Keyboard shortcuts
Most of writing in Stab can be done from the keyboard: frets typed at the caret, lengths, articulations, play and loop. The shortcuts card shows the keys of the pane you’re in; the table at the end of this page lists them all.
The shortcuts card
Available on every platform.
Press ? in an Editor or a Score pane, or choose Keyboard Shortcuts (?) from the Help menu. A card opens in the middle of the window with the keys that act in that pane, named the way your keyboard writes them. It fits the window: in a small one, its columns rearrange so every key still shows.
- In the Editor, it starts with Writing (frets, the caret, strings, voices), then Editing, Marks on the selection, Playing, Recording, Practice and View.
- In the Score, it starts with Note input and The selection, then the same sections.
Any key or click puts the card away, and does nothing else. The card holds the keys that act in the pane; the menus’ own keys, for files, windows and panes, are in the menus beside each item, and in the full list below.
The card is for the Editor and the Score; in other panes, the item is greyed out.
On a phone, the keys open in the tools tray instead, as Shortcuts, since a whole card wouldn’t fit the screen. Scroll the tray to reach every key, or drag it up for more room. Any key, or dragging the tray down, puts it away; the song stays yours to work in meanwhile.
Typing in a field
The same rule holds in every field where you type a value: a track’s or a clip’s name, a tempo, a marker, a chord, a row of Score Setup or the Inspector.
- ReturnEnter keeps what you typed.
- Leaving the field keeps it too: clicking elsewhere, Tab, switching to another window, or closing the pane or the song.
- Escape (on a hardware keyboard) cancelsEsc cancels, and the value stays as it was.
A value Stab can’t read, such as a tempo of “fast”, leaves the old one. A field that starts something new rather than changing a value, such as naming a new lane or pasting a video’s link, acts only on ReturnEnter; leaving it does nothing.
| Command | Keys | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Shortcuts (?) | ? | the Help menu |
| Command | Keys | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Shortcuts (?) | ? | the Help menu |
| Command | Keys | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Shortcuts (?) | ? | the Help menu |
Menus from the keyboard
Available on Windows and Web. Not on Mac.
This isn’t on Mac.
The menu bar opens from the keyboard:
- F10 opens the menu bar on its first menu.
- AltAlt (⌥ on a Mac) with a menu’s letter opens that menu. The letters are in the table below. Transport is Alt+RAlt+R (⌥R on a Mac), because ⌥TAlt+TAlt+T (⌥T on a Mac) is Text over the Note in a pane.
With a menu open, the arrow keys move between items and between menus, Return or Space chooses, and a letter goes to the first item that starts with it, choosing it unless it opens a submenu. Esc, F10 or AltEsc closes the menu.
In Edge and Chrome on Windows, the browser keeps F10 and Alt for its own menu. Press Tab from the song instead: it goes to the title bar, Home first, and Tab again reaches the menus; Shift+Tab from Home goes back to the song.
These keys are for Windows and the web, where Stab draws its own menu bar.
Not on Mac: Open the Menu Bar, Open the File Menu, Open the Edit Menu, Open the View Menu, Open the Transport Menu, Open the Together Menu, Open the Session Menu, Open the Settings Menu, Open the Help Menu.
| Command | Keys | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Open the Menu Bar | F10 | the keyboard |
| Open the File Menu | Alt+F | the keyboard |
| Open the Edit Menu | Alt+E | the keyboard |
| Open the View Menu | Alt+V | the keyboard |
| Open the Transport Menu | Alt+R | the keyboard |
| Open the Together Menu | Alt+O | the keyboard |
| Open the Settings Menu | Alt+S | the keyboard |
| Open the Help Menu | Alt+H | the keyboard |
Not on Windows: Open the Session Menu.
| Command | Keys | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Open the Menu Bar | F10 | the keyboard |
| Open the File Menu | Alt+F (⌥F on a Mac) | the keyboard |
| Open the Edit Menu | Alt+E (⌥E on a Mac) | the keyboard |
| Open the View Menu | Alt+V (⌥V on a Mac) | the keyboard |
| Open the Transport Menu | Alt+R (⌥R on a Mac) | the keyboard |
| Open the Session Menu | Alt+S (⌥S on a Mac) | the keyboard |
| Open the Settings Menu | Alt+N (⌥N on a Mac) | the keyboard |
| Open the Help Menu | Alt+H (⌥H on a Mac) | the keyboard |
Not on Web: Open the Together Menu.
