Describe your typing style...

[ASETNIOP]

Hi everybody,
I've realized that I don't quite adhere to the "traditional" method of touch-typing as it's taught, though I'm pretty close.  Here's the "standard" map for which fingers use which keys - we'll call this METHOD ZERO.

Left hand:
pinky: QAZ
ring: WSX
middle: EDC
index: RFVTGB

Right hand:
index: YHNUJM
middle: IK,
ring: OL.
pinky: P;/

Space bar: either thumb


Here's what I do - the biggest difference is the bottom row keys for my left hand, I pull them diagonally down and to the left instead of to the right; I just find it feels more natural for me. I also type the B using my right hand and only ever press space using the right thumb.  We'll call mine METHOD ONE. 

Left hand:
pinky: QA
ring: ZWS
middle: XED
index: CRFVTG

Right hand:
index: BYHNUJM
middle: IK,
ring: OL.
pinky: P;/

Space bar: right thumb ONLY.


How do YOU type?  If you do something different than the above described methods (and I'm sure many, possibly even most folks do), please share and give it a name!

[pyro]

I used to type all over the place on QWERTY, but still using all 10 fingers and not looking at the keyboard. I've read before that touch typing properly on qwerty doesn't make all that much sense and I obviously agree with that.

On Dvorak I now touch type properly most of the time, but do deviate slightly, which overall slows me down, but makes typing more comfortable at the same time. So in "but" I'd use my right ring finger to type the "t" ("k" in qwerty), because my whole right hand moved one key to the left to type "b" before.

This is all on a straight column keyboard (the TECK. The Kinesis Advantage pretty much forces you to type properly regardless of your preferences).

[badcop]

i had a very strict typing teacher in middle school who used to scream at people for using the wrong form and typing with the wrong fingers.  i can safely say i type in the "standard" map.

[Tym]

"Manly" I press everything hard and fast Usually make a lot I mistakes too :3

[davkol]

I used to cover one more column with my left index finger, when touch typing on QWERTY. Obviously—I'm left-handed. Apart from that, I did the same thing on the bottom row as you do, and I can't recall if I used right Shift at all.

Now, my typing technique on Colemak is... proper. The only deviations are on the number row because of my short fingers—I rarely use my pinkies there, but it's kind of an issue when switching between staggered and matrix layout, the latter is pretty much unforgiving in this area.

[CommunistWitchDr]

Been learning Colemak.

Left
-----
Pinkey- qaz backspace
Ring- wr
Middle- fsx
Index- ptcgdvb

Right
-----
Index- jhblnkm
Middle- ue,
Ring- yi.
Pinkey- ;o/'[]\ enter

[daerid]

I'm pretty much a standard touch-typist.

left pinky: 1 q a z l-shift control(caps) l-win
left ring: w s x 2
left middle: e d c 3
left index: r f c v t g b 4 5 6
right index: y h n u j m 7
right middle: i k , 8
right ring: o l . 9 - = backspace r-win
right pinky: p ; / [ ] ' \ enter r-shift r-win

left thumb: l-alt
right thumb: space r-alt

That's about right... might be some I missed.

[ksm123]

I'm pretty much a standard touch-typist too.

left pinky: Esc 1 q a z l-shift control(caps) l-win
left ring: 2 w r x
left middle: 3 f s c
left index: 4 p t v 5 g d b
right index: 6 j h k 7 l n m
right middle: 8 u e ,
right ring: 9 y i .
right pinky: 0 ; o / - [ ' = ] \ backspace enter r-shift

left thumb: space
right thumb: AltGr

I almost never use right Ctrl.
As you can deduce from letters layout, I've switched to Colemak layout, but after a month of using it, I'm still not comfortable with it. Fortunately I'm able to type fast enough in it for my work and posting here, and still getting better.

[vvp]

Standard key allocation to fingers (as it is taught). But I rarely use staggered keyboards so the standard is also the best for me.

