ErgoMechKeyboards

I use a custom layout that is way different than qwerty, in ortho and column staggered boards, for about 2 years. And for my surprise I still can type as fast as before in my laptop. If you go for a layout that is not similar to qwerty, it might help retaining your muscle memory.

Just a short term thing. You asked your fingers to think twice before typing. They are giving you opportunity to rewire muscle memory. Once you are done learning they will go back to normal.

I experienced this at first with my ergo, and for me it is currently not an issue. There are some minor issues with some of the super common keys that are in different places (like enter which is currently on my left thumb on my ergo, and right pinkie on normal keyboard).

Starting with my ergo was also very disheartening (for me I went way too extreme with my switches which killed my accuracy for a month), but I love it now.

If you stick with it you’ll make steady consistent progress. One thing that really helped me was tracking my progress with monkeytype.com - it might not feel like you’re getting better but seeing how closely correlated practice and improvement are really kept me motivated to stick with it.

I haven’t lost the ability to type as I previously did, though I do find myself resenting being forced to use laptop keyboards. I can do like 60wpm hunt and peck on a row staggered keyboard, and a bit more touch typing on an ortho/ergo/split, but I can’t touch type on a row staggered kb and I can’t hunt and peck on an ortho/ergo/split, haha

While I still needed to think about the split ortho layout I struggled a bit going back and forth, but once I got fluent with split ortho I stopped having issues switching between them. It's just a learning curve, you will very likely get past it.

I haven't personally tried, but I have heard a lot of people say that switching between isn't too bad. It can take a minute or two for the memories to come back though.

I've also heard that using different keymap layouts (ie, QWERTY vs COLEMARK) on different physical layouts. QWERTY for typical rowstag, COLEMARK for ergo.

I use a QWERTY layout on my moonlander and I don't have any problems switching between it and my laptop. As others have said, it can take me a minute or two for the muscle memory to come back, but then I'm fine afteer that.

My only issue is that I purposefully removed CAPS LOCK from my moonlander and I keep accidentally hitting it instead of TAB on my laptop. But that's a me issue and not a huge problem.

I use a keyboardio which is pretty similar to the moonlander layout and don't really have much issue with switching between it and my laptop keyboard. Ive been using it for a few years now, so I don't remember exactly, but I think in the beginning while I was still getting used to keyboardio I had trouble switching between them, but once I got better with it they were different enough that I can use either with no real issues. If I had to guess, in the beginning your brain is a little overwhelmed with the new keyboard layout that it gets a bit foggy when switching back to a regular one, but then once you learn the new layout it kinda solidifies in your mind and becomes a separate muscle memory.

I work on standard 104 key keyboards for my day job, but run an Iris Plus with custom keymap at home. I found that during the period that I was learning the Iris, my ability to type on a regular keyboard diminished slightly. I attribute this to the fact that for the first time in years I regularly had to think about what I was typing because I was learning a new layout. Once I pretty much had the layout memorized, I had no problem whatsoever switching back and forth.

It might have also helped that I wasn't typing exclusively on the ergo, so it may benefit you to practice on a standard layout every so often if you are concerned about slowing down.

You can if you keep it up. I regularly switch between several physical layouts, and it's not a problem if the keymap is the same.

I can still use my laptop keyboard, but it's annoying without the keymap efficiencies. But I do have Colemak DH installed as a layout. I haven't really kept up with qwerty, but I can do it if needed (I'm using it on my phone).

My solution was to switch to smaller, wireless boards that sit on a "bridge" over my laptop keyboard.

Some folks find it easier to maintain separate muscle memory when they use a different non QWERTY layout on their ergo boards

Yeah, I use my Mac’s keyboard often enough without issue. Just takes some time as you are developing that new ergo memory.

I work on both a 36 key split board and my laptop's board and I find it pretty easy to go back and forth. I think it helps to have a fairly different layout on the ergo board, it helps keep the muscle memory separate. I still use qwerty on both, but the modifiers and everything are all different.

I will say I mess up keys like x and c a little more often on the laptop now. Those keys are in similar places, but the difference in row stagger can trip me up a little...

No worries, I routinely swap between my 34 key weirdo keyboard and my laptop without any trouble.

One thing that you might find helpful is to get some really unique keycaps on the ergo board so it feels different. I had MT3 keycaps on my ergo board while I was learning it, although that being said, now I’ve switched to choc switches with essentially laptop keycaps, and I can still type on my laptop just fine.

Just keep at it. I took me a couple weeks and then I was at the point where I could easily switch back and forth. But I had the same thing where after the first few weeks of using ortho, I had some issues going back. But they went away pretty quickly. For a little while I kept trying to switch back and forth each day, but not sure if that helped. These days I'm mostly moonlander, but when I'm traveling or on a plane, I may just us the laptop and my brain/fingers just know what to do.

So, basically, keep at it and you'll be fine.

Whatever way you go, I would suggest that you spend a day a week typing on your laptop to retain muscle memory. Part of it is for sure the layout and key combinations, but I found keys very different in feel to both chocs and mx with the super low travel. So that is another thing you need to keep.>

I can consistently switch between Ortho and my laptop, hitting nearly 70WPM on both. I would say it took about a month before something clicked in my brain and I stopped trying to use my thumbs for mods on my laptop and miss hitting the key locations. Just give it more time. Your muscles can remember a ton of different things, brain just needs to figure out how to organize it.

I found I was back up to 80+ WPM in about 2 days on my ergo mech, and 100 in 4 or so days.

I can still type okay on a standard keyboard. Not the full 90 I used to, but I also don't practice on it anymore. I'm sure with a few days of practice I'd be fine on it as well again.

It's really no different than learning a few different musical instruments. Your fingers learn what to do.

I‘m typing with 50WPM on a Moonlander with Colemak-DH Layout and still can type on a QWERTY MacBook keyboard with my usual 70-80WPM

During the initial leaning phase, switching is hard. From my experience it’ll be easier once you are able to type subconsciously on the Moonlander as well.

Speaking from personal experience here, your mileage may vary.

You gotta give it more time, it'll come. Then you'll never want to go back. One thing that really helps me is using karabiner elements on Mac to have some of the improvements I get with my split keyboard right there on my laptop. Here's how I use it: https://github.com/jhelvy/jkeyboard

This was an issue for me only the first few weeks transitioning to an ortho layout. The bigger problem will start when you start experimenting with different layouts (non-qwerty). But as long as you keep the alphas in the same positions, you will adjust just fine within a few weeks.