Below is the list I compiled of the 33 most useful and essential Ableton keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts are vital to use as a means of speeding up and streamlining your workflow. I have included a 4K desktop wallpaper that you can download and have there on your desktop to help your mission in remembering all of these brilliant keyboard shortcuts.

 

The Classics

Save – Hold Cmd + S (Mac), Hold Ctrl + S (Windows)

Undo/Redo – Hold Cmd + Z (Mac), Hold Ctrl + Z (Windows)

Duplicate – Hold Cmd + D (Mac), Hold Ctrl + D (Windows)

Insert Audio Track – Hold Alt + T (Mac), Hold Ctrl + Tab

Insert Midi Clip – Hold Shift + Cmd + M (Mac), Hold Shift + Ctrl + M (Windows)

Insert Midi Track – Hold Shift + Cmd + T (Mac), Hold Shift + Ctrl + T (Windows)

Renaming Clips or Tracks – Cmd + R

Toggle Session View and Arrangement View – TAB

Group Tracks or Devices – Hold Cmd + G (Mac), Hold Ctrl + G (Windows)

Activate/Deactivate Clips – Highlight clip or section of clip and press 0.

Split Clip – Press “E”
Highlighted section of clip is cut on either side

 

The Less Frequently Known

Toggle automation mode — press “A”
Turns automation off and on.

Toggle Keyboard Mode – Press “M”

Toggle Draw Mode – Press “B”

Toggle Midi Mapping – Cmd + M (Mac), Ctrl + M (Windows)

Toggle Clip View and Device View – Hold Shift + Tab

Instant Reverse Clip – Press “R”
You don’t have to double click on clip and click reverse.
Literally click clip and hit R

Instant Zoom – Press “Z”
Highlighted section instant zoom to that section

Instant Octave Hopper in Midi Matrix – Highlight Note and Hold Shift + Up or Down

Instant Zoom Out – Press “Shift + Z”

Open Search – Hold Cmd + F (Mac), Hold Ctrl + F (Windows)

Show/Hide Browser – Hold Cmd + Alt + B (Mac), Ctrl + Alt + B (Windows)

Change Grid Size – Command + 1 (Smaller)
                                    Command + 2 (Bigger)
                                    Command + 3 (Triplet Grid)
                                    Command + 4 (Grid Off/On)

Move clips across grid – Press Left or Right

Hold tab whilst renaming tracks to easily scroll down all your tracks for faster renaming of all your tracks

Double Loop Section – Highlight Loop Bar at the top and hold Cmd + Up or Down (Mac), Shift + Up or Down (Windows)

Snap Loop Size to Grid – Highlight Loop Bar at the top and hold Cmd + Left or RIght (Mac), Shift + Left or Right (Windows)

Collapse or Expand All tracks by Holding alt and collapsing or expanding just the top track and it automatically does for all the tracks within the project

My Favourites

Play from start point – Shift + Space Bar

Instant Time Stretch – Hold Shift + Drag Clip

Instant Loop Section Area Change – Highlight area and hold Cmd + L (Mac) hold Ctrl + L (Windows)

Consolidate – Highlight Clip and Hold Cmd + J (Mac), Ctrl + J (Windows)

Bypass Auto Snap – Hold alt whilst dragging the side of a clip or entire clip (works with parameters also)

4K Desktop Wallpaper –  33 Essential Ableton Keyboard Shortcuts – Download Here

I hope your workflow seriously benefits from this fantastic collection of keyboard shortcuts. If you are an Ableton head and really find joy from learning about how to make music in this program then please be sure to check the rest of my useful blogs. My homepage has testimonials of my other students from across the globe, my discography and a short bio of my musical experience and relationship with Zenon Records, Syllabus of beginner, intermediate and advanced online courses, affordable one to one private lessons online and a collection of premium sample packs.

Enjoy