Keyboard Shortcuts for Popular DAWs: Speed Up Your Workflow

Efficiency is key in modern music production, and mastering keyboard shortcuts in your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) can drastically improve your workflow. Whether you use Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, or Cubase, knowing the right shortcuts can save time, enhance creativity, and streamline editing, mixing, and arrangement tasks.

1. Why Keyboard Shortcuts Matter

• Faster Editing: Quickly trim, cut, and arrange audio or MIDI without using a mouse.
• Smoother Mixing: Adjust volume, panning, and effects instantly.
• Improved Creativity: Less time navigating menus means more focus on music.
• Better Efficiency: Shortcuts minimize repetitive clicks, reducing fatigue.

Pro Tip:

Print out or bookmark a shortcut list for your DAW to reference while working.

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts for Major DAWs

Here’s a list of essential shortcuts for Logic Pro, Cubase, Ableton Live, and Pro Tools to help streamline your workflow:

Logic Pro Shortcuts

Navigation & Playback

• Spacebar → Play/Stop
  
  
• Return → Go to Start
  
  
• Command + ← / → → Move Playhead Left/Right
  
  
• Option + Command + ← / → → Move Playhead by Bar
  
  
• Shift + Spacebar → Play from Last Location
  
  

Editing

• Command + T → Split Region at Playhead
  
  
• Command + Z → Undo
  
  
• Command + Shift + Z → Redo
  
  
• Command + C / V / X → Copy / Paste / Cut
  
  
• Option + Click & Drag → Copy Region
  
  

Recording

• R → Start Recording
  
  
• Command + R → Repeat Region
  
  
• Option + R → Region Repeat Settings
  
  

Mixing & Automation

• X → Open Mixer
  
  
• A → Show Automation
  
  
• Command + Shift + M → Convert MIDI Region to Pattern
  
  

Cubase Shortcuts

Navigation & Playback

• Spacebar → Play/Stop
  
  
• 1 & 2 (Num Pad) → Set Left/Right Locators
  
  
• 0 (Num Pad) → Stop
  
  
• Enter (Num Pad) → Start Playback from Locator
  
  
• Shift + B / N → Move Backward/Forward in Timeline
  
  

Editing

• Alt + X → Split at Cursor
  
  
• Ctrl + D → Duplicate
  
  
• Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Shift + Z → Undo / Redo
  
  
• Shift + G → Quantize Selection
  
  
• Ctrl + A → Select All
  
  

Recording

• *** (Num Pad)** → Start Recording
  
  
• Ctrl + R → Repeat Selection
  
  
• Alt + Click & Drag → Copy MIDI/Audio Part
  
  

Mixing & Automation

• F3 → Open Mixer
  
  
• A → Enable Automation Mode
  
  
• Alt + Click on Fader → Reset Fader to Default
  
  

Ableton Live Shortcuts

Navigation & Playback

• Spacebar → Play/Stop
  
  
• Shift + Spacebar → Play from Last Stopped Position
  
  
• Cmd + → / ← → Move Playhead
  
  
• Tab → Switch Between Arrangement & Session View
  
  

Editing

• Cmd + E → Split Clip
  
  
• Cmd + D → Duplicate
  
  
• Cmd + J → Consolidate Clips
  
  
• Cmd + Shift + Z → Redo
  
  

Recording

• F9 → Start/Stop Recording
  
  
• 0 → Enable/Disable Clip
  
  
• Cmd + U → Quantize
  
  

Mixing & Automation

• A → Show Automation
  
  
• Cmd + L → Toggle Loop
  
  
• Cmd + M → Enter MIDI Mapping Mode
  
  

Pro Tools Shortcuts

Navigation & Playback

• Spacebar → Play/Stop
  
  
• Return → Go to Start
  
  
• Option + Return → Go to End
  
  
• Cmd + [ / ] → Zoom Out/In
  
  

Editing

• B → Split Clip at Cursor
  
  
• Cmd + D → Duplicate Clip
  
  
• Cmd + Z / Cmd + Shift + Z → Undo / Redo
  
  
• Option + Click → Delete Selection
  
  

Recording

• Cmd + Spacebar → Start/Stop Recording
  
  
• 3 (Num Pad) → Record Enable
  
  

Mixing & Automation

• Cmd + = → Toggle Mix/Edit Window
  
  
• Cmd + Shift + U / B → Select & Delete Unused Clips
  
  
• Cmd + Option + Click → Enable/Disable Automation

3. Customizing Shortcuts for Your Workflow

Most DAWs allow users to remap keyboard shortcuts based on personal preferences.

How to Customize:

• Pro Tools: Setup > Preferences > Editing
• Ableton Live: Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts
• Logic Pro: Logic Pro > Key Commands > Edit
• FL Studio: Options > General Settings > Keyboard Mapping
• Cubase: File > Key Commands

Pro Tip:

Create custom macros for multi-step actions, such as automating track routing or effect toggling with a single keystroke.

How Sound Academy Can Help

At Sound Academy, we offer expert training on DAW workflows, including essential shortcuts, custom key mappings, and workflow optimization techniques to help you produce faster and more efficiently.