Hyper Key to Harmony
Geek-o-meter: 1 2️⃣ 3
BetterTouchTool is by far the smallest app that does the heaviest workload, yet I spend the least time thinking about it. It’s an incredible bridge between input devices and the Mac, serving as both a macro app and a key ingredient in getting Shortcuts to work.
Hyper Key
I initially bought it for the Hyper Key. You’ve probably noticed I’ve mentioned this before. The simple explanation is that the Hyper Key is one key that sends the message of Shift, Control, Option, and Command all at once. It’s efficient for programming since few applications use this combination of keys due to its ergonomics. It’s also quite simple to tell BetterTouchTool that, “For All Apps,” whenever I press the Caps Lock key, it should act as the Hyper Key.
From then on, every time you hit Caps Lock, you’re essentially pressing ⇧^⌥⌘ – all at once!
“But what about using Caps Lock, then?” Do you really need to? Haven’t we endured enough internet scream rants‽ Well, okay then. Instead of programming keyboard shortcuts, we’ll need to change it to Key Sequences / Typed Words. This works just like Keyboard Maestro’s “Typed String” trigger. Set the trigger to be two taps of the Shift key, and the action to ‘Toggle Caps Lock On/Off’.
I have a small LED in my Caps Lock key that flashes when I use the Hyper Key, and it still functions when I double-tap Shift. Also, recent macOS updates have provided us with this little reminder:
P for Play
My mouse is to the right of an alphanumeric keyboard. My right hand sits on this mouse for most of the day, while my left hand is occupied in the area of the keyboard that can type the word “stewardesse” within a five-key span. Equidistant from either hand is the ‘P’ key, which tells Sibelius to “play from selection.” It’s always a debate between my hands as to whose turn it is to press it. So, I asked BTT to press ‘P’ whenever, in Sibelius, I press Option-Command + left-click.
As you can see, I also use it to delete things with an additional modifier key. I’ve also set up some file navigation shortcuts that let me surf through scores like Casey Neistat on a Boosted Board.
These functions don’t necessarily give you more shortcuts in Sibelius, but they do make triggering the existing ones much easier. With a Magic Trackpad, there’s even more you can do just with hand gestures.
For a lifetime license of $24 at the time of writing, this is a must-have if you want to take your input control to the next level.