Customer Reviews:
Underrated Actor.......2001-01-01
William Holden is one of the most underrated actors of Hollywood. Evidence by far is that this is the only book on his life. The book is a heartfelt tribute to what appears to be a caring, thoughtful and professional actor who always remembered the ensemble of people who helped him reach stardom. It is also a very sad tale of a person who never overcame his demons and was finally killed by them. His life and career were cut short and it is our loss.
driven by demons.......2000-01-19
golden boy digs deep into the torment of william holden's life.the rise of a bit part actor to oscar winner.the highs and lows of life in hollywood. achieving success in front of the cameras but ultimately failing in his personal life.this book is for any true fan of the golden age of tinsletown
Product Description
Fanatic's Guide differs from the myriad of other sight singing books in that it develops the ability to identify and name all twelve pitches within a key center. Through this method a student gains the ability to identify sound based on it's relationship to a key and not the relationship of one note to another i.e. interval training as commonly taught in many texts. THIS SPIRAL VERSION CONTAINS A CD WITH THE BOOK. All note groupings from one to six notes are presented giving the student a thesaurus of basic note combinations which develops sight singing and note recognition to a level unattainable before this Guide's existence. This book is a required text at the New York University and Princeton University Music departments.
Customer Reviews:
No Fluff, The Right Stuff.......2003-08-27
This method is excellent! If I could give it more than five stars I would. If you're willing to put in the time it pays off. I have been working on the exercises from this book for almost a year and my ear has improved tremendously. Follow Mr. Arnolds directions in the book exactly as spelled out and you will do yourself a big favor. He has put in the time learning this material himself and knows all the pitfalls of doing it wrong and has distilled a method that works. He learned from the pros and has published what he learned. If you want a nice glossy book with lots of cool pictures this isn't for you. If you want something that works get it, do it, and you'll be amazed. The bottom line is you have to the work for the results. I have noticed some reviews that note the starkness of Mr. Arnold's books. His books are all substance and no jive! He shows his dedication to the material he presents by providing a FAQ section on the museek Website. You can submit a question and he answers it right away, sometimes in minutes, never more that 24 hours. That really surprised me!
The "KEY" is the "KEY".......2001-05-03
I've been using Mr. Arnold's approach to ear training for about a month now. I have found it very challenging but on the same hand very rewarding. The main thing I have come away with from Mr. Arnold's Ear Training method is how damaging interval based ear training can be to your musical development. He believes that you must first understand how to hear the sound of all 12 notes against a key. I was a little unsure whether this all made sense but after working with this method I am seeing real progress. I'm currently using a combination of the (Ear Training One Note) and the Fanatic's Guide and I find it to be a winning combination. If you are serious about developing your ears like I am, I'd highly recommend checking this method out and starting off on the right path.
Hard but worth the effort.......2001-04-01
I bought this book about 6 months ago. I have only been working on two of the exercises so far but even that has really turned my head around about how to hear sound. I basically have found that this book has started to change my perception of how to identify sound. Though I haven't mastered the ideas presented in this book I am starting to realize that you can indeed memorize the sound of each note within a key and use this as a method to identify pitches. My overall recommendation is not to get this book if you don't have a lot of dedication to practicing. I have found the exercises to very difficult and quite honestly was about to give up a few times. I suppose each person who might buy this book is coming from a different place so my comments may not pertain to everyone. For me, I just couldn't latch onto a method of ear training that worked for me. This method is no "walk in park" but it is working and that's what matters to me.
Highly Effective.......2001-03-31
Mr. Arnold offers practical advice and information to the contemporary music student. His several books present methods for learning music in an efficient and enjoyable manner. The methods were developed and refined during his many years of teaching, and are well informed by his professional associations with many of the world's finest musicians.
I have taught music theory and aural comprehension to well over 1000 music students at New York University. These future performers and composers hail from a wide variety of musical backgrounds - classical, jazz, rock, music technology, and music theater - and I have instructed them in ear-training techniques that are similar in methodology to Mr. Arnold's. These techniques have caused dramatic improvement in almost all students that have applied themselves and allotted sufficient time for practice.
