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Topic: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard (Read 4934 times) previous topic - next topic

Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

I am new to NotheWorthy and I hope somone can give me a little tip about how to notate in the most efficient way. I use the right indexfinger to press "Enter", the left(!) indexfinger to "Page down" and the left middle finger to "Page up". To press "Tab", "1", "2" etc. I use the fingers on left hand.
(It's hard for me to use a the numerical keyboard (NumLock) because I use a notebook-computer).
I have tried to use the mouse with the right hand and the keyboard with the left hand, but unfortunately it is not possible to insert a note by double-clicking at the appropriate line.
Kind regards
Steffen

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #1 –
Sounds like you're a contortionist, with your hands crossing each other.

Use the standard hand positions (the "home" keys) a,s,d,f,j,k,l,; if you can.

Buy a keyboard to plug into your laptop - it makes life much easier, isn't expensive, and it doesn't have to go with you when you take your computer out for a walk.  Usually the important keys like Control and Alt are awkward to use on a laptop, and other keys are difficult to find or made smaller than on a normal keyboard.  You could instead add a numeric keypad if you don't have one already.

I suggest you keep your left hand in position, controlling the shift key with your left pinkie.  Move back and forth between the numeric keyboard, the up/down/left/right arrows, and the alpha section of the keyboard.  My hand is frequently moving back and forth.  I think the most common entries I make follow this pattern:
1/ move to the insertion point (up/down arrows)
2/ bounce over to the numeric pad to set the note value if different from the last note entered
3/ hit the 7, 8 or 9 to set any accidentals
4/ hit enter or control enter, or space depending on what I'm trying to do.

I seldom use the mouse - it's sometimes convenient, but it everything can be done with the keyboard, so I use it when I want to click one of the icons in the menu bar.  I NEVER use it for note entry.

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #2 –
Forgot to mention the tab key.  It's an important one, and is positioned to be controlled by your left little finger.

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #3 –
I agree that the number pad is the best way to enter notes.
I use my right hand on the number pad (thumb on the arrow keys) and left hand uses ctrl, shift, alt, and letter keys. If I have to type text I use hands normally on the keyboard, of course. I don't use the mouse much either, since I've learned the keyboard shortcuts for things I do often, but I have the mouse set up left-handed even though I'm a rightie, to help avoid tendinitis and so on. (I use these hands to play musical instruments too.) I find this division enables me to enter pretty fast.

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #4 –
It is certainly much mere convenient with an extern keyboard. (I have already ordered an extern numeric keypad).
What is the best to use it - NumLock on or off? With NumLock set to off you can use its arrowkeys and then use the left hand to the digits and the letters.
Steffen

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #5 –
You have to decide that for yourself.  It's going to depend on your laptop keyboard layout.  The direction keys are often bizarrely placed.

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #6 –
Yeah, "bizarrely placed" indeed. When I have to help someone on their laptop, I feel all discombobulated.
That darned FN key! AAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!  How many times have I hit that thinking it's the Ctrl key!

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #7 –
My own problem is when I come to use a non-laptop keyboard: then I hit the Windows key thinking it's the Control key, 'cos I press the second from the left!

A

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #8 –
That bloody key causes me so much grief!

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #9 –
Barry- poke around at second-hand shops, you can probably find an AT keyboard (without the Windows key) for a dollar. ;-)

You'll probably also need an adaptor cable to connect from the old-style DIN keyboard connector to a PS-2 plug.

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #10 –
...or remove the left Windows key, Anndra&Barry :)

Steffen,
the Tab key can be "replaced" by the * key, which may more suits you, depending on where your keyboard have it.

And about NumLock: sometimes the Fn (Function) key is enough to activate the numpad on a notebook.

Also, using + and - to change the note duration can be helpful, instead of the 1-6 numbers.

Forget the mouse, unless in some special rare cases.

Using the little finger of right hand is a good thing for the Enter key, too.

Something often seems difficult, when using a keyboard: it is to use the 10 fingers.
In fact, it's much simpler than at first glance, for a reason already evoked here over: your hands won't move, so you'll always know where you are on the keyboard. The small marks usually present on the F and J key (and 5 on numpad) are here for that, if ever you get lost: they indicate the position of the medius finger.
While using only the indexes makes your hands move all the time, and often get lost. How many times do you use Ctrl+Z or Backspace?

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #11 –
The * key! I never knew that! I must remember to read the manual on occasions! (I must stop over-using exclamation marks!)
That makes life much easier - I've always moaned about the Tab key being on the left-hand side of the keyboard when all the other keys I use are mainly on the right-hand side. Now I can play the keyboard with my left hand, and change the notes with my right.
You have just made my life so much easier!

RObin

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #12 –
Now all I need is for you to tell me I can use the Insert key to insert a rest. No? Oh well!

RObin

Re: Notate with mouse and/or keyboard

Reply #13 –
Hitting the space bar being the only way to enter a rest is the only thing that prevents us the ability to enter all those repetetive things with the right hand in swivel position (we with teeny little hands) Could the 0 key on the numpad be re-assigned?