[CPTBadAss]

I think I'm a standard ANSI touch typist except for the fact that I never use the the right shift or control.

[tipo33]

I hit the "b" key with either hand, apart form that I am a standard ISO QWERTY touch typist.  For Russian I use the phonetic YaWERT (яверт) layout.

[Turbo Slaab]

I'm a graceful pecker. )

[SpAmRaY]

I'm trying to figure out how to answer the question I'm not really sure what fingers I use to hit what keys. Maybe I need to get the security camera and record myself typing. And no I'm not trolling I'm serious.

[rowdy]

Chaotic.

[Mandolin]

Left hand: lazy
Right hand: overlord.

[nubbinator]

I'm a six finger, two thumb typist who occasionally hits a modifier key or something like the backspace key with his pinky.  Somehow I still manage to average 60WPM when I get into my flow when typing.

[noisyturtle]

8-fingered pecker with a thumb.

[nubbinator]

8-fingered pecker with a thumb.

You've got a weird pecker.

[Turbo Slaab]

8-fingered pecker with a thumb.

You've got a weird pecker.

TWSS!!!!!!

[esoomenona]

I touch the caps and things happen on the screen.

[phx]

[Grim Fandango]

I am a completely standard touch typist, with only three things I do differently

-I use the left index finger to hit the C key. Not sure when I started doing this. Was unaware of it until recently.
-I use the B key with either the left or right index finger depending on which key preceded it. I do not do it consciously, but I think I use the hand that is closest.
-I will sometimes use my left thumb to hit shift (huh?). I think it was caused by using my thumb to hit Z,X,C when gaming or something. It could also be a result of when I broke my pinky playing basketball. Again, this was not a conscious decision, it just kind of happened. I can refrain from doing it if I want to, but I really do not mind.

[GeoTang]

Pretty standard with mistakes that are probably from typing faster than I should.

[Infallible]

I'm a six finger, two thumb typist who occasionally hits a modifier key or something like the backspace key with his pinky.  Somehow I still manage to average 60WPM when I get into my flow when typing.

This but 90-110wpm depending on the day. I'm not sure how it would limit you that much honestly.

[inteli722]

Left hand:

Pinky: Q A and Control (capslock position)
Ring: Z X S ans W
Middle: E D and C
Pointer: F R V G B
===========
Right Hand:

Pinky: / ; ' [ ] \
Ring: P O L . ,
Middle: K I
Pointer: J U M N H Y
===========

Right thumb always hits space, and I have to look down for numbers...

[Paspie]

Even on my ThinkPad I can't type particularly fast, and even during normal usage I find myself going back and forth with mistakes and stuff...drives my mum mad. Still, its something I'm used to, so yeah. It gets even worse when I try to use other keyboards (particularly membranes without a scissor-switch).

[Internetlad]

I can only type QWERTY, but I can type it rather well. As far as the letters, everything is in place, but I have a bad habit of not using the right shift, control or alt as applicable (I seem to only use the left by moving my hand one row to the left, so capital Z would be pinky left shift, Z ring finger). I never learned to do numbers/symbols particularly well so I make a lot of mistakes there, but I do constistently try to replace my bad habits with good (when I took formal typing in high school, I never knew how to do numbers at all, but over time I forced myself to use proper finger assignments, and learned to touch-type row 1 to a good degree of accuracy.)

I still get confused about 567, and often use my left pointer for 7 and right pointer for 5, especially when typing 6,7

[lazerpointer]

Compulsive.... Extremely fast if I've got the sentence in my head already.

Also a bad part of my style is my left pinky gets little "proper" use besides shift / control. And the right shift is NEVER touched.

Again, just very impulsive / compulsive (I tend to edit my posts a lot... lol...)

[whiteduck]

im a fan of this thread since I found out I don't type "standard" hah:

Left hand:
pinky: a , control, shift
ring: wsqzx
middle: ed
index: RFVTGBC

Right hand:
index: YHNUJM.,
middle: IKLOLP/;' backspace
ring: enter...
pinky: right shift...

