Best computer mouse for production to speed up work flow?

[bkpoltina]

I am looking into getting a new mouse to help speed up production. I'm currently just using a laser apple mouse with a wireless keyboard. Does anybody recommend a track ball? Iv seen some gaming mice that have quick keys attached and seems like that could be beneficial. I mainly use ableton and protools. Thanks!

[Yoozer]

No, you should learn the shortcuts. They even make keyboard overlays for them.

Moving your finger 2 inches is always going to beat moving your hand to the mouse and then moving the mouse again.

Originally Posted by Lights

You didn't say what DAW you're using

Ableton and Pro Tools. Second to last sentence.

[Lights]

You didn't say what DAW you're using, but if it's Cubase you might want to look into the new modular CMC controllers. They have 6 of them, $150 each. Just bought 3.

[bkpoltina]

Originally Posted by Yoozer

No, you should learn the shortcuts. They even make keyboard overlays for them.

Moving your finger 2 inches is always going to beat moving your hand to the mouse and then moving the mouse again.



Ableton and Pro Tools. Second to last sentence.

I try to take advantage of every quick key possible in the DAW. I do a lot of precise trimming and editing with regional waveforms and the mouse is pretty much what your stuck with using there. Would you recommend a track ball or laser mouse for this. I just feel my workflow should be faster.

[Hoffmanwantsgear]

I use a Sietek notebook mouse, a laser mouse that's smaller and lighter than most, very good for workflow...

[Yoozer]

Originally Posted by bkpoltina

I try to take advantage of every quick key possible in the DAW. I do a lot of precise trimming and editing with regional waveforms and the mouse is pretty much what your stuck with using there. Would you recommend a track ball or laser mouse for this. I just feel my workflow should be faster.

I've always considered mice to be faster than trackballs - but I'd expand my options and look for a Wacom drawing tablet. It's not so much the movement that is faster but it's faster when doing precision editing, IMHO. See if you can test one for a few days or get one secondhand - it's more expensive.

[backplay]

Originally Posted by Yoozer

No, you should learn the shortcuts. They even make keyboard overlays for them.

These where also pretty handy:

[Alex Aliferis]

In regards to learning key commands to speed up workflow- If you're technically-minded there's a program called ControllerMate which allows for the buttons of any USB or MIDI device to be re-assigned to trigger any key or combination of keys, macros containing time offsets, as well as AppleScripts, switching to different apps, etc.

I also second the use of a small Wacom tablet and use mine with the pen while running in "Mouse Mode". The main reason being that it allows you to work for hours on end with no sign of carpel tunnel pain. The down side is that the pen must be picked up and put down for typing, etc. You can also run a dual-control system using a Wacom tablet and a wireless mouse for the best of both worlds.

[Artist4]

I use the magic trackpad and i love it, works very good in logic and ableton,
no idea in protools..

my wrist is very happy with it

[jackaleks]

magic mouse ftw! so easy to scroll around, zoom in and out and all that stuff just by flicking your fingers.

that doesn't really help if you've got a PC.

[zebastian21]

Kensington Trackball... it takes a couple days to get used to it, but once you do it your hands will move so fast.

[SBX-80]

Magic Trackpad FTW.

I could never see myself going back to a mouse or trackball again.

Best way to find out is to test things out for yourself.

[Spip]

Kensington trackball here. Really happy with it. Maybe not the faster but the more pleasant to use.

Does anyone knows if an iPad can be used as a trackpad efficiently, or could replace a wacom ?

[roginator]

[offki]

Amphetamines will speed up your workflow, just ask Philip K Dick.

[payt]

Just using a logitech trackball here. I find it much handier than a mouse, and less RSI-inducing. All that's moving is your thumb, instead of your whole hand, and i have more precise control in my thumb than when i have to move my whole hand

I'm also using a backlit keyboard, which i wouldn't know what to do without anymore. It allows me to work in lower lighting conditions, which i find to be conducive for my inspiration.

[cdog]

In terms of speed, just look at what pro gamers use. No matter how fast you are with your DAW, you arent as fast as a top Starcraft player is...

