# One-button shortcut for tuplets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Dorico\ **Created:** [October 11, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113 "2017-10-11T02:25:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jeffrags](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90db22/32.png) [@jeffrags](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/jeffrags)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/1 "2017-10-11T02:25:09Z")
Re: [Tuplets - Dorico - Steinberg Forums](https://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=246&t=103511#p572323) and [Single shortkey for 3er tuplets ? - Dorico - Steinberg Forums](https://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=104214) I have a piece of music with lots of quarter-note triplets. Unfortunately, they are almost all separate, which requires me to do 4 ; 3 enter over and over again. The dream, of course, is to have the ability to set one or more specific tuplet ratios-with-note-basis (as in quarter-3:2) and unique shortcuts for each. How close are we to this? Many thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Davey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/35a633/32.png) [@Chris\_Davey](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Chris_Davey)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:10am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/2 "2017-10-11T06:10:17Z")
The best I’ve found is this. For a single triplet while in note entering mode: Choose your note value (e.g. 6 for quarter note) Click the tuplet button in the left bar with the mouse (toggle on) Click the tuplet button again (toggle off) Enter your notes. This gives a single triplet without needing to type 3, reverting to non-triplet entry directly afterwards. You do have to use the mouse, but that’s second nature to me, and I prefer it to using the popover. Although you have to click twice, the second click follows on from the first in the same place. For continuing triplets enter your notes before clicking the tuplet button the second time. Maybe this helps? ---
**Author:** ![dspreadbury](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/dspreadbury/32/328687_2.png) [@dspreadbury](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/dspreadbury)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 7:59am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/3 "2017-10-11T07:59:54Z")
Jeff, you could use a third-party macro program to record the key sequence and then map that to a shortcut otherwise unused in Dorico. ---
**Author:** ![fkretlow](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/fkretlow/32/119200_2.png) [@fkretlow](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/fkretlow)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 8:08am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/4 "2017-10-11T08:08:07Z")
> [@jeffrags](#): > > The dream, of course, is to have the ability to set one or more specific tuplet ratios-with-note-basis (as in quarter-3:2) and unique shortcuts for each. If you don’t want to use a macro program: Paul explained how to do this in the first thread you linked. > [@PaulWalmsley](#): > > I haven’t tried this myself, but I _think_ you can create your own shortcut to your desired tuplet ratios. The command is: > > NoteInput.StartTupletRun?Definition=4:3 > > It’s likely you won’t be able to edit this in the shortcut editor as it can’t deal with every function that takes parameters, but you should be able to edit the keycommands.json file that you’ll find in your AppData / Application Support folder. Be sure not to break the json syntax when you edit that file. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jeffrags](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90db22/32.png) [@jeffrags](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/jeffrags)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 8:24am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/5 "2017-10-11T08:24:55Z")
> [@Daniel at Steinberg](#): > > Jeff, you could use a third-party macro program to record the key sequence and then map that to a shortcut otherwise unused in Dorico. Daniel, Yamaha/Steinberg could allow you all to add this functionality (or something like it) natively to this program in a future update - lol! In all seriousness, I’ll think on the third-party macro for sure. Thanks for the idea. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MarcLarcher](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/marclarcher/32/1623_2.png) [@MarcLarcher](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/MarcLarcher)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/6 "2017-10-11T18:12:30Z")
You can also copy-paste the tuplets and replace the pitches using lock mode (l) when the caret is active. It is very efficient. ---
**Author:** ![lbuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ba0ec/32.png) [@lbuckley](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/lbuckley)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 5:18am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/7 "2017-10-16T05:18:09Z")
I use Keyboard Maestro (a macro application for Mac—don’t know if there’s a PC version) widely in every application I use daily, including Dorico. For triplets, I set up F18 to start a triplet and F19 to end it (they’re easy to reach from the numeric keypad.) And if you do enough “tripletizing" to make it worthwhile, you cd set up a pair of keystrokes for each of several triplet values. You can even use a particular keystroke to trigger the pop up, type whatever you program, and close it with Enter or Return. Works really well. ---
**Author:** ![Waldbaer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Waldbaer](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Waldbaer)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 3:40pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/8 "2017-10-16T15:40:43Z")
> [@Chris Davey](#): > > For a single triplet while in note entering mode: > > Choose your note value (e.g. 6 for quarter note) > Click the tuplet button in the left bar with the mouse (toggle on) > Click the tuplet button again (toggle off) > Enter your notes. > … This comes down to a double-click, which is acceptably fast. Thanks for that hint (I always used to turn of the tuplets after inputting them, which is a lot slower)! Anyway, is there a possibility to assign a keyboard shortcut to this button? This would save the time to get to the mouse/touchpad and find the button and therefore make it faster once more. ---
**Author:** ![fkretlow](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/fkretlow/32/119200_2.png) [@fkretlow](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/fkretlow)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/9 "2017-10-16T18:55:32Z")
> [@Waldbaer](#): > > Anyway, is there a possibility to assign a keyboard shortcut to this button? This would save the time to get to the mouse/touchpad and find the button and therefore make it faster once more. Yes. Find your keycommands\_en.json file. Depending on your language the two letters before .json might be different. The file is somewhere in your AppData or Application support folder. Add these lines within the kStepTimeInput section. Replace X with your desired shortcut. Don’t omit the apostrophes and be careful not to break the json syntax! ```plaintext { "NoteInput.StartTupletRun?Definition=3:2" : ["X"] }, ``` The double click method doesn’t work with a shortcut, but you always have the end tuplet shortcut for that. (Instead you can easily create a triplet within a triplet within a triplet within a triplet… 🙂) Hope it helps! ---
