While composing and arranging, I very often want to repeat a command a specific number of times. Changing duration by specific amount of rhythmic grid units, moving music with Alt-Arrow Key by specific amount of units, repeat selected music a specific number of times, etc. It would be great to be able to enter a number before giving a command and have that command repeated that specific number of times. This would be tremendously helpful, reducing the number key presses and also making it MUCH easier to undo those repeated transformations when necessary.
For example: I have a whole note and I want to increase its duration by 7 “8th-notes-worth” of time. If my rhythmic grid is set to 8th note, I can do Shift+Alt+Right Arrow 7 times. If I want to undo this, I have to undo 7 times.
Instead, what if I could specify the number of times to repeat a command before doing the command. So I would use this new feature to specify “7”, then do the command, and it would add 7 8th notes to the duration using my example above. Or specify “12” and then type “R” to repeat a selection 12 times. Then, crucially, I could undo this command with a single undo, rather than “undoing” 12 times.
The natural question to ask is: how should this feature be implemented? What UI would accompany it? I think a popover would work nicely. Perhaps Shift+W or Shift+Y would open a popover that lets you enter a number. You press Enter and the next command (if applicable) is repeated that many times, as above. The “Esc” key could clear this state, removing the repetition request.