LOL!

[Internetlad]

FYI




I guess I type the 8 wrong too, that's middle finger for me, 7 is index.

[Tarzan]

I practice Zen typing.  Float my hands over the keys, hit random keys until I figure out where my hands are, then go from there.

Probably why I'm able to adjust quickly to all the varied keyboard layouts I've had on my desk lately.  IBM/Unicomp Model M's, 122-key terminal versions, ISO, ANSI, TKL variants (Noppoo Choc Mini and TG3-82), SkiData...

I touch-type most of the time, but sometimes I'm at a loss for words and find myself looking at the keyboard as a prompt for what to type next.   

[Piro]

Here's what I do - the biggest difference is the bottom row keys for my left hand, I pull them diagonally down and to the left instead of to the right

I do this too. It's much more comfortable and promotes better wrist angles. Trying to stagger your hands as the keyboard looks is folly!

I use a custom layout based on Dvorak with a wide mod on a normal (staggered) keyboard.

[Dubsgalore]

I hammer out on the keys, bottoming out on every keystroke.
I've always typed on ANSI
i used my right thumb for the spacebar 
i really push down hard and go as quick as i can..not sure my current wpm but it's getting better and better

the lighter the switch, the more typos i make. On my DAS with browns i constantly was making typos...let every few letters.
I get faster and more accurate with everyday i have been typing on mechs

[Rendom]

Bottom out, very hard smashing. : p

[Alessandro]

Something like this:


http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=5pa6SGYWADU&p=n#/7;8

[dndlmx]

Um basic qwerty. No fancy stuff. I can touch type, but need to look at number keys periodically. Which fingers access them, can be all over the place. Sometimes need to look function keys. Trying to get used to HHKB layout now, so x2.

[SpAmRaY]

The more I think about my typing style I realize how little I really type. Most of my keyboard entry is commands that are are really short

But I try to be very light on the keyboard and not bottom out.

[Hazel]

I used to be a chaotic tangle of fingers flying across the keyboard! 

I would peck furiously with my index and middle fingers, sometimes with my ring fingers, rarely with my pinkies, and never with anything resembling technique.  For me, typing was a frantic dance, always on the brink of disaster. My fingers were guided entirely by muscle-memory - I could type without looking, but only if I didn't think about typing.  Any time I lost my momentum, I needed to look down until I got the fingers flying again.  I was a destroyer of backspace keys.

This year I learned to touch-type on the Colemak layout. It's like I suddenly grew up.  My typing is now calm, serene, and mostly and error-free.

But I still cheat by hitting 'C' with my index finger.   

[Riddixk51PB]

i rage type in the "standard" map

[Photoelectric]

Thanks to my high school typing class (on loud, buzzy, very hard to actuate electric typewriters), I touch-type without looking most of the time.  In the class, I did not learn the number line very well and had to look often to check myself, but everything else was pretty solid.  It was actually playing games (like MMOs) later on that solidified my knowledge of the number row   I find that I mostly hit Space Bar with my left thumb, and my right thumb rests just under the Space Bar much of the time, providing support for my right hand. 

I enjoy typing softly without bottoming out, and I'm actually wondering if having a tactile bump has been a bit of a distraction...  Considering trying a soft linear switch now (MX Reds).

I'm useless with numpad (never need it), so I'm doing away with my full-sized keyboard.

[dndlmx]

In the class, I did not learn the number line very well and had to look often to check myself, but everything else was pretty solid.

I think that's pretty common. To this day, I can't 100% remember which symbols correspond to which number, either (for shift layer).

