Beginner Tricks FAQ

[Pixels]

This thread will compile the most often-asked questions of newcomers pertaining to the Fundamentals, making it easy to point noobies in the right direction instead of having to explain things many times.

What are the Fundamentals?
The Fundamentals consist of 3 Tricks and 1 simple Combo.
The 3 Fundamental Tricks are:

• Charge Normal
  
• Sonic Normal
  
• ThumbAround Normal

The Fundamental Combo is:
FingerPass Normal

Is that all of the Fundamentals?
No, each Fundamental has a Reverse. This just means that the pen moves in the opposite direction as the Normal version.
The Reverses are:

• Charge Reverse
  
• Sonic Reverse
  
• ThumbAround Reverse
  
• Fingerpass Reverse
  
• Thumbaround also has fingerless variations, where hand motion pushes the pen instead of a finger:
  
• Fingerless Thumbaround Reverse
  
• Fingerless Thumbaround Normal

What are these "Inverses" I keep hearing about?
Any trick that travels along the side of one or more fingers has an Inverse. An Inverse trick has the same motion as the Normal version of a trick, but travels along the opposite side of the finger(s).


What does "12, 34, T1, etc..." mean?
Those are notations for the fingers used in a trick...
T= Thumb
1=Index finger
2=Middle finger
3=Ring finger
4=Pinky finger
Usually, finger notations come in pairs, each pair signifies which two fingers the pen is held between. For example: a trick such as "Sonic 34-23" is a Sonic Normal that starts between the Ring(3) and Pinky(4) fingers, and ends between the Middle(2) and Ring(3) fingers.


Are there any videos of the Fundamentals? I learn better with videos.
Yes, there are many videos on youtube, or in the appropriate thread with tutorials on how to learn the fundamentals!

Is Infinity a Fundamental?
No. Besides the relative complexity of that combo (3 tricks: Wiper Reverse, Pass Normal & Pass Reverse), Infinity has never officially been deemed a Fundamental. While it may be easier for some to learn than a few of the Fundamentals, the tricks involved in this combo are usually not thought to give as useful a base to a new user in terms of finger strength and agility. While the Wiper Reverse movement of the pen and the accompanying work of the fingers involved are different than any of the other movements of the Fundamentals, Wiper Normal and Wiper Reverse do not belong to a wide family of tricks, as are the Fundamentals.