Ardour cheat sheet
Summary
This article provides a structured cheat sheet of Ardour default keyboard shortcuts and keyboard binding across all major windows. You can use it as a quick reference for editing, navigation, recording, MIDI work, and mixing.
Introduction #
Ardour is a digital audio workstation (DAW) that provides extensive keyboard control. This cheat sheet lists the default keyboard shortcuts so you can navigate, edit, record, and mix without relying on menus.
Default keyboard shortcuts in Ardour #
Window: Editor #
This section lists shortcuts that apply when you work in the main editor window, where audio and MIDI regions are arranged on the timeline.
Aligning with the edit point #
These commands align selected regions relative to the current edit point.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| x | Align Sync Relative |
| Shift+a | Align Sync |
| Ctrl+Shift+a | Align Start Relative |
| Alt+a | Align End |
| Ctrl+Alt+a | Align Start |
Basic editing #
These shortcuts cover common editing tasks such as playback, copy and paste, playlists, and undo operations.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| / | Fade Range Selection |
| h | Play Selected Regions |
| p | Playhead to Mouse |
| Backspace | Delete |
| Delete | Delete |
| Shift+" | New Playlist For Selected Tracks |
| Shift+: | Copy Playlist For Selected Tracks |
| Shift+question | Show Playlist Selector |
| Shift+f | Stationary Playhead |
| Shift+l | Show Editor List |
| Shift+s | Show Summary |
| Shift+{ | Overlaid layer display |
| Shift+Space | Raise to Top |
| Shift+} | Stacked layer display |
| Ctrl+c | Copy |
| Ctrl+d | Duplicate |
| Ctrl+f | Follow Playhead |
| Ctrl+r | Redo |
| Ctrl+v | Paste |
| Ctrl+x | Cut |
| Ctrl+y | Redo |
| Ctrl+z | Undo (capture) |
| Ctrl+Shift+Space | Play from Edit Point and Return |
| Ctrl+Shift+" | New Playlist For All Tracks |
| Ctrl+Shift+: | Copy Playlist For All Tracks |
| Ctrl+Shift+c | Crop |
| Ctrl+Shift+r | Set Range to Selected Regions |
| Ctrl+Shift+z | Redo |
| Alt+d | Multi-Duplicate… |
| Alt+v | Video Monitor |
| Alt+Shift+c | Consolidate Range |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+" | New Playlist For Rec-Armed Tracks |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+: | Copy Playlist For Rec-Armed Tracks |
Changing what is visible #
These shortcuts adjust zoom levels, track height, and visible panels in the editor.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| - | Zoom Out |
| = | Zoom In |
| f | Fit Selection (Vertical) |
| Up | Step Tracks Up |
| Down | Step Tracks Down |
| Page_Up | Scroll Tracks Up |
| Page_Down | Scroll Tracks Down |
| Shift++ | Expand Track Height |
| Shift+e | Show Editor Mixer |
| Shift+z | Toggle Zoom State |
| Ctrl+Up | Move Selected Tracks Up |
| Ctrl+Down | Move Selected Tracks Down |
| Alt+Shift++ | Shrink Track Height |
| Alt+Shift+underscore | Zoom to Session |
Loop, punch range, and tempo changes #
These commands define loop and punch ranges and derive tempo from selections.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| 0 | Set Tempo from Edit Range = Bar |
| 9 | Set Tempo from Region = Bar |
| [ | Set Punch from Selection |
| ] | Set Loop from Selection |
Editing with the edit point #
These shortcuts move and edit regions relative to the active edit point.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ' | To Previous Region Sync |
| 1 | Cycle Edit Mode |
| 2 | Change Edit Point |
| ; | To Next Region Sync |
| i | Insert Region from Source List |
| j | Trim Start at Edit Point |
| k | Trim End at Edit Point |
| Ctrl+2 | Change Edit Point Including Marker |
Editor views #
