How to solo the selected track

[Musicmind]

I know it's there, but I can't find a way to solo the selected track!
When I press the button marked S DP9 solos the topmost MIDI track.
I have tried to look for solo in the manual, but I can't find it!
Any Help apreciated.

[Tesionman]

Try holding the Opt(Alt) key and click on the triangular play button on the track you want to solo.

[mikehalloran]

There are at least three ways depending on how you have things set up. There's an old thread that goes into this. The manual is not as clear as it could be.

[Musicmind]

Hi
I know I can alt-click on the play button of the track, but isn't there a keyboard short cut?

[Tim]

Hi
I know I can alt-click on the play button of the track, but isn't there a keyboard short cut?

No. There is a key command to Toggle Solo mode on/off. Then Option Click on the track play enable button (or solo button in the mixer). Option Click a track Play Enable only when in Solo mode... unless you want to turn every other track off in play mode.

[Musicmind]

So you can't solo a track with one keystroke?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Musicmind]

No. There is a key command to Toggle Solo mode on/off. Then Option Click on the track play enable button (or solo button in the mixer). Option Click a track Play Enable only when in Solo mode... unless you want to turn every other track off in play mode.

Let me try to understand this. If you want to listen to one track - ex. a snare drum out of a bunch of drum tracks - you have to use two hands: one to press the alt key and one to grab the mouse and click on the little green arrow of the track you want to hear?

[mikehalloran]

No. There is a key command to Toggle Solo mode on/off. Then Option Click on the track play enable button (or solo button in the mixer). Option Click a track Play Enable only when in Solo mode... unless you want to turn every other track off in play mode.

Let me try to understand this. If you want to listen to one track - ex. a snare drum out of a bunch of drum tracks - you have to use two hands: one to press the alt key and one to grab the mouse and click on the little green arrow of the track you want to hear?

And what happens when you do that?

[Musicmind]

You get very tired in your hand if you are in your studio 8 hours or more a day and use the mouse a lot, right?
I'm just interested in how experienced users of DP8-9 accomplish the most common tasks of working with their DAW.
I also wonder what you do if you have a large template, like with the VSL dimension strings and all the other VSL libs which can easily can run up into 200 tracks. I don't think it's possible to hide unused tracks?
So you will have to scroll a lot up and down right?

[Shooshie]

You get very tired in your hand if you are in your studio 8 hours or more a day and use the mouse a lot, right?
I'm just interested in how experienced users of DP8-9 accomplish the most common tasks of working with their DAW.
I also wonder what you do if you have a large template, like with the VSL dimension strings and all the other VSL libs which can easily can run up into 200 tracks. I don't think it's possible to hide unused tracks?
So you will have to scroll a lot up and down right?

Ergonomics For DP:
I worked often 36 hours at a stretch when I was at my busiest. With breaks to stretch, eat, etc. of course. I usually used a trackball, a large one from Kensington which is no longer made. (It's been replaced with a very inferior model, of which I've had two and ended up tossing them both in the garbage.) To prevent wrist stress, I used a wrist-rest. Still do, even with my Magic Trackpad, which is the greatest input device ever made.

For many years, there was no such thing as a scrolling mouse or trackball, so you had to do it yourself. That required immensely more effort and movement than scroll wheels over the course of a day. So, scroll wheels or scrolling gestures on a trackpad are critically important nowadays. To relax while using them requires that your wrist is resting; the tendons on the back of your hand should be loose, fingers more or less dangling. You want all your energy to be focused ONLY on the task, not on positioning the hand to prevent pushing a button or touching the trackpad.

Trackball/Trackpad/Keyboard Ergonomics
A good trackball should have resting surfaces; places to put your fingers so that you aren't having to hold them up.

Desk & Chair
I can't emphasize enough how critical this whole chain of ergonomics is for working long hours without serious consequences. It involves the whole body, so it really starts with the desk and chair. You must have all the components matched for your body. I stand up when I work, then sit a while, then stand, etc., so I had to build a desk that's at standing level. My chair is an Aeron Workstool, which elevates to that same level.

