fugubot wrote:Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I use windows but there's probably some parallel feature. I wouldn't have thought to look into this.
Glad to help! I have been doing GUI software designing and engineering for several decades, more recently switching to Mac OS X over a decade ago for Mac OS X and iOS as soon as it was released; and accessibility is one of the aspects of graphic user interface (GUI) designing and programming; hence this is something I notice . . .
I am fortunate in having wide wrists, hence no carpal tunnel problems; but I have worked with people who were not able to use a mouse, at all, due to carpal tunnel pain; and there are alternatives to mice, some of which are programs from third-party vendors that are add-ons to the operating system, but in this instance i think Mouse Keys will provide a nice solution, albeit with a bit of practicing, since it requires learning some new skills . . .
Mouse Keys is not exactly what you wanted, but after experimenting with it for a while, I think it will work, since the potential for rapid note inputting is there . . .
The key is to get the various parameters set correctly (speed and acceleration). Generally, there are two styles, where one involves tapping repeatedly on the navigation keys and the other style involves holding the respective navigation key and releasing it when the mouse pointer is in the correct location, noting that there is an "area" or "region" for each staff, such that when the mouse pointer is in the area or region for a staff, pressing the "5" key on the numeric pad is that same as moving the mouse pointer to the staff and then doing a single click.
THOUGHTSThis can be a
very nice way to input notes rapidly, since once you have the mouse pointer assigned to a specific duration note (for example, a quarter note), then as you move the mouse with the Mouse Keys navigation and press "5" to emulate a single-click, a quarter note is entered but the mouse pointer continues to be a quarter note, hence you can move the quarter note "mouse pointer" to a new location and then press the "5" numeric key to enter a quarter note at the new location . . .
And you can use the various keyboard shortcuts for note duration to change the mouse pointer note (for example, "e" to change it to an eighth note) . . .
Once you work with this input technique for a while I think it will map to very rapid note inputting . . .
I did some experiments, and it is very fast, but since I just discovered how to do this, it is a new set of skills for me, hence is not something I can do quickly; but based on a few experiments, I think this can be a way to input notes very quickly, where the left hand works the keys for note duration while the right hand works the numeric pad for the Mouse Keys navigation and click emulation . . .
I think this is worth devoting a bit of time to exploring how it works and how the various parameters affect speed and acceleration . . .
Another aspect of the overall strategy involves determining the best viewing size (zoom-in, zoom-out), which is another variable in the equation . . .
On the Mac, there is a "snap-to" thing that happens, and this moves the "mouse pointer" note vertically to the next available position on a staff, depending on which navigation key is tapped ("up" or "down" ["8" or "9" respectively]) . . .
MOUSE KEYS FOR WINDOWS 7There is a Mouse Keys for Windows 7, and it is explained in detail at the following link:
Windows 7: Mouse Keys (TechEase)For this to be practical, you need a keyboard with a numeric pad . . .
Lots of FUN!