questions regarding shuffle tracking

I would like to know, how do people practice shuffle tracking. I mean getting good at it physically vs using shuffle software for sim practice. This is not to say that CVshuffle is not a useful aid, but supposedly you can map out a shuffle, do you practice with a friend. Also, what if you can't do some of the shuffling techniques perfectly, doesn't that impact your practice results.

I would like to hear from people who have successfully used shuffle tracking, ace sequencing to give some advice on the practical logistics of having successful practice runs with physical cards, from 1 to 6 decks situations.

Thanks in advance

Obviously if you can simulate actual casino conditions this will be a good start. If you can, get a dealer and a few other players to play along with you. Things like buying chips and a shoe can also help. Making sure the dealer knows the exact house procedure when it comes to shuffling is crucial. The reason why I like having another person be the dealer, is because this gives you approximately the same amount of time to think about where you want to cut, and do some of the math involved. This will force you to be quick, whereas by shuffling yourself, you could slow down the shuffle without even noticing, and not be quick enough for the real deal.

The shoe is cool from a novelty factor, and to keep massive amounts of cards in line, but it is the discard trey that is really crucial.

The software is mostly for identifying weaknesses in a shuffle. Practice should be done with actual cards. Most of the skills you need to have cannot be learned or practiced using a computer.

-Sonny-