Enough has been written about Oblique Strategies that here is no point in repeating the details here. The short story is that they were created as an aid in solving dilemmas and as prompts to “think outside the box” or look at things in new ways.
The "official" OS website is located at http://www.rtqe.net/ObliqueStrategies/. A history is located at http://music.hyperreal.org/artists/brian_eno/osfaq2.html. I used both of these to sort out what is actually in the decks. The Oblique Strategies are copyright Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt, but have been widely reproduced at many websites.
Future plans for this page include the ability to select cards from any combination of decks and to see categories of cards. But it will be a while.
| Deck 1 | Deck 2 | Deck 3 | Deck 4 | Deck 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Organic) machinery | (Organic) machinery | (Organic) machinery | ||
| A line has two sides | A line has two sides | A line has two sides | A line has two sides | |
| Abandon normal instruments | Abandon normal instruments | Abandon normal instruments | Abandon normal instructions | Abandon normal instruments |
| Accept advice | Accept advice | Accept advice | Accept advice | Accept advice |
| Accretion | Accretion | Accretion | Adding on | Accretion |
| Allow an easement (an easement is the abandonment of a stricture) | Allow an easement (an easement is the abandonment of a stricture) | Allow an easement (an easement is the abandonment of a stricture) | Remove a restriction | Allow an easement (an easement is the abandonment of a stricture) |
| Are there sections? Consider transitions | Are there sections? Consider transitions | Are there sections? Consider transitions | Consider transitions | Are there sections? Consider transitions |
| Ask people to work against their better judgement | Ask people to work against their better judgement | Ask people to work against their better judgement | Ask people to work against their better judgement | Ask people to work against their better judgement |
| Ask your body | Ask your body | Ask your body | Ask your body | Ask your body |
| Assemble some of the instruments in a group and treat the group | Assemble some of the instruments in a group and treat the group | Assemble some of the elements in a group and treat the group | Which parts can be grouped? | Which elements can be grouped? |
| Balance the consistency principle with the inconsistency principle | Balance the consistency principle with the inconsistency principle | Balance the consistency principle with the inconsistency principle | ||
| Be dirty | Be dirty | Be dirty | Be dirty | Be dirty |
| Breathe more deeply | Breathe more deeply | Breathe more deeply | Breathe more deeply | Breathe more deeply |
| Bridges -build -burn | Bridges -build -burn | Bridges -build -burn | Bridges -build -burn | |
| Cascades | Cascades | Cascades | ||
| Change instrument roles | Change instrument roles | Change instrument roles | ||
| Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency | Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency | Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency | Change nothing and continue consistently | Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency |
| Children's voices -speaking -singing | Children's voices -speaking -singing | Children -speaking -singing | ||
| Cluster analysis | Cluster analysis | Cluster analysis | ||
| Consider different fading systems | Consider different fading systems | Consider different fading systems | ||
| Consult other sources -promising -unpromising | Consult other sources -promising -unpromising | Consult other sources -promising -unpromising | ||
| Convert a melodic element into a rhythmic element | Convert a melodic element into a rhythmic element | |||
| Courage! | Courage! | Courage! | Courage! | Courage! |
| Cut a vital connection | Cut a vital connection | Cut a vital connection | Cut a vital connection | Cut a vital connection |
| Decorate, decorate | Decorate, decorate | Decorate, decorate | Decorate, decorate | Decorate, decorate |
| Define an area as 'safe' and use it as an anchor | Define an area as 'safe' and use it as an anchor | Define an area as 'safe' and use it as an anchor | Find a safe part and use it as an anchor | Define an area as 'safe' and use it as an anchor |
| Destroy -nothing -the most important thing | Destroy -nothing -the most important thing | Destroy -nothing -the most important thing | Destroy nothing; Destroy the most important thing | Destroy -nothing -the most important thing |
| Discard an axiom | Discard an axiom | Discard an axiom | Discard an axiom | Discard an axiom |
| Disconnect from desire | Disconnect from desire | Disconnect from desire | Abandon desire | Disconnect from desire |
| Discover the recipes you are using and abandon them | Discover the recipes you are using and abandon them | Discover the recipes you are using and abandon them | Discover your formulas and abandon them | Discover the recipes you are using and abandon them |
