Ableton Shortcuts to remember

Posted by Esteban Miranda on

Do you want to save time and have a faster workflow on Ableton?

Today with Top Music Arts we bring you a detailed list with all the shortcuts you need! 

As we know, learning all the keyboard shortcuts of your DAW of choice is an essential skill to make your work more fluid, it may sound obvious, but most of the producers out there tend to overlook or remember just the most used ones.

As always we try to make it useful for beginners, to learn how to properly use the key features Ableton offers. But this is also for advanced producers, who could use help remembering all of them (they´re a lot!) or learning some new tricks.

Let´s start...


Showing and Hiding Views

Windows

Mac

Toggle Full Screen Mode

F11

CTRL-CMD-F

Toggle Second Window

CTRL-Shift-W

CMD-Shift-W

Toggle Session/Arrangement View

Tab

Tab

Toggle Device/Clip View

Shift-Tab or F12

Shift-Tab or CTRL-F12

Hide/Show Detail View

CTRL-ALT-L or Shift-F12

CMD-ALT-L or CTRL-Shift-F12

Toggle Hot-Swap Mode

Q

Q

Toggle Drum Rack/last-selected Pad

D

D

Hide/Show Info View

Shift-?

Shift-?

Hide/Show Video Window

CTRL-ALT-V

CTRL-ALT-V

Hide/Show Browser

CTRL-ALT-B

CMD-ALT-B

Hide/Show Overview

CTRL-ALT-O

CMD-ALT-O

Hide/Show In/Out

CTRL-ALT-I

CMD-ALT-I

Hide/Show Sends

CTRL-ALT-S

CMD-ALT-S

Hide/Show Mixer

CTRL-ALT-M

CMD-ALT-M

Open the Preferences

CTRL-,

CMD-,

Close Window/Dialog

ESC

ESC


Accessing Menus

In Windows, you can access each menu by pressing ALT and the first letter of the menu (ALT-F for “File,” for instance). While a menu is open, you can use:

  • the up and down arrow keys to navigate the menu items;
  • the right and left arrow keys to open the neighboring menu;
  • Enter to choose a menu item.

In OS X (Mac), you can access individual menu entries by pressing CMD-?. This opens a search field that will suggest menu entries as you type. You can then navigate the suggested options by pressing the up and down arrow keys and press Enter to choose one.


Adjusting Values

Windows

Mac

Decrement/Increment

up and down arrow keys

up and down arrow keys

Finer Resolution for Dragging

Shift

Shift

Return to Default

Delete

Delete

Type in Value

0...9

0...9

Go to Next Field (Bar.beat.16th)

.-,

.-,

Abort Value Entry

ESC

ESC

Confirm Value Entry

Enter

Enter


Browsing

In addition to the shortcuts shown here, the Editing shortcuts can also be used in the Browser.

Windows

Mac

Scroll Down/Up

up and down arrow keys

up and down arrow keys

Close/Open Folders

right and left arrow keys

right and left arrow keys

Load Selected Item from Browser

Enter

Enter

Preview Selected File

Shift-Enter

Shift-Enter

Search in Browser

CTRL-F

CMD-F

Jump to Search Results

down arrow key

down arrow key

Assign Color(s) to Selected Browser Item(s)

1...7

1...7

Reset Assigned Color(s) for Selected Browser Item

0

0


Transport

Windows

Mac

Play from Start Marker/Stop

Space

Space

Continue Play from Stop Point

Shift-Space

Shift-Space

Play Arrangement View Selection

Space

Space

Move Insert Marker to Begin

Home

Function+left arrow key

Record

F9

F9

Back to Arrangement

F10

F10

Activate/Deactivate Track 1..8

F1...F8

F1...F8


Editing

Windows

Mac 

Cut

CTRL-X

CMD-X

Copy

CTRL-C

CMD-C

Paste

CTRL-V

CMD-V

Duplicate

CTRL-D

CMD-D

Delete

Delete

Delete

Undo

CTRL-Z

CMD-Z

Redo

CTRL-Y

CMD-Y

Rename

CTRL-R

CMD-R

Select All

CTRL-A

CMD-A

 

By holding down an additional modifier key, some of the above commands can also be applied to:

 

Windows

Mac

Clips and Slots Across all Tracks

Shift

Shift

Time Across all Tracks

Shift

Shift

The Selected Part of the Envelope

ALT

ALT


The Tab
 can be used to move from one track or scene to another while renaming.