These shortcuts recall and store editor view presets.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| F1 | Go to View 1 |
| F2 | Go to View 2 |
| F3 | Go to View 3 |
| F4 | Go to View 4 |
| F5 | Go to View 5 |
| F6 | Go to View 6 |
| F7 | Go to View 7 |
| F8 | Go to View 8 |
| F9 | Go to View 9 |
| F10 | Go to View 10 |
| F11 | Go to View 11 |
| F12 | Go to View 12 |
| Ctrl+F1 | Save View 1 |
| Ctrl+F2 | Save View 2 |
| Ctrl+F3 | Save View 3 |
| Ctrl+F4 | Save View 4 |
| Ctrl+F5 | Save View 5 |
| Ctrl+F6 | Save View 6 |
| Ctrl+F7 | Save View 7 |
| Ctrl+F8 | Save View 8 |
| Ctrl+F9 | Save View 9 |
| Ctrl+F10 | Save View 10 |
| Ctrl+F11 | Save View 11 |
| Ctrl+F12 | Save View 12 |
Grid settings and editor modes #
These shortcuts control snapping behavior and quantization grids while editing in the editor window.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| 4 | Toggle Snap |
| 5 | Previous Quantize Grid Choice |
| 6 | Next Quantize Grid Choice |
Markers and locations #
These commands move the edit point between region boundaries.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+Left | To Previous Region Boundary |
| Ctrl+Shift+Right | To Next Region Boundary |
Mouse modes #
These shortcuts switch the active mouse tool in the editor.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| 3 | Smart Mode |
| c | Cut Tool |
| d | Note Drawing Tool |
| e | Content Tool |
| g | Object Tool |
| r | Range Tool |
| t | Time FX Tool |
| z | Zoom to Selection |
Moving the playhead in the editor #
These shortcuts move the playhead relative to transients, region boundaries, or sync points.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Left | Move to Previous Transient |
| Ctrl+Right | Move to Next Transient |
| Alt+Shift+Left | Playhead to Previous Region Boundary |
| Alt+Shift+Right | Playhead to Next Region Boundary |
| Ctrl+Alt+Left | Playhead to Previous Region Sync |
| Ctrl+Alt+Right | Playhead to Next Region Sync |
Region operations #
These commands modify regions directly, including splitting, fades, gain, and processing.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| m | Add Region Cue Marker |
| s | Split/Separate |
| v | Set Sync Position |
| Shift+u | Unlink from unselected |
| Ctrl+/ | Set Fade In Length |
| Ctrl+\ | Set Fade Out Length |
| Ctrl+j | Trim to Previous |
| Ctrl+k | Trim to Next |
| Alt+0 | Opaque |
| Alt+1 | Mute |
| Alt+2 | Move to Original Position |
| Alt+3 | Normalize… |
| Alt+4 | Reverse |
| Alt+5 | Quantize… |
| Alt+6 | Boost Gain |
| Alt+7 | Cut Gain |
| Alt+8 | Pitch Shift… |
| Alt+9 | Rename… |
| Alt+f | Rhythm Ferret… |
| Alt+Shift+r | Add Single Range Marker |
| Ctrl+Alt+e | Export… |
Selecting #
These shortcuts select regions, tracks, and time ranges in different contexts.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| u | Select All Inside Edit Range |
| Numpad + | Nudge Later |
| Numpad - | Nudge Earlier |
| Shift+d | Select All in Punch Range |
| Ctrl+a | Select All Objects |
| Ctrl+l | Select All in Loop Range |
| Ctrl+u | Select All Overlapping Edit Range |
| Ctrl+Shift+e | Select All After Edit Point |
| Alt+Up | Select Previous Track or Bus |
| Alt+Down | Select Next Track or Bus |
| Alt+Shift+Up | Select Previous Strip |
| Alt+Shift+Down | Select Next Strip |
Track actions from the editor #
These shortcuts change track states without leaving the editor window.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Shift+b | Toggle Record Enable |
| Alt+i | Toggle MIDI Input Active for Editor-Selected Tracks/Busses |
| Alt+s | Toggle Solo |
Window: Global #
This section lists shortcuts that work across multiple Ardour windows.