| Distorting time | Distorting time | Distorting time | Distort time | Distorting time |
| Do nothing for as long as possible | Do nothing for as long as possible | Do nothing for as long as possible | Do nothing for as long as possible | Do nothing for as long as possible |
| Do something boring | Do something boring | Do something boring | Do something boring | Do something boring |
| Do the washing up | Do the washing up | |||
| Do the words need changing? | Do the words need changing? | Do the words need changing? | Do the words need changing? | Do the words need changing? |
| Do we need holes? | Do we need holes? | Do we need holes? | Do we need holes? | |
| Don't be afraid of things because they're easy to do | Don't be afraid of things because they're easy to do | Don't be afraid of things because they're easy to do | Don't avoid what is easy | Don't be afraid of things because they're easy to do |
| Don't be frightened of cliches | Don't be frightened of cliches | Don't be frightened of cliches | Use cliches | Don't be frightened of cliches |
| Don't be frightened to display your talents | Don't be frightened to display your talents | Don't be frightened to display your talents | Display your talent | Don't be frightened to display your talents |
| Don't break the silence | Don't break the silence | Don't break the silence | Don't break the silence | Don't break the silence |
| Don't stress one thing more than another | Don't stress *on* thing more than another (sic) | Don't stress one thing more than another | Don't stress one thing more than another | Don't stress one thing more than another |
| Emphasise differences | Emphasise differences | Emphasise differences | Emphasize differences | Emphasise differences |
| Emphasise repetitions | Emphasise repetitions | Emphasise repetitions | ||
| Emphasise the flaws | Emphasise the flaws | Emphasise the flaws | Emphasize the flaws | Emphasise the flaws |
| Faced with a choice, do both (given by Dieter Rot) | Faced with a choice, do both (given by Dieter Rot) | Faced with a choice, do both (from Dieter Rot) | Faced with a choice, do both (given by Dieter Rot) | |
| Feedback recordings into an acoustic situation | Feed the recording back out of the medium | |||
| Fill every beat with something | Fill every beat with something | Fill every beat with something | ||
| Get your neck massaged | Get your neck massaged | |||
| Ghost echoes | Ghost echoes | Ghost echoes | ||
| Give the game away | Give the game away | Give the game away | Give the game away | Give the game away |
| Give way to your worst impulse | Give way to your worst impulse | Give way to your worst impulse | Give way to your worst impulse | Give way to your worst impulse |
| Go slowly all the way round the outside | Go slowly all the way round the outside | Go slowly all the way round the outside | ||
| Honor thy error as a hidden intention | Honor thy error as a hidden intention | Honor thy error as a hidden intention | Your mistake was a hidden intention | Honor thy error as a hidden intention |
| How would you have done it? | How would you have done it? | How would you have done it? | How would you have done it? | How would you have done it? |
| Humanise something free of error | Humanise something free of error | Humanise something free of error | Make what's perfect more human | Humanise something free of error |
| Imagine the music as a moving chain or caterpillar | What are the sections sections of? Imagine a caterpillar moving | What are the sections sections of? Imagine a caterpillar moving | ||
| Imagine the music as a set of disconnected events | Imagine the piece as a set of disconnected events | Imagine the piece as a set of disconnected events | ||
| Infinitesimal gradations | Infinitesimal gradations | Infinitesimal gradations | ||
| Intentions -credibility of -nobility of -humility of | Intentions -credibility of -nobility of -humility of | Intentions -nobility of -humility of -credibility of | ||
| Into the impossible | Into the impossible | Into the impossible | ||
| Is it finished? | Is it finished? | Is it finished? | Is it finished? | Is it finished? |
| Is the tuning appropriate? | Is the intonation correct? | Is the intonation correct? | ||
| Is there something missing? | Is there something missing? | Is there something missing? | Is something missing? | Is there something missing? |
| Just carry on | Just carry on | Just carry on | Just carry on | Just carry on |
| Left channel, right channel, centre channel | Left channel, right channel, centre channel | |||
| Listen in total darkness, or in a very large room, very quietly | In total darkness, or in a very large room, very quietly | In total darkness, or in a very large room, very quietly | In total darkness, or in a very large room, very quietly | In total darkness, or in a very large room, very quietly |
| Listen to the quiet voice | Listen to the quiet voice | Listen to the quiet voice | Listen to the quiet voice | Listen to the quiet voice |
