DIGIDESIGN PRO TOOLS CUSTOM KEYBOARD - STICKERS

Until you actually use a set of keyboard short cuts for the Pro Tools recording environment, you have NO idea how fast you can be when it comes to laying down and editing your audio tracks.

You are most likely like everyone else and using the mouse to go to the tool bar, hitting the drop down menu and then finding your desired option and clicking on it and then going through another sub menu to get to the choice you really wanted.

If you have a lot of disposable income, you may have purchased the actual Digidesign keyboard that sells for the over $100 U.S. Dollar range and are quite happy with that. If you are an average musician, you opted for the stickers that then get placed on your existing keyboard and do the same thing for fewer than twenty bucks.

I fall into the second category. I am now on my second set of these things. Second set? You ask. Why in the world are you on your second set of stickers? Have you worn them out?

Well, no. Not exactly.

The first set actually ended up peeling off the keyboard after about six months of fairly heavy use. The second set, ordered from the same company, has lasted over a year and is still going strong.

What is my recommendation for the longer life? Do yourself a favor, go to an electronics superstore and but a NEW keyboard, use a cotton swap with alcohol and wipe off the keys BEFORE applying the stickers.

It seems that on my first set, I just applied them on my existing keyboard and the oil from my fingers caused a less than good bond and hence the pre-mature lifting of the stickers.

That’s my observation, not that of the manufacturer. But a new keyboard, alcohol, swabs and stickers set me back a whole twenty-seven bucks, I can deal with that.

I've had my iLok for a few years now. Its really more of an essential than a necessity as it is required for most of my plug-ins with Pro Tools 7 LE. Its great to have all of my authorizations in one spot and to be able to carry them around with me from my studio to other studios. However, if I were to lose it it would certainly be a hassle to be without my plug-ins for that amount of time. Its also a bit of a hassle to register and to set up all of the plug-ins with the iLok, but once it is done, it is done. There are no other models of the iLok that I know about, as Digidesign really sort of has a monopoly on it. Its pretty cheap and is definitely worth the money if you have a bunch of plug-ins that you need to travel with, or if it is required with plug-ins that you purchase. I couldn't function without mine simply because I need my plug-ins whenever I am doing work.