Updated October 14, 2026. Written for SoundCraft 0.6.1 (what changed since).
You can try all of these in your browser: open SoundCraft, click once into the app so it has keyboard focus, and press Space to play the demo song. On Windows and Linux, press Ctrl wherever a Mac shortcut uses ⌘. A shortcut that needs the Mac Control key (⌃) together with ⌘ has no key outside macOS, so the tables say "menu only" there.
In a browser tab, a few keys never reach the app: Ctrl/⌘+W closes the tab, Ctrl/⌘+N and Ctrl/⌘+T open a window or tab, and on a Mac ⌘H and ⌘M belong to macOS. Those rows are marked below; use the menu for them online. The desktop app gets every key.
Which keys should you learn first?
SoundCraft handles these keys itself, in every window unless the table says otherwise:
| Action | Mac | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Play / stop | Space | Space |
| Play at half speed | ⇧Space | Shift+Space |
| Record (desktop app; macOS gives ⌘Space to Spotlight by default) | ⌘Space | Ctrl+Space |
| Switch Mix and Edit windows | ⌘= | Ctrl+= |
| Shuffle / Slip / Spot / Grid mode | F1 / F2 / F3 / F4 | F1 / F2 / F3 / F4 |
| Zoom / Trim / Selector / Grabber / Scrubber / Pencil tool | F5 / F6 / F7 / F8 / F9 / F10 | F5 / F6 / F7 / F8 / F9 / F10 |
| New marker (memory location) | Enter | Enter |
| Nudge the selection back / forward (Edit window) | - / + | - / + |
| Go to the next clip boundary (on a Mac, ⌥Tab goes back) | Tab / ⌥Tab | Tab |
| Zoom out / in on the timeline | R / T | R / T |
| Extend the selection to the track above / below | ⌃↑ / ⌃↓ | Ctrl+Up / Ctrl+Down |
| Nudge clip gain up / down | ⌃⇧↑ / ⌃⇧↓ | Ctrl+Shift+Up / Down |
What is Commands Focus?
Commands Keyboard Focus turns single letters into editing commands in the Edit window, as in Pro Tools. Switch it on with the a-z button in the Edit window's toolbar; while it is on, these keys work without modifiers:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| A | Trim the clip start to the insertion point |
| S | Trim the clip end to the insertion point |
| D | Fade from the clip start to the insertion point |
| G | Fade from the insertion point to the clip end |
| F | Create fades on the selection |
| B | Separate the clip at the selection |
| X / C / V | Cut / copy / paste |
| Z | Undo |
| P / ; | Move the selection to the track above / below |
| L / ' | Go to the previous / next clip boundary |
Windows and views
| Menu item | Mac | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| View › Narrow Mix | ⌘+⌥+M | Ctrl+Alt+M |
| View › Other Displays › Universe | ⌥+7 | Alt+7 |
| Setup › Session | ⌘+2 | Ctrl+2 |
| Window › Configurations › Window Configuration List | ⌘+⌥+J | Ctrl+Alt+J |
| Window › Hide All Floating Windows | ⌘+⌃+W | menu only |
| Window › Close WindowThe browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+W | Ctrl+W |
| Window › Mix | ⌘+= | Ctrl+= |
| Window › Edit | ⌘+= | Ctrl+= |
| Window › Score Editor | ⌘+⌃+= | menu only |
| Window › MIDI Event List | ⌥+= | Alt+= |
| Window › MIDI Keyboard | ⇧+K | Shift+K |
| Window › Task Manager | ⌥+' | Alt+' |
| Window › New Workspace › Default | ⌥+I | Alt+I |
| Window › Workspaces › Bring to Front | ⌥+J | Alt+J |
| Window › Transport | ⌘+1 | Ctrl+1 |
| Window › Big Counter | ⌘+3 | Ctrl+3 |