Loop Brace and Start/End Markers

The loop brace and start/end markers must first be selected before any of the following commands will apply to them.

Windows

Mac

Move Start Marker to Position

Shift-click

Shift-click

Nudge Loop Left/Right

right and left arrow keys

right and left arrow keys

Move Loop By Loop Length

up and down arrow keys

up and down arrow keys

Halve/Double Loop Length

CTRL-up and down arrow keys

CMD - up and down arrow keys

Shorten/Lengthen Loop

CTRL-right and left arrow keys

CMD - right and left arrow keys

Select Material in Loop

CTRL-Shift-L

CMD-Shift-L


Session View Commands

See also the Editing commands.

Windows

Mac

Launch Selected Clip/Slot

Enter

Enter

Select Neighboring Clip/Slot

arrow keys

arrow keys

Select all Clips/Slots

CTRL-A

CMD-A

Copy Clips

CTRL+Drag

ALT+Drag

Add/Remove Stop Button

CTRL-E

CMD-E

Insert MIDI clip

CTRL-Shift-M

CMD-Shift-M

Insert Scene

CTRL-I

CMD-I

Insert Captured Scene

CTRL-Shift-I

CMD-Shift-I

Move Nonadjacent Scenes Without Collapsing

CTRL - up and down arrow keys

CMD - up and down arrow keys

Drop Browser Clips as a Scene

CTRL

CMD

Deactivate Selected Clip

0

0


Arrangement View Commands

The shortcuts for zooming, snapping/drawing, and loop/region settings also work in the Arrangement View. Also the Editing commands.

Windows

Mac

Split Clip at Selection

CTRL-E

CMD-E

Consolidate Selection into Clip

CTRL-J

CMD-J

Create Fade/Crossfade

CTRL-ALT-F

CMD-ALT-F

Toggle Loop Selection

CTRL-L

CMD-L

Insert Silence

CTRL-I

CMD-I

Pan Left/Right of Selection

CTRL-ALT

CMD-ALT

Unfold all Tracks

ALT - unfold button

ALT - unfold button

Scroll Display to Follow Playback

CTRL-Shift-F

CMD-Shift-F

Deactivate Selection

0

0

Nudge Selection Left/Right

right and left arrow keys

right and left arrow keys

Reverse Audio Clip Selection

R

R

Zoom to Arrangement Time Selection

Z

Z

Zoom Back from Arrangement Time Selection/Zoom Out Arrangement Completely

Shift-Z

Shift-Z



Commands for Tracks

See also the Editing commands.

Windows

Mac

Insert Audio Track

CTRL-T

CMD-T

Insert MIDI Track

CTRL-Shift-T

CMD-Shift-T

Insert Return Track

CTRL-ALT-T

CMD-ALT-T

Rename Selected Track

CTRL-R

CMD-R

While Renaming, Go to next Track

Tab

Tab

Group Selected Tracks

CTRL-G

CMD-G

Ungroup Tracks

CTRL-Shift-G

CMD-Shift-G

Show Grouped Tracks

+

+

Hide Grouped Tracks

-

-

Move Nonadjacent Tracks Without Collapsing

CTRL arrow keys

CMD arrow keys

Arm/Solo Multiple Tracks

CTRL-click

CMD-click

Add Device from Browser

Enter

Enter

Deactivate Selected Track

0

0


Commands for Breakpoint Envelopes

The shortcuts for zooming, snapping/drawing, and loop/region settings also work in the Envelope Editor and Arrangement View. Also the editing commands.

Windows

Mac

Toggle Automation Mode

A

A

Finer Resolution for Dragging

Shift

Shift

Create Curved Automation Segment

ALT

ALT


Key/MIDI Map Mode and the Computer MIDI Keyboard

Windows

Mac

Toggle MIDI Map Mode

CTRL-M

CMD-M

Toggle Key Map Mode

CTRL-K

CMD-K

Computer MIDI Keyboard

M

M

Adjust Computer MIDI Keyboard Octave Range Up/Down

X and Y keys

X and Y keys

Adjust Computer MIDI Keyboard Incoming Note Velocity Up/Down

C and V keys

C and V keys


Zooming, Display, and Selections

Windows

Mac

Zoom In

+

+

Zoom Out

-

-

Drag/Click to Append to a Selection

Shift

Shift

Click to Add Adjacent Clips/Tracks/Scenes to Multi-Selection

Shift

Shift

Click to Add Nonadjacent Clips/Tracks/Scenes to a Multi-Selection

CTRL

CMD

Follow (Auto-Scroll)

CTRL-Shift-F

CMD-Shift-K

Pan Left/Right of Selection

CTRL-ALT

CMD-ALT


Clip View Sample Display

The shortcuts for zooming and loop/region settings also work in the Sample Display.

