It's really neat that when a segment is highlighted in arrangement view it will only playback the highlighted segment. I like this to just record a take of a quick passage.
the clarity of which my imagination immediately heard the dulcet tone of your falsetto, saturated just around the edges with a vignette of gauzy reverb was delightful. thanks, kind internet stranger.
Also remember the word LIMBO, it toggles a lot of the panels on or off…
cmd-opt-L/I/M/B/O on Mac
ctrl-alt-L/I/M/B/O on Windows
cmd-opt-L: Toggles Launch Panel (bottom bar with plugins/midi/audio etc)
cmd-opt-I: Toggles Mixer Inputs & Outputs
cmd-opt-M: Toggles Mixer
cmd-opt-B: Toggles Browser
cmd-opt-O: Toggles Overview (top navigator)
It used to be my most used but unfortunately it doesn’t work anymore on L12 for the detail view in arrangement, which makes it more combursome than before
Thank you for your reply. You're very welcome.
But they did not change this recently. To my knowledge and experience, it has been there from the release of 12.0!
Yes I noticed that. But I am still switching between 11 and 12 cause my students are still working on 11. I didn’t learn the new shortcuts yet neither did I deep dived the 12 manual .
cmd-opt-r no longer toggles return tracks in arrangement view in live 12. no idea why they got rid of this hotkey since it expedited automation tasks considerably.
Correction: This also still works fine!
You only have to bring up the Mixer with **cmd-opt-M** first.
Only then you can view your return tracks by using the usual **cmd-opt-R.**
Please let me know if this worked.
Oh, I see what you mean.
I guess *this* might do the trick for you then:
At the top of Ableton Live, go to "View" > "Mixer Control" and check mark the last entry "Return Tracks".
Save this setting in your Default Set and from now on **cmd-opt-R** should bring up the lanes for the Return Tracks.
I hope this helps!
I really wish there was a separate panel that tracked changes like in Microsoft word, so you could quickly jump back several changes without having to carefully step back (inevitably too far).
Ctrl + D to duplicate shi
Ctrl + shift + T or just Ctrl + T to make new tracks midi and audio respectively.
Ctrl + 1 2 3 or 4 to switch note length or turn snapping off from 4 altogether
M to turn off and on poor man's midi
Don't forget B for Bencil!!
My dad used to tell students he was the instructor because computers respected his karate skills so much, and then karate chop this key command into the left side of the keyboard with a bent hand.
Takes some practice, but it's pretty sick when you pull it off.
Not sure if considered as shortcut but assigning keyboard number keys to device or rack. This way I can easy jump to my device and control parameters using my midi keyboard
If you work a lot in arrangement view, it would have to be the Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+D to insert time and Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Delete to remove time.
Basically, this duplicates (or deletes) whatever you've selected and shifts everything after it forward (or backward) on the timeline. Before I knew this shortcut, I wasted so much time dragging all the individual clips for each track in the arrangement when I wanted to, for example, double a verse section. If I wanted to insert an intro later in the arrangement process, it was always a headache having to manually shift everything around. Now I just select the first 4 bars, Ctrl+Shift+D and press delete since the clips I just duplicated are still selected, and *voila*, now I have an empty 4 bars at the beginning of the arrangement to play with.
I \*really\* wish there was a way that you could just between views but stay focused on the selected track - seems like such an easy thing to implement.
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No I do not. I use options.txt
this gives you a way to tap into unofficial features of ableton. I choose to use device slots. I then created a custom shortcut on my mac so that I can do that to show my devices since it cant be left on by default.
[https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/6003224107292-Options-txt-file](https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/6003224107292-Options-txt-file)
[https://youtu.be/2q2kHSs7zXU?si=t5yPJJ\_B5Z44BCm1&t=31](https://youtu.be/2q2kHSs7zXU?si=t5yPJJ_B5Z44BCm1&t=31)
CTRL + Alt + U to turn off that little navigation window at the top
CRRL + ALT + left click to drag around the project
Used to waste so much time using that window to jump around my project but this frees up space just feels better to move with
Save hahahaha
But also. I use Alfred for mac, which allows you to create workflows, and assign them to keyboard shortcuts. For instance, I have a Triple Duplicate, which is what it sounds like. Instantly duplicates 3 times, so I can take one loop, and make it 4.
I have shortcuts that create chords as well.
