Keyboard shortcuts for working with tracks

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ssawczyn
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:38 pm
Location: Augusta, ME USA
Contact:

Keyboard shortcuts for working with tracks

Post by ssawczyn »

I am a blind Amadeus user and hence, depend a great deal on keyboard
shortcuts. Using the keyboard, however, I can't figure out a way to
select a specific track for editing -- whenever I perform an edit, the
edit applies to the entire sound. If my understanding is correct, I
need to click on a specific track, however, I don't see a way to do
this from the keyboard. Using VoiceOver, Apple's Screen reader, I am
able to click as such, however, if I attempt to click on anything, the
insertion point gets focused away from the sound and I am unable to
bring it back. For example, there seems to be what VoiceOver is
calling a Scroll area. When I interact with this area, I find fields
for such things as volume, play loop, etc.. Once the insertion point
gets routed into this area, however, none of the editing keys work.
This makes sense as Amadeus probably thinks I'm trying to edit one of
the input fields, or sliders.

OK, I realize I'm probably being too descriptive and losing everyone
here, but the long and short of it is I'm looking for a way, from the
keyboard, to select a specific track for editing. Ideally, I'd also
like to find a way to move the position of a track. I'd really
appreciate any help/suggestions with this.

Thanks,

Steve

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Gerard Bik
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:04 pm

Keyboard shortcuts for working with tracks

Post by Gerard Bik »

Hi Steve

There seems to be no way to select tracks with keyboard shortcuts. In a stereo track, when no sound is playing, the left and right channels can be selected with the up/down arrows. You can even select part of a channel with shift and arrow right/left.
Moving tracks is also mouse-only.

In OS9 I used QuicKeys, a "short-cut-program", it could automate anything, also mouse movements. But these had to be recorded first. Visually, of course.

Maybe Martin can help.

Now that you have made me think of it, I realize that blind people must be very familiar with sound, but not quite in the same way as ordinary people. Hope you can get Amadeus working for you.

gerards regards

I am a blind Amadeus user and hence, depend a great deal on keyboard shortcuts. Using the keyboard, however, I can't figure out a way to select a specific track for editing -- whenever I perform an edit, the edit applies to the entire sound. If my understanding is correct, I need to click on a specific track, however, I don't see a way to do this from the keyboard. Using VoiceOver, Apple's Screen reader, I am able to click as such, however, if I attempt to click on anything, the insertion point gets focused away from the sound and I am unable to bring it back. For example, there seems to be what VoiceOver is calling a Scroll area. When I interact with this area, I find fields for such things as volume, play loop, etc.. Once the insertion point gets routed into this area, however, none of the editing keys work.
This makes sense as Amadeus probably thinks I'm trying to edit one of the input fields, or sliders.

OK, I realize I'm probably being too descriptive and losing everyone here, but the long and short of it is I'm looking for a way, from the keyboard, to select a specific track for editing. Ideally, I'd also like to find a way to move the position of a track. I'd really appreciate any help/suggestions with this.

Thanks,

Steve

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ssawczyn
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:38 pm
Location: Augusta, ME USA
Contact:

Keyboard shortcuts for working with tracks

Post by ssawczyn »

Hi and thanks for your post. Although it's not a perfect solution,
maybe I could use the two stereo channels to simulate tracks and then
compress back to mono? Adding a third track would then be tricky
although not impossible I suppose -- I'd have to paste the original
mono file and then add a second stereo channel, compress back to mono,
etc... I hadn't even thought of moving tracks, but you're right, that
will pose another obstacle -- it would be neat if the track could be
pasted, or moved to the insertion pointer or play head as I'm able to
manipulate these just fine.

Thanks,

Steve

On Mar 26, 2008, at 3:26 AM, Gerard Bik wrote:

Hi Steve

There seems to be no way to select tracks with keyboard shortcuts. In
a stereo track, when no sound is playing, the left and right channels
can be selected with the up/down arrows. You can even select part of a
channel with shift and arrow right/left.
Moving tracks is also mouse-only.

In OS9 I used QuicKeys, a "short-cut-program", it could automate
anything, also mouse movements. But these had to be recorded first.
Visually, of course.

Maybe Martin can help.

Now that you have made me think of it, I realize that blind people
must be very familiar with sound, but not quite in the same way as
ordinary people. Hope you can get Amadeus working for you.

gerards regards

I am a blind Amadeus user and hence, depend a great deal on keyboard
shortcuts. Using the keyboard, however, I can't figure out a way to
select a specific track for editing -- whenever I perform an edit,
the edit applies to the entire sound. If my understanding is
correct, I need to click on a specific track, however, I don't see a
way to do this from the keyboard. Using VoiceOver, Apple's Screen
reader, I am able to click as such, however, if I attempt to click
on anything, the insertion point gets focused away from the sound
and I am unable to bring it back. For example, there seems to be
what VoiceOver is calling a Scroll area. When I interact with this
area, I find fields for such things as volume, play loop, etc..
Once the insertion point gets routed into this area, however, none
of the editing keys work.
This makes sense as Amadeus probably thinks I'm trying to edit one
of the input fields, or sliders.

