Inspiring

Question

Can this playhead behavior customization be achieved in Premiere Pro (24)?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
July 19, 2024
4 replies
1136 views

I would like to have my left and right keyboard arrow keys control the behavior of my timeline playhead in the following manner:

1. Pressing and HOLDING the right key will play the timeline moving forward.

2. Unpressing it will stop playhead where it is currently located at.

3. Same with left arrow, (playing timeline backwards)

4. When playhead is stopped, tapping either of these arrows would nudge the playhead by one frame in either direction. (so if I needed to move forward by 3 frames, I would tap the right arrow 3 times).

Can above be somehow programmed and if so can you show me how to, step by step.

PS: Very experienced editor, but new to premiere, so be gentle HAHA!

This topic has been closed for replies.

MyerPj

Community Expert

FWIW: I don't think it's a good idea to not use the default keys in such a basic and fundamental function of simply using the timeline in this case.

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FaithGrangerFreelancingAuthor

Inspiring

Thank you Paul and Bob. Bob I had already read this article when doing some research but the JFK system does not work very well for me because it's moving the playhead too fast and I'm trying to do precise edits down to the frame. The left and right arrow would work better to to narrow down which frame to cut to however try as I may the left Arrow are not responding properly when I press them nothing is happening I have reprogrammed them several times and occasionally when I press they do work and the rest of the time they don't react I'm not sure why. Perhaps I can take a picture of the screen where I did my customization in the keyboard window and you can see if maybe did not program this correctly. No if I could get the arrows to work properly then I think Paul suggestion could do the trick. Because then I would stay on my arrows and just have to click the modifier key to go from moving one frame at a time to playing the timeline. I think this could work for me. I am going to take a picture and share it in my next post I am not currently in front of my computer.

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FaithGrangerFreelancingAuthor

Inspiring

I was able to program my right side number keys to do the following:

5 - play slowly

0 - stop playing

6 move forward by one frame

4 move backwrads by 1 frame.

Above seems to work HOWEVER I have one big problem with the move by one frame keys 4 and 6. If i press them they do move by one frame, but if pressed again (say I want to move by 2 frames) they no longer respond. As though they can only handle the command once and then ignore it. HOW DOES SOMEONE MOVE FRAME BY FRAME (as many frames as needed, one by one) to achieve precise edits within the timeline itself with this editing software???

Peru Bob

Community Expert

This thread may be useful:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/faq-how-do-i-move-the-playhead-frame-by-frame/td-p/11152868

Kevin-Monahan

Community Manager

I apologize that Faith did not find my FAQ helpful. This is the official technique I taught in my Apple Certified Classes for Final Cut Pro for around a decade. Thanks, Bob, for pointing to it.

The same technique was taught to me in Avid Bootcamp in 1997.

Faith, I ask you to revisit the JKL workflow I laid out. It does everything you need a playback workflow to do. It may take some getting used to, though.

I think it's amusing that you called it JFK workflow. 🙂

Good luck with all your projects.

All The Best!
Kevin

Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio

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PaulMurphy

Community Expert

HAHA yes it was funny, but I could not figure out how to edit my post (is there such option? if so where is it located?). Still, you understood what I was trying to relate so no problem.

Also please don't take it personally: your method is good, but I have built muscle memory from my past 20 years on a different editing software and it is easier for me to try to keep shortcut similar if I can ;). But since my arrow keys don't seem to program well, I have now moved everything to the number keys (I am 10 key by touch so it makes sense), and it is working BUT once again I can only step forward or backwards one time by one frame, then it no longer can repeat the same action unless I press the play key again (which defeats the entire purpose of moving frame by frame to find the precise frame I want to cut to). Any suggestion most appreciated 🙂 I have only been on premiere for 3 days so bare with me please 😉

PS: Something so basic as moving thru the timeline frame by frame should be a simple task. Why does Premiere make it so complicated (and currently not even something I have been able to achieve yet) (sigh)

Faith, just thought I'd add that adding Shift to J and L will move the playhead at one-tenth the speed (Shuttle Slow Left/Right), and with slowed down audio as a bonus. Each repeat of Shift + J or Shift + L will increase the speed of the playback until you reach normal speed.

Cheers,
Paul

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PaulMurphy

Community Expert

Premiere Pro does not differentiate between holding or tapping a key.

Pressing the left and right arrow keys already moves the playhead forward/backward one frame at a time by default, so perhaps you can just add a modifier key to play continuously in either direction.

To do this, go to Keyboard Shortcuts:

1. Click Premiere Pro > Keyboard Shortcuts or Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts.
2. In the Keyboard Shortcuts window, search for Play-Stop Toggle.
3. Click the shortcut currently assigned and press Clear, click in the space and press Cmd + Right Arrow (for example).
4. Do the same for Shuttle Left, but press Cmd + Left Arrow.

With this keyboard layout, Cmd+ Right will play forward and stop, and Cmd + Left will play in reverse.

For more tactile control, you may want to look into something like a Loupedeck console.

Cheers,
Paul

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