Global editing operations #
These shortcuts define edit, punch, and loop ranges and clear selections.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| , | Start Range |
| . | Finish Range |
| Escape | Escape (deselect all) |
| Ctrl+, | Start Punch Range |
| Ctrl+. | Finish Punch Range |
| Ctrl+Numpad Up | Finish Range |
| Ctrl+Numpad Down | Start Range |
| Alt+, | Start Loop Range |
| Alt+. | Finish Loop Range |
Global MIDI commands #
These commands send MIDI control messages at the session level.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+` | Panic (Send MIDI all-notes-off) |
Global marker operations #
These shortcuts create, remove, and navigate markers.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| q | Jump to Previous Mark |
| w | Jump to Next Mark |
| Tab | Add Mark from Playhead |
| Numpad Enter | Add Mark from Playhead |
| Ctrl+Tab | Remove Mark at Playhead |
| Ctrl+Numpad Enter | Remove Mark at Playhead |
| Ctrl+Numpad Left | Jump to Previous Mark |
| Ctrl+Numpad Right | Jump to Next Mark |
Global monitor operations #
These shortcuts control the monitor section globally.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+m | Mute |
| Ctrl+Shift+m | Dim |
| Ctrl+Alt+m | Mono |
Global numpad transport functions #
These keys map the numeric keypad to transport-related commands.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Numpad - | Numpad Decimal |
| Numpad . | Numpad Decimal |
| Numpad 0 | Numpad 0 |
| Numpad 1 | Numpad 1 |
| Numpad 2 | Numpad 2 |
| Numpad 3 | Numpad 3 |
| Numpad 4 | Numpad 4 |
| Numpad 5 | Numpad 5 |
| Numpad 6 | Numpad 6 |
| Numpad 7 | Numpad 7 |
| Numpad 8 | Numpad 8 |
| Numpad 9 | Numpad 9 |
Global playhead operations #
These shortcuts move the playhead across the session timeline.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Return | Go to Start |
| Home | Go to Start |
| Left | Playhead to Previous Grid |
| Right | Playhead to Next Grid |
| End | Go to End |
| Alt+Left | Nudge Playhead Backward |
| Alt+Right | Nudge Playhead Forward |
Global session and file handling #
These shortcuts manage sessions, files, imports, exports, and track creation at the global application level.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+e | Quick Audio Export… |
| Ctrl+i | Import |
| Ctrl+n | New… |
| Ctrl+o | Open… |
| Ctrl+q | Quit |
| Ctrl+s | Save |
| Ctrl+Shift+n | Add Track, Bus or VCA… |
| Ctrl+Shift+o | Recent… |
| Ctrl+Shift+s | Snapshot (and keep working on current version)… |
| Alt+e | Export to Audio File(s)… |
| Alt+Shift+e | Stem export… |
Global transport and recording control #
These shortcuts control playback, recording, transport movement, and recording modes.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Start/Stop |
| a | Solo Selection |
| l | Play Loop Range |
| Shift+Space | Start Recording |
| Shift+less | Record with Preroll |
| Shift+greater | Record with Count-In |
| Shift+r | Enable Record |
| Shift+Left | Rewind |
| Shift+Up | Transition to Roll |
| Shift+Right | Forward |
| Shift+Down | Transition to Reverse |
| Ctrl+Space | Stop and Forget Capture |
| Ctrl+Numpad + | Nudge Next Later |
| Ctrl+Numpad - | Nudge Next Earlier |
| Alt+Space | Play Selection |
| Alt+` | Use External Positional Sync Source |
| Ctrl+Alt+Space | Start, Continue, or Stop |
Global transport modes #
These shortcuts toggle transport-related modes that affect playback and recording behavior.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| 7 | Auto Return |
| 8 | Punch In/Out |
| ` | Click |
| Ctrl+3 | Follow Range |
| Ctrl+7 | Auto Play |
Global window visibility #
These shortcuts show, hide, and maximize major Ardour windows and panels.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Numpad / | Focus On Clock |
| Ctrl+Page_Up | Previous Tab |
| Ctrl+Page_Down | Next Tab |
| Ctrl+Shift+f | Maximize Mixer Space |
| Alt+b | Meterbridge |
| Alt+c | Show Cues |
| Alt+k | Virtual Keyboard |
| Alt+l | Locations |
| Alt+m | Show Mixer |
| Alt+o | Properties |
| Alt+r | Show Recorder |
| Alt+Shift+a | Audio Connections |
| Alt+Shift+m | MIDI Connections |
| Ctrl+Alt+f | Maximize Editor Space |
Selecting #
These shortcuts modify selections across visible lanes and invert existing selections.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+t | Select All Visible Lanes |
| Ctrl+Shift+i | Invert Selection |
Window: MIDI #
This section lists shortcuts available in the MIDI editor for note-level editing.