| Look at a very small object, look at its centre | A very small object -Its centre | |||
| Look at the order in which you do things | Look at the order in which you do things | Look at the order in which you do things | Look at the order in which you do things | Look at the order in which you do things |
| Look closely at the most embarrassing details and amplify them | Look closely at the most embarrassing details and amplify them | Look closely at the most embarrassing details and amplify them | Magnify the most difficult details | Look closely at the most embarrassing details and amplify them |
| Lowest common denominator check -single beat -single note -single riff | Lowest common denominator | Lowest common denominator | ||
| Make a blank valuable by putting it in an exquisite frame | Make a blank valuable by putting it in an exquisite frame | Make a blank valuable by putting it in an exquisite frame | Make a blank valuable by putting it in an exquisite frame | |
| Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate | Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate | Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate | Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate | |
| Make an exhaustive list of everything you might do and do the last thing on the list | Make an exhaustive list of everything you might do and do the last thing on the list | Make an exhaustive list of everything you might do and do the last thing on the list | Do the last thing first | Make an exhaustive list of everything you might do and do the last thing on the list |
| Mechanicalise something idiosyncratic | Mechanicalise something idiosyncratic | Mechanicalise something idiosyncratic | ||
| Mute and continue | Mute and continue | Mute and continue | ||
| Only one element of each kind | Only one element of each kind | Only one element of each kind | Only one element of each kind | Only one element of each kind |
| Overtly resist change | Overtly resist change | Overtly resist change | Openly resist change | Overtly resist change |
| Put in earplugs | Put in earplugs | |||
| Remember .those quiet evenings | Remember .those quiet evenings | Remember .those quiet evenings | Remember quiet evenings | Remember .those quiet evenings |
| Remove ambiguities and convert to specifics | Remove ambiguities and convert to specifics | Remove ambiguities and convert to specifics | Change ambiguities to specifics | Remove ambiguities and convert to specifics |
| Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities | Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities | Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities | Change specifics to ambiguities | Remove specifics and convert to ambiguities |
| Repetition is a form of change | Repetition is a form of change | Repetition is a form of change | Repetition is a form of change | Repetition is a form of change |
| Reverse | Reverse | Reverse | Reverse | Reverse |
| Short circuit (example; a man eating peas with the idea that they will improve his virility shovels them straight into his lap) | Short circuit (example; a man eating peas with the idea that they will improve his virility shovels them straight into his lap) | Short circuit (example; a man eating peas with the idea that they will improve his virility shovels them straight into his lap) | Short circuit (example; a man eating peas with the idea that they will improve his virility shovels them straight into his lap) | |
| Shut the door and listen from outside | Go outside. Shut the door. | Go outside. Shut the door. | Go outside. Shut the door. | Go outside. Shut the door. |
| Simple subtraction | Simple subtraction | Simple subtraction | Simple Subtraction | Simple subtraction |
| Spectrum analysis | Spectrum analysis | |||
| Take a break | Take a break | Take a break | Take a break | Take a break |
| Take away the elements in order of apparent non-importance | Take away the elements in order of apparent non-importance | Take away the elements in order of apparent non-importance | Take away the important parts | Take away the elements in order of apparent non-importance |
| Tape your mouth (given by Ritva Saarikko) | Tape your mouth (given by Ritva Saarikko) | |||
| The inconsistency principle | The inconsistency principle | The inconsistency principle | The inconsistency principle | The inconsistency principle |
| The tape is now the music | The tape is now the music | The tape is now the music | ||
| Think of the radio | Think of the radio | Think of the radio | ||
| Tidy up | Tidy up | Tidy up | Tidy up | Tidy up |
| Trust in the you of now | Trust in the you of now | Trust in the you of now | Trust in the you of now | |
| Turn it upside down | Turn it upside down | Turn it upside down | Turn it upside down | Turn it upside down |
| Twist the spine | Twist the spine | |||
| Use an old idea | Use an old idea | Use an old idea | Use an old idea | Use an old idea |
| Use an unacceptable colour | Use an unacceptable colour | Use an unacceptable colour | Use an unacceptable colour | |
