Note that all keyboard bindings can be changed in either the system or
the user's Ardour key bindings file
($HOME/.ardour2/ardour.bindings).
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+w | Closes any non-error dialog windows |
| Ctrl+s | Save the session |
| Alt+i | Import existing files into a session. |
| Ctrl+q | Quit |
Table 1.1. General Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| Alt+e | Raise editor window |
| Alt+m | Raise mixer window |
| Alt+l | Toggle locations window |
| Alt+b | Toggle "big clock" window |
| Alt+k | Toggle key bindings window |
| Alt+f | Toggle Rhythm Ferret window |
| Alt+o | Toggle preferences window |
| Alt+c | Toggle color manager window |
Table 1.2. Window Visibility Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| space | Toggle transport motion |
| Ctrl+space | One-touch record (start transport & recording) |
| Ctrl+Shift+space | Toggle transport motion, deleting any recorded material if recording |
| Shift+r | Toggle transport record-enable state |
| l | toggle looping |
Table 1.3. Transport Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| r | Select Range mode |
| g | Select Gain mode |
| o | Select Object mode |
| t | Select TimeFX mode |
| z | Select Zoom mode |
Table 1.4. Tool Selection Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| Home | Move playhead to session start |
| End | Move playhead to session end |
| p | position playhead at mouse pointer |
| Return | move playhead to selected marker (if any) |
| Alt+Return | move selected marker (if any) to playhead |
| . | playhead to next region boundary |
| Ctrl+. | playhead to next region sync |
| , | playhead to previous region boundary |
| Ctrl+, | playhead to previous region sync |
| Ctrl+Right | tab to transient forwards |
| Ctrl+Left | tab to transient backwards |
| Left | playhead to previous region boundary |
| Alt+Left | nudge playhead backward |
| Right | playhead to next region boundary |
| Alt+Right | nudge playhead forward |
| Ctrl+Keypad Right | jump forward to mark |
| Ctrl+Keypad Left | jump backward to mark |
Table 1.5. Play Position Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| ` | cycle-edit-point |
| Ctrl+~ | cycle-edit-point-with-marker |
| e | set-edit-point |
| Alt+Return | edit-to-playhead |
| F1 | edit-cursor-to-range-start |
| F2 | edit-cursor-to-range-end |
| ' | edit-cursor-to-previous-region-sync |
| ; | edit-cursor-to-next-region-sync |
| Ctrl+Shift+Left | selected-marker-to-previous-region-boundary |
| Ctrl+Shift+Right | selected-marker-to-next-region-boundary |
| e | position selected marker at mouse pointer |
| Alt+Return | move selected marker to playhead |
| [ | move selected marker to earlier region start |
| Ctrl+[ | move selected marker to earlier region end |
| ] | move selected marker to next region start |
| Ctrl+] | move selected marker to next region end |
| ' | move selected marker to next region sync |
| ; | moved selected marker to previous region sync |
| F1 | move selected marker to start of range selection (if defined) |
| F2 | move selected marker to end of range selection (if defined) |
Table 1.6. Edit Cursor Position Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| f | fit tracks |
| Up | step tracks up |
| Down | step tracks down |
| Page_Down | scroll tracks down |
| Page_Up | scroll tracks up |
| Shift+e | show editor mixer |
Table 1.7. Editor Canvas Key Bindings
By default, 12 function keys (F1-F12) are assigned to visual state management. All of them are represented in the table as "Fn".
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| = | zoom in on timeline |
| - | zoom out on timeline |
| z | switch zoom focus to playhead |
| Ctrl+Alt+z | Zoom to fit selected region(s) (time axis only) |
| Alt+z | Zoom to fit selected region(s) (time axis & vertical axis) |
| Shift+z | Undo zoom change |
| Ctrl+Fn | Save current visual state as VS #n (hold for 2 secs) |
| Ctrl+Fn | Restore visual state #n (occurs on key release) |
Table 1.8. Editor Zoom Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| a | align regions using sync points and keeping relative positions |
| Alt+a | align region ends |
| Shift+a | align region sync points without keeping relative positions |
| Mod4+a | align region starts and keeping relative positions |
Table 1.9. Editor Aligning Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+z | undo |
| Ctrl+r | redo |
| Ctrl+x | cut |
| Delete | cut |
| Ctrl+c | copy |
| Ctrl+v | paste |
Table 1.10. Editor Standard Editing Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+a | select all |
| Ctrl+p | select all before playhead |
| Shift+Ctrl+p | select all after playhead |
| u | select all within edit range |
| Shift+i | invert selection |
| Shift+Ctrl+e | select all after edit cursor |
| Ctrl+e | select all before edit cursor |
| Ctrl+d | select all in punch range |
| Ctrl+l | select all in loop range |
| Alt+Up | select prev route |
| Alt+Down | select next route |
Table 1.11. Selection Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| F6 | select range using edit range |
| > | extend range to end of region |
| < | extend range to start of region |
Table 1.12. Range Operations Key Bindings
Nudging will move selected regions if there are any, otherwise the playhead.
Region operations generally operate on the currently selected regions, if any. If none are selected but 1 or more tracks are selected then regions in those tracks at the edit point will be used. If no tracks are selected, then any region at the edit point will be used.