The arms on my chair put my hands precisely at typing level. This all had to be planned, and I had to study chairs for months while designing my desk, finding the right one for the job. The Aeron Workstool is in a class of its own (so is the Aeron Chair, but it has more competition; still the best in most ways). It also has a 10 year warranty. Trace your arms as they rest comfortably from your shoulders to your fingertips. You want them to fall naturally on the keyboard. Is anything in the way? Are you bending any joints to get to this position? You must level out all angles so that your joints are in their natural, relaxed state when you're working. Not when you're sitting attentively, as when the teacher inspects your posture in elementary school, but when you're down-and-dirty, getting on with it, after 8 hours of hard work, with no end in sight. THAT'S what you prepare for. It helps if your chair is very adjustable. The Aeron Workstool (with all options) allows for forward tilt, backward tilt, up-and-down, adjustable tilt-resistance, tilt-lock (forward and backward, separate locks for each), footrest height, armrest height, armrest spread (horizontal), lumbar support, and... of course it rolls. You can also get a 3rd party headrest (try Amazon) that's made especially for the Aeron chairs. It looks like it was made by Herman Miller, too, and it's wonderful. Don't buy an Aeron without also getting that headrest.

I tried other chairs that said they were superior to the "aging technology" of the Aeron. Don't believe a word of it. Pooh. There is only one other chair that comes close, and it's also by Herman Miller. That's the Embody Chair, which is made in such a way that it grips your back and holds it, then moves with you. (You'd have to see it. It's very high-tech.) For people with scoliosis or other back problems, it can be a lifesaver. Unfortunately, it's not made as a workstool; only a chair, but it raises quite high for a chair. I bought one for my wife, who has spine problems. It's heaven-sent for people like her.

With either the Aeron or Embody, you must learn the controls and use them throughout the day. They are capable of very sensitive settings that really affect what you're doing, helping you to help yourself. Also note: if you are getting an Aeron Workstool, it comes in two sizes. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the differences, and see which on you need. The Aeron Chair (not the workstool) comes in three widths, denoted by letters A, B, and C if I remember correctly. You MUST be sure that you're getting the one that fits you. You're practically going to live in this thing. It's your home at work, so don't skimp on features, and don't order online without making sure you know exactly what you're getting. Saving money is nice, but not when you're giving up important design elements. Expect to spend a couple-thousand, minimum. (Hey, you buy MIDI keyboards for more than that, and they don't even try to make you feel better! )

Wrist Rest:
Once past the chair and its arms, you need a resistant bean-bag or other type of wrist rest. I use a long bag made by a company called "HandStands" for keyboard typing, and I use an old Kensington rest for my trackball. It slopes up, and the edge closest to the Magic Trackpad is 1 ½" tall. My fingers can "dangle" pretty freely, though I can't really rest them on the pad (you can, if you're careful). The wrist rest is one of the most critical pieces of this whole system. If your wrists are resting on the desk, your tendons will be pressured. You WILL get carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have to hold your hands up, you WILL get back problems and severe neck cramps. You want your body to feel "suspended" over your workstation, so that your efforts are only focused on the pressing of keys and dragging/clicking of input device.

Input Devices:
Finally, the devices themselves are important. Keyboards were always so thick! Now you can get the Apple keyboard, which is great, or the Logitech K-750 Mac, which is the only keyboard that rivals the Apple keyboard, IMO. It's also solar powered, and charges from ambient light. Great keyboard!

I prefer components that are not connected with a wire. In fact, my studio demands it. When I'm in MIDI keyboard mode, I must put the computer keyboard in a convenient location, which is hard to do with a wire. The Apple Wireless keyboard doesn't have the numeric keypad, so you're screwed with Apple. The Logitech is THE keyboard for me. It's got exactly the same key layout as Apple's, plus the numeric keypad, plus wireless, plus solar powered. (look Ma, no batteries!)

Now, the pointing device. Critical to making DP a friendly environment for your body as well as your mind are macros and shortcuts. The more you can do with a few buttons on your input device, the less you have to move back and forth to the keyboard. I work with left hand on the keyboard, right hand on the trackball/trackpad/mouse. Now, what I'm about to say is an opinion, but it's based on 30 years of working with all kinds of mice, tablets, trackballs, and trackpads. Without a lengthy explanation of why, let me just say it: the Magic Trackpad is the king of input devices. Nothing comes close. I've got a closet full of others that I've bought, most of which are highly regarded even today by many people who use them. They cannot touch the Magic Trackpad.

