[BroomPole]

Command focus needs to be enabled in order to use hot keys such as zooming with R and T without needing to hold the apple / ctrl key. Look for the little AZ sign in the corner of the window and make sure it's highlighted.

In the transport window make sure Pre Roll is off (Or set to zero) and make sure Meter OFF is not highlighted in the Transport window.

Your looking for "Loop Record" holding apple (might be option I do it without thinking) and clicking on the record button will cycle through your record modes.

-Kevin