One of the most important ways to improve your workflow and develop your expertise on a DAW is to Know Your Shortcuts (KYS). Here are all the Ableton keyboard shortcuts you’ll ever need, probably, you definitely won’t remember them all right away.
If you can’t be bothered reading all this, I highly recommend getting hold of the Editor Keys Ableton shortcut overlays, here’s the one for the MacBook Pro:
Ableton Live Keyboard Shortcuts
Showing and Hiding Views
Windows
Macintosh
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
Under 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, 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
Macintosh
Decrement/Increment
up and down arrow keys
up and down arrow keys
Finer Resolution for Dragging
CTRL
CMD
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
Macintosh
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
1…7
1…7
Reset Assigned Color(s) for Selected Browser Item
0
0
Transport
Windows
Macintosh
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 Beginning
Home
Function+left arrow key
Record
F9
F9
Back to Arrangement
F10
F10
Activate/Deactivate Track 1..8
F1…F8
F1…F8
Editing
Windows
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
Clips and Slots Across all Tracks
Shift
Shift
Time Across all Tracks
Shift
Shift
The Selected Part of the Envelope
ALT
ALT
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
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
Launch Selected Clip/Slot
Enter
Enter
Select Neighboring Clip/Slot
arrow keys
arrow keys
Select all Clips/Slots
CTRL–A
CMD–A
Copy Clips
CTRLdrag
ALTdrag
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. See also the editing commands.
Windows
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
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. See also the editing commands.
Windows
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
Toggle MIDI Map Mode
CTRL–M
CMD–M
Toggle Key Map Mode
CTRL–K
CMD–K
Computer MIDI Keyboard
M
M
Zooming, Display and Selections
Windows
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
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
CTRLright and left arrow keys
CMDright and left arrow keys
Scroll Display to Follow Playback
CTRL–Shift–F
CMD–Shift–F
Move Clip Region with Start Marker
Shiftright and left arrow keys
Shiftright 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
Macintosh
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
CTRLdrag
ALTdrag
Change Velocity From Note Editor
ALTdrag
CMDdrag
Move Insert Marker to Beginning
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
Shiftright and left arrow keys
Shiftright 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
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
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
Macintosh
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 is 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. Among these are: various options for working with the browser (see 5.1); the special grid marker commands for directing Auto-Warp (see “Syncing Longer Pieces”); detailed options for zoom-adaptive and fixed grid line width (see 6.9); copying and pasting for Operator’s envelopes and oscillators (see 24.6); and numerous device-specific commands.
