Why Every Studio needs a TRACKBALL MOUSE

[@mrmikis]

Hey Alex. You forgot the main reason to use a trackball. A mouse or a trackpad WILL give you repetitive strain injury (RSI). Personally I switched to using a Wacom graphics tablet when I got serious ongoing pain using those horrible devices. I do have a Kensington trackball as well for other people who can’t get with a tablet.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Oh wow I actually NEVER KNEW THAT! Will defo pin this comment

[@mrmikis]

@@WhoIsAlexElliott 👍❤️

[@tommyapocalypse6096]

I've been using a trackpad every day, all day, for over 12 years, and I've never experienced an RSI. Maybe the Lord's been watching over me all this time. 🙂 I'm still interested in the trackball, though.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

@@tommyapocalypse6096Defoe give it a shot. It’s super useful. I use both a track pad and track ball for the Apple gestures. 👌

[@mrmikis]

@@tommyapocalypse6096 OK. Maybe I over egged it! Or you have very thick wrists! 😂.

[@Mike-vr7mb]

Trackball is life! 15 years now and will never go back! 🤭👌

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

I’m only 4 years in and loving it 🙌. Your a real veteran 👌👌

[@cryptout]

Yes, been using it for years and even learned to use it with both hands 100% worth it!

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Haha both hands. WOW! You took it to a whole other level 😂🙌

[@JamesLloydKeyboardist]

Wow, coolness. 🎹♥️

[@whiteblade69]

I have a big trackball with a ton of buttons to the right of my keyboard, but a second smaller ambi trackball on the left side and I use my left hand on that one when I'm playing guitar, or eating snacks. Sometimes my left hand is just the one that's more free to use the computer and having a second trackball is quite handy!

[@NiharSavala]

I agree. I switched to ELECOM HUGE trackball the wired one. I suggest every musician to switch over to trackball over regular mice. You’ll save a lot of pain & thank yourself.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

It’s soo good right?

[@loslobosjr]

I agree, I love my Kensington mouse - been using mine for 15 years, maybe longer

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

🙌🙌

[@eddiecardona1161]

I been wanting one for a minute. This video might be my sign to go ahead and do it

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Do it 🎉🎉🎉😂❤

[@JAdeWii_]

that interface is TOO clean!

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

👌👌👌

[@coreymumper2208]

This video did it! I ordered the bad boi and excited to optimize my workflow, most anything has to be better than the mouse I am using currently lol. Thanks so much and I thought your comment about being Thanos of music production was hilarious hahahahahahah

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Hahaha glad it made you laugh. And hopefully once you get over the initial hump of learning to adjust you’ll love it ❤️🙌

[@glennloopez]

I agree. difficult start when switching. people should be aware the Kensington software modifications are NOT available if you connect with Bluetooth, only via USB dongle

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Hay so I actually use the Bluetooth not the USB dongle and it’s working great for me. So maybe they updated them?

[@jonsteen]

I'm always trying to explain to people how great trackballs are. It took me a couple of tries to get with it, but I've been using one since 2012 and will never return. These days, I'm using the Logitech MX ERGO Plus. It's less customizable but very comfortable for everyday, all-day use.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

I agree & really love trackballs. I’ll check out that Logitech one you mentioned also!

[@JamesLloydKeyboardist]

I use that same one. Switched from trackpad as I have hand pain due to a pinched nerve. I love it too. 🎹♥️

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

I’m really glad you commented cause some people felt the medical benefits were made up.

[@DojoOfCool]

The last place I did audio before I retired the engineer that trained me for the gig used both a mouse and one of the earlier trackballs. He had the trackpad to the right of the keyboard and the mouse on the left side of the keyboard. I never saw a pattern to when he used trackball or mouse so I finally asked him. He just said whatever hand was convenient but he favored the trackball. I tried using the trackball, but never got used to it, I had more control with the mouse. These days I use a trackpad, but sometime grab a mouse because I can be more precise with it editing.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

I use a trackpad for the Apple gestures like pinch to zoom and four finger swipe up. And trackball for everything else. Took me a month to get converted but was so worth it in the end!

[@vodkastudios4170]

The most precise control you will get is from a good gaming mouse and a good gaming mousepad, literally made to have precision as the most important thing. Shortcut wise, gaming mice only have like 5 buttons so there is not as much as the trackball but you can still make the buttons activate shortcuts, and there are other mice with plenty of buttons but those are too busy for me. The biggest advantage of the ball is that you do not have to move it so it does not require that much desk real estate.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Yeah I tried going back to a mouse and can’t handle it. Even though a gaming mouse can be precise that level of precision is not required for this work. The location of buttons I think is more important. The layout of this Trackball is great and you don’t have to move your worst. With a mouse I’m constantly having to lift it up and slide it to get from one end of my ultra wide to the other because desk space is limited. And if I increase the speed or sensitivity then it’s too much. most engineers who do a lot of studio work prefer a trackball for this reason. 🙏. Especially if you have your monitor controller located near by.