**Author:** ![lbuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ba0ec/32.png) [@lbuckley](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/lbuckley)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/10 "2017-10-16T20:15:34Z")
Florian, that file doesn’t appear to exist on my Mac. Are you a PC guy? ---
**Author:** ![fkretlow](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/fkretlow/32/119200_2.png) [@fkretlow](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/fkretlow)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/11 "2017-10-16T21:49:20Z")
Yep, I’m on Windows. A quick Google search gave me this path to the Mac equivalent of the Windows AppData folder: ~/Library/Application Support This folder is probably hidden. Paul mentioned that folder too so I’d be very surprised if you didn’t find your keycommands file there. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific. I think I’ve never even touched a Mac in my life… ---
**Author:** ![Waldbaer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Waldbaer](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Waldbaer)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/12 "2017-10-18T21:34:11Z")
@fkretlow: Thank you for your suggestion! I think I should take the time to get into json, too at some time… I found the file; on a mac, it’s NOT in the library but the app itself: Just locate the Dorico application in your applications folder. There, ctrl-click on it and select “show package contents”. From there, just navigate to Contents/Ressources and you’ll find the keycommands-files. You should use the one of your language, of course, but the code to add remains the same as far as I understood it. ---
**Author:** ![PaulWalmsley](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/paulwalmsley/32/92542_2.png) [@PaulWalmsley](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/PaulWalmsley)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/13 "2017-10-18T22:41:37Z")
You shouldn’t edit the one in the application - that will be replaced whenever Dorico is updated. If you run Dorico and in the Key commands editor in Preferences just modify any key command then this will write the key commands file into your application support folder, and then you can follow the instructions above. ---
**Author:** ![Vebjorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@Vebjorn](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Vebjorn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/14 "2019-06-20T01:59:08Z")
> [@fkretlow](#): > > > [@Waldbaer](#): > > > > Anyway, is there a possibility to assign a keyboard shortcut to this button? This would save the time to get to the mouse/touchpad and find the button and therefore make it faster once more. > > Yes. Find your keycommands\_en.json file. Depending on your language the two letters before .json might be different. The file is somewhere in your AppData or Application support folder. Add these lines within the kStepTimeInput section. Replace X with your desired shortcut. Don’t omit the apostrophes and be careful not to break the json syntax! > > ```plaintext > { > "NoteInput.StartTupletRun?Definition=3:2" : ["X"] > }, > > ``` > > The double click method doesn’t work with a shortcut, but you always have the end tuplet shortcut for that. (Instead you can easily create a triplet within a triplet within a triplet within a triplet… 🙂) > Hope it helps! I can’t get this to work, would you be willing to post a screen shot of your keycommands file? Thank you ---
**Author:** ![dan\_kreider](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/dan_kreider/32/254871_2.png) [@dan\_kreider](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/dan_kreider)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 2:15am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/15 "2019-06-20T02:15:41Z")
> [@elk123](#): > > I can’t get this to work, would you be willing to post a screen shot of your keycommands file? Do you mean you can’t find the json file, or you don’t know where to put the command, or you put it in and the command isn’t working? ---
**Author:** ![Vebjorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@Vebjorn](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Vebjorn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 2:35am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/16 "2019-06-20T02:35:08Z")
> [@dankreider](#): > > > [@elk123](#): > > > > I can’t get this to work, would you be willing to post a screen shot of your keycommands file? > > Do you mean you can’t find the json file, or you don’t know where to put the command, or you put it in and the command isn’t working? I put the command in and it doesn’t work. I must be doing something wrong… ---
**Author:** ![dan\_kreider](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/dan_kreider/32/254871_2.png) [@dan\_kreider](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/dan_kreider)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 2:46am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/17 "2019-06-20T02:46:25Z")
Did you run it through a json linter? After modifying the file, do your other key commands still work? Did you make sure that you entered it in the correct place, so it will apply to note input? ---
**Author:** ![Vebjorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@Vebjorn](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Vebjorn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 3:33am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/18 "2019-06-20T03:33:30Z")
> [@dankreider](#): > > Did you run it through a json linter? After modifying the file, do your other key commands still work? > > Did you make sure that you entered it in the correct place, so it will apply to note input? I created a key command in preferences to create the the json file. There was only the one key command in the file and so I replaced the command with the tuplet one, but it didn’t work (see attached image). I also tried adding a new line with the tuplet command, but still no luck. I don’t know what a linter is. Thanks ![json.png](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/3X/f/8/f8b906b64aba0137bdead30beb3b35407baa425b.png) ---
**Author:** ![pianoleo](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/pianoleo/32/1609_2.png) [@pianoleo](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/pianoleo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 7:11am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/19 "2019-06-20T07:11:31Z")
Copy and paste the whole thing into [jsonlint.com](http://jsonlint.com) then click the Validate JSON button. If there’s something wrong it’ll give you clues. ---
**Author:** ![fkretlow](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/fkretlow/32/119200_2.png) [@fkretlow](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/fkretlow)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 7:15am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113/20 "2019-06-20T07:15:59Z")
The file looks fine to me, as far as the syntax is concerned. Does it work if you replace the context kWriteMode by kStepTimeInput? [Next page](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/one-button-shortcut-for-tuplets/98113.md?page=2)