GOLEM keyboard project
Home / Keyboard building blog

Keyboard sound database

I've published a keyboard sound database. A searchable database of typing test videos with all the relavant metadata and some neat features.

Background

So, enjoying the crisp tactility of my clickies (Box Whites) for 3 years now I was not really into keyboard and switch sounds until very recently.

In general, I simply ignored most sound test posts on r/mk.

However, a few weeks ago, as I edited the Keyboard Builders' Digest, the sheer number of typing tests appearing on the sub somehow raised my attention for the first time.

Since I didn't want to spam the magazine with a bunch of tests, in the KBD #14 issue I've posted a single sound compilation of these typing test videos and found them really cool.

Especially the list format: having all of the typing tests on a single page and thus being able to play them in short succession. To pause them and play them as I wish to taste the different sounds. Displaying multiple typing tests on the same interface made the comparison really simple.

While I was putting together the next keyboard sound compilation (#2) for the KBD Issue #15 I've already started to lay down the foundations of a more sophisticated approach.

A sound/keyboard sound database with metadata, search and comparison function.

Key features

  • browsing
  • searching
  • data sheets / metadata
  • comparison
  • videos start when the typing begins (no talking)
  • permalink to search results
  • permalink to comparison pages
  • starting with about 80 entries

How to use it

You can simply browse the videos, search for specific terms in the database, put them on a list for later comparison or watch them next to each other with all the relevant metadata displayed on a single interface.

Select videos for comparison by pressing the [+] icons all over the pages. Press the comparison button to see them displayed on a single page.

That's it, I hope some of you'll find this useful.

P.S.: Many thanks to the educated people out there putting all the details in the video description and not expecting me to watch a 30 min build video to figure out the specs. THANK YOU!!

Previous post
Behind the scenes of issue 15

Next post
Bad hotkey ergonomics