Keyboard Modes
ReaClassical has several keyboard modes for screen reader users. Each mode swaps in its own set of single-key shortcuts for one kind of task, so a whole task can be done from the keyboard with every action announced through Clara. Only one mode is active at a time, and the keys listed below work only inside that mode.
- Crossfade Mode, started with F: edit a crossfade
- Item Edit Mode, toggled with V: edit one item's fades, edges and gain
- Mixer Mode, toggled with Alt+S: mix without touching track selection
- Recording mode, entered automatically while recording: a restricted, safe set of keys
In every mode, Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E (Exit Mode) returns you to the normal keys, and it is safe to press if you are not sure which mode you are in. Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H (Menu Help) opens a browsable list of the ReaClassical menu with the shortcut for each item, and Alt+K toggles Panic Mute, which silences everything that can reach your hardware outputs (it only unmutes what it muted itself). Space plays and stops, and Q and W move between items, in the same way as outside the modes.
Note
Item Edit Mode and Mixer Mode need Clara. Sighted users work with item fades and the mixer directly, and use REAPER's two-lane crossfade editor in place of Crossfade Mode.
Crossfade Mode
Press F with the right-hand item of a crossfade selected. ReaClassical treats the selected item as the crossfade's right-hand item, and the left-hand item is the one whose end crossfades with it. It selects both of them and their peers across the folder and turns on ripple-per-track until you leave the mode. If the selected item is not the right-hand item of a crossfade, you are told so. Press F again to leave. This gives the same control as REAPER's two-lane crossfade editor, which is used instead when Clara is not installed.
Most keys act on the selected side of the crossfade: select the left item (S), the right item (D) or both (A).
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| A / S / D | Select both / the left / the right item |
| Z / X / C | Audition the crossfade (1.5 s either side of its center) / the left item up to the center / the right item from the center |
| Ctrl+Z or Shift+Z, Ctrl+X and so on | The same auditions with twice the length (3 s) |
| ← / → | Slip the item's audio left / right (downstream material ripples) |
| Ctrl+← / Ctrl+→ | Nudge the item left / right |
| J / K | Shift the crossfade left / right (no ripple) |
| I / U | Widen / narrow the crossfade |
| P / O | Grow / shrink the start of the fade |
| ] / [ | Grow / shrink the end of the fade |
| T | Cycle the fade shape |
| N / M | Match the right item's fade-in to the left item's fade-out / the reverse |
| ↑ / ↓ | Raise / lower the selected item's volume by 1 dB (Ctrl+↑ / Ctrl+↓ for 0.2 dB, Ctrl+0 to reset) |
| 0 | Reset both fades to a 35 ms equal-power crossfade |
| Ctrl+Alt+0 | Revert the crossfade to how it was when you first edited it this session |
Slips, nudges, shifts, widening, narrowing and fade changes all move by the project nudge amount (set it with the Terminal command nudge=20, in milliseconds). Most actions also have a larger "x modifier" version on the same key with Shift or Ctrl added (for example Shift+← or Ctrl+J), which moves by the nudge amount multiplied by the modifier amount (Terminal command mod=10). Some actions are blocked when both items are selected, because they only make sense for one side.
Each keyboard crossfade action announces what it did, and the Announce Selected Items action tells you whether the left item, the right item or both are selected. Outside crossfade mode, Alt+Q and Alt+W jump between crossfade groups.
Item Edit Mode
Toggle with V. The mode works on the item that is currently selected, and follows the selection: move to another item with any navigation key (Left, Right, Q, W or a click) and the mode announces the new item and which side of the fade is active. Press V again to leave.
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| S / D | Choose the fade in / the fade out as the active side |
| I / U | Grow / shrink that fade |
| T | Cycle the fade shape |
| 0 | Reset the fade |
| P / O | Grow / shrink the left edge of the item |
| ] / [ | Grow / shrink the right edge of the item |
| ↑ / ↓ | Raise / lower the item's volume by 1 dB (Ctrl+↑ / Ctrl+↓ for 0.2 dB, Ctrl+0 to reset) |
| Ctrl+S | Save the project |
Holding Shift with a growing or shrinking key (for example Shift+I or Shift+P) uses the larger "x modifier" amount. Edges move by the Item Edge Grow/Shrink Amount (default 500 ms), and the modifier multiplier applies on top. Set both in Accessible Preferences under Other Settings.
Mixer Mode
Toggle with Alt+S. Mixer Mode acts on a current target, a mixer, aux, submix or other special track that you move between with ↓ and ↑. It never changes REAPER's real track selection, so folder, item and take navigation carries on as normal while you mix. Press Alt+S again to leave.
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| ↓ / ↑ | Next / previous special track |
| M, S, P | Toggle mute, solo, polarity on the target |
| Shift+M, Shift+S, Shift+P | Unmute all, unsolo all, normal polarity on all |
| = / - | Raise / lower the fader (+ / _ for larger steps) |
| 0 or U | Fader to unity (Shift+U for all tracks) |
| K | Fader to minus infinity (Shift+K for all tracks) |
| ← / → | Pan left / right (Shift+← / Shift+→ for larger steps) |
| C | Center the pan (Shift+C for all tracks) |
| F | Open the target's FX chain |
| R | Open the target's routing |
| I | Announce the target's input |
| Enter | Announce the target's status |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S | Set a mixer snapshot |
| Shift+J | Jump to a track by typing part of its name |
Grouping keys: G groups tracks (use Alt+G to group a multi-selection), Alt+L lists the groups, L reports the current group, T toggles grouping for the current group and Ctrl+T toggles it for all groups. Ctrl+G removes the current group and Ctrl+Shift+G removes all groups.
Navigation also works inside Mixer Mode: Alt+↓ and Alt+↑ move between folders, Shift+D goes to the first folder, and Q and W move between items.
Recording Mode
While a recording is in progress, ReaClassical automatically switches to a restricted set of keys, so nothing disruptive can be pressed by accident. The keys available are:
| Keys | Action |
|---|---|
| F9 | Stop recording |
| Shift+F9 | Increment the take number |
| Ctrl+F9 | Pause |
| Alt+A / Shift+T | Announce the take number / the highest take |
| Ctrl+Shift+J | Announce the timeline position |
| M | Add a marker |
| S | Split items at the cursor |
| E | Show or hide children |
| Ctrl+Alt+→ and similar | Zoom to the whole project |
| Alt+S | Mixer Mode (leaving it returns you to Recording mode) |
| Ctrl+Enter | The Terminal |
Zoom and view keys are available too. Stopping the recording returns you to the normal keys.