How to learn ticks and timing at start?

Anyone know how to learn about ticks and timing and how to explain it to someone new to GOP? How did you learn it?

I mostly let people learn by playing. The only explanation I do is a bit of timing -- I tell them that 'tapping' the orb moves the orb two spaces. And then after that first tap, it moves 1 space per tapping time.

They have to figure out the timing themselves, and it is my personal view that no amount of explanation will improve their actual playing, at least until they are very familiar with GOP.