[Sniping]

Bottom out, very hard smashing. : p

Pretty much how I typed until I started buying expensive keyboards haha

[Photoelectric]

The only issue I have with touch-typing is that I became so dependent on knowing my reference points (F and J keys).  Makes it difficult to play games that have you put your hands on the number row (like MMOs).  I feel unwieldy doing more complex combinations that way, like alt + shift + number or what not.  And keys closer to the space bar, like c, x, z.  Basically irritating that I can't "touch play" as well as I can "touch type".

[Masterchief79]

I learned 10-finger writing pretty much by myself, without a teacher, so... I tried to make a list like everyone else, but my writing style depends to much on the words I'm typing. For some, I use my left pinky on Y (German layout = swapped Y and Z), for others I even use my middle finger on Y. Same with S: Sometimes with Ring, sometimes with index finger.

PS: I got to about 125 words per minute with this so I guess it can't be that bad^^ Strange when typing other languages (as this one) though ._.

[Ominorvas]

I learnt to type while playing games, I just type as feels natural to me and it makes me type really fast, although looking at people typing on youtube i get the impression that I'm doing it wrong

[Masterchief79]

Forget to add something: I don't use right Ctrl and Shift. I mean, not at all, the right shift on my QPad has been pressed maybe 5 times in half a year.

[Photoelectric]

I never use the right Ctrl either, unless I'm not actively typing and just need to go back to my keyboard and press Ctrl (then I choose whichever is closest, with my index finger).  I do use the right Shift for modifying any key on the right side of the keyboard.  I should add, my function keys have historically been rather far from my fingers (significant gaps on my older keyboards), so I never learned to use them.  I always have to look at my keyboard to use F1-F12.

[iAmAhab]

I've never bothered to learn myself touch typing. I primarily type using my two index fingers, but sometimes I manage to incorporate my other fingers. I use the right shift key and the left winkey. I always bottom out hard.

EDIT: Can anybody recommend a good way to learn touch typing?

[davkol]

EDIT: Can anybody recommend a good way to learn touch typing?

Just do it. Start right now. Set an image of the keyboard layout as your wallpaper, optionally cover your hands on the keyboard with a towel, and type. That's how I learned to touch type.

Another way is to do boring lessons in some specialized software or online, but it's sooo boring. Just type a bit more in something like Amphetype or play Typing of the Dead.

[Jack]

I jackhammer with all proper finger placement in Dvorak, except for not strictly shifting with the opposite hand. With just about any keyboard but a Model M I'm afraid I'll break something eventually. This HHKB isn't long for the world.

[SpAmRaY]

After giving this more thought and paying attention a good bit of my typing is done entering commands etc primarily with my left hand as I tend to keep my right hand on the mouse.

Although some things I do require a good bit of data entry with the number pad and in those situations I just keep my left hand on tab and enter with the right going back and forth between the number pad and mouse.

[fateswarm]

I'm trying to follow proper traditional technique. When I do unproductive mistakes (and notice it) I try to correct them.

However, the fastest typist in the world (around 235WPM I think) (uses a Das Keyboard by they way) said that he uses dynamically the 'closest' finger sometimes instead of the 'proper' one.

So, it's not that bad to do dynamic switches on the fly.

Though if you're a novice (like myself) it's hard to figure out sometimes if the "mistake" is 'dynamic and productive' or just a mistake.

[Poom]

I think using different layouts mutates my typing.... for once I was normal using only ANSI, then started using ISO (after i moved to Germany) then switching between mac and windows.
first stage of mutation was that the lefft shift keys got smaller on ISO, so i had to pay so much attention to hit it as in to reach further, enter need further reach also, so i ended up only using left shift, that makes shift+a difficult.
then comes the command and control, there were a point where I only use mac, and so my left thumb is concentrated on the left command key, i lost the ability to press the spacebar with that thumb and because my right thumb always presses the spacebar, i cant use the right comman key.

anyone else feels the same that switching between different layout makes your typing weirder? or say less-standard.

[Lanx]

the only thing i took away from junior high school, was proper typing technique, pretty sure it was on an apple 2 that i learned on. Kept it ever since.