In the 10 years of our acquaintance, Bruce Arnold has consistently impressed me with his abilities as a performer, composer, and educator. I share his philosophy of ear-training instruction and feel that he has realized it in a highly functional and useful manner with his books and CDs. For these reasons, I especially recommend his materials to my students, as I recommend them to anyone with the desire to expend effective hard work in the pursuit of their musical aspirations.
Klaus Sinfelt, Assistant Director of Music Theory, Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, New York University
My Experience.......2001-03-22
I recently purchased the Ear Training One Note Series and Fanatic's Guide by Mr. Arnold and thought I would share my experience. You can see my review of the Ear Training One Note Series under those book titles. First let's look at the positive things. I like the fact that this is a method and there are many levels and types of books in this series to help you develop at your own pace. I also like the fact that you can start with a level that is right for you and not have to purchase a book with a bunch of exercises that you already can do. But really the main thing that separates this method from any other method I read about or used is that you can contact the author through the muse-eek website if you don't understand something, need direction or just need encouragement. I had quite a few questions over the last couple of months and Mr. Arnold has responded with quite insightful responses. The author is obviously concerned for my development and helped me organize a way to work with this book and others in his series. My one main criticism of this book is that it's overwhelming. There are so many exercises and page after page of note combinations to sing that I was really confused where to start. Although for each exercise it was easy to understand what to do I just didn't know which one to do first and how to organize my practice time. I contacted Mr. Arnold about this and his explanation was that this book "is an overall encylopidia of exercises for students both beginning and advanced." Mr. Arnold directed me to the member's area of the Muse-eek website where book owners can download further information for free about this ear training method. There are lesson files for this book located there which for me really helped me organize my time and get on the road to improving. I think it's important to realize that this method of ear training is really quite different from other available methods. Mr. Arnold calls in "Contextual Ear Training" because you are always relating pitches to an underlying key or sense of key. I'm a giging musician and I've found that this type of ear training has really changed my perception over the last 6 months. Overall I have to say I'm happy with this book. For me being able to contact the author and all the help files on the publisher's website make this a great learning experience! I got the other members of my band working with this method too. In my band mate's humble opinion and mine, muse-eek has one of the best if not only distant learning place for music on the internet.
Book Description
Here's a course that will sharpen your sense of pitch and enable you to sing harmony with the best professionals. Includes sing-a-long exercises where you fill in the missing note in an interval or chord. Topics included are: Scales - major, minor, blues, pentatonic, chromatic, whole tone, and modes; Intervals - all intervals are included in this section; Chords - major, minor, diminished, augmented, 7th chords, dominant, add 9 chords, 6th chords; Rhythm & Meter - time signatures, simple rhythms, dotted rhythms, triplets, syncopation; Charts & Transpositions.
Customer Reviews:
Great for Leaning Music Theory.......2007-08-12
I don't understand why some reviewers are "shocked" that this is vocal music theory training, not "how to sing" lessons. It delivers exactly what it says it does, and I'm learning alot.
Step by Step Harmony..........2005-08-23
Easy, interesting stepwise approach to learning harmony, great for my students and even for some of their parents. A tin ear will become more sensitive to pitch. Very useful product!
Sweet Harmony with Musicianship.......2002-11-18
Thanks to Austin & Howard, we finally have a practical training program in Vocal Musicianship. Scales, intervals, chords, rhythm & meter are the building blocks of music. ABCs of Vocal Harmony gears to the human voice and helps you play your vocal instrument with greater skill while learning the language of music. A member of my choir found it at Amazon.com and now I have everyone using it. My choir has never sounded better. Be sure to get the CD version for maximum effect in accessing any subject or exercises at the tuch of a button.
