Elektron Accessibility Keys

Which is why I proposed a double tap func button to latch for those that do, and if you don’t then you don’t double tap it :slight_smile: Heck I think it’s a good feature to have so when you’re on secondary pages (the color below the knobs pages) then you don’t have to hold it down when tweaking and moving from one to the next etc.

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When you have one hand permanent latching is preferable; that’s how I can use my Mac.

Like Brockstar says a fast dbl tap would be great option to have as a setup menu option.

Personally I’d like to be able to engage permanent latching (that disengages as soon as a rotary encoder is turned or a button pressed) as an accesessiblity menu option, so that it doesn’t affect normal use for those with two hands.

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I hope that this happens.

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It’s a hard one to understand for someone who doesn’t need to use accessibility functionality.

I can’t speak for Windows or Linux users but the MacOS implementation is truly wonderful.

Anyone wishing to understand how latching should work needs to take a look at how Apple implement it on the Mac.

One click for a one time latch, two clicks for a permanent latch and then one more click to delatch. It could actually enhance the user experience for two handed use.

For me, it’s allowed me to keep working which is priceless. And to be honest, if the use of my left arm did return, I’d probably still use the latching function.

In fact, for live performance on Elektron/synth gear, i’m sure for some of those musicians who work at the speed of light, it would free up a hand to manipulate an Octatrack/Digitone function.

An onscreen icon would clearly display the latching state too. Take a look at MacOS to understand what i’m describing.

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I have used some of macOS’s accessibility features, notably zoom, which is handy while demoing software. There are also a number of configurable keyboard and touchpad options that are not primarily for accessibility, but must be useful in such situations.

Elektron already has a double-tap precedent with the stop button (double-tap cuts off the reverb tails and other lingering sounds).

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and double tapping each page button brings you to another page if that page has another page… So they know how to do it already and can implement it in minutes probably on the func button to lock it and roll it out in a firmware for all devices!

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That’s a bold assumption, though. As @ichiban points out, you’d want it to be a system setup option. That’s more UI work at the very least. And just because certain buttons have double-tap functionality doesn’t mean it can be quickly turned on and behaviour defined for others. It would depend heavily on the software architecture.

A quick thought - is it possible to map controls that are currently behind a func combination to a FaderFox controller via CC?

I think this specific idea - double tapping - is a good example of how instruments could be made better for everyone by taking accessibility seriously. For those who have specific accessibility requirements , it means the instrument more usable and enjoyable. For those without those same requirements it can transform workflow / live performance options in unexpected ways etc. Double tap on function and trigs would be good for everyone.

That doesn’t answer the OPs specific question (sorry!) and I don’t want to have a pop at elektron. This is my first post on this forum having just bought a digitakt and I’ve been blown away by how much I love it. But this thread just got me thinking about what happens if we flip the question from: “is the digitakt accessible?” to “why isn’t the digitakt already more accessible?”. Or at least “what would make it more accessible”?

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Good accessibility is easiest when you design for it in the first place. Once hardware and engine design are complete, it’s a dice roll whether new accessibility features will integrate well or be a hacky, bolted-on mess. For example, it’s harder to help folks with colorblindness once the LEDs are shipped.

For the record, I like the double-tab to latch, but I don’t know how difficult that would be to enable in the current OS architecture

Only Elektrons knows, but a double tap latch does seem like a somewhat trivial function to develop.

In my mind, the only challenge I could imagine is how to indicate when it is active, since it doesn’t have a LED. But perhaps a dot or something in the GUI would be suffucient, since it would be an opt in function.

In MacOS, when you trigger a latch the OS makes a “clicky” typewriter sound and the corresponding Shift/Option/Command/fn icon appears unobtrusively in the top right corner of the screen as a visual cue.

When you first start using accessibility keys, it takes a few minutes to get used to it then it becomes second nature very quickly.

Anyone who uses a Mac in anger will tell you that your left hand hardly ever moves from the keyboard alt function keys, latching makes one handed use a reality. For me it’s an absolute godsend.

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The span from FUNC to T4 keys on the Digitone is the same as a 9th (octave + 1 whole step) on the piano. That is the largest span on the Digitone between FUNC and any other button. A medium sized adult hand could make this span with some practice. As someone said, above, left handed operation is going to be easier, unless the box can be placed at an angle.

Pressing FUNC while turning knobs…OMG, that’d be pretty hard.

Double tap functions seems pretty difficult. Is the unit supposed to wait a fixed interval for a second tap before registering the first tap?

I think the logic is super straight forward actually. Did you ever use a mouse with double click? :wink:

In this case the button doesn’t even have a single click function. It would either click and hold as i, or double tap to latch

OK, I just received my Digitakt and boy is it an improvement over my Model:Cycles; i’m very impressed with the UI and the ergonomics. Big thumbs up to Elektron, it’s a magical box.

So far, i’ve just been playing around with the presets and to be honest it’s not really giving me any dealbreaker accessibility issues, but i’m yet to start diving deeper into the menu and control surface.

Also, Elektron support came back to me with a very encouraging response regarding a possible Digitakt latching function option in the future. Looks like its going to be discussed internally!

So all in all, not a bad day.

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Excellent!

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Your suggestion too! Thanks.

They did seem very encouraged by it all, I must say.

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perhaps

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Love the hairs on that leg!

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These are a perfect fit for the DT trig buttons:

That should make it easier to set (multiple) parameter locks with one hand or just hold a button.
These have a rubber underside so they won’t damage the buttons.

The magnets might be a bit strong though, I don’t know if that will affect things. But I bet you could take those out somehow.

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