A lot of ppl in my generation are 2 types of typers.

hunt and peckers or

chatroom/aol ppl.

Heck i still remember my wife saying "HeLlO, HoW R YoU" in aol speak, man that really worked your pinkies.

[Zustiur]

I use all the 'correct' fingers for method zero... except apparently for 6 which I always thought was supposed to be right index finger. I also do freaky cross-overs at times. If it's easier in the moment to press a right hand key with my left hand I will (particularly when mousing). I think I use both thumbs for the space bar, but the right thumb is definitely dominant.
At rest I'm either on the home row, or just scattered wherever my hands fall. As long as I can feel the nubs under my index fingers, I'm in the right place. I doesn't matter where the tips of my other fingers rest. They just move to wherever feels comfortable at the time. And it changes a lot.


-edit- actually, looking back at the diagram provided by InternetLad, most of my numbers are wrong.
Pinky for 1
Ring for 2
Tall man for 3
Index for 4 and 5
Index for 6 and 7
Tall man for 8
Ring for 9 and sometimes 0
Pinky for 0, -, = , backspace

Poor right pinky, does so much work... yet it's my left one that hurts.

[SeriouSSpotS]

I use method two.

[germy]

I'm a pecker.

[aj-kun]

Touch type newb, only 55wpm, no flow whatsoever.
Bad habits: sometimes I press, y h n 6 with my left pointer.
Other than that all fingers in the correct places.

I only started using the right shift so most of the left hand Caps are typed with left pinky on shift + letter.

[Findecanor]

I have been typing "untamed" a long time. With some very few exceptions, I am a four-finger typist.
The left Pinky is planted above the left Shift key (ISO, far left) and the left Ring finger is almost always over the letter 'A' when not used for Control (Caps Lock).

I think that my brain translates words into typing by breaking down the words into smaller combinations that can be typed faster. At the lowest level, these combinations are bigrams. I have noticed that I tend to type bigrams with keys next to each in fast combinations of an Index and Middle finger on the same hand. Then there are lots of bigrams with 'A'. (left Ring and Index finger). The most common of these for the English language must be {ER} and {RT}.
Example. The word "OPERATION" is typed as {OP} {ER} {AT} {IO} N, but {NO} is also a common bigram and I find that my right Middle finger lingers over 'O' as I press 'N' so it would be just as true to say that I type it as {OP} {ER} {AT} I {ON}.
I am not too consistent. How I type depends on the word. The keys in the middle of the keyboard (Y, G, B) are typed with different hands depending on the word. I sometimes type bigrams {TY} and {GH} as Index/Middle finger combos, but not always.

Some keys on the far right of the keyboard are typed mostly with the right Ring finger. I press Enter and Backspace with the Ring finger.
I use the right Shift for shifting keys on the far right and for that I use the right Pinky.
Many times I press large keys on the far right with two fingers together. Sometimes the Pinky is there to reinforce the Ring finger when pressing Return and sometimes the Ring finger is there to reinforce the Pinky when pressing Shift. The Ring finger can sometimes be reinforce with the Middle finger when pressing Backspace, but never with the Pinky.

Gah.. All this analysing of my typing style muddles up my typing of this post... Heisenberg's principle definitely applies here..

[TheUnknownZ]

I can't recall if I used right Shift at all.

So that's where the right shift is for, I just never realized it's for the capitals on the left hand.

I can touch type QWERTY fine I guess but over the years the speed is decreasing I caught myself personalizing/using other fingers.
I took type lessons and to finish it and get a certificate you had to get 100WPM or more, but these days I'm at about 70-80.
For my password I have a weird habit of typing it so that I can type it very quickly with 2 or 3 fingers.