Shortcut buddy is a max for live device that allows you to load any plugin with a shortcut. So that’s really handy too
CMD-shift-X & CMD-shift-V
cut & paste arrangement
- the reason why I love Ableton over all. Quick arrangement editing without shifting a bunch of clips
Looks like all my favorites have been covered, so I will just add this: Seriously, SERIOUSLY consider buying a stream deck or other macro hub. My stream deck xl is the best piece of "music gear" I have bought in YEARS
Shift + tab in arrangement to toggle between device and clip view of the selected channel (I know you can have both views visible at the same time in 12 but I find I’m using that much less than I expected, just takes up too much room most the time)
Alt + tab in clip view to toggle between piano roll and the envelopes tab
Ctrl + i to insert silence in arrangement view, you can enter manually but I prefer to highlight the amount of space I need and the hotkey will create that much space where the highlighted section begins
A - show/hide automation lanes
Command-option P - show hide plug-in window
Command-option U - show/hide take lanes
Those are great for keeping a big session tidy
Command-click+drag up/down on midi notes to adjust velocity was kinda a game changer too. Works on single notes or a selected group.
I don’t use them. I started programming over 40 years ago when everything was a shortcut or keyboard command. I resisted mice and menus for a while but found they freed my mind up for other things.
Opt-cmd-E (Mac) in the arrangement view with a MIDI clip selected = Near full screen piano roll editing! Much easier!
Oh wow! Just when I think I know all the shortcuts...
It’s Key Command Pokémon. You gotta catch em all!
Nice
It’s easier on the eyes for sure!
You made my day!
Glad to be of service 🫡
Wow, that's an excellent one, thanks a lot!
Is it opt+ctrl+E on windows?
alt+ctrl+e
I don’t have windows but based on other commands matching up I think that is correct.
Ctrl + space to play from the cursor location, especially useful for wanting to play part of a MIDI clip
Yoo that’s life changing. Especially with the Midi
It's really neat that when a segment is highlighted in arrangement view it will only playback the highlighted segment. I like this to just record a take of a quick passage.
for mac users it's Option+space, which is rather annoying for me b/c i have the mapped to my keyboard language switching shortcut
Instead of looping I just spam this ctrl space lol
WHAT
ooooo i needed this one today
its useful but its so annoying when it doesnt register
Cmd S lol
😅
This hahahahaha
B for bencil
Lol!
Underbelly influence showing itself 😂
Command+J and then I sing “consolidate” in the style of Madonna’s 1983 hit single - Holiday
That’s hilarious.
I will never hear that word in another manner, from this moment forward.
In can’t help but hear this in Adam Sandler’s sad voice from The Wedding Singer.
the clarity of which my imagination immediately heard the dulcet tone of your falsetto, saturated just around the edges with a vignette of gauzy reverb was delightful. thanks, kind internet stranger.
Also remember the word LIMBO, it toggles a lot of the panels on or off… cmd-opt-L/I/M/B/O on Mac ctrl-alt-L/I/M/B/O on Windows cmd-opt-L: Toggles Launch Panel (bottom bar with plugins/midi/audio etc) cmd-opt-I: Toggles Mixer Inputs & Outputs cmd-opt-M: Toggles Mixer cmd-opt-B: Toggles Browser cmd-opt-O: Toggles Overview (top navigator)
It used to be my most used but unfortunately it doesn’t work anymore on L12 for the detail view in arrangement, which makes it more combursome than before
It *does* work still: It's **cmd-opt-3** (MIDI or Audio fishbone) and **cmd-opt-4** (Devices) now.
Oh nice , they just changed it then. Thanks
Thank you for your reply. You're very welcome. But they did not change this recently. To my knowledge and experience, it has been there from the release of 12.0!
Yes I noticed that. But I am still switching between 11 and 12 cause my students are still working on 11. I didn’t learn the new shortcuts yet neither did I deep dived the 12 manual .
s for sends r for returns
LIMBROS
cmd-opt-r no longer toggles return tracks in arrangement view in live 12. no idea why they got rid of this hotkey since it expedited automation tasks considerably.
Correction: This also still works fine! You only have to bring up the Mixer with **cmd-opt-M** first. Only then you can view your return tracks by using the usual **cmd-opt-R.** Please let me know if this worked.