ABCs of Vocal Harmony - Finally! - Thank you!.......2002-11-18
"Your Vocal Harmony Course is great! It's fun and encouraging too. For the first time we have something other than just a book for the kids. Having both male and female voice to listen to and match makes all the difference ... and filling in the missing notes of intervals and chords and getting immediate feedback is just what we need. Thanks." Jayne Campbell - Westlake - Harvard School
Don't Buy Unless You Want to Learn Theory.......2001-10-30
Like the last reviewer I was very disappointed by this set. Mainly because I thought this set would teach vocal techniques. This set teaches theory based information like intervals, scales, octaves, rhythms, notes,etc. Howard and Austin take you step by step vocally thorough all the theory based info on the 4 discs. Still despite my own disappointed with this set I would recommend it to anyone who desire to know theory or may be short of knowledge on music theory. However I wouldn't reccommend this to anyone who just wants to learn vocal improvement techniques or general vocal techiques.
Average customer rating:
- Intuitive and Systematic
- As a music theory book, I wouldn't recommend it...
|
Solfege, Ear Training, Thytham, Dictation, and Music Theory: A Comprehensive Course
Marta Arkossy Ghezzo
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
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Binding: Paperback
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Sight Singing: Pitch, Interval, Rhythm
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A Fanatic's Guide to Ear Training and Sight Singing
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Tonal Harmony
ASIN: 0817305785 |
Customer Reviews:
Intuitive and Systematic.......2004-03-15
This book isn't aimed at teaching music theory. Is about learning to sight sing and acquiring all the skills associated with that (pitch recognition, music dictation, etc.). The step by step approach is systematic. It starts with recognising and singing simple patterns first in major then in minor keys. The recognition of pitch is covered in tandem with learning to cope with increasingly complex rhythms. I've tried a few books and I find that the approached used here is the most intuitive I've come across. It's possible that different systems appeal to different people. I'm a choral singer with a basic grounding in music theory but my sight singing skills were poor. I don't think you need much music expertise to use this book other than the ability to read notes and key signatures. Ideally I would like to see this published in a workbook format (instead of a hard bound book) which could be left open easily on a music stand or at the piano.
As a music theory book, I wouldn't recommend it..........2001-07-20
Since I live in a rural area, this was the only book on theory in the local bookstore. I bought without knowing much theory. Now I know a great deal more theory, but not because of this book. It's definitely not a book to read through and expect to learn anything. The material is very condensed, and seems like it is only meant to be a guide to an instructor. Now that I know some theory, the first half makes sense, but I couldn't have learned theory from the book without someone walking me through it. The solfege exercises look like they would be good, but I didn't buy it for them at all. I only wanted a basic book on theory that I could work through myself. Obviously, this wasn't the book.
Customer Reviews:
Meh. .......2007-06-09
I found this book to be more useful during the first weeks of my first semester in college, but I think that enough of the book is "common sense" to trained musicians. It was nice to clarify if I didn't understand something in class, but I didn't use it as much as I used the Anthology.
Average customer rating:
|
Ear Training and Sight Singing
Maurice Lieberman
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Materials and Techniques of 20th Century Music (3rd Edition)
ASIN: 0393095193 |
Book Description
An essential part of musicianship! This realistic first-year program of sight singing and ear training presents a broadly based approach to music reading as an essential and integral part of musicianship and exhibits a sharp focus on essential skills. The authors developed and tested the materials in their classes at the Juilliard School of Music, refining them to enhance accessibility and improve learning. Special features include: arranges specific concepts and problems in a carefully graded order based upon performance difficulty; isolates specific rhythmic and pitch problems and then drills them in a concentrated form but in a variety of music contexts; includes copious examples of each problem in actual music; stimulates readers creative imagination through the consistent employment of assignments that require original work.
Book Description
All of the musical examples in Sound Thinking are drawn from folk songs and art music encompassing a wide range of historical eras. The examples can be used for developing a variety of skills including sight-reading, dictation, musical memory, rhythmic reading, formal analysis, part singing, and improvisation.
