When I first started using Renoise I was using a 60% keyboard. I quickly got frustrated with having to use the function key with the arrow keys, so I switched to a TKL.
As time has gone by I am left wanting a smaller keyboard again, specifically a corne. To anyone here who has used this keyboard (or similar) inside of Renoise, how has your experience been? Can you recommend it?
Will it have dedicated arrow keys? I think the easiest way to decide is to see how much functionality you will lose, see if anything you would lose matches what annoyed you about the 60% keyboard. I wouldn’t go smaller than TKL personally, but I understand the desire to hunt the perfect kb.
I use Keychron K3 - 84 key lowprofile keyboard. I love the look and size of 60% keyboards but they are pain to use in my scenarios
I agree way too many compromises for use cases beyond gaming and very light typing. I’ve got a low profile mechanical TKL and its possibly the ideal for myself. I dont really miss the numpad at all and the low profile keys feel nice for gaming.
MSI Vigor GK50 low profile:
The reason I asked about corne’s in paticular is because toggling layers and using keyboard shortcuts seems a lot more intuitive than on a 60% or other smaller boards. Not having to move your hands off the home row while being able to access any key you want.
I don’t know about Corne but you could also get a 75% where you at least get arrow keys and some other useful keys.
@IsItWashable Thanks for starting this topic!
I am considering trying Renoise after falling in love with my Dirtywave M8 Tracker since I have had it for two years.
I wanted to ask if it is possible to fly over the interface using only the keyboard because this is something that helps me get into the flow of making music. M8, based on the GameBoy’s LSDJ layout, is a tribute to that philosophy. Can I hop into Renoise on my MacBook Pro M1 and treat it like a bigger handheld tracker, or is it not feasible because of the semi-open structure and too many windows to optimize workflow like that?
@ed_froxt cheers from Keychron K2 user here!
95% keyboard and 15% - mouse in Renoise (plugins, sliders). I use M8 headless and I love it 's keyboard-only workflow, but Renoise is more complicated beast, sometimes it’s just faster to grab the mouse or hit on trackpad to tweak something. Renoise with Macbook - good combo.
Thanks for the reply, man.
About the comparison between the M8 and Renoise. I am a bit concerned I will be sucked into my typical Ableton Live kind of behavior, where instead of making music, I am tweaking every instrument rack and effects and finding the best plugin for the phrase that isn’t even a musical idea yet. I can get instantly dispersed in a sandbox DAW without restrictions…
I know it can sound like a silly overthinking, but despite playing with music for 15+ years, I am still learning myself - now diagnosed with ADHD 
I don’t know if it is available in your country, but it seems that the HHKB now has something called a trackpoint and gesture pad.
I have been using HHKB for over 10 years and have a close relationship with it, so I feel compelled to buy one.
As someone who’s been too obsess with 40% keyboards for the past 3 years (KTEC Daisy, YMD Air40), I do have an opinion on this matter though I do not own a split keyboard myself:
In general unless I get anything less than a 40% (pain lol), any keyboard shouldn’t stop you from using on your machine including Renoise.