You Won’t Believe How Effective This Keyboard Layout Is

I thought I’d do a little look at my 34 key layout. Hopefully there are some tips and tricks in there that might be of use when creating your own layouts.

Watch next:

36 Key Layout On Moonlander

Designing A Keyboard Layout For Ergonomics

Layout Files:

34 Key Layout for Moonlander in Oryx:

34 Key Layout for QMK:

34 Key Layout for ZMK:

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Heat Proof Mat:

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[thepauljones]

It feels very gratifying to have such high quality content laser targeted at you for what feels like such a niche interest. Great stuff Ben

[jiddick]

2022: Ben Vallack: "my superior 1-key configuration!"

[ddamyanov]

Looks like you’re on your way to 6 keys and added feet tapping for layer switching. Keep them coming

[FelixSargent]

I’d love to see you something along the lines of a typing test on this, especially where we can see how fast you are using this method. That’s my biggest concern about switching to a smaller key layout, is losing my speed of typing.

[zacharyscott]

I love seeing people actually sharing in depth details about how they're implementing their builds, not just "how to." Some great ideas in this, even if I don't go down to 34 keys myself.

[brddork]

absolutely love your videos exploring ergonomic keyboards; it’s always interesting seeing how other people approach layouts, layers, and keyboards and I think i’ll be implementing some of these ideas in my own qmk config.

[AdamHillikerLikesRobots]

I'm a miryoku / colemak addict but this looks pretty rad. Manna Harbour has an old branch where it only activates home row mods when you hit a key on the opposite side so rolling is no longer a problem. Very cool.

[lpanebr]

I've finished my 36 keys and started with home row mods. My switches are kailh black so I'm experiencing fatigue and roll mistriggering modded keys just as you've described. I'm now waiting for blue switches and will experiment with switchable lawyers. Your journey and videos have been a great companion! At first I didn't understand all but as I experimented and came back to them more and more made sense. I'm very grateful to you. Thank you. PS: I'd love a vim video with your current keyboard!

[BenVallack]

Please note the Z on the little finger as shown on layer 1 should be backspace. Doh!

[PqzxnxfPxZHwDRV]

My solution for home row mods is the combo home row mod. The idea is that you press the home row key on both hands simultaneously and then you release it on one hand, but still keep it depressed with the other hand. This means that there is no accidental rollover and no forced delay.

[salvatoretorcivia]

I'd like to hear more about the "IRST" layout you mentioned!

[maximianocoelho]

now imagine a key cap with the characters you are typing, with 2 color LED, the transparent character filter the color of each LED, when you switch layout it changes the color of the LED so you now have a dynamic keyboard with interchangeable character on.

[LievenHanssen]

I love videos like these, it gives me a lot of ideas on how to set up my own layout on my moonlander.

[mateharu]

I managed to actually build my Ferris Sweep and I love it. My productivity dropped massively for now, but I expected that and I'm still figuring out the right layout for me. Anyway, I'd be highly interested in your VIM setup/workflow. Thanks for the quality stuff you're doing! Cheers!

[jeremyallenco]

You continue to inspire me to try new things. My 36 key modded Planck keyboard is my pride and joy.

[Ben-ixyb]

I think the combination of not knowing where my keys are with VIM would be pandemonium.

Do you not suffer a massive drop in productivity when you’re switching layouts all the time?

[dflynn]

Stuck at home, whole family got COVID, so this vid really brightened my day, thx. ISRT is a nice choice. Intrigued to see your 24-key experiment next

[Merlinvn]

My 34-36 keys layout is a modified version of miryoku layout which I moved mod-tap keys to 3rd row, and used 2 keys combo on top and home row for Esc, BS, Tab (left hand) and some common symbols (right hand) like quote, dquote, question mark...

Mod keys appeared in all of my layer for 2 hands and at the same position.

Left thumb 1 is Space + Number combined with Nav in the same Layer, left thumb 2 is Esc + Media Layer. Right thumb 1 is BS + Symbols layer, Right thumb 2 is Enter + FN layers.

It may be slower for hold switch compare to tab switch layer, but I feel it is more natural to memorize the functions of all layers.

[KyekOfficial]

The video I've been waiting for 💙

[georgetroulis]

The Atreus was my first introduction to reduced-key split keyboards, and it blew my mind how much you can do with so few keys. Recently I've wanted to build an even more ergonomic keyboard, and your videos are full of amazing insights that I've been looking for, very inspirational. Keep up the awesome work :D