Customer Reviews:
Math?Puzzle?Easy?Hard?----This book has it all for everyone.......2002-11-05
I got this book for an 8 year old boy for christmas, remembering doing tangrams when I was a kid. My friends found it, opened it, and spent then next week or so trying as many of the puzzles as humanly possible, having loads of fun taking turns with it. This book is great for all ages, anywhere, from in the car (with those ingenious magnetic pieces and board!) to home or school, or work to occupy anyone for a time. I took the opened book to the boy when I babysat him next (i decided to keep it and get him another of these books) and he loved it! we spent almost the whole time doing these puzzles. They vary in difficulty, but the solutions are in the back if you do occasionally get stumped. I recommend this book highly for anyone who likes math, puzzles, the crosswords, etc. or just some fun. =) The best thing about this book is that it works for a versatile audience, but that it is self contained with its trifold layout and magnetic tangram pieces and board. Perfect gift that's not really a book or a toy, but both - and educational too!
The Ancient Mystery of Tangrams.......2000-06-30
this is an excellent tangram book. it has 500 puzzles ranging from easy to difficult with solutions in the back of the book. it's magnetic cover and peices allows you to do this anywhere and not worry about losing peices. it's great for airplanes and car trips.
Book Description
Looking for a unique invention, an untapped market for an existing product, or a new solution? Stretch your imagination with Thinkpak, a creative-thinking tool designed by Michael Michalko, author of the groundbreaking book Thinkertoys. This deck of illustrated idea-stimulating cards distills one of Michalko's proven methods, allowing you to view challenges in a new light. Shuffle, mix, and match the cards to spark fresh insights, then use the critical evaluation techniques to test, shape, and refine your ideas into realistic creations. Filled with thought-provoking questions and examples of the techniques put to use, Thinkpak provides endless creative fuel to fire up the imagination.
Customer Reviews:
Take this along on your next business trip!.......2007-06-19
Michael Michalko's "Thinkpak" cards are a handy little adjunct to his book, Thinkertoys. While the book provides you with in-depth instructions and sample anecdotes, however, the cards act as a quick, portable, self-contained brain-stimulator.
The deck includes an introductory card, a card of instructions, an explanatory booklet, 45 "idea stimulator" cards, and 9 evaluation technique cards. The introductory card and the booklet delve into something originally explored in "Thinkertoys"-a method represented by the mnemonic SCAMPER. The idea stimulator cards are similarly divided into these nine types of questions-with the backs of the cards color-coded by category-so that you can pick a card at random, pick a card from each category, or pick a card from a specific category.
The book includes a couple of games for group brainstorming, as well as examples of the SCAMPER ideals in general use and the specific prompts from the cards in use.
I believe the deck is best used after reading the book. The prompts on the cards are quick, simple keys to help you brainstorm, and I think these will work best once you've gotten a bit of a handle on how to brainstorm in general. Also, there are many in-depth exercises in the book that of course wouldn't fit onto cards.
The cards, however, have some wonderful applications apart from the book. They're portable and self-contained, making them easy to take along in your luggage, briefcase or purse. They're easy to distribute among the members of a class or team. They lend themselves well to randomness, which can help to spark ideas when you truly have no idea where to start. They're also fun to play with, which can help to loosen people up and get them into a more playful and creative mood.
The book was better.......2007-01-10
I purchased both the Think Pak cards and the book Thinkertoys. The cards are a good adjunct to the book if the group is familiar with the various techniques the author espouses. As a stand alone, the cards are only as good as the person who is faciltating the group. The cards do offer good ideas for taking brainstoriming to the next level or opening up your mind to new ways of viewing an old situation.
A delight.......2006-11-04
Fresh from reading 'Thinkertoys' and 'Cracking Creativity,' and without any foreknowledge of what lay in store, I purchased Thinkpac. I am thrilled. Based on the author's SCAMPER technique in Thinkertoys, Thinkpac is presented as a creative approach to brainstorming. The result is a valuable tool that is a delight to manipulate and amazingly effective. Thanks to Mr. Michalko's contributions to creativity, I have experienced a remarkable odyssey.