[@lmpcrew]

One of my best investments, I had all my pro tools shortcuts, moved to S1 and sleeping on me to remap them for StudioOne shortcuts 😂🤦🏾. Thanks for the motivation to sort this out for S1 💪🏾✊🏾👌🏾

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Haha. Glad I can motivate. You defo will feel the improvement when you map those shortcuts haha 😂🙌

[@NihilQuest]

A Logitech mouse usually also has a bunch of buttons that you can set up and more of them than a Kensington mouse, so that's hardly an upgrade. I have been using Kensington for 4 months and I find it slower for big movements and less precise for small movements. I use a modifier key to slow down the cursor for precise adjustments (Kensington software hast this option and I'm not surprised), something that is not needed with a mouse. So why am I not going back? It doesn't wreck my arm! When I started waking up with electric shocks in my right arm I knew I had to change something and Kensington solved the issue. It never happens anymore. So overall, yes, absolutely get it if you're someone who use a computer a lot. I even found it great for some type of gaming. Just don't expect it to be a miracle work upgrade, it's certainly not like that for everyone.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Thanks for sharing your valuable insights 👌

[@creative-ray-music]

But still, I miss the scroll wheel for scrolling pages 😮 I also work for something else on a high end windows computer, gaming simulation, gaming testing and development. So, I need and ergonomic trackball mouse with a scroll wheel. There are many but a few are realy looking good. I need to test them👍🏼

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

I understand. There is actually a scroll wheel that surrounds the trackball for this particular expert version but in all fairness I use my magic track pad for scrolling as it’s super easy and I got used to it 👌

[@creative-ray-music]

@@WhoIsAlexElliott Next Tuesday I will hopefully receive my Kensington expert mouse optically wired(not a fan from wireless in my studio) with my external 5TB SSD USB-C from LaCie. Hopefully the mouse will give me satisfaction during production. There are some reviews with disappointments that I have seen, but I hope I don't receive a bad apple or with an producting/factory failure. Sometimes when rolling the rackball in one fast movement, the mouse won't respond. we'll see or a small ruby-ball at the sensors is missing. Keep my fingers crossed

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

I havnt had that. But one thing I didn’t mention cause it’s a little nasty haha. Is dead skin can build up overtime in the sensors you just take the ball out and clean them if your ball is moving slow.

[@creative-ray-music]

@@WhoIsAlexElliott I already noticed this. But no food, drinks or pets in my studio. Because we also have that with producers, right? But I also have alcohol wipes here. So if you pick your nose or scratch my head, take off your hands first. A bit extreme, but I'm in a 40k euro studio. Respect in my studio hahaha

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

@@creative-ray-music😂😂😂😂

[@SoftClip_Q]

Collect those thanos stones. I love studio one myself but it crashes all the time for me no matter what version so I’ve never been able to escape logic. Thanks for the tip. Just got one off Amazon. The reviews on there seemed to echo what you said ie it was a hard switch to make took some time but it was worth it. Thank you for the tip.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

You won’t regret it. I actually loved studio one and left logic to go to studio one when it was still running on Intel Mac. But studio one on Apple Native silicon has been a nightmare. That and when FENDER bought them out, it just hasn’t been the same! I went back to logic also and I’ve been playing with ableton lately which is fun! Today someone asked me for a PA mic and I can’t even open the studio one session file. Soo frustrating!

[@Simeon_Harris]

i was jonesing for one of these a while back, but didn't have the money for it. i'm using a logitech mouse with some buttons on that i love and i think this will motivate me to map those buttons into logic (it does the same per app mapping as the trackball). i did put all my most used shortcuts into a lemur layout for my ipad, but having some right there under your fingers is a massive time saver.

[@Simeon_Harris]

oh and i just have to ask....what happens when you get all the daws? you get so powerful you don't need a mouse or trackball at all? or you gonna f s up like a bad boi

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

😂😂😂 I don’t know. Still need to capture reaper but the sacrifice for that one may be too heavy 🥲🥲

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

That’s awsome. The shortcuts are really powerful but I’d say still give it a try if you can buy and return cause the ball is super fast once you get use to it also!

[@JamesLloydKeyboardist]

@@WhoIsAlexElliottI love that I can have long, fast pointer movements easily which I don’t believe is possible with a mouse. May I offer, for shortcuts, an iPad is awesome. On it I use logic remote, studio one remote, and most recently, stream deck mobile for ipad. Stream deck is on another level, but the 1st two also allow access to controlling the mixer. I’m now using stream deck to open logic, studio one, KZbin, favorite websites, and I can create practically any shortcut. I hope someone finds this helpful. 🎹♥️

[@TheChrispablo]

I dont even use shortcuts i like the fact that it has little strain on my wrist and i am way faster with the ball. Love mine!