| Window › Automation | ⌘+4 | Ctrl+4 |
| Window › Memory Locations | ⌘+5 | Ctrl+5 |
| Window › Video | ⌘+9 | Ctrl+9 |
| Window › Pro Tools Search | ⌘+⌃+S | menu only |
Editing
| Menu item | Mac | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Edit › Undo | ⌘+Z | Ctrl+Z |
| Edit › Redo | ⌘+⇧+Z | Ctrl+Shift+Z |
| Edit › Restore Last Selection | ⌘+⌥+Z | Ctrl+Alt+Z |
| Edit › Cut | ⌘+X | Ctrl+X |
| Edit › Copy | ⌘+C | Ctrl+C |
| Edit › Paste | ⌘+V | Ctrl+V |
| Edit › Clear | ⌘+B | Ctrl+B |
| Edit › Cut Special › Clip Gain | ⌘+⌃+X | menu only |
| Edit › Paste Special › Repeat to Fill Selection | ⌘+⌥+V | Ctrl+Alt+V |
| Edit › Clear Special › Clip Gain | ⌘+⌃+B | menu only |
| Edit › Select All | ⌘+A | Ctrl+A |
| Edit › Selection › Change Timeline to Match Edit | ⌥+⇧+5 | Alt+Shift+5 |
| Edit › Selection › Change Edit to Match Timeline | ⌥+⇧+6 | Alt+Shift+6 |
| Edit › Selection › Play Edit | ⌥+[ | Alt+[ |
| Edit › Selection › Move Edit Left | ⌘+⌥+L | Ctrl+Alt+L |
| Edit › Selection › Move Edit Right | ⌘+⌥+' | Ctrl+Alt+' |
| Edit › Selection › Extend Edit Up | ⌃+⇧+P | Ctrl+Shift+P |
| Edit › Selection › Extend Edit Down | ⌃+⇧+; | Ctrl+Shift+; |
| Edit › Duplicate | ⌘+D | Ctrl+D |
| Edit › Repeat... | ⌥+R | Alt+R |
| Edit › Shift... | ⌥+H | Alt+H |
| Edit › Insert Silence | ⌘+⇧+E | Ctrl+Shift+E |
| Edit › Trim › To SelectionThe browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+T | Ctrl+T |
| Edit › Trim › Start to Insertion | ⌥+⇧+7 | Alt+Shift+7 |
| Edit › Trim › End to Insertion | ⌥+⇧+8 | Alt+Shift+8 |
| Edit › Separate › At Selection | ⌘+E | Ctrl+E |
| Edit › Heal SeparationThe browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+H | Ctrl+H |
| Edit › Consolidate | ⌥+⇧+3 | Alt+Shift+3 |
| Edit › MuteThe browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+M | Ctrl+M |
| Edit › Copy Selection to... › Target Playlist | ⌥+⇧+Up | Alt+Shift+Up |
| Edit › Copy Selection to... › New Playlist | ⌥+⇧+Down | Alt+Shift+Down |
| Edit › Move Selection to... › Target Playlist | ⌥+⇧+T | Alt+Shift+T |
| Edit › Move Selection to... › New Playlist | ⌥+⇧+N | Alt+Shift+N |
| Edit › Strip Silence | ⌘+U | Ctrl+U |
| Edit › Automation › Copy to Send... | ⌘+⌥+H | Ctrl+Alt+H |
| Edit › Automation › Thin | ⌘+⌥+T | Ctrl+Alt+T |
| Edit › Automation › Write to Current | ⌘+/ | Ctrl+/ |
| Edit › Automation › Write to All Enabled | ⌘+⌥+/ | Ctrl+Alt+/ |
| Edit › Automation › Trim to Current | ⌘+/ | Ctrl+/ |
| Edit › Fades › Create... | ⌘+F | Ctrl+F |
| Edit › Fades › Fade to Start | ⌘+⌃+D | menu only |
| Edit › Fades › Fade to End | ⌘+⌃+G | menu only |
Tracks and clips
| Menu item | Mac | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Track › New...The browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+⇧+N | Ctrl+Shift+N |
| Track › Group... | ⌘+G | Ctrl+G |
| Track › Duplicate... | ⌥+⇧+D | Alt+Shift+D |
| Track › Move to New Folder... | ⌘+⌥+⇧+N | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+N |
| Track › Commit... | ⌥+⇧+C | Alt+Shift+C |
| Track › Bounce... | ⌘+⌥+⇧+B | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+B |
| Track › Set Record Tracks to Input Only | ⌥+K | Alt+K |
| Track › Scroll to Track... | ⌘+⌥+F | Ctrl+Alt+F |
| Track › Clear All Clip Indicators | ⌥+C | Alt+C |