Review by Lee Say Keng "Knowledge Adventurer".......2006-10-19
Reviewer: Lee Say Keng "KNOWLEDGE ADVENTURER/TECHNOLOGY EXPLORER" (Singapore) - See all my reviews
Thinkpak is just an extension of one of the creativity tools (SCAMPER) outlined in 'Thinkertoys'. It's just a pack of cards, but they are very powerful idea triggers.
The first time I encountered 'Thinkertoys' it was actually the first edition released during the early 90's, when it was also about the time I began to explore the various options with regard to my mid-life transition. In fact, I had initially spotted an interesting review in the Entrepreneur magazine.
I managed to trace the publisher & had immediately ordered the first 100 copies for my debut bookstore. It became the best seller in my store for many years. Then came 'Cracking Creativity' a few years later as well as the accompanying brainstorming card deck, Thinkpak, to 'Thinkertoys'.
What impressed me most is not so much the creativity tools outlined in both books. In fact, the most productive learning experiences I got out of both books are a few very important things, which I would like to share with readers.
Let's take a look at Thinkertoys. In the Introduction, the author started off with a visual puzzle: 'Can you identify the figure below?'
Only by shifting your focus, you can then see the hidden word within the figure.
In the author's own words, "...by changing your perspectives, you can expand your possibilities..."
Let's move to 'Cracking Creativity'. In the Introduction, the author introduced a simple arithmetic equation: What is half of thirteen?
The subsequent passages as outlined in Part I: Seeing What No One else in Seeing, & Strategy I: Knowing How to See, by the author revealed the secrets to getting many possible answers (or perspectives) to the above equation.
No creativity tool outlined in the above two books (or elsewhere in the world, for that matter) can help you to become more creative until you fully understand - & appreciate - what the author is trying to drive home in his two books.
In a nut shell, it basically boils down to one important thing: Use - & enhance - your power of vision! or power of observation!
The author may not be the first person to postulate this crucial aspect of creativity.
I would consider Leonardo da Vinci to be the first person to have understood & practised it religiously. He said, among a few other things, LEARN TO SEE THE WORLD. In fact, he put a lot of emphasis on using your senses, especially your sense of sight.
Edward de Bono had also broached this valuable concept in his groundbreaking series of lateral thinking books, starting with 'Mechanism of Mind' in the 70's.
I have always believed that you can't do things differently until you can see things differently.
Learning to see the world anew & from different perspectives is imperative if one wants to be more creative.
According to de Bono, creativity starts at the perceptual stage of thinking. He terms it, First Order Thinking. He added very beautifully: "This is where our perceptions & concepts are formed, & this is where they have to be changed. Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic."
The creativity tools, whether they are from the author's books or elsewhere, will then automaticlaly fall into place & make more sense when you have first exercised your power of vision or observation.
Using any tool is a piece of cake, but changing one's perception - & maintaining fluidity of perception as well as having multiple perceptions - takes concerted efforts.
It is also important to take note that when things (or tactics) don't seem to work out as planned, always remember to check out your observations of the world first. Simply ask:
- what do you CHOOSE to see?
- where do you DIRECT your attention?
The second most productive learning experience I got from the above two books is realising that all thoughts are simply feats of association &/or juxtapositions - & the crux of creativity (in fact, also learning) are making associations &/or juxtapositions. [Tom Peters, in his wonderful book, Liberation Management, drives home with this insightful nugget: "The essence of creation - in all endeavours - is chance connections between ideas and facts that are previously segregated. Entrepreneurship is the direct by-product of chance, of convoluted connections among ideas, needs and people." According to Leonardo da vinci, everything is connected to everything else. My question: CAN YOU SEE IT?] The creativity tools outlined by the author are specifically designed for this purpose.
The third most productive learning experience for me is understanding the differential between productive & reproductive thinking. To paraphrase the author: "...in productive thinking, one generates as many alternative approaches as one can, considering the least as well as the most likely approaches...in contrast, reproductive thinking fosters rigidity of thought..." More relevant aspects about the significance of & more specific strategies to develop productive thinking are excellently covered by the author in 'Cracking Creativity'.
