I’ve been doing a bit of research on GMS (Giordano Memorization Systems), which one poster here referred to as “the Scientology of memory systems”.
Some initial thoughts:
Very insular and insecure - constantly attacking other systems and competitors (Dominic/Major/Buzan)
significant downplay of 'emotional memory'
costly, at least $350 for 60 lesson course
emphasis on memorizing large amounts of non-numeric data
sketchy affiliate system that essentially pays for links on websites, resulting in a large number of fake "rave reviews" on Google
support forum has a large number of high school / college students NTTAWWT
LONG learning curve, instructors berate students for attempting to actually use system in "real world" prior to completing lesson 24 (of 60)
seems to be re-inventing itself as the "best system to learn foreign language quickly", due to non-numeric emphasis
I’m trying to see exactly what benefits (if any) this system offers for foreign language memorization but not exactly holding my breath in anticipation.
Anyone have any positive or negative experiences with GMS?
Thanks a lot for the research Chris. I have not had the time or the pleasure to familiarize myself on this system. From what I have gleaned here and there, I don’t know of any competitors who use this system. Most systems the competitors use are a modified version of the major/dominic system.
It seems strange that instructors would ask people not to use the system in the real world in the beginning. Real-world practice is the fastest way to learn.
I’m sure that it has to do with rate of success. When a method is extremely complicated, using it early on in the learning process would be so discouraging that no one would ever continue. Well, that’s the practical answer, but to keep this in line with Scientology…
There might be a process of brainwashing and indoctrination involved with an added level of “now that I’ve mortgaged my house to learn this piece of crap method, I might as well join the cult.”
The author of this system is Russian, and the wheels fall off the bus on this system when he creates his own interpretation of the Memory system, one that seems to have no rhyme or reason phonetically (I suspect it’s a transliteration from the Russian language).
The real meat of this system occurs from lessons 16 through 23 where the author explains a very complex, expandable multi-dimension loci system, which is unfortunately crippled by the proprietary Major clone system mentioned above. I tried retrofitting the “standard” Major system but gave up.
Lesson 24 is a test of integrating everything learned, using all techniques within this multi-dimensional loci system.
Lessons 25-35 teaches you how to memorize the Russian language in 60 short pages. Alphabet, grammar, etc. Laughably bad.
The remaining 15 or so “lessons” are basically worksheets to reinforce previous lessons. They’re essentially fluff and padding, there’s no new info here.
Never use GMS EVEN it offers a FREE COURSE!
The intention behind this Russian kit is to change the view of your world of being a photographic memorizer!
They don’t offer a system , they offer a non systematic one.
me my self read the whole GSM manual and lessons and tried to figure out why they never tell you to make a good story for the images , but they tell you to connect the images to images without any story or even using a simple memory palace.
the methods are :
1-Russian doll
2-chain
.
.
.
these methods and the law of connection will stop your intrinsic capacity of memorizing.I say intrinsic capacity because if you enter their course you should stop your intrinsic capacity and use some useless methods.
Ben system which explained in some pages is beter than the whole GMS course.
Giordano Memorization System (GMS) brain disorders:
1-at first make some confident on you , but after some time you will be in a training course of useless methods.
2-it makes you nervous(good memory system is not a static system but a dynamic system)
3-static methods with out any loci or memory palace methods.
4-bad choices of flash cards and limited words:
the letters are:
0(M) 1(N) 2(THZ) 3(B) 4(WVK) 5(FR) 6(JPX) 7(SD) 8(GQL) 9(C)
5-no one from this school participates in a Memory championship
just read pages 78 to 82 of GMS then you can imagine what will happen to your brain!
ha ha ha
overall point from 100:30
I HAVE tried this course but gave up in the beginning because the strange alternative for the MAJOR system didn’t work for me.
But…
I really AM really interested in getting everyone’s thought on this:
GMS says that you should never associate (or link) peg images with other peg images because you will be using the same pegs for different things and you will destroy the association. Always associate each peg with something that is not a peg. that made sense to me.
if the total process of memorizing is linking the problem of linking appears:
A “logical link” is any link that is created in imagination between visual images.
GMS page 27
let clear up this sentence :
creating some links or connections between images.
but whats wronge ?!
the process of memorizing could be so hard if you use that sentence with wordany
Memorizing is not linking alone but it’s making sensible and insensible stories through a journey and living in it!
one of the parts in training process in GMS was to pick up sub-images and link new information on it! your not a machine to memorize like this.the human brain remains useless if you act like that (such a statical process of memorizing)
it should be dynamic and in-time while your imagination works to create stories.
and about the problem of peg images:
a big Yes! if and only if you are using such a static method.
but if your brain stories is full of actions,feelings and senses you will never confuse the information.
i am telling this because i finished GMS and there is no doubt for me that it tells nothing new.
