Introduction to MM_STD

This is the introduction file for the set of tutorials on Mike Day's notation for hand movements. It also effectively forms the first tutorial, or, perhaps more accurately, the zeroth tutorial.

These tutorials will go at a very gentle pace. Some of the concepts involved here are quite new, subtle and unusual. Please read carefully, do the exercises, and if you have any questions then ask. All feedback is useful, and you will be contributing to the development of this material. By giving us your feedback you will play a part in this contribution to juggling theory and practice.

Thank you for taking part.

C.D.Wright

Lesson 0 - What is this all about?

  1. Existing notations do not cover hand movements.
  2. MM_STD does cover some patterns involving hand movements.
  3. Where does the name come from?
  4. How do I get more help?
  5. The next stage.

1. Existing notations do not cover hand movements.

As you may be aware, there is a notation for some juggling patterns called the SiteSwap notation. You don't need to know the SiteSwap notation in order to understand these tutorials, but they will occasionally be mentioned.

Actually, SiteSwaps will be mentioned quite a lot here in this introduction. If you don't know anything about SiteSwaps and feel that you're missing out, you can take a look at the SiteSwap information. For now, though, take our word for it that they are not essential.

One thing that the SiteSwap notation does not cover is hand movements. In particular, the SiteSwap for Mills Mess is just a simple "3". The thing that makes Mills Mess such a beautiful pattern is the smooth, fluid and hypnotic hand movements. SiteSwaps are used to describe the timing of a juggling pattern, but until quite recently there has been no simple way of writing down a description of the hand movements.

2. MM_STD does cover some patterns involving hand movements.

It was to solve this problem that Mike Day invented a system for describing hand movements as related to juggling. This was so successful that it then allowed new patterns to be developed and existing patterns to be analysed and modified. Just as SiteSwaps only concentrate on one specific aspect of juggling, the timing, so the MM_STD concentrates on just one aspect, the hand movements.

Not every possible collection of hand movements is covered by this system. There are patterns that are not described by the MM_STD, although, as with SiteSwaps, there are extensions to the notation to cover most of these other patterns. As with SiteSwaps, the extensions are often technical and awkward, enhancing the notation at the cost of simplicity. We will concentrate in this series on the basic form of the notation, leaving the more extensive version for later.

3. Where does the name come from?

The full name of the notation is the "Mills Mess State Transition Diagram."

Don't you wish you hadn't asked?

The notation was originally designed to help analyse, understand and manipulate Mills Mess. We don't want to give away too much at this stage, so we won't say any more about what a "State Transition Diagram" actually is. That is the subject of the tutorial series.

4. How do I get more help?

If you want more help on any juggling subject then point your web browser at the Juggling Information Service at 
    http://www.juggling.org/

5. The next stage.

This is the end of the Introduction.

Go to Lesson 01

The contents of this document are Copyright (C) Solipsys Ltd, 1996, but you may reproduce and redistribute them freely provided that you make no changes, no charges, and that this copyright notice remains attached.

Dr C.D.Wright