Key Command to Play from Playhead

I've seen several threads on this topic but none answered what I'm trying to do - perhaps it is not possible.

 

The space bar is "Play" for me; it's been embedded into my brain since I bought Logic years ago. Using rough estimates: 80% of the time, I want Play to Play from Last Locate Position. 20% of the time I want Play to Play from Playhead - where the Playhead is at that moment.

 

I can't get space bar to Play From Last Locate Position and setup a Key Command to Play from Playhead - as I don't see "Play from Playhead" as an option for Key Command assignments. I can do it vice versa by unchecking the last two options in the Play-button options, then setting up a key command for "Stop or Play from Last Position" but then I'm only using space bar 20% of the time and have to rely on a new key sequence 80% of the time.

 

First world problems, indeed. Does anybody know how to set up a key command that Plays from current position of Playhead? I don't have a keyboard with a numeric pad if that comes into play, but would be interested to hear if it has this feature, if one exists.

In KC assignment window, have you tried the Stop or Play from last position*.

I have set mine to Shift+Control+Spacebar.

That way, when all the play options in the contextual menu are disabled (unchecked), pressing [spacebar] will play/pause the playhead, and when pressing [shift+Control+Spacebar], the playhead will start playing from the last manually set position.

I can't (...) setup a Key Command to Play from Playhead - as I don't see "Play from Playhead" as an option for Key Command assignments. (...) Does anybody know how to set up a key command that Plays from current position of Playhead?

How about "Play"? It's assigned to enter (which is also fn-return) but can be reassigned to anything you'd like.

Quick and dirty way; press pause twice, that's what I do when in cycle mode..

David - I totally missed that command, and found your solution too good to be true. I fear it was.

 

Fn+Return engages "Play" like so: If the "Play From Last Locate Position" Play-button option is disabled, it Plays from Playhead (good) but if that option is enabled, it Plays from Last Locate position. So it mimics exactly what the spacebar does regardless of Play-button option settings, which doesn't help (unless I missed something).

 

Pause button JakobP - didn't know one existed. I see "." (period) is assigned as its key command, which would be great except that it's superseded in priority by the "Forward" command. I don't use Forward all too often (though I do use it) so maybe that's a tradeoff I'm willing to make.

 

Edit: A quick fix, of course, would be to find something else to use as Forward's key command.

 

Interestingly, the Pause button is technically assigned to "." on the numeric keypad while Forward's "." is assigned to the regular keyboard's "." So this could be totally resolved without losing any existing key commands with the simple purchase of Apple's $199... no but seriously, a numeric keypad would do the trick - something I've been toying with off and on, but wasn't sure I'd use.

 

Maybe this is the numeric keypad calling to me. Thanks for the feedback all.

Therein lies the problem - you expected too much from me

 

Didn't even consider switching Stop/Play From Last Position to spacebar - I had it assigned to some weird, uncomfortable shortcut then began wailing about the problem on the forum. Good thing I don't teach Logic Pro for a living...

 

Thanks David!

Great! You're welcome.

...And saved me from needing a keyboard with a numeric keypad (for now at least).

 

Speaking of - and perhaps this needs its own thread - is that something you (or anybody who wants to chime in) finds useful: the expanded key commands a numeric keypad offers? They sound like nice options but I'm not sure if the extra keyboard width would annoy me. Maybe it's one of those things you could just use at opportune times...

I used to have one and back then I swore by it. But I haven't used one in years and haven't missed it. It's like many things. My scroll-wheel mouse for example. I've been trackpad-only for years now.

I hear that, I've dialed down more "extras" the past few years and found I now just have more space. Though I do still use external monitors (maybe you do too and just mean you use an external trackpad, not a laptop). Anyhow good info, thanks.

Believe it or not I've been working on a 13" MacBook Air for a few years with no external monitors and just using the internal trackpad. That was supposed to be a temporary situation but ended up a couple of years. That's when I realized I didn't need as much as I thought I did. All of a sudden I realized I wasn't missing my mouse, or my 27" screen. I'm now back on a 27" Retina iMac and obviously I love the screen, but I stuck with a trackpad (the Magic trackpad).

 

And even the large screen took some getting used too, I feel like sometimes I have less dragging motions on the small screen which forces me to work differently but sometimes I wonder if that isn't more efficient. Less viewing area to focus on and smaller distances to move your mouse pointer over.

Wow, 13" is hard to believe given how what you do. Maybe I've become so used to bigger monitors that I just think I need them... because when I use my Macbook (15") as a laptop it works perfectly well for anything I'm doing. There's probably a lesson there.

 

Your mouse comment hits home: I've had to adjust my Magic Mouse's tracking speed higher several times upon getting a 35" monitor (tracking speed is now 6/7) just to avoid moving my hand wildly over my entire desk to get across the screen. I've dismissed external trackpads only because I've always used external mice, but I like Macbook trackpads above all other navigation techniques so trying one does make sense...