Ummmmm? Maybe you should research the Cicero method martin. Maybe the GMS system doesnt work for everyone. Yet it helped me ace my A&P and develop. Psych final both in three days. All with the help of their “NON” existent walk thru method. The only thing second to a liar is someone who puts out false information. I like this system. Works for me. Different strokes for different folks i guess.
The funny thing… this person registered just to make this and only this comment. How ya doing “Ruslan?” I’ve gone through both the book and the forums. Certainly wouldn’t advise it.
Sketchy as hell. Ok, so I used to be writing tutor. I’m pretty good at analysis of writing. If you take a look at the testimonies… they were all written by the same person. This is evident by:
The constant use of dependent clauses. Nearly every single entry (one exception) has dependent clauses. Not that many people actually use dependent clauses, much less correctly with a comma.
Every single entry is written in an active format. No passive sentences.
Over use of key words. For example, there were 19 comments that used the word “skeptical” on the first page.
Every single entry shows people with super high proficiency at English. Perfect grammar, spelling, etc with absolutely zero signs of colloquialism. Very strange when one takes into account that the comments were from people in China, Germany, Malaysia, Italy, Finland, etc.
I could go on… but do I need to? This guy is full of crap, and his system has absolutely nothing to do with Giordano Bruno.
“Can’t wait to get started on the next set of lessons.” Rick from Calgary.
“As always, always looking forward to the next lesson.” Thomas Metu
“A definite thumbs up from me.” Brandon G
“Definitely worth every penny!” Brian from Canada
Ok, just to let you know bozo… Leaving off the subject of a sentence, i.e. “Works for me” is not a common thing for people to do. So it’s obvious YOU are the same person who’s written the testimonials. Lame. You’ve sold out. You want money so you trick people. Not cool.
Your sorry. It’s sad when someone is so unsure of themself that they feel the need to post three comments back to back. Being a tutor makes you an expert huh. It’s obvious you have some sort of issue with GMS. I’m amazed that my comment alone was enough to turn you into some sort of cyber forum bully. You really feel the need to call me a bozo. nice. I didn’t expect it to be so easy to get a rise out of someone. Some people are so brave on a website. That just proves your mature nature. Way to bring any type of credit to your position. Sad soul. Atleast you went a step further to prove how well you can analyze words by claiming I have written a testimonial. HAHA> I haven’t wrote one word anywhere about my study except here. Nice try, way to discredit yourself. Way to be a narcissist who loves reading their own comments. By the way, my names J. T. Gilliland, US ARMY. facebook me at Cadet eNTp. Ruslan…ha…ha… nice. What a smart guy. Sorry if I don’t feel the need to justify my first comment on here. It’s a matter of simple darwinism. You must have forgoten that you are not essential for my survival, so adjust your actions accordingly.
Ah man! I guess I should apologize and all that. I was more having fun with this than anything. Admit it! The similarities in language usage is uncanny.
Ok! I apologize and acknowledge you as a seperate person than Ruslan (Secret paranoia).
After looking at the time and date of your registration and with this as your only post, I was freaking sure man. So, I never actually thought you’d come back. I thought it was active propogation of misinfo. Lol.
No! I’m not cyber bullying you. Sorry, I’m more used to more… aggresive? forums. I seriously am not trying to be insulting or trollish or anything. I swear I was just having fun here.
(Secretly dissapointed, it would have been funny as hell.)
On the other hand… I’ve also never actually met someone who practices GMS. I really have always thought it was a hoax system. What do you find to be the benefits? Perhaps I am being closed minded.
Hello underfireg.The first step of researching is testing.I test GMS described methods for 3 months.I tried to figure out why they want to offer a lot of training for a simple method , i didn’t give up here so i continued to finish all of the homeworks as well as more problems for my self.In the first 2 weeks I was not so discouraged but after a month it was so strange for me that these methods have the same problems like
1-static behavior to your brain
2-making you tired
3-taking a lot of time
in the other hand classical methods like loci and interactive running through a journey were
1-fast(your are walking ,putting objects ,your are LIVING)
2-easy(because your brain should do it in real world)
3-compatible with the nature of the brain
thanks a lot to underfireg for sharing his experience to this kit.As i knew your are a rarely successful student of this school.
I hope you share your thoughts about GMS on this website and tell us what it offers that other methods doesn’t.
you told that posting several comments one after the other is a sign of being out of self confident , your words reminds me the story of a business which tries to saves it self by changing the colors of it’s products instead of it’s quality and it also reminds me the different company names to sales the same product and again it reminds me Pmemory!
