layout: default
title: Default Keyboard Bindings
menu-title: Key Bindings
----
+---
<p>
Almost every available function in Ardour can be bound to a keyboard
shortcut (and those few that cannot will usually respond to an <a
href="/using-control-surfaces/controlling-ardour-with-osc/"><abbr
- title="Open Sound Control">OSC</abbr> command</a>). Ardour comes with a
+ title="Open Sound Control">OSC</abbr> command</a>). Ardour comes with a
rich set of default <dfn>key bindings</dfn> for the most commonly used
functions.
</p>
-<p>These bindings strive to be <dfn>mnemonic</dfn>, that is, easy and intuitive
- to remember, and follow widely accepted conventions. As a general rule,
- the first letter of an operation will be used for as a shortcut, if
- available. This does not necessarily lead to the best ergonomics for
- rapid editing — there are alternative binding sets for that —
- but it does make it simpler for newcomers to remember some of the most
+
+<p>These bindings strive to be <dfn>mnemonic</dfn>, that is, easy and intuitive
+ to remember, and follow widely accepted conventions. As a general rule,
+ the first letter of an operation will be used for as a shortcut, if
+ available. This does not necessarily lead to the best ergonomics for
+ rapid editing — there are alternative binding sets for that —
+ but it does make it simpler for newcomers to remember some of the most
useful ones, for example<br />
<kbd>S</kbd> for <kbd class="menu">Region > Edit > Split"</kbd>
or<br />
<kbd>P</kbd> for <kbd class="menu">Transport > Playhead > Playhead to Mouse</kbd>.
</p>
+
+<p>
+ Existing key bindings in menus are listed on the right side of the
+ menu items. To create a custom key binding for a menu item quickly, navigate to
+ the relevant (sub-) menu, hover over the item with the mouse and press
+ the desired combination of modifiers and key.
+</p>
+
+<p class="warning">
+ Ardour will silently re-assign the binding if you use a key
+ combination that is already in use, possibly removing a standard
+ keyboard shortcut without warning you. That might lead to confusion
+ when you ask other users for help, and they explain something in terms
+ of a standard key binding, which will then have a completely
+ different effect on your system.
+</p>
+
<p>
- Almost every key binding in Ardour can be changed in
+ Almost every key binding in Ardour can be looked for and/or changed in
<kbd class="menu">Window > Key Bindings</kbd>.
</p>
+
<p>
The conventions for using modifier keys (<kbd class="mod1"> </kbd>, <kbd
- class="mod2"> </kbd>, <kbd class="mod3"> </kbd> etc.) differ among platforms, so we
+ class="mod2"> </kbd>, <kbd class="mod3"> </kbd> etc.) differ among platforms, so we
provide different default bindings for each.
</p>
+
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