| Track › Designate as Target Playlist | ⌘+⇧+Right | Ctrl+Shift+Right |
| Track › Show Target Playlist | ⇧+Right | Shift+Right |
| Track › Toggle Recent Playlist | ⌃+⌥+⇧+Left | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Left |
| Clip › Edit Lock/Unlock | ⌘+L | Ctrl+L |
| Clip › Time Lock/Unlock | ⌃+⌥+L | Ctrl+Alt+L |
| Clip › Send to Back | ⌥+⇧+B | Alt+Shift+B |
| Clip › Bring to Front | ⌥+⇧+F | Alt+Shift+F |
| Clip › Rating › 0 to 5 | ⌘+⌥+0-5 | Ctrl+Alt+0-5 |
| Clip › Group | ⌘+⌥+G | Ctrl+Alt+G |
| Clip › Ungroup | ⌘+⌥+U | Ctrl+Alt+U |
| Clip › Regroup | ⌘+⌥+R | Ctrl+Alt+R |
| Clip › Loop... | ⌘+⌥+L | Ctrl+Alt+L |
| Clip › Capture... | ⌘+R | Ctrl+R |
| Clip › Rename... | ⌘+⌥+⇧+R | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R |
| Clip › Identify Sync Point | ⌘+, | Ctrl+, |
| Clip › Quantize to Grid | ⌘+0 | Ctrl+0 |
| Clip › Elastic Properties | ⌥+5 | Alt+5 |
MIDI and events
| Menu item | Mac | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Event › MIDI Operations › Quantize... | ⌥+0 | Alt+0 |
| Event › MIDI Operations › Change Duration... | ⌥+P | Alt+P |
| Event › MIDI Operations › Transpose... | ⌥+T | Alt+T |
| Event › Identify Beat... | ⌘+I | Ctrl+I |
| Event › All MIDI Notes Off | ⌘+⇧+. | Ctrl+Shift+. |
Options
| Menu item | Mac | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Options › Loop Record | ⌥+L | Alt+L |
| Options › QuickPunch | ⌘+⇧+P | Ctrl+Shift+P |
| Options › TrackPunchThe browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+⇧+T | Ctrl+Shift+T |
| Options › Pre/Post-Roll | ⌘+K | Ctrl+K |
| Options › Loop Playback | ⌘+⇧+L | Ctrl+Shift+L |
| Options › Link Timeline and Edit Selection | ⇧+/ | Shift+/ |
| Options › Tab to Transient | ⌘+⌥+Tab | Ctrl+Alt+Tab |
Files
| Menu item | Mac | Windows / Linux |
|---|---|---|
| File › New...The browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+N | Ctrl+N |
| File › Open › Session... | ⌘+O | Ctrl+O |
| File › Close SessionThe browser keeps this key: use the menu online | ⌘+⇧+W | Ctrl+Shift+W |
| File › Save Session | ⌘+S | Ctrl+S |
| File › Save Session As... | ⌘+⇧+S | Ctrl+Shift+S |
| File › Bounce Mix... | ⌘+⌥+B | Ctrl+Alt+B |
| File › Import › Session Data... | ⌥+⇧+I | Alt+Shift+I |
| File › Import › Audio... | ⌘+⇧+I | Ctrl+Shift+I |
| File › Import › MIDI... | ⌘+⌥+I | Ctrl+Alt+I |
| File › Import › Video... | ⌘+⌃+I | menu only |
| File › Print Score... | ⌘+P | Ctrl+P |
In the browser, Open Session and Import Audio or MIDI show the browser's file picker, and saves, bounces and exports arrive as downloads. Import › Video needs the desktop app. Stems have no menu item or shortcut in 0.6.1; the stems and LUFS guide shows the soundcraft-cli command.
FAQ
Are these the same shortcuts as Pro Tools?
The core layout is the same: Space, F1 to F4 for edit modes, F5 to F10 for tools, ⌘= for Mix and Edit, ⌘E to separate, Enter for a marker. SoundCraft is an independent reimplementation, not an Avid product, so a less common Pro Tools key may do nothing; use the menu item and check Setup › Keyboard Shortcuts, which lists every key the app knows.
Want somewhere to practise? The mixing exercises on the demo song use these keys. Coming from Pro Tools, read what SoundCraft can do today; stuck on a step, ask the AI mixing assistant, which knows these shortcuts and menus.