Here are a few reasons:
• Vertical & Horizontal scrolling: The Magic Trackpad is the first input device (besides a tablet or other trackpads) which simply let's you move in any direction without interpreting it. Where you move your fingers, the mouse moves.
• For detail work, you can rock your fingertips. Logitech mice have a slow-speed button assignable to any button, and that's hard to beat, but you can do wonders with the Magic Trackpad. Many apps use a key — Control or Option — to enable fine movement. I think DP allows that in some places.
• GESTURES! — Using a 3rd party app like JiTouch, you can add around a hundred gestures for each application. These include (with Jitouch) the alphabet. You draw letters with two fingers separated (easy with practice) and it allows these to be commands. Very easy to remember. Plus, dozens of taps and drags with two or more fingers; these enable a virtual sign-language that becomes second nature and makes working VERY fast.
• Did I say scrolling? I say it again, because the experience is amazing with the Magic Trackpad.

I'm not talking about the Magic Mouse. It's ok. It's no Magic Trackpad; not even close. The Magic Trackpad is in a league of its own, with no close contenders. But... you MUST USE A WRIST REST!!!

It takes a few weeks to get completely acclimatized. You'll want to jump ship at first. But stay with it. Your hand will learn it quickly. Once you do, there's no going back, though I keep a Logitech Performance MX mouse handy at all times. Sometimes you need a mouse. Not often, but sometimes you do.

For several versions of DP, since Maverick OS, the scrolling features of the Magic Trackpad have been broken in DP. With DP9, MOTU has fixed that. We're back in the saddle, baby! And it's a smooooth ride.

Shooshie

[Musicmind]

Hello Shooshie
Thanks a lot for your contribution to this list it's very valuable. Your opinion regarding the lay-out of our studios is very precise and in line with my own observations.
I started out as one the first users of Atari 520 here in Denmark and before that there was of course the 8 track tape recorder, and all that.
So I have been in the business about 35 years and until now I have managed without getting major diseases
I caught sight of DP a couple of years ago, and I have spend a lot of time to investigate the different DAWs (Logic - 10 years of use, Pro Tools, Studio One & Cubase) including DP 8. And this is why I ask the question about soloing a track by a key command.
I think DP8 is the only one where you have to use 2 hands to solo a track: left on the alt-key and the right on your mouse or Magic Track Pad - which I also use.
I think this is inconvenient as stated in my earlier post and still do. At the same time I think DP8 - 9 have some amazing features, that I would get great benefit from in my coming project, so I would really like "to like" DP 8-9.
This is the reason why I ask all of those questions, how is things done in DP8-9.

[Killahurts]

You get very tired in your hand if you are in your studio 8 hours or more a day and use the mouse a lot, right?
I'm just interested in how experienced users of DP8-9 accomplish the most common tasks of working with their DAW.
I also wonder what you do if you have a large template, like with the VSL dimension strings and all the other VSL libs which can easily can run up into 200 tracks. I don't think it's possible to hide unused tracks?
So you will have to scroll a lot up and down right?

Ergonomics For DP:
I worked often 36 hours at a stretch when I was at my busiest. With breaks to stretch, eat, etc. of course. I usually used a trackball, a large one from Kensington which is no longer made. (It's been replaced with a very inferior model, of which I've had two and ended up tossing them both in the garbage.) To prevent wrist stress, I used a wrist-rest. Still do, even with my Magic Trackpad, which is the greatest input device ever made.

For many years, there was no such thing as a scrolling mouse or trackball, so you had to do it yourself. That required immensely more effort and movement than scroll wheels over the course of a day. So, scroll wheels or scrolling gestures on a trackpad are critically important nowadays. To relax while using them requires that your wrist is resting; the tendons on the back of your hand should be loose, fingers more or less dangling. You want all your energy to be focused ONLY on the task, not on positioning the hand to prevent pushing a button or touching the trackpad.

Trackball/Trackpad/Keyboard Ergonomics
A good trackball should have resting surfaces; places to put your fingers so that you aren't having to hold them up.