Note editing #
These commands edit note position, length, pitch, and velocity.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| , | Move Note Start Earlier |
| . | Move Note Ends Later |
| c | Edit Note Channels |
| q | Quantize Selected Notes |
| v | Edit Note Velocities |
| Tab | Select Next |
| Left | Nudge Notes Earlier (grid) |
| Up | Transpose Up (semitone) |
| Right | Nudge Notes Later (grid) |
| Down | Transpose Down (semitone) |
| Delete | Delete Selection (alternate) |
| Shift+Tab | Add Next to Selection |
| Shift+Up | Transpose Up (octave, allow mush) |
| Shift+Down | Transpose Down (octave, allow mush) |
| Ctrl+, | Move Note Start Later |
| Ctrl+. | Move Note Ends Earlier |
| Ctrl+d | Duplicate Note Selection |
| Ctrl+e | Extend Note Selection |
| Ctrl+i | Invert Note Selection |
| Ctrl+Tab | Select Previous |
| Ctrl+Up | Increase Velocity |
| Ctrl+Down | Decrease Velocity |
| Ctrl+Shift+Tab | Add Previous to Selection |
| Ctrl+Shift+Up | Increase Velocity (allow mush) |
| Ctrl+Shift+Down | Decrease Velocity (allow mush) |
| Alt+, | Move Note Start Earlier (fine) |
| Alt+. | Move Note Ends Later (fine) |
| Alt+Left | Nudge Notes Earlier (1/4 grid) |
| Alt+Up | Transpose Up (octave) |
| Alt+Right | Nudge Notes Later (1/4 grid) |
| Alt+Down | Transpose Down (octave) |
| Alt+Shift+Up | Transpose Up (semitone, allow mush) |
| Alt+Shift+Down | Transpose Down (semitone, allow mush) |
| Ctrl+Alt+, | Move Note Start Later (fine) |
| Ctrl+Alt+. | Move Note Ends Earlier (fine) |
| Ctrl+Alt+Up | Increase Velocity (fine) |
| Ctrl+Alt+Down | Decrease Velocity (fine) |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Up | Increase Velocity (fine, allow mush) |
| Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Down | Decrease Velocity (fine, allow mush) |
Window: Recorder #
This section lists shortcuts specific to the recorder page.
Recorder page #
These commands arm or disarm all tracks for recording.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+r | Record Arm All Tracks |
| Ctrl+Shift+r | Disable Record Arm of All Tracks |
Window: Mixer #
This section covers shortcuts that apply when you work in the mixer window.
Mixer scenes #
These shortcuts recall and store mixer scene snapshots.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| F1 | Recall Mixer Scene #1 |
| F2 | Recall Mixer Scene #2 |
| F3 | Recall Mixer Scene #3 |
| F4 | Recall Mixer Scene #4 |
| F5 | Recall Mixer Scene #5 |
| F6 | Recall Mixer Scene #6 |
| F7 | Recall Mixer Scene #7 |
| F8 | Recall Mixer Scene #8 |
| F9 | Recall Mixer Scene #9 |
| F10 | Recall Mixer Scene #10 |
| F11 | Recall Mixer Scene #11 |
| F12 | Recall Mixer Scene #12 |
| Ctrl+F1 | Store Mixer Scene #1 |
| Ctrl+F2 | Store Mixer Scene #2 |
| Ctrl+F3 | Store Mixer Scene #3 |
| Ctrl+F4 | Store Mixer Scene #4 |
| Ctrl+F5 | Store Mixer Scene #5 |
| Ctrl+F6 | Store Mixer Scene #6 |
| Ctrl+F7 | Store Mixer Scene #7 |
| Ctrl+F8 | Store Mixer Scene #8 |
| Ctrl+F9 | Store Mixer Scene #9 |
| Ctrl+F10 | Store Mixer Scene #10 |
| Ctrl+F11 | Store Mixer Scene #11 |
| Ctrl+F12 | Store Mixer Scene #12 |
Window: Step editing #
This section lists shortcuts for step-based MIDI note entry.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| ' | Toggle Triple Notes |
| , | Set Note Velocity to Fortississimo |
| . | Toggled Dotted Notes |
| 0 | Switch to the 11th octave |
| 1 | Switch to the 2nd octave |
| 2 | Switch to the 3rd octave |
| 3 | Switch to the 4th octave |
| 4 | Switch to the 5th octave |
| 5 | Switch to the 6th octave |
| 6 | Switch to the 7th octave |
| 7 | Switch to the 8th octave |
| 8 | Switch to the 9th octave |
| 9 | Switch to the 10th octave |
| ` | Switch to the 1st octave |
| a | Insert Note C |
| b | Set Note Velocity to Mezzo-Forte |
| c | Set Note Velocity to Piano |
| d | Insert Note E |
| e | Insert Note D-sharp |
| f | Insert Note F |
| g | Insert Note G |
