[ddots-l] Re: checking key bindings in Sonar 4
- From: "Paul Erkens" <pje@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2005 01:13:25 +0200
Hi Chris,
I'm using key bindings as well so hopefully it will work the same way for
you. A few days ago I saw this question on a Dutch midi forum too, so just
for the ones interested, I'll explain the entire concept here as well
because it is so useful.
First, you go into the Sonar 4 key bindings dialog using the options menu
(alt+o) and then k for key bindings. Now, first decide what you want.
By definition, a key binding is a sonar capability that lets you assign a
key, or a combination of keys, to a specific function within sonar. All
functions that are available in the entire pulldown menu system in sonar,
can be assigned a key binding. This acts as a shortcut for the menu command
in question. By pressing the key or key combination you define in this
dialog, you are triggering the function. This way, you could assign alt +
f12 to sonar's play function, so that if you press alt + f12, the project
starts to play. This is a useless example of course, because the play
function has already been assigned to the space bar, and thus is a key
binding already.
Not only can you assign keys on your computer keyboard to all sonar
functions, but also keys on your midi keyboard. However if you do this, the
key you assign to a sonar function looses its normal purpose of playing a
note. Therefore, most people use the keys at the very end of the keyboard at
either the far left or right side to trigger sonar functions. This is a very
useful feature, because you could, for example, assign the leftmost key on
your midi keyboard to start playing, and the c sharp right next to it to
start recording, while the d next to that could stop either playback or
recording. Even functions like go to previous measure, rewind or go to from,
could be used in this fashion. This way, you can remain seated behind your
midi keyboard and control sonar from there, rather than having to jump back
and forth between the chair at your computer, and the one behind your midi
controller.
You can imagine however, that when you keep assigning functions to midi
keys, at a certain point you will end up with only a few keys left to play
your music on, because all the rest triggers sonar functions. To overcome
this, sonar lets you assign one key that acts as a shift key that must be
held down while pressing other keys that will trigger the functions you
assigned to them.
For example, if you assign the leftmost c on your midi keyboard to act as
the shift key for key bindings, and you assign the c sharp to, say, the
sonar play function, then in order to trigger the play function from your
midi keyboard, you must first depress and hold down the leftmost c key,
while then tapping the c sharp. Playback will then begin. Even if you assign
all keys on your keyboard to key bindings, you can still use them as normal
notes because they are still playable and won't behave differently. It's
just that when you press your midi shift key in combination with the key
that triggers your function, only then will sonar respond to your key
binding. If you play that same note without holding down the midi shift key,
the leftmost c in this example, the normal note will sound. The only
exception to this is the shift key itself, because in all situations this
key will not sound its original note anymore. Fortunately, you can always
temporarily disable key bindings, record whatever you need to and re enable
them afterwards.
Now, it is also possible to assign a midi controller movement to a sonar
command. For example, your sustain pedal transmits midi controller event
number 64 to sonar. If you set this to trigger playback, then you only have
to tap your sustain pedal once in order to start playing your project. The
things you can do this way are virtually endless, and it is up to your own
imagination how to set things up.
The key bindings dialog has a number of fields, which are accurately
described in sonar help. From within the key bindings dialog, tab over to
the help button and press it with the space bar. Basically, you first define
whether you want to use a computer keyboard key or key combination, or a
midi key or controller. You simply check the appropriate radio button. Jaws
will not always report correctly however, that there are two radio buttons
here, the first of which is for defining computer keys, while the second
prepares the dialog for midi keys. In my case, using the jaws cursor lets me
choose the midi radio button if I can't get to it using the arrow keys.
If you tab on, you'll land in an edit field where you can type your shift
key if you want to define one. This is an edit field however, and striking a
midi key here won't put its value into the edit field. This is only true for
the shift key as far as I found out. The format to enter a key in this field
is the note's name and its octave number, for example c 2. That is the
letter c, then a space, and then the number 2.
You next define in what context the key binding should work: in one of the
specific sonar views, or in all situations in sonar. Investigate your
choices, and choose. Then you define the actual key that you want to use to
trigger your function. This is a list box, so just scroll up and down until
you find your key. Alternatively, press the key itself on your keyboard and
the list will scroll to it and set the focus there.
Now tab to the list box containing all bindable commands. Scroll down using
your down arrow and stop at the function you want bound to your key. Now
press alt+b to bind it.
There's a check box that allows you to save this change for a later time. If
cleared, after restarting sonar the binding is lost again. There are also
buttons to get rid of, zap, the key bindings in the current view, or all
bindings altogether.
To check whether a key has been assigned a function already, scroll to it
and if there's an asterisk in front of it, it has already been bound. Almost
at the bottom of the dialog, you'll find a line that tells you what command
this key is bound to. The same goes for functions themselves. If you scroll
the listbox containing these, an asterisk in front of a function means it
has been bound to a key. Again, at the bottom of the dialog, you can read
what key the function is bound to. You can get there using the jaws cursor.
Don't forget to route jaws to pc first, as this lets you orientate yourself
more easily on the screen because you know your starting point.
To unbind a function or a key, simply highlight it with the arrow keys and
press alt+u or tab over to the unbind button and press space there.
Hopefully this helps.
Regards,
Paul.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Smart" <chris_s@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 11:55 PM
Subject: [ddots-l] checking key bindings in Sonar 4
This doesn't go according to the steps outlined in the setup file Settings
for Sonar 3.doc. While we're on the subject, maybe its name could be
changed to reflect Sonar 4?
Anyway, I went into the keybindings dialog, found the computer button, but
couldn't find the function edit button mentioned in the instructions. Is
this normal? Should I even worry about it?
Chris
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