Option-Click: Time or Reason

Apr 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By David Battino

           
 

DISCOVER COOL FEATURES LURKING INSIDE POPULAR PROGRAMS

Don’t waste time browsing long controller lists in Propellerhead Reason (propellerheads.se). Option-click (or Alt-click) on the control instead.

Learn a few keyboard shortcuts, and you can speed up your Propellerhead Reason work flow dramatically. One of my favorites comes from Propellerhead's Gerry Bassermann: Option-clicking (Alt-clicking in Windows) on nearly any knob or fader will create an automation lane for that control in the sequencer. That avoids the mile-high parameter list you'll see if you use the automation pop-up menu in the sequencer itself.

The Option/Alt key is also your friend in the Dr.REX loop player; Option/Alt-clicking on a loop slice will audition it. In the Redrum drum machine, Option/Alt-clicking on a trigger pad inputs a lower-than-normal Velocity, whereas Shift-clicking inputs a higher one. The pads light up in different colors to indicate low, normal, or high Velocities. Command/Ctrl-clicking on a knob will reset it; Shift-clicking will put it in high-resolution mode temporarily. Grab a PDF of all the keyboard shortcuts at tinyurl.com/d989tg. (For more about David Battino's work, visit batmosphere.com.)