newrigel wrote:I'm not talking about hitting play... everyone knows that. I'm talking about the arcane key command sequences to do a process.
Well, as it turns out my entire reply got lost as I somehow got logged out. Firstly, I didn't know you weren't talking about hitting play. You seemed very much against the use of the keyboard and brought up DOS, etc. to sort of ridicule the idea. My bringing up the spacebar was probably similarly absurd, but it makes the point that a mouse is not going to necessarily be the fastest way to accomplish a task. On top of it, your use of the word "arcane" is prejudicial and it doesn't apply. If these "arcane" key commands accomplish a task more quickly than using a mouse, and I gave you concrete examples, then they should be called "modern" since we like to think of things that are "more efficient and faster" as "modern". So I'll call them "modern" key commands if you don't mind.
FWIW, I don't type my post... I use dragon naturally speaking. I can type fine but still, I hate reaching for a keyboard when I can just mouse over to a mute button. I use a computer because I put my energies into my vocal work and I use the mac to do music production because I like the synonymous relationships between the two... I have secretaries to type and do those things.
I wasn't aware that you had an office staff and not one, but two or more secretaries at your disposal. Unfortunately, I don't. And I'm not talking about something like just a mute button. Obviously a graphical button is going to be useful at times. It all depends on the context. But there are plenty of times where using a key command will be faster. I gave you examples of that.
Do you have to type a command to manipulate a tape transport? How about touching a solo button on a console. We were discussing the mute function and you'd rather type a command... on a console, there's a button.
Again, we were talking about the SOLO function. I have nothing against a solo button per se, however I merely offered what I think is a quite workable option. You can invoke Solo mode (with a key command if you like) and then the play buttons essentially become solo buttons. Until MOTU implements something like that, which might take months, years, or it might never happen... I offered a possible method of getting around this. And as far as a "tape transport"... I'm talking about DP's transport and I gave you an example already of how using the keyboard can locate to a particular measure far more quickly than using a mouse or trackball alone.
I think DP's features should be more consistent throughout the UI. Why in the SE should one type a key command to do something when in another window there's a button? It's ill-consistency within the GUI and I think (and obviously others too) that having to type a command (when in another window you don't) is inconsistent implementation. I'm not the one who said anything about it because I could care less but the one's wanting these features shouldn't have to even touch a keyboard if it's somewhere else in the GUI... they just want to mute some tracks.
Again, I have nothing against mute buttons. We weren't talking about them. And all the stuff about consistency... I'm not sure what you mean. You can invoke SOLO mode with a key command in any window. And you don't have to use it. But if you'd rather use a button, fine. Go ahead. But to bring up DOS and slam use of key commands as somehow backward or "arcane" is silly. And as I pointed out, I know professional video editors who do film and television on both Avid and FCP, and the way they become fast and efficient is by using keyboard shortcuts whenever possible. If they limited themselves to using JUST the GUI and a pointing device and clicking they'd be sunk. It's not even a contest. These are people who must produce in a stressful, time-sensitive environment and these keyboard commands are ingrained. As you pointed out, you don't go up to the File menu, click it, then choose "Save" from the menu do you? You've pretty much mastered ⌘S by now. What made you memorize that one? It's because you use it
frequently and it's
faster than the mouse. You can extrapolate that and you make my point for me.
I don't think you can keep track of all those commands and if you can... your focus is on other things obviously.
It's hard not to see the "your focus is on other things obviously" part of your response here as anything other than a condescending and subtle insult. You mean to say that you're focused on the music itself, yes? And it must stand to reason that I am not?
Let's use another concrete example here. You want to use the scissors tool on a soundbite. Do you take your attention off the soundbite, locate the toolbar, position the mouse over the scissor tool, click it, then move your cursor back to the soundbite, position the cursor at the edit point and then click? Or perhaps it might be better to just use your left hand and hold down the "C" key, position the cursor, and click?
What about muting a soundbite? Should you mouse over to the toolbar again, click the Mute tool, mouse back to the soundbite and click? Or just hold down the "X" key and click on the soundbite?
There's no need to keep track of "all those commands"... HOWEVER... if there is a editing operation you find yourself doing often, a little bit of time invested up front to memorize that key command is going to help you work much faster. So nobody's saying learn them all... learn the ones for operations you do frequently and I guarantee you will save time over using a mouse or trackball alone.
And back to your assertion that learning key commands isn't "focusing" in the right area... presumably not focusing on the music itself. If editing is by its nature a left brain activity that takes your focus off the music, is it not better to get a mundane editing task over with as quickly as possible so that your brain gets back out of edit mode (left brain) and back to the big picture and the music itself (right brain)? Use of key commands for operations you do often will let you work faster once you know them and will give you MORE time back for focusing on the music itself.