Every shortcut
Every command with keys on your platform, by chapter, each linked to its article. Choose another platform at the top of the page to see its keys.
Getting started
| Home | ⇧⌘H |
| Continue | ↩ |
| New Song… | ⌘N |
| New Song as Last Time | ⇧⌘N |
| Open… | ⌘O |
| Duplicate | ⇧⌘S |
| Show in Finder | ⇧⌘R |
| Search Commands… | ⌘K |
The workspace
Writing tab
Techniques
Clips and structure
Chords and lyrics
| Chord symbol at the caret | ⇧Q |
| Write a chord in the box | A–G |
| Repeat the bar before (%) | % |
| To the next bar | | |
| Edit the box’s chord | ↩ |
| Lyrics from the note | ⌥L |
Shaping performance
| Show Note Inspector | ⌥⌘I |
| Show Value Bars | ⌥⌘E |
| Brush (E) | E |
| Smaller Brush ([) | [ |
| Larger Brush (]) | ] |
| Transpose… | ⇧⌘T |
| Undo | ⌘Z |
| Redo | ⇧⌘Z |
The Score
Sound
MIDI
| Audio & MIDI | ⌃⌘I |
| Record | ⌥⌘R |
| Capture MIDI | ⌥⇧⌘R |
| MIDI Step Input | ⌥⌘S |
| Learn MIDI Control | ⌃⌥⌘K |
Recording audio
| Tuner | ⌥⌘U |
Bringing music in
Saving and exporting
| Save | ⌘S |
| Export… | ⌘E |
| Export Again | ⇧⌘E |
| Print… | ⌘P |
| Save a Copy… | ⌥⇧⌘S |
Playing and practising
Listening tools
| Show Video | ⌥⌘V |
| Pin to the recording (a bar, ⇧ a beat) | ⌥M, ⌥⇧M |
| Keep Tab from Audio | ⌘↩ |
| Discard Tab from Audio | ⌥⌘⌫ |
| Stop Analysis | ⌘. |
Playing together
Getting started
| Home | Ctrl+Shift+H |
| New Song… | Ctrl+N |
| New Song as Last Time | Ctrl+Shift+N |
| Open… | Ctrl+O |
| Duplicate | Ctrl+Shift+S |
| Show in File Explorer | Ctrl+Shift+R |
| Search Commands… | Ctrl+K |
The workspace
| Change View… | Ctrl+Shift+V |
| Split Right | Ctrl+\ |
| Split Below | Ctrl+Alt+\ |
| Maximize Pane | Ctrl+Shift+Enter |
| Close Pane | Ctrl+Alt+W |
| Next Pane | Ctrl+Tab |
| Previous Pane | Ctrl+Shift+Tab |
| Zoom In | Ctrl+=, Ctrl+Num+ |
| Zoom Out | Ctrl+-, Ctrl+Num− |
| Pane Settings | Ctrl+Shift+, |
| Settings… | Ctrl+, |
| Keyboard Shortcuts (?) | ? |
| Open the Menu Bar | F10 |
| Open the File Menu | Alt+F |
| Open the Edit Menu | Alt+E |
| Open the View Menu | Alt+V |
| Open the Transport Menu | Alt+R |
| Open the Together Menu | Alt+O |
| Open the Settings Menu | Alt+S |
| Open the Help Menu | Alt+H |
| Next Version | Alt+A |
Writing tab
| Show Bends | Ctrl+Alt+B |
| Show Articulations | Ctrl+Alt+A |
| Add Track… | Ctrl+Alt+T |
| Fret on the caret’s string | 0–9 |
| A semitone up | +, = |
| A semitone down | - |
| Notes to the string above, below | Alt+Up, Alt+Down |
| Hear Notes as You Write | Ctrl+Alt+Y |
| Step Length | Ctrl+1–Ctrl+7 |
| Dotted step | . |
| Triplet step | T |
| A rest | , |
| Tie | J |
| Snap to Grid | Ctrl+G |
| Cut | Ctrl+X |
| Copy | Ctrl+C |
| Paste | Ctrl+V |
| Delete | Backspace, Delete |
| Select All | Ctrl+A |
| Edit voice 1–9 | Alt+1–Alt+9 |
