Create Digital Music » Keyboard Shortcut Stickers: Pro Tools, Reason, Cubase, SONAR, and now Logic Pro

Aug 15 2006

Keyboard Shortcut Stickers: Pro Tools, Reason, Cubase, SONAR, and now Logic Pro

EditorsKeys shortcut keyboards use stickers overlaid on your existing keyboard rather than requiring you to replace your keyboard. That has some definitely advantages: I’m not letting go of my beloved Microsoft keyboard, and the custom “shortcut” keyboards sold for programs like Logic and Pro Tools are often absurdly expensive. The EditorsKeys sticker sets cost under US$20, and right now they’re 20% off.

EditorsKeys Shortcut Keyboards

EditorsKeys tells us they’ve now unveiled a new set for Logic Pro, the first to be semi-transparent, so you can move the stickers to different keys if you’ve remapped your shortcuts.

Logic Pro Keyboard

Other sets include Pro Tools, Reason, Cubase, and SONAR, all updated for the latest releases, plus graphics software like Avid, Vegas, Final Cut, Photoshop, Premiere, and After Effects.

Now all I want is a keyboard with tiny LEDs that can change shortcuts depending on the active software. (And yes, I know a prototyped attempt to do just that evidently failed. Maybe later.) In the meantime, these are the most affordable solution.

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13 Comments

Chris

I have purchased these editor keys and applied them to a new keyboard as instructed and for the most part they work well. It isn’t perfect though, a few stickers continually fall off and have to be reapplie which is a bit annoying.

August 15, 2006 @ 10:44 am

Jim

I have been using the Editors Keys for about 8 months now and they are great!

August 15, 2006 @ 10:53 am

Peter Kirn

Well, that to me would be the general problem with stickers, particularly in high-humidity environments. I’m still holding out for my LED keyboard. Did you try cleaning the keyboard thoroughly with alcohol before application?

August 15, 2006 @ 10:53 am

Metro:Sonus

Bollocks that that!

I think this will be the new must have for music. I’ve been waiting on this for 2 years… they “say” a ship date will occur in fall 2006. I’m only a tad skeptical as the website has had a “coming soon” sort of vibe for the last two years.

August 15, 2006 @ 11:22 am

Metro:Sonus

http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/

August 15, 2006 @ 11:23 am

Peter Kirn

Yes, the Optimus continues to look very sketchy. (Thanks for reminding me of the name.) I love that their “press clippings” section has articles talking about the fact that it seems to be vaporware, complete with old (missed) ship dates. It’s hard to say: it’s possible that they mean well and have discovered what many DIY hardware makers have, that shipping new products like this is difficult. Even with good intentions, though, the whole thing could never ship.

It should be *possible*; I’ll say that. Since they have the patents, let’s hope they pull it off.

August 15, 2006 @ 11:28 am

Metro:Sonus

Quite a few of the kids in the computer club at the college I work for (and chair the computer club) signed up for news letters when we went over this about a year ago. Of course, they have yet to recieve any.

While I totaly agree with you, and a product like this would kill the market, I can’t help but feel a bit like this (the website, optimus ect)is a hoax or publicity stunt. If you look at the photos of the designers, they look like promo photos out of some creepy film noir.

I mean, if you look at project gray box, as an example, he had quite a few people donate money to the development, and then *poof* he’s gone. The url was still valid for a long time, so why no goodbye note?

I do recall reading somewhere they were looking for someone to pick up the production, which seemed like a cool idea.

I just hope this isn’t an investment scam or anything..

August 15, 2006 @ 12:35 pm

Peter Kirn

We should clarify — it’s the Optimus keyboard that looks shady.

The EditorsKeys *stickers* (unrelated product, unrelated creator) work just fine! ;)

Sure enough, new-fangled embedded keyboard displays … vaporware. Oldskool stickers: cheap and functional.

August 15, 2006 @ 12:37 pm

Eric Sleaver

I’ve been using the ‘EDITORS KEYS’ every day for 18 months with no sign of wear!

I’m glad you posted about the Logic, set as thats what i mainly use, have just upgraded from Pro Tools to Logic Pro, so that keyboard set is just in time!

August 15, 2006 @ 3:38 pm

arendownie

EditorsKeys are dope.. but for me, I like the feel of the keys under my fingers, not stickers. (plus the edges get a lil’ funky after a while) I bought a PT keyboard from http://www.logickeyboard.com/. They also sell just the keys for replacement of mac keyboards for 60.00 to 80.00, which isn’t cheap, but not insanely expensive. They have sets for Nuendo/Cubase, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, and most video and image apps for the mac.

August 15, 2006 @ 8:14 pm

bliss

What? No set for Digital Performer? Boo.

August 15, 2006 @ 11:03 pm

Jaymis Loveday

Looks like the mini Optimus keyboard was actually real:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/88ee/

So, I guess the Optimus could happen eventually, attractive! I’d probably switch back to triggering visuals with qwerty if I could make a little thumbnail of each clip show up on the keys :)

August 17, 2006 @ 9:59 pm

Create Digital Motion » Optimus Mini Three Unwrapped: Can I Get An Amen?

[...] I don’t think they’ve done it just to spite Peter and CDMu readers, but not 3 days after the “is it vapourware” conversation, Thinkgeek have unboxed the first step towards Optimus. [...]