To end this review, & in the light of what I have written, I would consider the author's two books as the dynamic duo...to be among the best in the genre! It will be really worth your while to get & carry the Thinkpak in your pocket at all times.
Great.......2006-10-19
ThinkPak is 56 individual cards used to create new and innovative ideas. Not only can the cards be used individually but also with groups, co-workers, teammates, family, children, etc. First let me demystify ThinkPak, ThinkPak is basically the technique of SCAMPER, but with some great additions. If you have not read the books Thinkertoys, or Cracking Creativity, SCAMPER is merely a way to create new ideas.
SCAMPER
S = Substitute?
C = Create?
A = Add?
M = Modify
P = Put to other uses?
E = Eliminate?
R = Rearrange or Reverse?
You merely get an idea or a problem and expand on them using the individual SCAMPER cards. In addition, you then can evaluate your ideas with the "evaluation" cards. Sound simple? Yes it is, but all too powerful!
Let me also start by properly labeling how the cards are separated, and put together into 4 different uses. From the ThinkPak booklet,
Card No. 1 is an easy -reference list of the nine principle strategies.
Card No. 2 outlines the basic techniques for using ThinkPak.
Cards No. 3 through 47 are idea stimulators, i.e. SCAMPER
Cards No. 48 through 56 are techniques that help you evaluate your ideas. i.e. "evaluation" cards
What makes the cards very nice is they are sort of "bullet-items" for SCAMPER, so the cards can do the walking. One side of the cards is some creative diagram visually labeling the card sets (just visual, nothing to use). The backside of the cards is where the information is. All of cards are numbered and the cards are filled with questions and examples, useful to understanding and using SCAMPER.
ThinkPak also comes with a small 61-page booklet with instructions on how to use the cards. The booklet is also great, I have read both of Michael's books and the little ThinkPak booklet gave me some new examples on how to use SCAMPER. Also in the booklet Michael gives some great examples on how people used ThinkPak in real life creative situations. There is a lot more in the booklet as well, including an area on how to use ThinkPak in-groups.
Lotus Blossam is also mentioned in the ThinkPak booklet. Another one of my favorite techniques for creating new ideas. Lotus Blossam is merely a special diagram you draw on a piece of paper that you expand your ideas with. You merely start with a central idea and you expand it outward from a central starting point. The diagram is expanded and is shaped somewhat like a flower (although with squares), hence the name Lotus Blossom. For an in-depth explanation of the Lotus Blossom, check out Cracking Creativity. One of my all-time favorite books, and a great addition to ThinkPak.
Two minor, but noteworthy quivers that I do have concerning the ThinkPak card deck.
No. 1 problem is the size of the individual cards. The cards measure at about 3" x 4 3/4" in size. This makes the cards rather bulky and not extremely pocketable. I would like to have seen the cards been a little smaller in size, something akin to regular playing cards. There is a lot of text on the cards and this is the possible reason for the size? The cards are a little large, but they are handleable. However, they are great size for business groups, or group brainstorming. They can be easily scattered on a table and then selected by your group, or thrown into a box and shaken vigorously. I usually separate my card deck into two piles and then select individual cards. The evaluation cards (48-56) I use mainly after creating new ideas, so they are usually always separated from the main deck.
No. 2 problem is the cards are essentially thin paper. I was curious if the cards would be laminated or not, sadly they are not. I enjoy my cards so much I merely fixed this problem by laminating my cards. Your local Kinko's will laminate the cards. Kinko's offers two different types of lamination (light or heavy) for all sorts of cards, layouts, pictures, etc. Rather inexpensive to laminate but well worth the time and effort. Now my cards are practically waterproof, pocketproof, and childproof :-)
These are only minor complaints for ThinkPak! I love my card deck and I find them very helpful. I also have always liked SCAMPER, and find it very idea-friendly. With SCAMPER, evaluation cards, Lotus Blossam and other ways to create ideas, be prepared to have a notepad ready because ideas will come so fast you may not be able to write them down fast enough! Yeehaww!
