Avid Keyboard Exchange - Hershleder.com

AVID KEYBOARD EXCHANGE

[ Click here for a version translated into German at www.mediaprofis.net ]

A lot can be gained by seeing how other editors work. I hope that these examples will get you thinking and inspire you to experiment to find ways of mapping your keyboard in a way that will make your working hours easier and more productive. Thanks to everyone that has helped this section grow.

If you would like to share your current keyboard, simply take a screen snapshot (Click here for instructions on taking a screen snap shot on your Mac) and e-mail it to me at the address on my Contact Page.

If you'd like, include a brief description detailing why you like your setup and how it makes your work better, faster, easier for the type of work you do.

Taking a screen snapshot of your keyboard/s and other settings and windows can provide a valuable time-saver if you have to rebuild your settings. So, here I have also included an example of how I remember what my track color choices are. If you have rearranged/changed the buttons under your Source and Record monitors, include a picture of them as well in your back-up process. Of course you should always have a copy of your User Settings saved somewhere as well. And for yet another method of backing up your settings, see "Using Settings Files" on the Avid Tips page of this site.

Also, I get inquiries now and again about how to label your keyboard with your custom layout. To get you started, there's a tip called "Creating Custom Keyboard Stickers," complete with a few of the function icons you can download.

NOW, ON TO THE KEYBOARDS . . .

Here are several examples of remapping. The first set of keyboards are mine. I have several different keyboards saved in my settings for specific tasks, namely: standard editing (labeled here as "Edit 11"), Multi-Cam editing (not shown), and Subclipping (great when I have a lot of stills or music to subclip). My main editing keyboard layout has changed a bit since I originally posted these, but I hope mine and the others on this page will get you thinking.

BEN'S TOP LEVEL FOR EDITING

KEY TO SOME FUNCTIONS:

AC = Add Comment
AM = Audio Mix Tool
BD = Batch Digitize
CM = Clear Monitor or Clear Menu
CS = Custom Sift
DC = Digital Cut Tool
Di = Digitize Tool (a.k.a Record Tool)
Ha = Hardware Tool
Lo = Locator Window
LD = Less Detail

LT = Lock
MD = More Detail
PL = Play Length Toggle
Re = Render at Position and Render In / Out
Ro = Render on the Fly
SP = Sync Point Editing or Serial Ports
SU = Show Unsifted
UT = Unlock
T= Title Tool
VO = Video Output Tool
W1, W2, W4 = Workspaces 1, 2 and 4

BEN'S SHIFT LEVEL FOR EDITING

BEN'S TOP LEVEL FOR SUBCLIPPING

This is really just my editing keyboard with the Subclip button mapped in several extra places for speed and convenience.

BEN'S TRACK COLORS & FAST MENU

You can back-up any setting you have with a picture. As you can see here, it is also possible to remap your Fast Menu. Since I have the majority of functions I use already mapped to my keyboard, I use the Fast Menu for rarely used functions or to get at a function without switching keyboards. The top icon is "Fade Effect," the next one down is "Mute all tracks," and the last one is "Quad-Split." I use the Quad-Split function from the fast menu when I have a simple group and am not using my keyboard that is setup specifically for a multi-cam show.

DEAN'S TOP LEVEL (his Shift Level is a well-kept goverment secret)

FIONA'S TOP LEVEL

FIONA'S SHIFT LEVEL

JOE'S TOP LEVEL

JOE'S SHIFT LEVEL

LARRY'S TOP LEVEL (he does not use the Shift Level)

SCOTT C. TOP LEVEL

Scott is from Winnipeg, MB Canada. He edits national promotions and corporate videos for a specialty station.

MIKE S. TOP LEVEL

Mike edits for a television station in North Carolina.
He has not yet begun to explore the "Shift" level of the keyboard, but I am sure that after examining some of the other keyboards on this page and reading some of the Avid Tips, he may begin to experiment with mappng that may make his editing work both easier and faster. Here's what Mike had to say:

Hi. I was just checking out the Avid MC portion of your website. Very nice.I took a few screen snapshots of both my Avid keyboard customization and my double-row-buttons customization (see below). I also jotted down some explanations as well.

The only changes to the keyboard were on the available top-level F-Keys (WEBMASTER NOTE: Don't forget that *ANY* key can be changed or moved to suit your needs – and you can also map virtually *ANY* menu selection to a keyboard button or to a button in the interface). F2 was assigned "Add Locator" so that I could continiously mark beats in a song without causing the song to stop playing. Along with this, F3 and F4 were assigned "Move to Previous Locator" and "Move to Next Locator". F5 and F6 were assigned "Step Backward" and "Step Forward", which are useful when working with previously edited source material, to check for possible hidden flash fields. F7 was assigned the blue "Replace Edit" which is useful when repeatedly replacing existing clips in a sequence (no In or Out points needed). And finally, F8 was assigned "Render Effect".

He goes on th say: "On the Double-Row Buttons (see below), I replaced "Go to IN" and "Go to OUT" buttons on both Source and Record side with 'Clear IN Mark' and 'Clear OUT Mark' buttons. Also added "Replace Edit", and the essential "Title Tool". (Not shown, but I also added "Collapse" to Fast Menu)."

MICHAEL M. – EXPRESS DV 3.5 TOP LEVEL

Michael has this to say about his XpressDV keyboad layout:

I've designed my shift level primarily around audio editing and subclipping, although I've added the field stepping commands to SHIFT J and L to allow me to find those pesky digital artifacts so common with DV, as well as giving myself some quick access to motion effects, rendering, and remove effect.

I've worked with FCP, Discreet, a little Media 100, the old Toaster, and the Avid MC and XpressDV systems, and the Avid's are definitely the most powerful and flexible ... it's almost like cutting on a steenbeck ... not as tactile, but as plastic. I love having my hands in front of me, on the keyboard ... not on a mouse. Also I've found having the wacom tablet and pen feels so much like the grease pencil ... left hand jkl-ing through the footage, right hand poised to strike ... very steenbecky.

Anyway, just thought I'd share it ... the keyboards you already have listed have helped me a great deal with ideas for setting up my XpressDV system ... it's a shame more users don't really understand keyboard mapping, but I've been directing them to your site for tips and tricks.

MICHAEL M. – EXPRESS DV 3.5 SHIFT LEVEL

IVAR I. – AVID ADRENALINE TOP LEVEL

Ivar is an Avid editor in the Netherlands and has this to say:

I work mostly for TV. I normaly work on an Avid Adrenaline. These keyboard settings have grown over the years (I edit on Avid since 1992, when I was allowed to work on one of the 1st of 3 avids here in Holland). Everytime I run into a repetative action I try to put it on the keyboard. And the one's that I keep on using frequently may stay...

IVAR I . – AVID ADRENALINE SHIFT LEVEL

SHARE YOUR KEYBOARD

To share your keyboard, send a screen snapshot to me at the address on my Contact Page.