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

👌👌

[@nofood1]

The shortcuts sold me

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

That’s what sold me also. I save so many hours! And I inspiration can flow smoother

[@esongsore]

ooh what a timely video. Was convincing a work friend to get one today...and she looked at me as if I was out of my mind. LOL I have my protools shortcuts setup on the buttons I don't use for regular operation.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Haha perfect you can send her this video loool honestly I was on the fence for many years cause it was so awkward but I’m SO GLAD I took the time!

[@esongsore]

@@WhoIsAlexElliott same here. 👍🏽

[@HOLLASOUNDS]

I used a Trckball Mouse years ago, Im talking 20 years ago, they have been around a long time. I prefer a mouse or trackpad however I dont use My Razor laptop trackpad because to big the buttons are not highlighted so is a pain.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Fair enough.thanks for stopping by and sharing anyways

[@Qmayb]

shortcuts you have on almost any gaming mouse and/or keyboard

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Yes this is correct but it doesn’t have a trackball

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Read through comments for the actual trackball medical benefits 👍

[@tubeo94]

I bought one because every studio I was in has one. It strained my fingers so much i have to switch back to normal mouse

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

There should be any pressure on fingers at all. All the motion is in your wrist. How long was you using it for? This is first I’m hearing of fingers being strained?

[@antgeeze7129]

Thanks ..glad i subscribed.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Glad to have you 👌

[@TeeDubz]

Never tried one. Might check one out! Cheers

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

When you get the hang of it. It’s super powerful!

[@thejoffshow7674]

So in Logic id be able to have something like CMD+G as a single button? Im buying this immediately

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Yes exactly that. And then 1 other single press custom button and then another 4 dual press custom keys

[@JAMPROSOUND]

I have three of them and a Shuttle Pro V2. I got tired of all of them somehow. I might start using the Shuttle again though.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

So did you go back using a mouse? And did you have custom shortcuts set up?

[@JamesLloydKeyboardist]

Thank you for this. 🎹♥️

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

No problem at all!

[@Mike_Benz_]

I've always wanted one of these but then came across the Logitech G502 Hero which is only around $60 (so if it ever breaks I can easily replace it) and has up to 11 customizable buttons, I have 8 custom key functions on it for Ableton, Reason and Pro Tools. So I find it hard to change to another. If I had very limited desk space I would definitely go with one of these instead.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

It takes a while to adjust but once you do it’s much quicker and less work. Cause you can keep your hand rested!

[@Mike_Benz_]

@@WhoIsAlexElliottI'll have to have a look into one

[@diegooliveirabenjamin]

Magic Mouse for life

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

The Apple one?

[@diegooliveirabenjamin]

@@WhoIsAlexElliottexactly, I’ll explain. I have very bad sight, and it works almost like a Touchpad, so Im using the zoom just by hitting option and scrolling up and down, and in Pro Tools navigation is just like anything else, the timeline is seemingly accessible and zoomable.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Fair enough. I use to use Magic Mouse but just don’t have the space for it and the addition of shortcuts is really key for me on the trackball

[@nofood1]

People hate it but It’s the best mouse for Mac.

[@politicallyopinionated]

The trackball speeding up your workflow is debatable and subjective. Everyone's workflow is different. My MX Master 3 works great for all of the short cut keys and also have X Y axis track scrolling and zoom. The only advantage I see over my MX is the space saving aspect, not needing desk real estate to move a mouse around.

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

A lot of people in comments have said it helps with their wrist injuries also. And everything is subjective indeed. But I am way faster on a trackball than I ever had the potential to be on a mouse. 👌👌

[@JudgeFredd]

Great

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

🙌

[@johnviera3884]

show zoom! how’s the zoom!?!?

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Honestly I use my trackpad for zoom. Because you can just do that Apple gesture. But if you have trackball then you can use the wheel

[@envisagefilmshouston]

Love mine on pro tools

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

🙌🙌

[@Vancejabariali]

After switching to a Trackball I can’t go back, especially with custom button configurations. #Trackballgang

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

It’s so elite! 🙌🙌

[@JamesLloydKeyboardist]

Looks like you’ve got them all except bitwig. No worries, bitwig is kinda for ’rebels without a daws’. Jk 🤪🎹♥️

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

I need to test bitwig as I’ve certainly heard great things about reaper also!

[@AOEarlobe]

😂😂 I use the same mouse and forgot it could do that.. Donkey me. 🫏🙄

[@WhoIsAlexElliott]

Bro this mouse is so elite haha. And it’s about to get so much better for you! 👌😂🙌