Customer Reviews:
An extension of 'Thinkertoys' & 'Cracking Creativity'...dynamic duo..among the best in the genre!.......2006-07-17
Thinkpak is just an extension of one of the creativity tools (SCAMPER) outlined in 'Thinkertoys'. It's just a pack of cards, but they are very powerful idea triggers.
The first time I encountered 'Thinkertoys' it was actually the first edition released during the early 90's, when it was also about the time I began to explore the various options with regard to my mid-life transition. In fact, I had initially spotted an interesting review in the Entrepreneur magazine.
I managed to trace the publisher & had immediately ordered the first 100 copies for my debut bookstore. It became the best seller in my store for many years. Then came 'Cracking Creativity' a few years later as well as the accompanying brainstorming card deck, Thinkpak, to 'Thinkertoys'.
What impressed me most is not so much the creativity tools outlined in both books. In fact, the most productive learning experiences I got out of both books are a few very important things, which I would like to share with readers.
Let's take a look at Thinkertoys. In the Introduction, the author started off with a visual puzzle: 'Can you identify the figure below?'
Only by shifting your focus, you can then see the hidden word within the figure.
In the author's own words, "...by changing your perspectives, you can expand your possibilities..."
Let's move to 'Cracking Creativity'. In the Introduction, the author introduced a simple arithmetic equation: What is half of thirteen?
The subsequent passages as outlined in Part I: Seeing What No One else in Seeing, & Strategy I: Knowing How to See, by the author revealed the secrets to getting many possible answers (or perspectives) to the above equation.
No creativity tool outlined in the above two books (or elsewhere in the world, for that matter) can help you to become more creative until you fully understand - & appreciate - what the author is trying to drive home in his two books.
In a nut shell, it basically boils down to one important thing: Use - & enhance - your power of vision! or power of observation!
The author may not be the first person to postulate this crucial aspect of creativity.
I would consider Leonardo da Vinci to be the first person to have understood & practised it religiously. He said, among a few other things, LEARN TO SEE THE WORLD. In fact, he put a lot of emphasis on using your senses, especially your sense of sight.
Edward de Bono had also broached this valuable concept in his groundbreaking series of lateral thinking books, starting with 'Mechanism of Mind' in the 70's.
I have always believed that you can't do things differently until you can see things differently.
Learning to see the world anew & from different perspectives is imperative if one wants to be more creative.
According to de Bono, creativity starts at the perceptual stage of thinking. He terms it, First Order Thinking. He added very beautifully: "This is where our perceptions & concepts are formed, & this is where they have to be changed. Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic."
The creativity tools, whether they are from the author's books or elsewhere, will then automaticlaly fall into place & make more sense when you have first exercised your power of vision or observation.
Using any tool is a piece of cake, but changing one's perception - & maintaining fluidity of perception as well as having multiple perceptions - takes concerted efforts.
It is also important to take note that when things (or tactics) don't seem to work out as planned, always remember to check out your observations of the world first. Simply ask:
- what do you CHOOSE to see?
- where do you DIRECT your attention?
The second most productive learning experience I got from the above two books is realising that all thoughts are simply feats of association &/or juxtapositions - & the crux of creativity (in fact, also learning) are making associations &/or juxtapositions. [Tom Peters, in his wonderful book, Liberation Management, drives home with this insightful nugget: "The essence of creation - in all endeavours - is chance connections between ideas and facts that are previously segregated. Entrepreneurship is the direct by-product of chance, of convoluted connections among ideas, needs and people." According to Leonardo da vinci, everything is connected to everything else. My question: CAN YOU SEE IT?] The creativity tools outlined by the author are specifically designed for this purpose.
The third most productive learning experience for me is understanding the differential between productive & reproductive thinking. To paraphrase the author: "...in productive thinking, one generates as many alternative approaches as one can, considering the least as well as the most likely approaches...in contrast, reproductive thinking fosters rigidity of thought..." More relevant aspects about the significance of & more specific strategies to develop productive thinking are excellently covered by the author in 'Cracking Creativity'.