I'm going to try to make the right shift usable for me

[microsoft windows]

Here's my typing style:

Right hand:
Pointer finger: QWERTYUIOP[]\ASDFGHJKL;'ZXCVBNM,./`1234567890-=\

Left hand:
Pointer finger: Shift key

Right fist:
Backspace key & Enter key

[SpAmRaY]

Here's my typing style:

Right hand:
Pointer finger: QWERTYUIOP[]\ASDFGHJKL;'ZXCVBNM,./`1234567890-=\

Left hand:
Pointer finger: Shift key

Right fist:
Backspace key & Enter key

What about the number pad

[Quardah]

Here's my typing style:

Right hand:
Pointer finger: QWERTYUIOP[]\ASDFGHJKL;'ZXCVBNM,./`1234567890-=\

Left hand:
Pointer finger: Shift key

Right fist:
Backspace key & Enter key

This much trolling overdrive made me lol so hard everybody in the office is looking at me right now.

[lazerpointer]

Compulsive.... Extremely fast if I've got the sentence in my head already.

Also a bad part of my style is my left pinky gets little "proper" use besides shift / control. And the right shift is NEVER touched.

Again, just very impulsive / compulsive (I tend to edit my posts a lot... lol...)

Bit of an update to this. (this time touching on form of typing, rather than actual output)

I've lowered my keyboard, and raised my arm rests on my chair. Let me tell you, this has improved my accuracy and comfort exponentially. (before, in the quote above, my wrists were literally resting on the table in front of the keyboard, with my long fingers just reaching up to tap the keys. I believe this led to a lot of fatigue, leading to mistakes and typos.)

Now, I strike down from above. My hands stay almost stationary, while my fingers strike down into the keys. This is how I'll be typing from now on. No more sporadic typing either - I have a rhythm to my typing now. Constant taps, then a pause to think and reflect. It's like i'm more relaxed now.

[agodinhost]

I do use my palm face to tab the space bar, is that normal?

Sometimes I do punch the keyboard too but this is talk for bar, another time.
8-)

[Quardah]

Here's my typing style :

I'm pretty much only using the 60% main surface area. I don't really like numpads myself but i use them from times to times when i have heavy maths to do.

I usually starts my words with my middle finger and then it always depend what finger is closer to the letter to click it. i use my fourth finger for the accent module on the right and for my left i use it only for the QAZ row. Middle fingers is used for Backspace caps tab enter shift control esc (Both 60% side columns i mean) and both thumbs are on spacebar and also used for alt and win keys. Sometimes spacebar is clicked by the Index.

Pinky is a little flyish when i typing very long words.

Numrow is divided at digit 6 for left/right hands.

I very rarely use caps, i leave a finger on shift instead. **** caps i hate this ****key, only good for worthless 12 years old losing arguments over the internet.

I don't really use function keys on my fullsize 7G, but at job i mostly use them on the Poker II which they are fairly easy to use (FN + the key looking for).

I guess that is all.

[divito]

I think I have one of the strangest typing styles that probably isn't all that efficient. When I get time, I will try and make a video to showcase my weirdness.

[wiredPANDA]

I think I'm a standard ANSI touch typist except for the fact that I never use the the right shift or control.

This is me.  For whatever reason, I don't ever use the right side modifiers.  The only exception to that is the "Menu" key.  I use the hell out of the "Menu" key, but then again, I like to avoid using the mouse for as much as possible.

[Topre]

I have a weird typing style. I type with my left ring finger on the F key, and my left hand types all the letters. My right hand takes care of the modifiers, spacebar, numbers, and symbols. Believe it or not, I get over 100 WPM using this style of typing.

When messing around, I just like to roll my face on the keyboard.

[microsoft windows]

Here's my typing style:

Right hand:
Pointer finger: QWERTYUIOP[]\ASDFGHJKL;'ZXCVBNM,./`1234567890-=\

Left hand:
Pointer finger: Shift key

Right fist:
Backspace key & Enter key

What about the number pad

I press the numbers there with my right pointer finger too. I prefer the number keys above the QWERTY pad though.

[microsoft windows]

.