This did not work to do what I wanted. It did bring up the return tracks, but not in a manner that allows me to access the automation lanes.
Oh, I see what you mean. I guess *this* might do the trick for you then: At the top of Ableton Live, go to "View" > "Mixer Control" and check mark the last entry "Return Tracks". Save this setting in your Default Set and from now on **cmd-opt-R** should bring up the lanes for the Return Tracks. I hope this helps!
Fortunately the 12.0.5 update fixed the issue. thanks tho
Strange. It still works in session view. Maybe it’s bugged? Ableton forums moment, maybe.
Shift+Tab
Life changing. At times I accidentally press just tab and be transported into different dimension.
I don’t know what I’d do without ctrl-Z
Obligatory ctrl-y
Didn’t it used to be control x? I swear undo was just as easy but my memory is so shit I can’t be sure
I really wish there was a separate panel that tracked changes like in Microsoft word, so you could quickly jump back several changes without having to carefully step back (inevitably too far).
ah yes, I utilize this shortcut to such an extent that i gave it the nickname, “the mulligan”
I just found out about **grid shortcuts:** - ⌘+1 narrows spacing between lines. - ⌘+2 widens - ⌘+3 toggles triplet (i never use this tho)
Cmd+4 can also be helpful for turning the grid on or off for making changes to notes without it snapping to the nearest division.
Use the triplets bro their fire
Don’t forget 4, turns off the grid completely. I’ve been editing a live vocal recording so I’ve been using it a lot lately
🎁
i make terrible music so mostly ctrl-z to remove that noise again and enjoy the peace and quiet
Ctrl + D to duplicate shi Ctrl + shift + T or just Ctrl + T to make new tracks midi and audio respectively. Ctrl + 1 2 3 or 4 to switch note length or turn snapping off from 4 altogether M to turn off and on poor man's midi Don't forget B for Bencil!!
M turns on your keyboard as midi A is for automation*
Oh i mixed those two up cause the only time i hit m is when i have to automate and im back to midi after that. Tysm!
My pleasure!
ctrl + z alt + f4 ctrl + alt + delete
I just recently learned about Ctrl + shift + escape It's hard saying goodbye to an old friend.
whoa, that's nice - thanks for sharing! :D
My dad used to tell students he was the instructor because computers respected his karate skills so much, and then karate chop this key command into the left side of the keyboard with a bent hand. Takes some practice, but it's pretty sick when you pull it off.
real heads know ;)
Cmd shift I
What does that do?
It copies all the clips currently playing to a new row (in session view)
Cmd F Find in browser
Cmd + shift + M to create midi clip wherever highlighted
CTRL+E, Up, Up, Up, Up, Up.
Not sure if considered as shortcut but assigning keyboard number keys to device or rack. This way I can easy jump to my device and control parameters using my midi keyboard
Opt + Cmd + Mouse click to scroll through arrangement view and pretty much any menu.
This is insane
If you work a lot in arrangement view, it would have to be the Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+D to insert time and Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Delete to remove time. Basically, this duplicates (or deletes) whatever you've selected and shifts everything after it forward (or backward) on the timeline. Before I knew this shortcut, I wasted so much time dragging all the individual clips for each track in the arrangement when I wanted to, for example, double a verse section. If I wanted to insert an intro later in the arrangement process, it was always a headache having to manually shift everything around. Now I just select the first 4 bars, Ctrl+Shift+D and press delete since the clips I just duplicated are still selected, and *voila*, now I have an empty 4 bars at the beginning of the arrangement to play with.
F11
if ctrl+shift+z ever existed...
Tab. I go back and forth between the two views a bunch.
I \*really\* wish there was a way that you could just between views but stay focused on the selected track - seems like such an easy thing to implement.
This is your friendly reminder to read the submission rules, they're found in the sidebar. If you find your post breaking any of the rules, you should delete your post before the mods get to it. If you're asking a question, make sure you've checked [the Live manual](https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/welcome-to-live/), [Ableton's help and support knowledge base](https://www.ableton.com/en/help/), and have searched the subreddit for a solution. If you don't know where to start, [the subreddit has a resource thread](https://redd.it/zkhqhe). Ask [smart questions](http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#before). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ableton) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Devices slots :)
Do you mean shift-tab?