| Use fewer notes | Use fewer notes | Use fewer notes | ||
| Use filters | Use filters | Use filters | Use filters | Use filters |
| Use 'unqualified' people | Use 'unqualified' people | Use 'unqualified' people | Use 'unqualified' people | Use 'unqualified' people |
| Water | Water | Water | Water | Water |
| What are you really thinking about just now? Incorporate | What are you really thinking about just now? | What are you really thinking about just now? | What are you really thinking about just now? | What are you really thinking about just now? Incorporate |
| What is the reality of the situation? | What is the reality of the situation? | What is the reality of the situation? | ||
| What mistakes did you make last time? | What mistakes did you make last time? | What mistakes did you make last time? | What mistakes did you make last time? | What mistakes did you make last time? |
| What would your closest friend do? | What would your closest friend do? | What would your closest friend do? | What would your closest friend do? | What would your closest friend do? |
| What wouldn't you do? | What wouldn't you do? | What wouldn't you do? | What wouldn't you do? | What wouldn't you do? |
| Work at a different speed | Work at a different speed | Work at a different speed | Work at a different speed | Work at a different speed |
| You are an engineer | You are an engineer | You are an engineer | You are an engineer | |
| You can only make one dot at a time | You can only make one dot at a time | You can only make one dot at a time | ||
| You don't have to be ashamed of using your own ideas | You don't have to be ashamed of using your own ideas | You don't have to be ashamed of using your own ideas | Use your own ideas | You don't have to be ashamed of using your own ideas |
| Always give yourself credit for having more than personality (given by Arto Lindsay) | ||||
| Idiot glee (?) | Idiot glee (?) | |||
| It is quite possible (after all) | It is quite possible (after all) | |||
| Lost in useless territory | Lost in useless territory | |||
| Revaluation (a warm feeling) | Revaluation (a warm feeling) | |||
| State the problem in words as simply as possible | State the problem in words as clearly as possible | State the problem as clearly as possible | State the problem in words as clearly as possible | |
| Always first steps | Always first steps | Always the first steps | ||
| Not building a wall but making a brick | Not building a wall but making a brick | Not building a wall; making a brick | ||
| Question the heroic approach | Question the heroic approach | Question the heroic | ||
| Simply a matter of work | Simply a matter of work | It is simply a matter or work | ||
| The most important thing is the thing most easily forgotten | The most important thing is the thing most easily forgotten | The most easily forgotten thing is the most important | ||
| Towards the insignificant | Towards the insignificant | Move towards the unimportant | Towards the insignificant | |
| Be extravagant | Be extravagant | Be extravagant | Be extravagant | |
| Disciplined self-indulgence | Disciplined self-indulgence | Disciplined self-indulgence | Disciplined self-indulgence | |
| Pae White's non-blank graphic metacard | ||||
| Be less critical more often | Be less critical | Be less critical more often | ||
| Is the style right? | ||||
| Use something nearby as a model | ||||
| What is the simplest solution? | ||||
| How would someone else do it? | Who should be doing this job? How would they do it? | |||
| Try faking it (from Stewart Brand) | Try faking it! (given by Stewart Brand) | |||
| Voice your suspicions | Voice nagging suspicions | |||
| What context would look right? | Which frame would make this look right? | |||
| What to increase? What to reduce? What to maintain? | What to increase? What to reduce? | |||
| What to maintain? | ||||
| Where is the edge? | Where is the edge? Where does the frame start? | |||
| Make it more sensual | Make it more sensual | |||
| Slow preparation..fast execution | Slow preparation..fast execution | |||
| Think - inside the work -outside the work | Think - inside the work -outside the work | |||
| When is it for? | When is it for? | |||
| From nothing to more than nothing | ||||
| Only a part, not the whole | Only a part, not the whole | Only a part, not the whole | ||
| Retrace your steps | Retrace your steps | Retrace your steps | ||
| Once the search is in progress, something will be found | Once the search has begun, something will be found | Once the search is in progress, something will be found | ||
| Would anybody want it? | Would anyone want it? | Would anybody want it? | ||
| Go to an extreme, move back to a more comfortable place | Go to an extreme, come part way back | Go to an extreme, move back to a more comfortable place | ||
| What were you really thinking about just now? | ||||
| Do something sudden, destructive and unpredictable | ||||
| Make something implied more definite (reinforce, duplicate) | ||||
| Gardening, not architecture |