Production Tutorial: Ableton Shortcuts

Welcome to a new series on workflow! We'll be covering shortcuts, creative tips, organization and more. This first video is our 'Ableton Shortcut Bible' which includes every useful keyboard/mouse shortcut you need to know, to help speed up your workflow using Live. We have also listed them below for quick reference.

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:00 - UI & Navigation
• 03:00 - Audio/MIDI Clips
• 05:30 - Transport
• 06:54 - Automation
• 09:04 - Devices & Tracks

macOS users: Unless stated otherwise, substitute Cmd for Ctrl, and Option for Alt

UI & NAVIATION

• [Tab] Switch between Session and Arrangement view
• [Ctrl+T] Insert new Audio track
• [Ctrl+Shift+T] Insert new MIDI track
• [Ctrl+F] Search in browser
• [Ctrl+1-5] Change grid size/quantization
• [Alt+drag] Disable grid snap — [Cmd] on macOS
• [+][-] Zoom
• [Ctrl+scroll] Zoom
• [Shift+scroll] Horizontal timeline navigation
• [Ctrl+Alt+drag] Horizontal timeline navigation
• [Alt+scroll] Increase/decrease track height
• [Shift+?] Show/hide Info box
• [Ctrl+,] Open Preferences window
• [Ctrl+Shift+W] Open second Live window
• [Ctrl+K] Enable Key Map Mode
• [Ctrl+M] Enable MIDI Map Mode

AUDIO & MIDI CLIPS

• [Ctrl+D] Duplicate
• [Ctrl+R] Rename
• [Ctrl+E] Split
• [Ctrl+J] Consolidate
• [0] Deactivate/reactivate
• [R] Reverse audio
• [Shift+drag edge] Stretch audio
• [Ctrl+Shift+drag] Navigate audio file inside the clip
• [Ctrl+Alt+F] Crossfade adjacent clips
• [F] Show clip fades (in automation mode)
• [Ctrl+Shift+M] Create MIDI clip
• [M] Toggle keyboard mode
• [B] Toggle draw mode
• [Shift+↑↓] Move MIDI notes up/down octave
• [Shift+←→] Shorten/lengthen MIDI notes
• [Alt+drag] Adjust note velocities

TRANSPORT & LOOPING

• [F9] Start recording
• [Shift+Space] Play from paused position
• [Ctrl+Space] Play highlighted region only — [Option+Space] on macOS
• [Ctrl+I] Insert silence
• [Ctrl+L] Loop highlighted region
• [Ctrl+click] Set start loop marker
• [Ctrl+Shift+click] Set end loop marker
• [←→] Move highlighted loop
• [Ctrl+←→] Double/halve loop duration
• [Ctrl+Shift+L] Highlight loop contents
• [Ctrl+Shift+R] Open Export Audio window

AUTOMATION

• [A] Toggle automation mode
• [Alt+drag] Create curve from line segment
• [Alt+double click] Reset curve to line segment
• [Shift] Fine tune value adjustment/lock movement to single axis
• [Drag edge] Stretch automation
• [Shift+drag edge] Stretch whilst preserving automation
• [Ctrl+drag handle] Mirror stretch on opposite handle — [Alt] on macOS

DEVICES & TRACKS

• [Shift+Tab] Switch between device and clip views
• [Ctrl+Alt+P] Show/hide plugins windows
• [Ctrl+G] Group devices/tracks
• [Ctrl+Shift+G] Ungroup devices/tracks
• [0] Toggle track on/off switch
• [S] Toggle solo
• [C] Toggle arm track
• [Shift+↑↓] Highlight multiple tracks
• [Ctrl+↑↓] Move highlighted track(s)
• [←→] Collapse/expand track(s)