@Jeff tibbetts. its’ all gravy. I was just expressing my view. No harm no foul. Opinions are important to listen to, since they show the rational behind the person who speaks them. Facebook request accepted, as for Martin,
I’m sorry but your post is diffuclt to follow. I would as Tibb, to explain it, since he studies written word since I would believe english as not being your first spoken language, or maybe this was just a hasty post with some gramatical errors, If thats the case I understand. Being a Intuitive thinking, my power lay with ideas and not typing. Back to your post. I’m not really sure what point your trying to make with the loci method. AS I Wrote before, the GMS system does have a “loci” method, they just call it the circeo method, feel free to google it. Not trying to sound like a D#CK. The points that you mentioned don’t seem to add up to the story you try to spread. You mention 1. Fast. So if speed is your issue, then you couldn’t have done the lessons as you mentioned. since it constantly teaches you to speed up encoding and to leave your connections at a speed of 6 seconds a pair. If thats slow, then I don’t think your find a system out there that fills your needs. Your 2. easy! because its something you should do in real life already. Well, thats almost word for word of how they teach you to do the Circeo method. Do a journey through your house since you see these items everyday, it was the easiest method for me to use to date. As for three, I have no arguement there. As I stated before, everyones brain works in a similar way, but still different. So what is good for you may not be good for the next guy. Look, bottom line is this. I didn’t registar here to argue with you. I just noticed your FALSE post about the the GMS system’s lack of a journey method. I then pointed out that It does have a walk thru method. Thats it. Your post was wrong so I was just letting anyone out who wanted to do research out there, know that GMS does have that. Why, because I hate to see someone put out BAD info. Been in the army for a minute now, and nothing gets my fire going more than someone, who doesn’t know what they are talking about, put out WRONG info, that someone may take to heart. Once again, not trying to be a Bad guy just letting a future reader know the facts.
Also, I don’t see how my post has anything to do with a company and it’s marketing scheme???
Hmm?? Maybe you would care to elaborate…
God Bless.
sorry for any typing errors, I feel life is to short to proof read a forum post
To me the real gem in GMS is the “database” It’s taking a memory palace and telling you how to break down each Loci to hold 135 pieces of information. That’s golden. Anything else I feel can be subbed out with another system
135 is what they used as the example, but it can hold as many, or as few as you’d like. So let’s say a kettle was the loci. You would break it into how many different parts as you want (ie. Handle, spout, switch, base) Then you prepare a chain of random images (ie. Shoe, Wallet, Clock, Fridge). You then connect the first item in the chain to the first part of the loci image (Connect Shoe to the kettle handle). You then attach information to various parts of the shoe. Then when the shoe is full, attach information to the wallet, then the clock. So each loci can hold as much information as you can make parts of image, and as large of chains as you can make.
Base Image: Kettle Poem: So We’ll Go No More A Roving
Toe of the Shoe: See one of those circles with a slash through it and a sail boat= So We’ll go no more a roving (roving=rowing)
Eye of the shoe: Clock face with the hands moving fast= So late into the night
Aglet of the lace: An anthropomorphic heart reading his last will and testaments= Though the heart be still as willing
Tongue of the shoe: A moon so bright it blinds me= And the moon be still as bright.
So the first verse of the poem, is encoded in the first chain image, of the first sub image of the kettle.
You can cram much more into the loci. However, I fell this is likely the ONLY advancement the GMS program made
since I would believe english as not being your first spoken language, or maybe this was just a hasty post with some gramatical errors, If thats the case I understand. Being a Intuitive thinking, my power lay with ideas and not typing. Back to your post. I’m not really sure what point your trying to make with the loci method. AS I Wrote before, the GMS system does have a “loci” method, they just call it the circeo method, feel free to google it. Not trying to sound like a D#CK. The points that you mentioned don’t seem to add up to the story you try to spread. You mention 1. Fast. So if speed is your issue, then you couldn’t have done the lessons as you mentioned. since it constantly teaches you to speed up encoding and to leave your connections at a speed of 6 seconds a pair. If thats slow, then I don’t think your find a system out there that fills your needs. Your 2. easy! because its something you should do in real life already. Well, thats almost word for word of how they teach you to do the Circeo method. Do a journey through your house since you see these items everyday, it was the easiest method for me to use to date. As for three, I have no arguement there. As I stated before, everyones brain works in a similar way, but still different. So what is good for you may not be good for the next guy. Look, bottom line is this. I didn’t registar here to argue with you. I just noticed your FALSE post about the the GMS system’s lack of a journey method. I then pointed out that It does have a walk thru method. Thats it. Your post was wrong so I was just letting anyone out who wanted to do research out there, know that GMS does have that. Why, because I hate to see someone put out BAD info. Been in the army for a minute now, and nothing gets my fire going more than someone, who doesn’t know what they are talking about, put out WRONG info, that someone may take to heart. Once again, not trying to be a Bad guy just letting a future reader know the facts.