Tools & Tips For Learning A New Keyboard Layout (Or How To Type Faster!)

In this video I look at all the most useful tips and tools I’ve found when learning a new keyboard layout. In my case I used these tools to learn Colemak DH but the tools are certainly useful for learning any kind of keyboard layout. All the tools are of course also ideal if you just want to get faster on Qwerty or any layout.

Firstly we look at http://keybr.com which is an excellent tool that trains the new layout by introducing keys one at a time and only adding new ones once you have learned the last one. This tool uses common patterns rather than whole words.

Next we look at the Colemak Discord server and how http://monkeytype.com is the go−to training tool used on there when sharing typing speed test results.

Next we look at the Ngram training tool which drills common bigrams. The importance of this kind of training is often realised when you find yourself repeatably getting the same word wrong.

Basically each of these three tools seem to work best when training is shared between all of them, with each one boosting the benefit of using the others.

On top of that I look at some tips like using a keyboard shortcut to delete whole words when you make a mistake.

This is the fifth part of my series on learning a new keyboard layout. In my case Colemak DH after a false start with Workman.

You can see the other parts here:

Switching From Qwerty To Colemak DH (via Workman)
   • Switching From Qwerty To Colemak DH (...  

What’s The Best Size & Style Of Keyboard For Learning Non-Qwerty Layouts
   • What’s The Best Size & Style Of Keybo...  

Why I Stopped Using The Workman Keyboard Layout
   • Why I Stopped Using The Workman Keybo...  

Should You Use a Non-QWERTY Keyboard on Your Phone?
   • Should You Use a Non-QWERTY Keyboard ...  

How To Type Faster By Cheating (Alt-Fingering)
   • How To Type Faster By Cheating (Alt-F...  

Keyboards featured in this video:
GergoPlex:    • GergoPlex – A Detailed Look At This U...  
Corne:    • RGB delight! 3D Printed Corne Custom ...  
Moonlander:    • Moonlander Split Keyboard Review, Sou...  
Planck EZ:    • Planck EZ Review - The Best Small Mec...  

Links from the video:
  / discord  
https://dreymar.colemak.org/tarmak-in...
https://www.keybr.com
https://monkeytype.com
https://ranelpadon.github.io/ngram-type/

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Contents:

0:00 Intro
0:16 Keybr.com for learning key placements
0:50 Use time off when learning to avoid down-time
1:37 Mistakes might be too much movement
2:09 MonkeyType for speed tests and drilling whole words
2:45 Big bag of tricks for amazing collection tips and tools
2:55 Ngram for getting fast at common bigrams
3:12 Alt+Backspace to correct whole words
3:48 Bigram training to fix tricky words
4:23 Importance of training all three tools
4:48 Some thoughts on how it feels to type without mistakes on Colemak
5:28 Looking back at Qwerty
6:21 Effort and reward, should you learn a new keyboard layout?

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