| Re-fret | Ctrl+R |
Techniques
Clips and structure
| Add Marker | Alt+' |
| Previous Marker | Alt+, |
| Next Marker | Alt+. |
Chords and lyrics
| Chord symbol at the caret | Shift+Q |
| Write a chord in the box | A–G |
| Repeat the bar before (%) | % |
| To the next bar | | |
| Edit the box’s chord | Enter |
| Lyrics from the note | Alt+L |
Shaping performance
| Show Note Inspector | Ctrl+Alt+I |
| Show Value Bars | Ctrl+Alt+E, Ctrl+Shift+B |
| Brush (E) | E |
| Smaller Brush ([) | [ |
| Larger Brush (]) | ] |
| Transpose… | Ctrl+Shift+T |
| Undo | Ctrl+Z |
| Redo | Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z |
The Score
| Note Input | N |
| Value: 64th … whole | 1–7 |
| Drumpad at the caret | 0–9, Alt+0–Alt+9 |
| Dot on, off | . |
| Write a note at the caret | A–G |
| Add to the chord just written | Shift+A–Shift+G |
| A rest | 0 |
| Note input’s value | 1–7 |
| Note input dotted | . |
| Triplets | T |
| Fives, sixes, sevens (a rhythm cell) | Alt+5–Alt+7 |
| Tie: the chord a step longer | +, = |
| Back a step | Backspace |
| Respell a black key | J |
| Stem up, down, auto | Shift+X |
| Beam: break, join, auto | / |
| Cross staff: the staff above, below | Ctrl+Shift+Up, Ctrl+Shift+Down |
MIDI
| Record | Ctrl+Alt+R |
| Capture MIDI | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R |
| MIDI Step Input | Ctrl+Alt+S |
| Learn MIDI Control | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K |
Recording audio
| Tuner | Ctrl+Alt+U |
Bringing music in
| Import Recording… | Ctrl+I |
Saving and exporting
| Save | Ctrl+S |
| Export… | Ctrl+E |
| Export Again | Ctrl+Shift+E |
| Print… | Ctrl+P |
| Save a Copy… | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S |
Playing and practising
| Play | Space |
| Loop | Ctrl+Shift+L |
| Loop Selection | Ctrl+L |
| Loop (the selection’s, or on, off) | L |
| Resume Following | Ctrl+Alt+F |
| Slower | Ctrl+Shift+- |
| Faster | Ctrl+Shift+= |
| Normal Speed | Ctrl+Shift+0 |
| Play a Semitone Higher | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+= |
| Play a Semitone Lower | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+- |
| Play in the Written Key | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+0 |
| Metronome | Ctrl+Alt+M, Ctrl+Shift+M |
| Count-In | Ctrl+Alt+K |
| Practice… | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P |
| Wait for Me | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W |
| Skip This Note | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Right |
| Listen | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+L |
| Follow Me | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F |
Listening tools
| Show Video | Ctrl+Alt+V |
| Pin to the recording (a bar, ⇧ a beat) | Alt+M, Alt+Shift+M |