To end this review, & in the light of what I have written, I would consider the author's two books as the dynamic duo...to be among the best in the genre! It will be really worth your while to get & carry the Thinkpak in your pocket at all times.
Multiple Uses.......2004-04-26
I purchased Thinkpac nearly 2 years ago, but have waited until now to write this review. One reason is the myriad uses I have discovered for these versatile cards. Thinkpac is tool for brainstorming, and is based on the author's wonderfully useful acronym SCAMPER. (See 'Thinkrtoys,' Ch. Nine.)A brief book summarizes the principles. The cards provide the means.
Traditionally, brainstorming is viewed as a technique for solving problems occurring in business and industry. However, I have become increasingly intrigued with other applications. When 2 or more people engage in creative discussion many options open. I have used Thinkpac to plan a family vacation. And a friend and his associates used the cards to strategize and assemble a fantasy football team for an entire season. The sky's the limit.
Fantastic.......2004-04-10
We used this deck of cards brainstorming in our company, and the cards sparked an idea that has doubled our profit. Can't begin to tell you about all the ideas this little deck has sparked. All I know is we are very happy to discovered this tool.
Dynamite!!!.......2004-02-28
I have had "THINKPAK" for about 3 years now and they have never failed to help me or my management team generate tons of ideas. Every new idea is some addition or modification to something that already exists. These cards show you how to take anything (service, product, process, etc.) and manipuate it into something new by using a checklist of questions based on the classic SCAMPER brainstorming technique that dates back to Alex Osborne the early guru of creative thinking who invented the process of brainstorming itself. Anytime you are at a loss for an idea, need a solution for a problem or just plain brainstorming, pull these out and the ideas just keep coming. If you're in a business where you need to keep coming up with novel, fresh ideas to stay ahead of the competition, this deck is the ticket. It's dynamite
Thinkpak? Think Again!.......2004-02-26
This was one of the worst 'toys' I've ever invested in. Purchased the item for use during motivational/sales training sessions. I was in the market for some new ideas & felt this might be the breath of fresh air I was searching for. Wrong!! I'm embarrassed to mention that I own this worthless box let alone use the kit in front of employees! My own brand of brainstorming has netted more creative explosions. Quite frankly, a deck of Old Maid garners a higher rating than Thinkertoys. At least someone was thinking of more than a quick buck when he/she created that deck of cards. My advice is: don't waste your money. Rather than investing in Thinkertoys, buy your child a set of Tinkertoys and watch a true creative genius at work.
Books:
- Heroes, Lovers, and Others: The Story of Latinos in Hollywood
- Hollywood Censored: Morality Codes, Catholics, and the Movies (Cambridge Studies in the History of Mass Communication)
- Hollywood on the Riviera: The Inside Story of the Cannes Film Festival
- Hollywood's World War I: Motion Picture Images
- How the Mind Explains Behavior: Folk Explanations, Meaning, and Social Interaction (Bradford Books)
- Howard Hawks (Contemporary Approaches to Film and Television)
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back: A Screenplay
- Jennifer Lopez
- Korean Film: History, Resistance, and Democratic Imagination
- Living Room Lectures: The Fifties Family in Film and Television (Texas Film and Media Studies Series)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Through a Glass, Darkly
- Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive,
- Fundamentals of Music, Fourth Edition
- If You Think It's Tough to Sell, Try Buying: The Complete Guide to Effective Radio Advertising
- Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition
- Straight from the Horse's Mouth: How to Talk to Animals and Get Answers
- Lonely Planet Nepal: A Travel Survival Kit
- Ethical Issues in Business: A Philosophical Approach
- Inverse Projection Techniques: Old and New Approaches
- Mrs. Jeffries and the Silent Knight
Burt Lancaster: An American Life
Robert Mitchum: "Baby I Don't Care"
The Counterfeit Traitor
The World of Suzie Wong
Breezy