| h | Insert Note A |
| j | Insert Note B |
| m | Set Note Velocity to Fortississimo |
| n | Set Note Velocity to Forte |
| s | Insert Note D |
| t | Insert Note F-sharp |
| u | Insert Note A-sharp |
| v | Set Note Velocity to Mezzo-Piano |
| w | Insert Note C-sharp |
| x | Set Note Velocity to Pianissimo |
| y | Insert Note G-sharp |
| z | Set Note Velocity to Pianississimo |
| Backspace | Move Insert Position Back by Note Length |
| Tab | Insert a Note-length Rest |
| Up | Move to Next Note Velocity |
| Down | Move to Previous Note Velocity |
| F1 | Set Note Length to Whole |
| F2 | Set Note Length to 1/2 |
| F3 | Set Note Length to 1/3 |
| F4 | Set Note Length to 1/4 |
| F5 | Set Note Length to 1/8 |
| F6 | Set Note Length to 1/16 |
| F7 | Set Note Length to 1/32 |
| F8 | Set Note Length to 1/64 |
| Shift+Space | Toggle Chord Entry |
| Ctrl+. | No Dotted Notes |
| Ctrl+Tab | Insert a Snap-length Rest |
| Ctrl+Up | Move to Next Note Length |
| Ctrl+Down | Move to Previous Note Length |
Window: Monitor section #
This section lists shortcuts that control the monitor section.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| a | After Fade Listen (AFL) solo |
| b | Toggle Monitor Section Processor Box |
| e | Toggle exclusive solo mode |
| i | In-place solo |
| l | Cut monitor channel 0 |
| o | Toggle mute overrides solo mode |
| p | Pre Fade Listen (PFL) solo |
| r | Cut monitor channel 1 |
| Shift+l | Invert monitor channel 0 |
| Shift+r | Invert monitor channel 1 |
| Ctrl+l | Solo monitor channel 0 |
| Ctrl+r | Solo monitor channel 1 |
| Alt+l | Dim monitor channel 0 |
| Alt+r | Dim monitor channel 1 |
Window: Processor box #
This section lists shortcuts for managing processors.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Backspace | Delete |
| Delete | Delete |
Window: Cues #
This section lists shortcuts for triggering cue slots.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| F1 | Trigger Cue A |
| F2 | Trigger Cue B |
| F3 | Trigger Cue C |
| F4 | Trigger Cue D |
| F5 | Trigger Cue E |
| F6 | Trigger Cue F |
| F7 | Trigger Cue G |
| F8 | Trigger Cue H |
FAQ's #
Most common questions and brief, easy-to-understand answers on the topic:
Can you customize Ardour keyboard shortcuts?
Yes, Ardour allows you to edit and remap keyboard shortcuts in the preferences, which lets you adapt commands to your workflow.
Are these shortcuts the same on all operating systems?
Most shortcuts are the same, but modifier keys can differ between platforms such as Linux, macOS, and Windows.
What does MIDI mean in Ardour?
MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is a standard for representing musical notes, timing, and control data.
Do these shortcuts work in all Ardour windows?
No, shortcuts are context-sensitive and only work in the window or editor where they are defined.
Further readings #
Sources and recommended, further resources on the topic:
Author
Jonas Jared Jacek (J15k)
Jonas works as project manager, web designer, and web developer since 2001. On top of that, he is a Linux system administrator with a broad interest in things related to programming, architecture, and design. See: https://www.j15k.com/License
Ardour cheat sheet by Jonas Jared Jacek is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only. To give credit, provide a link back to the original source, the author, and the license e.g. like this:
<p xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"><a property="dct:title" rel="cc:attributionURL" href="https://www.ditig.com/ardour-cheat-sheet">Ardour cheat sheet</a> by <a rel="cc:attributionURL dct:creator" property="cc:attributionName" href="https://www.j15k.com/">Jonas Jared Jacek</a> is licensed under <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="license noopener noreferrer">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>.</p>For more information see the Ditig legal page.
