{"id":9831,"date":"2026-05-06T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T08:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/?p=9831"},"modified":"2026-05-05T12:26:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T12:26:19","slug":"controllers-and-macro-pads-for-video-editors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/licensing.routenote.com\/blog\/controllers-and-macro-pads-for-video-editors\/","title":{"rendered":"Controllers and macro pads for content creators and video editors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Time is the most important resource we have. When video editing, every small workflow automation or shortcut adds up to save you a significant amount of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The QWERTY keyboard you type on every day was designed in 1873 for letter writing. It wasn’t designed to assist you in controlling your video editing software. More and more creators are switching to dedicated controllers and tactile interfaces to have better control of the software and save time whilst doing so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s look at why you’d consider integrating them into your workflow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maintaining the “Flow State”<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Getting distracted, or bogged down in processes, is the quickest and easiest route to breaking your “flow state”. Each time you have to menu dive to hunt that specific effect or plugin, is it not time spent being creative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having a dedicated controller that pins your most-used actions to its buttons will move those commands into muscle memory. When a button is always in the same physical spot, your brain eventually stops “thinking” about the command and just performs it. You can stay focused on the screen and decisions, and outsource that mental fatigue to a controller that handles it for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stream Decks and Macro Pads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
There are town main ways of approaching this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Macro Pads: <\/strong>These are, in effect, mini keyboards, so every button can be programmed to do anything. These are usually favoured by editors who want a set of physical buttons for their most-used tools or commands.<\/li>
Stream Decks:<\/strong> Stream decks are like the above, but each key has a tiny display behind it, providing context. \u00a0You can have a “Music Editing” folder where the icons change to your DAW tools, and a “Video Editing” folder where they change to Premiere Pro shortcuts.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Dial in control<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The mouse is a clunky choice of interface for scrubbing through a timeline or making gradual changes to a parameter, but when you can map these to a dial or a slider, all of a sudden, this can open up way more creative possibilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In Video: <\/strong>Moving a dial to move frame-by-frame through your timeline or clips gives you precise control<\/li>
In Audio: <\/strong>Adjusting volumes of tracks using sliders, or sweeping a filter using a knob by feel, will feel more natural, like using a professional mixing desk.\u00a0This “analogue” feel can lead to more organic, better-sounding results.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The “Multi-Action” miracle<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The real superpower in these tools is the ability to really automate your workflow. Sure, you can map basic functions to these keys, but what about mapping complete workflows to a single key?! Pressing a single button can now perform a sequence of events that would usually take you a minute or more. An example of a single button automation could be: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Save your project.<\/li>
Nest your selected clips.<\/li>
Apply your favourite “Colour Grade” preset. project. <\/li>
Open the Export window.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
If you can automate as many of the boring or process-heavy aspects of your workflow, you free up so much more mental energy for the creative bits that really require your talent and focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, you can edit a masterpiece on a $5 mouse and basic mushy keyboard if you really want to. When your volume and quality of work increase, it’s only right that your tools grow with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using a controller or macros isn’t about being lazy, it about making your workflow more efficient, and Removing the barriers between your ideas and the screen. Once you experience those time saving-measures and tactile feel, doing back to a “point and click” style of editing will feel like painting with a brick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Stop risking your channel\u2019s revenue and momentum on a flawed system.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
RouteNote Licensing guarantees that the music you license is protected from Content ID claims, allowing you to focus on what you do best: creating great content.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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