OK, I realize I'm probably being too descriptive and losing everyone
here, but the long and short of it is I'm looking for a way, from
the keyboard, to select a specific track for editing. Ideally, I'd
also like to find a way to move the position of a track. I'd really
appreciate any help/suggestions with this.

Thanks,

Steve

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Gerard Bik grafische vormgeving
Van Aerssenstraat 263
2582 JM Den Haag
070 3554081
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Gerard Bik
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:04 pm

Keyboard shortcuts for working with tracks

Post by Gerard Bik »

Hi Steve
You can split a mono track into stereo, replace one of the channels and afterwards convert to mono again.
It is also possible to split a stereo pair into two separate tracks. When you want to get them back into a stereo pair, use the "flatten to new file" command, but first set the "Plaback" menu to determine which track will be front left and which one front right.

When you paste a sound at the insertion point, it pushes the rest of the file to the right (in the future).
The "paste over" command onder "edit" will do just that, paste the new sound over of the existing one. A rather crude way to mix sounds.

A way to do basic editing of mono tracks would go something like this:
Start with a mono track, do "Sound > Convert track to stereo"
Of this stereo pair, select one channel and do "Select all" and "Effects > Generate silence"
Generate silence for the entire duration of the selection.
In Amadeus Silence is something else than No sound.
In the silent channel, you can put your insertion point at the desired location and paste a new sound into this channel.
Changing the levels of the right and left channels enables you to balance the new track into the existing one.
Afterwards convert track to mono and you are set for another insert or mix.

Now it is up to you to figure out how to do all this just by ear and keyboard. Sounds complicated to me...
I wish you good luck with it!

gerards regards

Hi and thanks for your post. Although it's not a perfect solution, maybe I could use the two stereo channels to simulate tracks and then compress back to mono? Adding a third track would then be tricky although not impossible I suppose -- I'd have to paste the original mono file and then add a second stereo channel, compress back to mono, etc... I hadn't even thought of moving tracks, but you're right, that will pose another obstacle -- it would be neat if the track could be pasted, or moved to the insertion pointer or play head as I'm able to manipulate these just fine.

Thanks,

Steve

On Mar 26, 2008, at 3:26 AM, Gerard Bik wrote:

Hi Steve

There seems to be no way to select tracks with keyboard shortcuts. In a stereo track, when no sound is playing, the left and right channels can be selected with the up/down arrows. You can even select part of a channel with shift and arrow right/left.
Moving tracks is also mouse-only.

In OS9 I used QuicKeys, a "short-cut-program", it could automate anything, also mouse movements. But these had to be recorded first. Visually, of course.

Maybe Martin can help.

Now that you have made me think of it, I realize that blind people must be very familiar with sound, but not quite in the same way as ordinary people. Hope you can get Amadeus working for you.

gerards regards
I am a blind Amadeus user and hence, depend a great deal on keyboard shortcuts. Using the keyboard, however, I can't figure out a way to select a specific track for editing -- whenever I perform an edit, the edit applies to the entire sound. If my understanding is correct, I need to click on a specific track, however, I don't see a way to do this from the keyboard. Using VoiceOver, Apple's Screen reader, I am able to click as such, however, if I attempt to click on anything, the insertion point gets focused away from the sound and I am unable to bring it back. For example, there seems to be what VoiceOver is calling a Scroll area. When I interact with this area, I find fields for such things as volume, play loop, etc..
Once the insertion point gets routed into this area, however, none of the editing keys work.
This makes sense as Amadeus probably thinks I'm trying to edit one of the input fields, or sliders.

OK, I realize I'm probably being too descriptive and losing everyone here, but the long and short of it is I'm looking for a way, from the keyboard, to select a specific track for editing. Ideally, I'd also like to find a way to move the position of a track. I'd really appreciate any help/suggestions with this.

Thanks,

Steve

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______________________ _
Gerard Bik grafische vormgeving
Van Aerssenstraat 263
2582 JM Den Haag
070 3554081
_______________________________________________
Amadeus forum mailing list
Unsubscribe / change settings at http://two.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/forum_list

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______________________ _
Gerard Bik grafische vormgeving
Van Aerssenstraat 263
2582 JM Den Haag
070 3554081
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