Hello, I searched around a bit and didn’t see this feature requested. I’m new to the software too, so I would be delighted if this was a feature but I simply hadn’t found it yet.
It would be very helpful to be able to turn on a keystroke sound when inputting text. This is not as trivial as it seems, and existing software does not do the trick. During long periods of writing I often get tired and want to get in a more comfortable position to rest my eyes, but to also use my wireless keyboard to continue typing. Also, sometimes it is good to freewrite without looking at the screen if you need to turn off the internal editor for a moment.However, there’s always a fear that I’m typing but for some reason I’ve accidentally changed fields or entered a dialogue box that I don’t see because I’m not looking at the screen. If this happened you could easily lose a great idea. It would be great if Scrivener could support some audio feedback that only worked when text was actually being entered and saved into the file. Existing software turns on keystroke sounds globally, so these don’t address this particular need.
Idiosyncratic need I know, but it would really make a difference for my style of workflow! I’m 26, this is not nostalgia for the look and feel of a typewriter
I have no idea if Keith is open to this kind of feature, but even without having keystrokes making sound in Scrivener directly, there’s a program that can add key clicks to specific programs (or all programs on the mac if you prefer). It has a trial, and a license is very cheap:
Thanks for the reply! Just wanted to put the idea out there. I wrote my first big term paper in Scrivener and turned it in yesterday. Loved the process, it really made a difference!
I tried Typewriter Keyboard and found it a little hokey, and it doesn’t offer the program specific feature Robert mentioned. I’ll try Keyclick and see if that does the trick, thanks!
Why not get a keyboard with a nice clicking sound? I wholeheartedly recommend Unicomp’s Customizer 104/105, especially when you’re from US (international shipping costs are prohibitive).
Hey! That’s my keyboard!. Same colour and everything.
Could not recommend it enough! I love that thing to death.
Of course, it should be noted that the IBM-quality “newsroom in the '70s” sound effects do not turn off when you move out of the Scrivener text edit window.
You’ll love it! When you get it hooked up, you will need to use the modifier keyboard preferences to switch Cmd and Option around (or maybe it is Ctrl and Cmd? I forget, it’s been a while), otherwise it will feel backward. Since it is like an old Model M, you can switch the physical keycaps around to be more intuitive too, or replace them with some alternatives.
I bought it yesterday (all of five bucks!), thanks to Robert’s tip, and I find that I really like the (optional) sound of the old, mechanical typewriter, complete with carriage return bell and ratchet noise. It somehow breeds a sense of accomplishment.
I wrote two books on an old mechanical portable in the late 70:s/early 80:s and I guess I’m suffering from some kind of nostalgia. Not that I’d want to exchange Scrivener for it, though. I’m not that nostalgic; not yet.
There is an application called Ambiance, which used to be free (I don’t know what its current status is). It is just a host application for background noises which you can download for free. There are probably thousands of looped sounds. Everything from what it sounds like on the International Space Station, to crickets, to jackhammers. I’d be surprised if they didn’t have a busy office pit or two.
