors. The three secondary colors, are as follows: (1) Purple, resulting from an equal mixture of Red and Blue; (2) Orange, resulting from an equal mixture of Red and Yellow; and (3) Green, resulting from an equal mixture of Blue and Yellow. You will notice that each secondary color is derived from two primary colors, mixed in equal proportion. A rule of color harmony is that; "A secondary color always harmonizes with the primary color not included in its creation." For instance, Orange is composed of Yellow and Red, therefore it must harmonize with Blue, the primary color not included in the blending which created the Orange.

Tertiary Colors. The third class of colors, known as the Three Tertiary Colors, are derived from the blending, in certain proportions, of two of the secondary colors. The three tertiary colors are: (1) Olive, derived from a mixture of Green and Purple; (2) Russet, derived from a mixture of Orange and Purple; and (3) Lemon, derived from a mixture of Green and Orange.

Neutral Colors. White and Black are known as "the neutral colors," and the authorities differ regarding their place on the scale of color. Some authorities add Gray to the list of the neutral colors. An authority gives the following as the composition of the neutral colors; "Black is composed of equal parts of red, yellow, and blue; White, of five parts of Red, three parts of Yellow, and eight parts of Blue; Gray (normal), of White and Black." Browns are derived from disproportionate combinations of Black Red and Yellow.

Hues, Tints and Shades. Hues of color result from the blending of two or more of the primary colors, in various different proportions. Tints result from blending White into the Hues, the amount of White determining the tint. Shades result from the blending of Black into the Hues, the amount of Black determining the shade.

Harmony. Certain colors harmonize and agree (see note above, regarding the harmony of the primary colors). Others manifest in harmony, or a lack of agreement, and produce an unpleasant effect upon a mind trained to a proper arrangement of color. I cannot go further into this matter in these lessons, as it would lead us far from the main subject. I advise, the student who wishes to go into the details of the subject of color, to study some of the little handbooks on the subject, which are to be found in the public libraries, or which may be bought at any bookstore or artist's supply shop. Study of this kind will awaken interest—and that is half the battle, as you know.

TUNE. The perceptive faculty concerned with Tune, has its correlated memory, of course. The faculty, and its memory, are concerned with the perception, cognizance, comparison, appreciation and recollection of tune, music, harmony, melody, etc. It is this faculty, well developed, that is known as "the musical sense." Its development varies greatly among individuals. In some it manifests to a marvelous degree, while in others it is almost dormant. What a world of difference between the two individuals, one of whom can carry in memory the most difficult musical composition, and the other being incapable of recognizing even the simplest and most popular tune!

The faculty, and memory, of Tune may be greatly developed by practice. The old rule applies here also: Interest, Practice, and Exercise—but Interest is the grandparent of the others. The rules regarding the Cumulative Method of Memorizing words, verses, etc., may be applied to memorizing the score of music, or the notes, or air, themselves. The rules for practice given in relation to memorizing verse, should be followed by the student of music, for they apply equally to his requirements. A few bars may be memorized; then reviewed and a few more added; then more review and addition; and so on to the end. The same principle is involved, and the same rule applies, in both cases—words or notes. By notes, I mean notes printed, or sounded. It is better to associate both the printed note, and its sound, in the memory—thus calling into operation both eye-memory and ear-memory.

In memorizing a musical composition, the student should not only memorize the notes, printed and sounded—he should also memorize the various symbols indicating time, movement, expression, etc., not only the appearance on the printed page (for eye-memory) but also the effect of the same upon the rendition of the composition (or ear-memory)—sight and sound again. In short the entire composition should be memorized from first to last, as it appears on the printed page, and also as it sounds when properly interpreted and rendered.

That the general principles of memory training are applicable to the study and practice of Music, I have proved by my success in teaching many students along these particular lines. This, in spite of the fact that my personal technical knowledge of music is very elementary, and that I am not a practical musician, alas! in any sense of the word. In this case it is "do as I tell you—not as I do," and it works out satisfactorily, for my principles are fixed and universal, and do not depend upon personal manifestation for proof in cases of this kind.

I am perfectly convinced, that if I were to devote the time and concentrated attention to the task, I could increase my knowledge and memory of music a hundredfold, within a short time—for I have so instructed average students that they have attained those results. But, alas! I am able to be a musician only vicariously, and by proxy for my work requires too much of my time and attention to admit of my doing these things at first hand. I mention these personal facts, for the reason that I do not wish to sail under false colors in the matter. If you will but put into practice the general principles of memory training given in these lessons, you will find that they are as equally applicable to music perception and memory, as to any of the other phases of the subject to which I can add the weight of personal demonstration. Principles are above persons. Persons come, and persons go—but principles are eternal, and universal in their application!

OTHER FORMS OF PERCEPTION. The other perceptive faculties, such as those which are concerned with size, motion, weight, etc., may be developed, and, of course, the memory connected with each, increased, by the simple application of the rules and methods given in connection with the faculties which we have considered in this and the preceding lessons. Interest, analysis, comparison, classification—and finally, practice, exercise, and USE! The secret lies in these things! But INTEREST is always a prerequisite.

 

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