Possibly the most important thing to speed up workflow. If you haven’t spent days thinking about them already… You should.
Here’s were I’m at with a lot of the basics, following as much logic as possible. The PDF will updated but the link will always be the same.
The key needs to be extremely obvious to its command and how what it does one way, links to the other… Use of ^shift etc! (edit: attempting to avoiding, the alt, shift, ctrl, confusion that happens between originals).
Edit: Use the pdf link for better quality not the picture download. I’ll happily share the cubase keycommand file, just ask, I’ll add it when it’s pretty much done.
I especially like [{}] to control the locators, place and go to, Ctrl manually adding the locator value and ALT Gr being the Zones.
Use of <> alt/shift/ctrl for various zooms, this frees up needed letter keys. And, the numbers being quantise type, 3 for trips, 5 for dotted togs.
BackSpace for Close Window. E to open the editor and V to open the VST instrument of the current track.
What are your favourites and Logic behind them?
Does anyone know how to hide all Lanes? This is one i’m seriously in need of.
Hopefully with help I can finally get this finished and back to making music.
I wouldn’t be against 9.5 getting a default keycommand overhaul based on logic like here. Or course it should remain as similar as it can be, and the legacy map should be available too.
I too would be against a change in the original keyCommands. I did mention this when writing my original post but removed it to keep things short. It would cause issues for many users and it’s best they leave it for us to pick ourselves. KeyCommands are going to be very unique and personal, functions not used, keys needed for other things. We also get a deeper connection in memory to our choices, if we spend time making them. We’ll learn them easier this way.
They did make a few changes in the jump to 5 but I rarely used any, not sure which. I will add, most of my keyCommands have stayed the same. Some will be changed back. Many of my choices have jumped across they keyboard over the past few weeks.
Is there anything specific you think is bad with my logic? Something i might of missed or is it simply that it changes some originals?
My idea here is to offer insight for new users or old users (like myself) who have left it so long before developing their own. For too long I’ve been using menus but now I realise any feature you menu dive for, you should make a keycommand, the next time you dive for it.
These look great. I like the pad better but have more space for strips. My typing keyboard sits ontop of my master music keyboard, just behind the keys.
Any specific Command your favourite?
From your opening words in your blog post… it sounds like we’ve had a similar battle. Now which is it… Alt… Shift… Ctrl… I’m trying hard to overcome that barrier by making the logic carry across.
Cubase does include some pre-defined Key Command sets that are named for some other popular DAWs. What I like best about the Key Commands is that I can map my own to suite my own needs and then save that as a Preset. If I want a function under key command, I’ll first check to see what Cubase may be using and then I’ll decide if I need that more than the function I want to put under command. For example, the default for “T” is to toggle internal vs. external time-base, I reassigned it to “Transpose.”
Key Commands are great and I like how they work. The ones I use most are the ones I’ve customized for my own comfort.
I use them as they are, added a few of my own. But I work sometimes on different computers and cubase installs and having different key commands is then a nightmare.
I just did add a Arturia Beatstep as a generic remote. That gives me 16 pads for additional commands/macros and they can be banked, so it’s really 3 times 16.
Upper row 8 encoders are set to quick track control, lower 8 for vst quick controls, and the big encoder for jog wheel.
Pads are big enough to be labeled.
Exactly… what use is ‘toggle internal vs. external time-base’? I have set T for Transpose (if you mean the pitch editor window?) I wasn’t sure if it should be Ctrl T to match Ctrl P for Audio Pool, Ctrl Q for the Qantize panel, Ctrl H for History etc!
And if you have tool tips enabled, I have discovered several tool tips where the KC is labeled something totally different than the tool tip. I think they should be labeled the same for consistency.
For example: Mouse over the “audition” button in the sample editor it says “audition,” but then open key commands, type “audition” in the search and the only result is "MIDI-audition through midi inserts/sends?
So how was I able to assign the “audition” KC? I opened the sample editor tool bar set up, and discovered it’s called “StartStop Preview” not “audition.” Consistency anyone?
I suppose my favourite in terms of simplicity would be my “zero at cursor”. Just because the x-keys allows for the alpha numeric input. I use the windows magnifier a lot as my close vision isn’t quite what it used to be. However, the keys I use most are “show tracks data” and “show all tracks”
I’ve just recently found that you can change the quantise value “bars, beats or quantise” with a key command which is really useful…Got to add that to the xkeys next
Being able to change them to suit our own needs is what’s good about key commands. I find I use the Key Commands I need rather than trying to memorize the whole default list. However, by searching and looking over the available choices I discovered capabilities I didn’t know Cubase had. Much development time has gone into creating the default set. I let that guide me into making the best use of KCs, but, the most useful KCs for me are the ones I’ve assigned myself.
Beautiful set-up. The other impressive set-up I’ve seen recently involves Metagrid and i-pads. Ultimately I think it’s easier to have Icons rather than remembering Key Commands. Can you imagine a fast-moving fast-food place trying to run if the check out people needed to know Key Commands to ring up orders?
Others have gone outside of Cubase with add-on macro programs, but that seems to be only adding another layer of complexity. However, if there are functions that can not be put under KC with the Cubase set, as suntower mentions, one of those programs may offer a solution. I’m not sure about that, but I’d take a look.
Yes… I use that a lot so it was 1 of my first… the ` key, furthest left of the number. As numbers are my Quantise, it perfect. I’d have to agree, searching the keycommands has revealed a few things i didn’t know was available.
lol! my projects aren’t that big… Yet. I’ll have to have a play with how search tracks works. I saw the option and was curious to how it would function but i’m yet to use it.
Don’t know why i didn’t think of this simple 1 earlier.
Changing
Alt G: Add Group to Add Group to selected
Alt F: Add Fx to Add FX to selected
Everytime we add a Group or FX it will want a track or 2 routed to it. No reason to not want the short cut key at it’s simplist level to do the most work. Fits with Alt V: VCA to selected
Alt ¬ is now add Marker track as M was taken up by Midi, Shift Alt M was too much.
Off line Process History has gone, its a new window in 9.5 f7.
Ctrl Backspace: Delete overlaps mono, Ctrl Shift Backspace: Delete overlaps poly
And… I’ve changed Return to be Bounce selected. Shift Return: Selected to Sample Track. No need for Return to open a window.
Still a few more to work out like Edit active part only, I can’t settle on this one.
