Configuring Quicksilver as an iTunes controller

Quicksilver is a launcher/hotkey interface for Mac OS X that frankly I can’t live without – hit the activation keystroke, start typing the name of the program or document you want, hit return, and it opens.

One of the nicest features is Triggers, which let you run commands in programs using the same set of keystrokes no matter what program you’re in. This comes in really handy when you want to control a background program like iTunes, and Quicksilver has a built in iTunes trigger module. Here’s my setup, which you can get to in Quicksilver by going to the Triggers section, and clicking on iTunes:

Under OS X, command-space (command = ⌘) takes you into Spotlight, whereas Quicksilver’s default activation key is control-space (control = ^). I picked the option key (⌥) to control iTunes, as it’s not used as much. ⌥-space starts and stops the music, ⌥-(0-5) applies a star rating, and the ⌥-arrow keys switch between songs and changes the iTunes volume.

Previously I used 3rd party software like SizzlingKeys to control iTunes, but it didn’t let me directly set a rating – I could only raise or lower an existing one. For that purpose, Quicksilver works a whole lot better.