| Action | Mac | Windows | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play / Stop | Space | Space | Toggle playback |
| Record | F9 | F9 | Arm and record |
| Capture MIDI | ⌘⇧M | Ctrl+Shift+M | Retroactively captures what you just played. THE most underused feature in Ableton. |
| Undo | ⌘Z | Ctrl+Z | Infinite undo. Be fearless — you can always go back. |
| Consolidate | ⌘J | Ctrl+J | Merge clips into one. Essential for resampling workflow. |
| Freeze Track | Right-click → Freeze | Right-click → Freeze | Renders track to save CPU. Use on heavy synths. |
| Flatten Track | Right-click → Flatten | Right-click → Flatten | Commits frozen track to audio. Point of no return (keep original!) |
| Duplicate | ⌘D | Ctrl+D | Duplicate selection. Works on clips, tracks, devices. |
| Tab: Session ↔ Arrangement | Tab | Tab | Switch views. The two halves of Ableton's brain. |
| Narrow Grid | ⌘1 | Ctrl+1 | Finer grid snap (→ 1/16, 1/32, etc.) |
| Widen Grid | ⌘2 | Ctrl+2 | Coarser grid snap (→ 1/4, 1/2, etc.) |
| Grid Off | ⌘4 | Ctrl+4 | Free placement. Use for micro-timing adjustments. |
| Split Clip | ⌘E | Ctrl+E | Cut clip at playhead. Essential for arrangement editing. |
| Loop Selection | ⌘L | Ctrl+L | Set loop brace to selection |
| Add Audio Track | ⌘T | Ctrl+T | New audio track |
| Add MIDI Track | ⌘⇧T | Ctrl+Shift+T | New MIDI track |
| Add Return Track | ⌘⌥T | Ctrl+Alt+T | For send effects (reverb, delay, Krush bus) |
| Toggle Device View | ⌘⌥B | Ctrl+Alt+B | Show/hide bottom device panel |
| Toggle Browser | ⌘⌥B | Ctrl+Alt+B | Show/hide left browser |
| Rename | ⌘R | Ctrl+R | Rename selection. NAME YOUR TRACKS. Future you will thank present you. |
| Save | ⌘S | Ctrl+S | Save often. Before every big experiment. |
SESSION VIEW = SKETCHPAD
Purpose: Idea generation, jamming, experimenting. No timeline pressure.
Use for: Auditioning loops, testing sound combinations, building a palette of clips, live performance.
Workflow: Each clip slot = one idea. Launch clips, layer them, see what works. No commitment required.
Think of it as: A whiteboard. Scribble ideas, erase, rearrange. Nothing is permanent.
ARRANGEMENT VIEW = STORYTELLING
Purpose: Building the final song. Linear timeline. Intro → Build → Drop → Breakdown → Drop 2 → Outro.
Use for: Arranging, automating, mixing, final production. THIS is where the song lives.
Workflow: Drag clips from Session into Arrangement, OR record a Session jam straight to Arrangement.
Think of it as: A film editor's timeline. Every cut, every transition is intentional.
PHILOSOPHY
AI-generated audio, Splice loops, and rough recordings are raw clay — not finished material. Your job is to sculpt, not copy.
Step 1: Generate or gather raw material. Quality doesn't matter — we're extracting DNA.
Step 2: Import, warp, identify the 2-3 interesting moments.
Step 3: Extract those moments into Simpler. They're now instruments, not loops.
Step 4: Process heavily — pitch shift, stretch, filter, distort. Make it unrecognizable.
Step 5: Layer with your own sound design. Clay provides inspiration; your synths provide the core.
Step 6: Delete or bury the originals. Your track stands on its own.
COMMIT EARLY
Don't keep 47 options open. Bounce, flatten, move on. Perfectionism kills momentum. A finished track with "good enough" sounds beats an unfinished track with perfect sounds every time.
NAME EVERYTHING
⌘R is your best friend. "Audio 1" tells you nothing. "Drop Bass Main" tells you everything. Color-code by category: drums = red, bass = blue, FX = purple.
SAVE VERSIONS
File → Save As at every major milestone. "Track_v1_ideation", "Track_v2_arrangement", "Track_v3_mix". Never overwrite the version where "it sounded good before I broke it."
REFERENCE TRACKS
Drop a reference track on a dedicated audio channel. A/B against your mix regularly. Match loudness first (Utility to volume-match), then compare.
CAPTURE MIDI
Played something incredible but weren't recording? Capture MIDI retroactively saves it. Ableton is always listening. This alone is worth the price of Suite.
FOLLOW ACTIONS
Session View clips can trigger other clips automatically. Set up generative sequences: Clip A plays → triggers Clip B or C randomly. Instant variation without touching your keyboard.
GROOVE POOL
Drag .agr files onto clips to add swing/shuffle. Extract groove from any audio (right-click → Extract Groove). Steal the feel of a vinyl break and apply it to your programmed drums.
MULTI-CLIP EDITING
Select multiple MIDI clips → edit them simultaneously in the detail view. Change a note across every clip at once. Massive time-saver for chord progressions.
DUMMY CLIPS
Empty MIDI clips with automation only. Use them on return tracks to automate send effects rhythmically without any audio source. Reverb that pulses in time.
MAX FOR LIVE: LFO
The M4L LFO device can modulate ANY parameter in Ableton. Map it to reverb decay, filter cutoff, send amount — anything. Free modular-style modulation.