Keyboard shortcuts have been with Pro Tools from the start. The number of shortcuts in Pro Tools has grown as the software has developed. Obviously the more shortcuts you know the better, because the less you move your mouse and so the more productive you become.

The Keyboard Focus commands are a real step forward for single-key operations when the [a...z] focus mode in the Edit window is selected by clicking on the a-z button just below the zoom buttons in the Edit Window in Pro Tools 7 or at the top of the Edit window vertical scroll bar in Pro Tools 8.

These are available to use on all Windows and Mac based Pro Tools systems with only a few timecode related limitations on the LE systems. Good news for those who work with both Windows and Mac based systems that unlike some other shortcuts the Keyboard Focus shortcuts are the same for both Mac and Windows systems.

You may find it helpful to have at least sight of a qwerty keyboard as you read this as the commands are grouped together in areas of the keyboard to make them as intuitive as possible.

Alternatively if you like what you see here you may want to buy a Pro tools keyboard with the shortcuts on it or alternatively a sticker set to go on your existing keyboard…

There is a ‘pain barrier’ to go through to get the Keyboard Focus shortcuts into your way of working but rest assured it will be worth it. Perhaps go through the learning curve with a project where the deadline isn’t too pressing.

So lets start the series with some Zoom Functions…

Zoom Level 1-5 – alpha keys 1 to 5
By using the numbers 1 to 5 above the letter keys (not the number pad) you can access the 5 preset horizontal zoom settings that are 5 buttons just below the zoom buttons in the Edit window (see fig 1). To set these presets adjust the horizontal zoom to suit and then Command+Click on the Mac, or Control+Click on Windows, the appropriate button to save the preset.

Zoom Toggle – E
This will zoom an edit selection (Highlighted selection on a track not a timeline selection) to the width of the edit window. If you press E again it will take you back to the previous zoom setting.

Centre Edit Selection Start – Q
This will put the start of an edit selection in the centre of the edit window.

Center Timeline End – W
This will put the end of an edit selection in the centre of the edit window.

Zoom Out Horizontally – R
This is the same as going up to the toolbar and clicking on the zoom out button.

Zoom In Horizontally – T
This is the same as going up to the toolbar and clicking on the zoom in button.

Comments (3):

1. Command Focus keyboard shortcut part 2 « Pro Tools for Media said:
   January 9, 2010 at 1:54 pm

   [...] Continuing this look into the inner working of the command focus keyboard shortcuts from my first post in the series. [...]
2. Command Focus keyboard shortcut part 3 « Pro Tools for Media said:
   January 16, 2010 at 10:52 pm

   [...] See part 1 here [...]
3. Command Focus keyboard shortcut part 4 « Pro Tools for Media said:
   February 2, 2010 at 8:39 am

   [...] to Part 1, Part 2 and Part [...]