AbletonTweets - The Blog

Stuff in Live You Wished You Figured Out a Long Time Ago

From the depths of the Ableton Forums comes this brilliant list. (Post last updated Feb 22, 2008 - no guarantees that all of these are still applicable.)

[PC users substitute ‘COMMAND’ with ‘ALT’ and ‘ALT’ with ‘CTRL’]

Live shortcuts & alternative controls for certain functions.

• Duplicate = COMMAND+D.
• Disable Grid = COMMAND+4 (or hold COMMAND whilst selecting note or note start/end).
• Select Looped = COMMAND+SHIFT+L.
• Resize/Move Loop braces = cursor keys or COMMAND+cursor keys.
• In arrange view loop selected = COMMAND+L.
• In arrange view consolidate multiple selected clips = COMMAND+J.
• Playback from current position = SHIFT+SPACEBAR.
• Trigger selected clip slot = RETURN.
• Switch Clip/Track view = SHIFT+TAB.
• Move clip from session to arrange & vica versa = Click and hold on clip then press TAB.
• Stop focus moving when triggering clips (all clips) = In prefs > Record/Warp/Launch > Select on Launch > select ‘off’.
• Stop focus moving when triggering clips (selected clips) = CTRL+Click desired clip > select ‘Select on Launch (Pref)’.
• Preferences = COMMAND+,.
• Adjust all track widths = hold ALT while adjusting.
• Record Enable Track = F9.
• Slower response while changing track levels = Hold COMMAND while moving fader.
• Show hide plugin windows = COMMAND+ALT+P.
• Stop browser preview = ESC.
• In browser alternate navigation/previewing = left & right cursor keys.
• Zoom to loop = Click on the word “length”.
• Zoom to position = Click on the word “position”.
• Zoom out 100% = Double click the bottom clip overview tab.
• Zoom to specific portion = Use start and end of bottom clip overview like loop braces.
• Alternate scrolling in MIDI clips = COMMAND+ALT+Drag.
• Show/Hide overview in session view = COMMAND+ALT+O.
• Show/Hide Info View = SHIFT+/.
• Mute/Unmute tracks 1-8 = F1-F8.
• Time compress/expand MIDI notes = right-click with all notes selected then select ’stretch notes’.
• Insert silence in arrange view/scene in session view = COMMAND+I.
• Drag multiple files to individual tracks = Hold COMMAND whilst dragging files in.
• Unfold all arrange tracks = ALT+Click a track arrow icon.
• Alternative velocity control in MIDI editor = COMMAND+Click note+drag.
• Duplicate note in MIDI editor = ALT+Click note+drag.
• Render tracks as individual files = In render dialog change “Master” to “All Tracks”.
• Assign twice as many qwerty keys to Live = SHIFT.
• Restrict automation point movement to vertical axis = COMMAND+Drag.
• Scroll drum racks 1 row at a time = COMMAND+Drag.
• View multiple plugin windows = In prefs > Look/Feel > Auto-Hide Plugin Windows > select ‘off’.
• Edit info text for tracks and devices to make notes = CTRL+Click > select ‘Edit Info Text’.
• Create note with draw mode off = Double Click.
• Remove stop buttons to avoid clips stopping when changing scenes = Select clip slot > COMMAND+E (or enable ‘Legato’ launch mode).

General Tips

• Hidden buttons visible when in midi or key assign mode: scene up/down (in master track), per track play button - launches selected clip in track.
• Entering bpm in the scene launch buttons title sets bpm when launched.
• Click the headphone icon in midi editor to enable vertical keyboard to preview related sound.
• While MIDI synced to external machine hosting Live ALT+SPACEBAR on the sync slave causes it to sync to the masters current song position. (remedy for sync drifting without stopping and starting).
• Remember to experiment with the default live rack presets especially the DJ/Performance ones.
• GIGA libraries can be exported to Sampler then deleted (if required), as all samples are copied to the library.
• Mac users check out a free app called Soundsource. It adds an audio prefs selector to the menu-bar.
• OSX Function keys = ALT+F1/F2 opens Display Prefs, ALT+F3/F4/F5 opens Sound Prefs, ALT+F8/F9/F10 opens Keyboard & Mouse Prefs.
• When a new version of Live is released. Open Info Window (SHIFT+/) and hover any new parameters, fields or preferences.
• Multiple tracks can be selected and frozen simultaneously.
• Drag and drop tracks directly from iTunes for DJing.
• Dragging a sample onto a plugin instrument will replace the instrument with an instance of Simpler containing that sample.