Windows

Mac

Quantize

CTRL-U

CMD-U

Quantize Settings...

CTRL-Shift-U

CMD-Shift-U

Move Selected Warp Marker

right and left arrow keys

right and left arrow keys

Select Warp Marker

CTRL-right and left arrow keys

CMD-right and left arrow keys

Scroll Display to Follow Playback

CTRL-Shift-F

CMD-Shift-F

Move Clip Region with Start Marker

Shift-right and left arrow keys

Shift-right and left arrow keys

Zoom to Clip Selection

Z

Z

Zoom Back from Clip Selection/Zoom Out Clip Completely

Shift-Z

Shift-Z


Clip View MIDI Editor

The shortcuts for zooming, snapping/drawing, and loop/region settings also work in the MIDI Editor.

Windows

Mac

Quantize

CTRL-U

CMD-U

Quantize Settings...

CTRL-Shift-U

CMD-Shift-U

Scroll Editor Vertically

Page Up/Down keys

Page Up/Down keys

Scroll Editor Horizontally

CTRL-Page Up/Down keys

Shift-Page Up/Down keys

Copy Notes

CTRL-Drag

ALT-Drag

Change Velocity From Note Editor

ALT-Drag

CMD-Drag

Move Insert Marker to Begin

Home

Function+left arrow key

Move Insert Marker to End

End

End

Scroll Display to Follow Playback

CTRL-Shift-F

CMD-Shift-F

Move Clip Region with Start Marker

Shift-right and left arrow keys

Shift-right and left arrow keys

Zoom to Clip Selection

Z

Z

Zoom Back from Clip Selection/Zoom Out Clip Completely

Shift-Z

Shift-Z


Grid Snapping and Drawing

Windows

Mac

Toggle Draw Mode

B

B

Narrow Grid

CTRL-1

CMD-1

Widen Grid

CTRL-2

CMD-2

Triplet Grid

CTRL-3

CMD-3

Snap to Grid

CTRL-4

CMD-4

Fixed/Zoom-Adaptive Grid

CTRL-5

CMD-5

Bypass Snapping While Dragging

ALT

CMD


Global Quantization

Windows

Mac

Sixteenth-Note Quantization

CTRL-6

CMD-6

Eighth-Note Quantization

CTRL-7

CMD-7

Quarter-Note Quantization

CTRL-8

CMD-8

1-Bar Quantization

CTRL-9

CMD-9

Quantization Off

CTRL-0

CMD-0


Working with Sets and the Program

Windows

Mac

New Live Set

CTRL-N

CMD-N

Open Live Set

CTRL-O

CMD-O

Save Live Set

CTRL-S

CMD-S

Save Live Set As...

CTRL-Shift-S

CMD-Shift-S

Quit Live

CTRL-Q

CMD-Q

Hide Live

CMD-H

Export Audio/Video

CTRL-Shift-R

CMD-Shift-R

Export MIDI file

CTRL-Shift-E

CMD-Shift-E


Working with Plug-Ins and Devices

Windows

Mac

Show/Hide Plug-In Windows

CTRL-ALT-P

CMD-ALT-P

Open Second/Multiple Windows with Plug-In Edit Button

CTRL

CMD

Open Mac Keystroke Plug-In Window with Plug-In Edit Button

Shift

Group/Ungroup Devices

CTRL-G

CMD-G

Activate/Deactivate All Devices in Group

ALT device activator

ALT device activator

Click to Append Devices to a Selected Device

Shift

Shift

Load Selected Device From Browser

Enter

Enter

 

 


Using the Context Menu

A context menu is available in Live for quick access to many commonly used menu items. To access the context menu, right-click(PC) / CTRL-click(Mac) on the part of the interface where you would like to execute a particular command.

It´s worth noting that Live’s context menu may sometimes contain applicable settings from the Preferences. You should change these options with care, as they will affect not only the currently selected item but the general settings of the program.

Some commands only appear in the context menu. 

You can tell us which ones are most handy to you or if we missed one in the comments.

We hope you all can find this list of shortcuts useful and apply them as much as you can!

 


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