Its 99% keyboard hotkeys for everything, and just a standard gaming mouse. Practice, practice, FORCE yourself to use those hotkeys, and more practice.

[login]

Originally Posted by cdog

In terms of speed, just look at what pro gamers use. No matter how fast you are with your DAW, you arent as fast as a top Starcraft player is...

Its 99% keyboard hotkeys for everything, and just a standard gaming mouse. Practice, practice, FORCE yourself to use those hotkeys, and more practice.

That being said in starcraft it's prohibited to use keyboard or mouses with macro keys. That would be the fastest possible.

Macros can speed up workflow if you have some comannds sequences you would like to have at hand. There are mouses and keyboard with many aditional buttons you can map to your liking.

[frawnchy]

Logitech MX518 here, great mouse, great price, but oh my, it is uuuuuuuuugly.
It's got seven assignable buttons (great for quick cut/copy/paste and switching between session and arrangement in Live (more intuitive than TAB for getting to a certain section of a track to automate with the other hand on the knob (teehee) before anyone says that).
Wow, triple-bracket all the way.

Unrelated: this specific thread, and no other, kept making my iPhone app crash. Why would that happen?

[aunshui]

I'm a big fan of this combo right here:

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Cordl...8813257&sr=1-2

for when I'm in the studio and have my computer plugged into my monitor.

That said, I've got nothing against using my macbook pro's built-in keyboard/trackpad when I'm on the go.

[offki]

Get a launchpad if you use ableton it's so much faster and better, you can even assign midi buttons to keybaord macros with automap pro, carefull though, you might create a paradox and destroy the universe.

[aof21]

Best workflow time-saving tip I learned from my old boss who had been a pro audio voice over editor / producer for over a decade. Buy any logitech-type mouse that lets you program the buttons (sorry doesn't work with the standard Mac ones AFAIK -- they limit what functions can be programmed) and program the right click to be your backspace / delete key. Seriously makes audio editing so freaking fast!

This is what I currently have:

Logitech wireless mouse.
Left click = left click
Wheel click = right click
Right click = delete key

I also use the tracking speed multiplier to make the mouse move even faster than the default speeds allowed with a normal mac mouse. Some people find this too spastic, but I find it extremely useful so I can get from one side of this 27" monitor to the other with only a small flick of the wrist. This speeds things up a lot for me.

[Acid Mitch]

Originally Posted by aof21

Logitech wireless mouse.
Left click = left click
Wheel click = right click
Right click = delete key
.

So what do youi do when you need to right click ?

[Acid Mitch]

I'm currently using a Logitech mx518 gaming mouse and a Logitech Trackman.
The mouse is generally faster but I get terrible RSI using mice too much.
The Trackman has a far nicer scroll wheel .
I find some gaming mice plugged into a USB 2 port use a lot of cpu cycles. I get better perfornance plugging them into PS/2 ports or going through a USB 1 hub.

[payt]

What's so great about wireless mice/keyboards? My experience with them is that they lose contact with your computer at random times, and you have to replace batteries all the time, and i hate the idea of that. Of course they always run out of power when you can't go out and buy new ones straight away (middle of the night/weekend), so i ended up plugging in the wired stuff in the end anyway.. lol

What's so bad about having a wire run to your computer? Are you moving your keyboard/mouse around all the time?

[Woody Aki]

Logitech Marble Mouse...10 years on, and I still find it to be indispensable!

[brnslk]

Wacom Bamboo

Cheap and pretty great for drawing automation

[Resonance5]

there are mouses for gamers called raptor, once i tried one and i said to myself i had to buy one. but then laziness and whatever made me fail the purchase

[ScoobyDoo555]

On Logic, I've got the silicone keyboard overlay (don't like stickers) and a Kensington TurboMouse 2 trackball.
Great for flying around 2 big screens.

Well, it works very well for me

DAn

[Acid Mitch]

Originally Posted by payt

What's so bad about having a wire run to your computer? Are you moving your keyboard/mouse around all the time?

Some people have their computers located in places that are not convenient to have wires running across the desk/room.