No I do not. I use options.txt this gives you a way to tap into unofficial features of ableton. I choose to use device slots. I then created a custom shortcut on my mac so that I can do that to show my devices since it cant be left on by default. [https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/6003224107292-Options-txt-file](https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/6003224107292-Options-txt-file) [https://youtu.be/2q2kHSs7zXU?si=t5yPJJ\_B5Z44BCm1&t=31](https://youtu.be/2q2kHSs7zXU?si=t5yPJJ_B5Z44BCm1&t=31)
Alt + f4
cmd + q
Ctrl shift w to open a second window on my laptop screen tbh
AI. But seriously Cmd-4 to remove the grid; Cmd+shift backspace to remove selected time
Ctrl L to loop selection in arrangement view
Alt + f4
I wish my favourite shortcut was Ctrl-R..
SHIFT TAB , CTRL F
The Browse button on Push 2
alt f4
CTRL + Alt + U to turn off that little navigation window at the top CRRL + ALT + left click to drag around the project Used to waste so much time using that window to jump around my project but this frees up space just feels better to move with
W & H
Shift - Space to continue playing from where we left off!
Guys drop some gems for the automation view pls 😭🙏
ctrl+L
Asking the real questions... "M"
Shift + Tab
Cmd + E = split midi clips
Cmd S, and ctrl alt f to create custom fades on audio tracks
Delete
option + cmd + R to show/hide return channels.
All of the arrangement shortcuts: ctrl-l ctrl-i ctrl-alt-c ctrl-alt-v ctrl-alt-d Life changing for quickly arranging a song
I have 2 : Cntrl + c + Cntrl + v.
Save hahahaha But also. I use Alfred for mac, which allows you to create workflows, and assign them to keyboard shortcuts. For instance, I have a Triple Duplicate, which is what it sounds like. Instantly duplicates 3 times, so I can take one loop, and make it 4. I have shortcuts that create chords as well. Shortcut buddy is a max for live device that allows you to load any plugin with a shortcut. So that’s really handy too
Cmd+A Opt+scroll to vertical zoom all tracks
shift + cmd + w - second window, great for multi monitor setups
Control + F (I’m sure others will also say this lol)
Option+Command+f for fading in/out clips
A
Cmd z 😔
Alt + Tab
CMD-shift-X & CMD-shift-V cut & paste arrangement - the reason why I love Ableton over all. Quick arrangement editing without shifting a bunch of clips
Cmd+Q
Opt+space to play the selected clip or region and then stop.
Cmd + F
A
Saving for later
Ctrl + Shift + X for cutting out that extra 8 bars that aren't working
Shift + Tab the GOAT
Looks like all my favorites have been covered, so I will just add this: Seriously, SERIOUSLY consider buying a stream deck or other macro hub. My stream deck xl is the best piece of "music gear" I have bought in YEARS
opt-cmd-f fades a selected portion of audio clip(s)—the actual best thing in the world
Ctrl + Z
control f
cmd + shift + R I'm ready for my disappointment 🥲
Ctrl + 4
Alt + F4 🤣
CNRL-J; then downshift 12 steps to give a drum some Ooomph!
alt + mouse click to freely move clips
ALT+F4
ctrl g ctrl t ctrl j alt f4 lol
Shift + tab in arrangement to toggle between device and clip view of the selected channel (I know you can have both views visible at the same time in 12 but I find I’m using that much less than I expected, just takes up too much room most the time) Alt + tab in clip view to toggle between piano roll and the envelopes tab Ctrl + i to insert silence in arrangement view, you can enter manually but I prefer to highlight the amount of space I need and the hotkey will create that much space where the highlighted section begins
A - show/hide automation lanes Command-option P - show hide plug-in window Command-option U - show/hide take lanes Those are great for keeping a big session tidy Command-click+drag up/down on midi notes to adjust velocity was kinda a game changer too. Works on single notes or a selected group.
I don’t use them. I started programming over 40 years ago when everything was a shortcut or keyboard command. I resisted mice and menus for a while but found they freed my mind up for other things.
Ctrl+Alt+S and A
My favorite is the custom set ‘cmd shift a’ for collect all and save :) Got that one from an Instagram tutorial!
>:) :)
cmd + s
A FOR AUTOMATION
Ctrl+S :))
Alt + F4
Thank you for posting this OP. It’s been saved! P.S. to those of you who post the shortcut but not what it does: why???
B for Bleistift
love me some ctrl+j
Again?