36. Live Keyboard Shortcuts

36.1 Showing and Hiding Views

Windows Macintosh
Toggle Full Screen Mode F11CTRL-CMD-F
Toggle Second Window CTRL-Shift-WCMD-Shift-W
Toggle Session/Arrangement View TabTab
Toggle Device/Clip View Shift-Tab or F12Shift-Tab or CTRL-F12
Hide/Show Detail View CTRL-ALT-L or Shift-F12CMD-ALT-L or CTRL-Shift-F12
Toggle Hot-Swap Mode QQ
Toggle Drum Rack/last-selected Pad DD
Hide/Show Info View Shift-?Shift-?
Hide/Show Video Window CTRL-ALT-VCTRL-ALT-V
Hide/Show Browser CTRL-ALT-BCMD-ALT-B
Hide/Show Overview CTRL-ALT-OCMD-ALT-O
Hide/Show In/Out CTRL-ALT-ICMD-ALT-I
Hide/Show Sends CTRL-ALT-SCMD-ALT-S
Hide/Show Mixer CTRL-ALT-MCMD-ALT-M
Open the Preferences CTRL-,CMD-,
Close Window/Dialog ESCESC

36.2 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 macOS, 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.

36.3 Adjusting Values

Windows Macintosh
Decrement/Increment up and down arrow keys up and down arrow keys
Finer Resolution for Dragging ShiftShift
Return to Default DeleteDelete
Type in Value 0909
Go to Next Field (Bar.beat.16th) .-,.-,
Abort Value Entry ESCESC
Confirm Value Entry EnterEnter

36.4 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 Browser CTRL-ALT-BCMD-ALT-B
Close/Open Folders right and left arrow keys right and left arrow keys
Load Selected Item from Browser EnterEnter
Preview Selected File Shift-EnterShift-Enter
Search in Browser CTRL-FCMD-F
Jump to Search Results down arrow key or Enter down arrow key or Enter
Assign Color(s) to Selected Browser Item(s) 1717
Reset Assigned Color(s) for Selected Browser Item 00

36.5 Transport

Windows Macintosh
Play from Start Marker/Stop SpaceSpace
Continue Play from Stop Point Shift-SpaceShift-Space
Stop Playback at end of Selection CTRL-SpaceALT-Space
Play Arrangement View Selection SpaceSpace
Move Insert Marker to Beginning HomeFunction+left arrow key
Record F9F9
Back to Arrangement F10F10
Activate/Deactivate Track 1..8 F1F8F1F8

36.6 Editing

Windows Macintosh
Cut CTRL-XCMD-X
Copy CTRL-CCMD-C
Paste CTRL-VCMD-V
Duplicate CTRL-DCMD-D
Delete DeleteDelete
Undo CTRL-ZCMD-Z
Redo CTRL-YCMD-Shift-Z
Rename CTRL-RCMD-R
Select All CTRL-ACMD-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 ShiftShift
Time Across all Tracks ShiftShift
The Selected Part of the Envelope ALTALT

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

36.7 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-LCMD-Shift-L

36.8 Session View Commands

See also the editing commands.

Windows Macintosh
Launch Selected Clip/Slot EnterEnter
Select Neighboring Clip/Slot arrow keys arrow keys
Select all Clips/Slots CTRL-ACMD-A
Copy Clips CTRLdrag ALTdrag
Add/Remove Stop Button CTRL-ECMD-E
Insert MIDI clip CTRL-Shift-MCMD-Shift-M
Insert Scene CTRL-ICMD-I
Insert Captured Scene CTRL-Shift-ICMD-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 CTRLCMD
Deactivate Selected Clip 00

36.9 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-ECMD-E
Consolidate Selection into Clip CTRL-JCMD-J
Create Fade/Crossfade CTRL-ALT-FCMD-ALT-F
Toggle Loop Selection CTRL-LCMD-L
Insert Silence CTRL-ICMD-I
Pan Left/Right of Selection CTRL-ALTCMD-ALT
Fold/Unfold Selected Tracks U or left and right arrow keys U or left and right arrow keys
Unfold all Tracks ALT-UALT-U
Adjust Height of Selected Tracks ALT-+ and ALT--ALT-+ and ALT--
Scroll Display to Follow Playback CTRL-Shift-FCMD-Shift-F
Optimize Arrangement Height HH
Optimize Arrangement Width WW
Deactivate Selection 00
Nudge Selection Left/Right right and left arrow keys right and left arrow keys
Reverse Audio Clip Selection RR
Zoom to Arrangement Time Selection ZZ
Zoom Back from Arrangement Time Selection XX
Play from Insert Marker in Selected Clip ALT-SpaceALT-Space

36.10 Comping

Windows Macintosh
Show Take Lanes CTRL-ALT-UCMD-ALT-U
Add Selected Take Lane Area to Main Track Lane EnterEnter
Audition Selected Take Lane TT
Add Take Lane Shift-ALT-TShift-ALT-T
Duplicate Selected Take Lane DD

36.11 Commands for Tracks

See also the editing commands.