Desk & Chair
I can't emphasize enough how critical this whole chain of ergonomics is for working long hours without serious consequences. It involves the whole body, so it really starts with the desk and chair. You must have all the components matched for your body. I stand up when I work, then sit a while, then stand, etc., so I had to build a desk that's at standing level. My chair is an Aeron Workstool, which elevates to that same level.

The arms on my chair put my hands precisely at typing level. This all had to be planned, and I had to study chairs for months while designing my desk, finding the right one for the job. The Aeron Workstool is in a class of its own (so is the Aeron Chair, but it has more competition; still the best in most ways). It also has a 10 year warranty. Trace your arms as they rest comfortably from your shoulders to your fingertips. You want them to fall naturally on the keyboard. Is anything in the way? Are you bending any joints to get to this position? You must level out all angles so that your joints are in their natural, relaxed state when you're working. Not when you're sitting attentively, as when the teacher inspects your posture in elementary school, but when you're down-and-dirty, getting on with it, after 8 hours of hard work, with no end in sight. THAT'S what you prepare for. It helps if your chair is very adjustable. The Aeron Workstool (with all options) allows for forward tilt, backward tilt, up-and-down, adjustable tilt-resistance, tilt-lock (forward and backward, separate locks for each), footrest height, armrest height, armrest spread (horizontal), lumbar support, and... of course it rolls. You can also get a 3rd party headrest (try Amazon) that's made especially for the Aeron chairs. It looks like it was made by Herman Miller, too, and it's wonderful. Don't buy an Aeron without also getting that headrest.

I tried other chairs that said they were superior to the "aging technology" of the Aeron. Don't believe a word of it. Pooh. There is only one other chair that comes close, and it's also by Herman Miller. That's the Embody Chair, which is made in such a way that it grips your back and holds it, then moves with you. (You'd have to see it. It's very high-tech.) For people with scoliosis or other back problems, it can be a lifesaver. Unfortunately, it's not made as a workstool; only a chair, but it raises quite high for a chair. I bought one for my wife, who has spine problems. It's heaven-sent for people like her.

With either the Aeron or Embody, you must learn the controls and use them throughout the day. They are capable of very sensitive settings that really affect what you're doing, helping you to help yourself. Also note: if you are getting an Aeron Workstool, it comes in two sizes. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the differences, and see which on you need. The Aeron Chair (not the workstool) comes in three widths, denoted by letters A, B, and C if I remember correctly. You MUST be sure that you're getting the one that fits you. You're practically going to live in this thing. It's your home at work, so don't skimp on features, and don't order online without making sure you know exactly what you're getting. Saving money is nice, but not when you're giving up important design elements. Expect to spend a couple-thousand, minimum. (Hey, you buy MIDI keyboards for more than that, and they don't even try to make you feel better! )

Wrist Rest:
Once past the chair and its arms, you need a resistant bean-bag or other type of wrist rest. I use a long bag made by a company called "HandStands" for keyboard typing, and I use an old Kensington rest for my trackball. It slopes up, and the edge closest to the Magic Trackpad is 1 ½" tall. My fingers can "dangle" pretty freely, though I can't really rest them on the pad (you can, if you're careful). The wrist rest is one of the most critical pieces of this whole system. If your wrists are resting on the desk, your tendons will be pressured. You WILL get carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have to hold your hands up, you WILL get back problems and severe neck cramps. You want your body to feel "suspended" over your workstation, so that your efforts are only focused on the pressing of keys and dragging/clicking of input device.

Input Devices:
Finally, the devices themselves are important. Keyboards were always so thick! Now you can get the Apple keyboard, which is great, or the Logitech K-750 Mac, which is the only keyboard that rivals the Apple keyboard, IMO. It's also solar powered, and charges from ambient light. Great keyboard!

I prefer components that are not connected with a wire. In fact, my studio demands it. When I'm in MIDI keyboard mode, I must put the computer keyboard in a convenient location, which is hard to do with a wire. The Apple Wireless keyboard doesn't have the numeric keypad, so you're screwed with Apple. The Logitech is THE keyboard for me. It's got exactly the same key layout as Apple's, plus the numeric keypad, plus wireless, plus solar powered. (look Ma, no batteries!)

