Keyboard Shortcuts?

[firmflange]

After using Adobe Audition / Cool Edit Pro for 15 years and moving to PT 12, keyboard shortcuts were very convenient and very user friendly to modify in Audition, just by doing:

Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts....and then a complete list of every keyboard shortcut function of Audition that can be altered very easily, and keyboard button for nearly any function, provided they don't repeat.

Forgive me if I'm missing something here, but is there any future for PT to implement a function to be as easy to customize keyboard shortcuts as Audition, and if not.....why?

[EdgarRothermich]

Sorry, but this is a feature where Pro Tools is a 10-20 years behind the rest of the DAWs (like the use of a flat Clip List).

Logic allows customization of Key Commands for ages, and if you look at the Key Command Editor in Final Cut Pro X, that takes it even to the next level with a nice interface for the customization.

If you are on a Mac, you can use the built-in Keyboard System Preferences or use a third party app like BetterTouchTool or Keyboard Maestro to add at least a few custom Key Commands.
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[daeron80]

It's been one of the most requested features on Ideascale, and on all Pro Tools forums before that time out of mind. So far, no real sign that it will ever be implemented, as far as I know. The reason is probably to do with PT being the standard DAW found in pro studios, and they want to make sure pros can move from facility to facility without losing their workflow. Of course, that's easily accommodated with a portable key layout prefs file. So who knows? For now, we're stuck with the factory set.

[firmflange]

Thanks Edgar and daeron,

What are your thoughts on those keyboard shortcut apps?

I tried quickeys but got burnt out on the learning curve. Guess I could go back and learn some shortcuts from there. If PT hasn't introduced custom keyboard shortcuts by now, it doesn't seem they ever will. Wish we could persuade them...

[EdgarRothermich]

I started using QuickKeys way back in the pre-OSX days. But somehow they never recovered the OSX transition. I'm using BetterTouchTools (religiously) because I use it for all my gestures of my trackpads and now I'm moving all my Shortcuts over to that.

I hear good things about Keyboard Maestro as an alternative to QuicKeys, but never used it.

The macOS SystemPreferences works too, but it has a very primitive user interface and you cannot easily exchange shortcuts between computers

[firmflange]

Originally Posted by EdgarRothermich

I started using QuickKeys way back in the pre-OSX days. But somehow they never recovered the OSX transition. I'm using BetterTouchTools (religiously) because I use it for all my gestures of my trackpads and now I'm moving all my Shortcuts over to that.

edgar, is BTT easier to use than Quickeys? To assign the functions, can you type in the command words of Protools, like 'Commit' etc., or do you have to use 'pointer locations' like Quickeys?

[theom]

Keyboard Maestro is another popular shortcut and macro app.

https://www.keyboardmaestro.com/main/

[EdgarRothermich]

Originally Posted by firmflange

edgar, is BTT easier to use than Quickeys? To assign the functions, can you type in the command words of Protools, like 'Commit' etc., or do you have to use 'pointer locations' like Quickeys?

BTT started as a pure Gesture utility that can utilize any possible gesture you can imagine, every possible combination with any finger combination. If the next update would also include using toes, I wouldn't be surprised.

Over the years, the developer (one guy in München, Germany) added more and more features, including shortcuts, shortcut sequences and mouse actions. I wouldn't say that it is more easier or less easier than QuicKeys, just different. For menu commands, you just type the sequence of menus and submenus separated by a semicolon. You can even handle dynamic menu commands or key command by position.

I have no affiliation with the developer, just a very satisfied user.

[daeron80]

There's no complete solution, as far as I know. For any actions that Avid have assigned a keyboard shortcut to, we seem to be stuck with it. You can add your own shortcuts to the rest of the main menu items with a macro program. I've been using Keyboard Maestro for that purpose for 10 years, and it has performed flawlessly. It's very easy to program by having it record your own keystrokes and mouse movements. I use it mainly to launch Audiosuite plugins, and also to open/close the Color Palette, Undo History, and Preferences windows.

I have not found any reliable way use it for the Clips Bin menu, and it appears to have no access to plug-in interfaces. That used to be a big problem for me. But once iZotope came out with the Connect plugin for RX, I've done all my cleanup work in RX while monitoring through the appropriate PT channel. RX commands are fully customizable, so I seldom think about the need for PT shortcuts any more.

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by daeron80

...as far as I know. For any actions that Avid have assigned a keyboard shortcut to, we seem to be stuck with it. ...

I have not found any reliable way use it for the Clips Bin menu...

+1 for using Keyboard Maestro - you can remap any shortcut in ProTools with it - yes, learning curve, but so what?

Clip Bin show/hide can be set in Window Configurations which can then be easily accessed by numpad just like markers (numpad: "." + windowconfig# + "*").