• You are not logged in.

Aaargh - Developing Muscle Memory Is So Hard

  • Started by TwoLeftThumbs
  • 85 Replies:
  • Reputation: 1
  • Registered: 15-Apr-2014
  • Posts: 107

I love this keyboard! What was involved in modding it?

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 11
  • Registered: 06-Jun-2013
  • Posts: 551
Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 0
  • Registered: 11-Jan-2017
  • Posts: 45
jfmcbrayer said:

I love this keyboard! What was involved in modding it?

I bought the Magiforce Keybaord with Gateron Brown Switches
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HH … UTF8&psc=1

Then I bought the Retro key cap set which is semi universal but definitely is perfect on the Qisan Magiforce
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6 … UTF8&psc=1

Very simple with the key cap puller that came with the keyboard, I pulled all the keys and replaced with the retro or I like to call it Steam Punk
keys.

Unlike the original keys that came with the keyboard the Retro Keys are all the same height so I changed the layout to Colemak and
all the Keys are even.

By the way the Gateron switches type like a dream. Super light actuation

Liked so much that I bought one for office and one for work.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 1
  • Registered: 15-Apr-2014
  • Posts: 107

Nice! That sounds reasonably simple!

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 0
  • Registered: 11-Jan-2017
  • Posts: 45
jfmcbrayer said:

Nice! That sounds reasonably simple!

I'm two left thumbs, If I can do it anyone can.

Luckily the space bar was a simple pop in and out
didn't have the metal brackets that some keyboards do.

It took less than an hour.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 0
  • Registered: 11-Jan-2017
  • Posts: 45

Slowly but surely my typing speed is increasing. I just hit 45wpm average in Typeracer.

I do have to admit that I've started cheating. If the score is under 42wpm I just stop on the last word and refresh the screen.

But my proficiency is increasing almost all are above 40WPM.

I have found that it helps if I stop Typeracer for a day ar so. Go back to basics with lessons on Sense Lang and than return to typeracer.

Seems that after a few days memory of the keys and mistakes begin to get reinforced and I have to go back to basics to move forward.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 11
  • Registered: 06-Jun-2013
  • Posts: 551

haha - typeracer efficiencies i call them, that and skipping any texts that look obviously long/difficult ;)

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 0
  • Registered: 11-Jan-2017
  • Posts: 45

Once I reached around 40 words a minute I layed off training.

Recently I started Typeracer again and I'm at a Solid 50 wpm. It seems that the more time that I use Colemak the more my muscle memory improves. It will be interesting to see where I am in  a year.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 21
  • Registered: 08-Oct-2017
  • Posts: 223
TwoLeftThumbs said:

Once I reached around 40 words a minute I layed off training.

Recently I started Typeracer again and I'm at a Solid 50 wpm. It seems that the more time that I use Colemak the more my muscle memory improves. It will be interesting to see where I am in  a year.

Yeah, I'm slowly gaining speed as well, and Typeracer is a fun deviation, I do actually enjoy using amphetype and a good e-book better, it let's me focus better, and it works offline as well.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 0
  • Registered: 24-Oct-2017
  • Posts: 12

This is what I needed to read after a pretty frustrating day at 17WPM! Amazing progress.

Offline
  • 0
  • Reputation: 0
  • Registered: 11-Jan-2017
  • Posts: 45

11 Months later
I just realized that I've surpassed my old qwerty speed.

I've been peaking at 56 words a minute and my bottom on the hardest ones is 44. With most in the 47-50  range. Doing every single challenge and counting the first 3 that I type as warm up. I'm an honest 48-50 WPM. Most of my scores are in the high 40s. I find I enjoy typeracer better when I play honestly because I can look at past scores and see progress.


When I stopped qwerty I was around 35-40wpm on qwerty but I did have an occasional burst up to 60.

I can really feel the muscle memory getting better. Is feels like my fingers are beginning to glide across the key board. I found one thing that helped was to type with my wrists in a more upright position. And to loosen up my fingers. it's easy to have a low wrist and tight fingers sometimes you'll type better but in the long haul wrists raised high and fingers-hands  loose seems to work best.

From repetition I'm able to do so many combinations of letters effortlessly without thinking. It will be interesting to see if in the coming year I move up into the 50s.

I'm just not the most coordinated guy but who knows.

I should mention that typing qwerty used to make my fingers and wrists a little sore but typing Colemak has been much better on them.

Last edited by TwoLeftThumbs (16-Nov-2017 17:48:24)
Offline
  • 0