Now, the pointing device. Critical to making DP a friendly environment for your body as well as your mind are macros and shortcuts. The more you can do with a few buttons on your input device, the less you have to move back and forth to the keyboard. I work with left hand on the keyboard, right hand on the trackball/trackpad/mouse. Now, what I'm about to say is an opinion, but it's based on 30 years of working with all kinds of mice, tablets, trackballs, and trackpads. Without a lengthy explanation of why, let me just say it: the Magic Trackpad is the king of input devices. Nothing comes close. I've got a closet full of others that I've bought, most of which are highly regarded even today by many people who use them. They cannot touch the Magic Trackpad.

Here are a few reasons:
• Vertical & Horizontal scrolling: The Magic Trackpad is the first input device (besides a tablet or other trackpads) which simply let's you move in any direction without interpreting it. Where you move your fingers, the mouse moves.
• For detail work, you can rock your fingertips. Logitech mice have a slow-speed button assignable to any button, and that's hard to beat, but you can do wonders with the Magic Trackpad. Many apps use a key — Control or Option — to enable fine movement. I think DP allows that in some places.
• GESTURES! — Using a 3rd party app like JiTouch, you can add around a hundred gestures for each application. These include (with Jitouch) the alphabet. You draw letters with two fingers separated (easy with practice) and it allows these to be commands. Very easy to remember. Plus, dozens of taps and drags with two or more fingers; these enable a virtual sign-language that becomes second nature and makes working VERY fast.
• Did I say scrolling? I say it again, because the experience is amazing with the Magic Trackpad.

I'm not talking about the Magic Mouse. It's ok. It's no Magic Trackpad; not even close. The Magic Trackpad is in a league of its own, with no close contenders. But... you MUST USE A WRIST REST!!!

It takes a few weeks to get completely acclimatized. You'll want to jump ship at first. But stay with it. Your hand will learn it quickly. Once you do, there's no going back, though I keep a Logitech Performance MX mouse handy at all times. Sometimes you need a mouse. Not often, but sometimes you do.

For several versions of DP, since Maverick OS, the scrolling features of the Magic Trackpad have been broken in DP. With DP9, MOTU has fixed that. We're back in the saddle, baby! And it's a smooooth ride.

Shooshie

Excellent post Shoosh! Thanks for putting it. I have carpal tunnel syndrome in my left hand, as well as thoracic outlet syndrome, which is getting better with treatment.. however, my right hand has had to take up the slack while the other one rests, so the tendency is to get problems with it too (very common with this condition). I have a Magic Trackpad and a Magic Mouse. I use them both, but lately I've been trying to use the trackpad for more, since the mouse is harder on my hands. Problem is, in DP, I'm so used to doing fine editing with the mouse that the trackpad doesn't get used like it should. In fact, I've been using the mouse in DP more than in any other app. So endless hours of editing pitch automation (especially that), soundbites, MIDI notes.. with the mouse, which I know is bad but I can't figure out how to do some of those things with the Trackpad. I have JiTouch but I disabled it a long time ago.. maybe I should revisit it. I keep the trackpad in tap mode, so I don't have to mash on the damn thing with my thumb or whatever, while I move stuff around. But that makes it even more complicated to do tasks that were probably designed to do with the mouse, especially in DP.

I cannot use a trackball because for some reason my nervous system is allergic to the tedium involved.. five minutes using a trackball, and I need to run around the block, and possibly beat someone up.

I really would love some tips on how to do fine editing, and generally make the most of DP with the Trackpad.. wish there was a video somewhere.

[Killahurts]

Oh and about soloing.. I use Mackie Control from my console, which has dedicated solo buttons. I should be able to press the solo button for a track, and have it solo that track. Pressing it again should un-solo. In some projects this all works, and with others it just doesn't. After many years I've never figured out why. I'll hit the solo button, and everything gets turned off, including the desired track. Or, I'll un-solo a track and it doesn't turn solo off- I end up having to go to the solo button onscreen with the mouse and turn it off.

So if it works as it should sometimes, that means it's not broken, just set up wrong.. but soloing is a simple thing, and there should never be anything to set up, IMO.