Windows Macintosh
Insert Audio Track CTRL-TCMD-T
Insert MIDI Track CTRL-Shift-TCMD-Shift-T
Insert Return Track CTRL-ALT-TCMD-ALT-T
Rename Selected Track CTRL-RCMD-R
While Renaming, Go to next Track TabTab
Group Selected Tracks CTRL-GCMD-G
Ungroup Tracks CTRL-Shift-GCMD-Shift-G
Show Grouped Tracks ++
Hide Grouped Tracks --
Move Nonadjacent Tracks Without Collapsing CTRL arrow keys CMD arrow keys
Arm Selected Tracks CC
Solo Selected Tracks SS
Add Device from Browser EnterEnter
Deactivate Selected Track 00

36.12 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 AA
Finer Resolution for Dragging ShiftShift
Create Curved Automation Segment ALTALT
Momentarily Toggle Fade Controls FF
Delete Automation/Clear Envelope CTRL-BackspaceCMD-Backspace

36.13 Key/MIDI Map Mode and the Computer MIDI Keyboard

Windows Macintosh
Toggle MIDI Map Mode CTRL-MCMD-M
Toggle Key Map Mode CTRL-KCMD-K
Computer MIDI Keyboard MM
Adjust Computer MIDI Keyboard Octave Range Up/Down X and Z keys X and Z keys
Adjust Computer MIDI Keyboard Incoming Note Velocity Up/Down C and V keys C and V keys

36.14 Zooming, Display and Selections

Windows Macintosh
Zoom In ++
Zoom Out --
Drag/Click to Append to a Selection ShiftShift
Click to Add Adjacent Clips/Tracks/Scenes to Multi-Selection ShiftShift
Click to Add Nonadjacent Clips/Tracks/Scenes to a Multi-Selection CTRLCMD
Follow (Auto-Scroll) CTRL-Shift-FCMD-Shift-K
Pan Left/Right of Selection CTRL-ALTCMD-ALT

36.15 Clip View

Windows Macintosh
Switch to Audio/Notes Tab/Panel ALT-1ALT-1
Switch to Envelopes Tab/Panel ALT-2ALT-2
Switch to Expressions Tab/Panel ALT-3ALT-3

36.16 Clip View Sample Editor

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

Windows Macintosh
Quantize CTRL-UCMD-U
Quantize Settings… CTRL-Shift-UCMD-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-FCMD-Shift-F
Move Clip Region with Start Marker Shiftright and left arrow keys Shiftright and left arrow keys
Zoom to Clip Selection ZZ
Zoom Back from Clip Selection XX

36.17 Clip View MIDI Note Editor

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

Windows Macintosh
Quantize CTRL-UCMD-U
Quantize Settings… CTRL-Shift-UCMD-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 MIDI Note Editor ALTdrag CMDdrag
Move Insert Marker to Beginning HomeFunction+left arrow key
Move Insert Marker to End EndEnd
Select Next/Previous Note CTRLup and down arrow keys ALTup and down arrow keys
Scroll Display to Follow Playback CTRL-Shift-FCMD-Shift-F
Move Clip Region with Start Marker Shiftright and left arrow keys Shiftright and left arrow keys
Zoom to Clip Selection ZZ
Zoom Back from Clip Selection XX

36.18 Grid Snapping and Drawing

Windows Macintosh
Toggle Draw Mode BB
Narrow Grid CTRL-1CMD-1
Widen Grid CTRL-2CMD-2
Triplet Grid CTRL-3CMD-3
Snap to Grid CTRL-4CMD-4
Fixed/Zoom-Adaptive Grid CTRL-5CMD-5
Bypass Snapping While Dragging ALTCMD

36.19 Global Quantization

Windows Macintosh
Sixteenth-Note Quantization CTRL-6CMD-6
Eighth-Note Quantization CTRL-7CMD-7
Quarter-Note Quantization CTRL-8CMD-8
1-Bar Quantization CTRL-9CMD-9
Quantization Off CTRL-0CMD-0

36.20 Working with Sets and the Program

Windows Macintosh
New Live Set CTRL-NCMD-N
Open Live Set CTRL-OCMD-O
Save Live Set CTRL-SCMD-S
Save Live Set As… CTRL-Shift-SCMD-Shift-S
Quit Live CTRL-QCMD-Q
Hide Live CMD-H
Export Audio/Video CTRL-Shift-RCMD-Shift-R
Export MIDI file CTRL-Shift-ECMD-Shift-E

36.21 Working with Plug-Ins and Devices

Windows Macintosh
Show/Hide Plug-In Windows CTRL-ALT-PCMD-ALT-P
Open Second/Multiple Windows with Show/Hide Plug-In Window Button CTRLCMD
Group/Ungroup Devices CTRL-GCMD-G
Activate/Deactivate All Devices in Group ALT device activator ALT device activator
Click to Append Devices to a Selected Device ShiftShift
Load Selected Device From Browser EnterEnter

36.22 Audio Engine

Windows Macintosh
Turn Audio Engine On/Off CTRL-ALT-Shift-ECMD-ALT-Shift-E

36.23 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(Win) / 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 ‘Working with the Browser’); the special grid marker commands for directing Auto-Warp (see ‘Syncing Longer Pieces’); detailed options for zoom-adaptive and fixed grid line width (see ‘Using the Editing Grid’); copying and pasting for Operator’s envelopes and oscillators (see ‘Operator’); and numerous device-specific commands.

Download Live 11 manual (PDF)

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