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| s | split region(s) at edit point |
| i | insert region (from region list) |
| d | duplicate region |
| n | normalize region |
| m | mute/unmute region |
| ~ | boost region gain |
| & | cut region gain |
| h | play selected regions |
| j | trim to start at edit point |
| k | trim to end at edit point |
| / | set fade in length (via edit point) |
| \ | set fade out length (via edit point) |
| Shift+{ | trim from start to edit point |
| Shift+} | trim from edit point to end |
| F3 | crop (to edit range) |
| F4 | separate (using edit range) |
| v | set region sync point(s) at edit point |
| F5 | pitch shift region |
Table 1.14. Region Operation Key Bindings
| Key Binding | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter (keypad) | create a new marker at the playhead location |
| ] | set loop range from edit range |
| Alt+] | set loop range from selected region(s) |
| [ | set punch range from edit range |
| Alt+[ | set punch range from selected region(s) |
| KP_1 | goto mark 1 |
| KP_2 | goto mark 2 |
| KP_3 | goto mark 3 |
| KP_4 | goto mark 4 |
| KP_5 | goto mark 5 |
| KP_6 | goto mark 6 |
| KP_7 | goto mark 7 |
| KP_8 | goto mark 8 |
| KP_9 | goto mark 9 |
Table 1.15. Locations and Marks Key Bindings
Note that the definition of the "Delete" and "Edit" clicks can be
redefined by the user, either in their Ardour configuration file
($HOME/.ardour/ardour.rc) or using the Options
Editor (Keyboard+Mouse tab).
You might wonder why we say Button1 ? Here is an
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| click | Show context menu for clicked-upon item |
| "Delete" click ( Shift+ ) | Remove clicked upon item |
| "Edit" click (Ctrl+) | Edit clicked upon item (if possible) |
| "snap modifier" (Mod3) | allow continuous dragging when snap-to is selected |
Table 1.17. Range Operations Key Bindings
These generic mouse actions can be changed from the options window
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Mouse Wheel | scroll editor window up/down (except in Zoom mode) |
| Alt+ | scroll editor window left/right |
| Ctrl+ | zoom in/out |
| Shift+ | step track height |
Table 1.18. Mouse Wheel Actions
The mouse wheel also moves the faders and other controls. In Zoom mode the mouse wheel zooms instead of scrolling the window.
A region has several areas in its on-screen representation:
the waveform (the majority of the region's display area, normally)
the trim bar (the colored bar below the waveform)
the name (in the trim bar, text)
the fade handles (small squares that default to the upper left + right corners)
the fade shape (filled or empty curves representing fade in + fade out)
the gain envelope (hidden by default)
Mouse operations on each area will do different things.
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Button1 click on waveform | select region |
| Shift+ click | add region to selection, or deselect it if selected |
| drag on "empty space" | rubber-band selection of regions |
| Ctrl+Alt+ drag on region | rubber-band selection of regions |
| click in trim bar | set start of region |
| click in trim bar | set end of region |
| drag near ends of trim bar | adjust start/end of region |
| Ctrl+ drag in trim bar | move audio inside region |
| drag | move region |
| Ctrl+ drag | copy region and move copy |
| drag | fixed time move (for transfer to other tracks) |
| Ctrl+ drag | fixed time copy+move |
| Shift+ click | raise region |
| Alt+Shift+ click | lower region |
Table 1.19. Region Operations
In general Button2-drag will do a constrained drag: control points will stay at the same position in time if dragged up and down and they will stay at the same value if dragged sideways.
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| click in automation track | add a new control point to the line |
| drag in an automation track | rubber-band select control points |
| drag on control point | move control point |
| drag on line | move line segment vertically |
| drag on control-point | constrained adjustment |
| Ctrl+ drag on control point | move control point+all later points move with the same time displacement |
| Ctrl+ drag on control point | constrained move control point + move all later points with the same time displacement |
Table 1.20. Region Operations
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| click | add a new control point to the gain envelope |
| drag on control point | move control point |
| drag on line | move line segment |
| Ctrl+ drag on control point | move control point+all later points |
Table 1.21. Region Gain Envelope Operations
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| drag outside of a range | define a range |
| drag on range handles | change start/end of a range |
| Shift+ drag | define an additional range |
| click on another track | move range to another track |
| Shift+ click on another track | extend range to another track |
| Ctrl+ drag | move continuous part of range |
| Alt+ click | seperate range into a new region |
Table 1.22. Range Operations
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| drag | define the new visible area |
| click | zoom in |
| click | zoom out |
| Ctrl+ click | zoom to session |
Table 1.23. Zoom Operations
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| click in marker, tempo, meter ruler | create a new marker |
| drag on a marker | move marker |
| Ctrl+ drag on loop or punch mark | move both ends of range at once |
| Ctrl+Shift+ click in marker | hide marker but do not remove it |
Table 1.24. Marks, Locations
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| drag | define a new punch or loop range |
| other operations as for marks and locations above |
Table 1.25. Punch/Loop Ranges
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| click | toggle for the track (or the entire mix group when the group is active) |
| click | momentary switch |
| Ctrl+ click | toggle for the entire mix group when the group is not active |
| Shift+Ctrl+ click | toggle for all the tracks and busses |
| Ctrl+ click | learn MIDI control |
Table 1.26. Solo, Mute and Rec enable buttons
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Shift+ click | toggle "lock" of current solo state ("solo safe") |
| Ctrl+Alt+ click | solo only this track or active group, unsolo all others |
Table 1.27. Solo Buttons Only
| Mouse Action | Result |
|---|---|
| Button1 drag | operate fader |
| Ctrl+ drag | finer control |
| Alt+Ctrl+ drag | finest control |
| Shift+ click | reset fader |
| Ctrl+ click | learn MIDI control |
Table 1.28. Faders