| Keep Tab from Audio | Ctrl+Enter |
| Discard Tab from Audio | Ctrl+Alt+Backspace |
| Stop Analysis | Ctrl+. |
Playing together
| Host This Song | Ctrl+Alt+P |
| Join a Session… | Ctrl+Alt+J |
| Look Here | Ctrl+Alt+L |
Getting started
| Search Commands… | Ctrl+K (⌘K on a Mac) |
The workspace
| Change View… | Ctrl+Shift+V (⇧⌘V on a Mac) |
| Split Right | Ctrl+\ (⌘\ on a Mac) |
| Split Below | Ctrl+Alt+\ (⌥⌘\ on a Mac) |
| Maximize Pane | Ctrl+Shift+Enter (⇧⌘↩ on a Mac) |
| Close Pane | Ctrl+Alt+W (⌥⌘W on a Mac) |
| Next Pane | Ctrl+Alt+], Ctrl+Alt+. (⌥⌘], ⌥⌘. on a Mac) |
| Previous Pane | Ctrl+Alt+[, Ctrl+Alt+, (⌥⌘[, ⌥⌘, on a Mac) |
| Zoom In | Ctrl+=, Ctrl+Num+ (⌘=, ⌘Num+ on a Mac) |
| Zoom Out | Ctrl+-, Ctrl+Num− (⌘-, ⌘Num− on a Mac) |
| Pane Settings | Ctrl+Shift+, (⇧⌘, on a Mac) |
| Keyboard Shortcuts (?) | ? |
| Open the Menu Bar | F10 |
| Open the File Menu | Alt+F (⌥F on a Mac) |
| Open the Edit Menu | Alt+E (⌥E on a Mac) |
| Open the View Menu | Alt+V (⌥V on a Mac) |
| Open the Transport Menu | Alt+R (⌥R on a Mac) |
| Open the Session Menu | Alt+S (⌥S on a Mac) |
| Open the Settings Menu | Alt+N (⌥N on a Mac) |
| Open the Help Menu | Alt+H (⌥H on a Mac) |
| Next Version | Alt+A (⌥A on a Mac) |
Writing tab
| Show Bends | Ctrl+Alt+B (⌥⌘B on a Mac) |
| Show Articulations | Ctrl+Alt+A (⌥⌘A on a Mac) |
| Add Track… | Ctrl+Alt+T (⌥⌘T on a Mac) |
| Fret on the caret’s string | 0–9 |
| A semitone up | +, = |
| A semitone down | - |
| Notes to the string above, below | Alt+Up, Alt+Down (⌥↑, ⌥↓ on a Mac) |
| Hear Notes as You Write | Ctrl+Alt+Y (⌥⌘Y on a Mac) |
| Step Length | Ctrl+1–Ctrl+7 (⌘1–⌘7 on a Mac) |
| Dotted step | . |
| Triplet step | T |
| A rest | , |
| Tie | J |
| Snap to Grid | Ctrl+G (⌘G on a Mac) |
| Cut | Ctrl+X (⌘X on a Mac) |
| Copy | Ctrl+C (⌘C on a Mac) |
| Paste | Ctrl+V (⌘V on a Mac) |
| Delete | Backspace, Delete (⌫, ⌦ on a Mac) |
| Select All | Ctrl+A (⌘A on a Mac) |
| Edit voice 1–9 | Alt+1–Alt+9 (⌥1–⌥9 on a Mac) |
| Re-fret | Ctrl+R (⌘R on a Mac) |
Techniques
| Accent | A |
| Marcato | M |
| Staccato | O |
| Tenuto | W |
| Fermata | F |
| Ghost Note | G |
| Dead Note | X |
| Palm Mute | P |
| Let Ring | R |
| Harmonic | N |
| Pinch Harmonic | Q |
| Tap | I |
| Slap, Pop | K |
| Bend | B |
| Add Grace Note | Alt+G (⌥G on a Mac) |
| Add Grace Note on the Beat | Alt+Shift+G (⌥⇧G on a Mac) |
| Slide to Next | S |
| Hammer-On / Pull-Off to Next | H |
| Slur | Shift+S (⇧S on a Mac) |
| Vibrato | V |
| Pick Down | D |
| Pick Up | U |
| Text over the Note… | Alt+T (⌥T on a Mac) |
Clips and structure
| Add Marker | Alt+' (⌥' on a Mac) |
| Previous Marker | Alt+, (⌥, on a Mac) |
| Next Marker | Alt+. (⌥. on a Mac) |
Chords and lyrics
| Chord symbol at the caret | Shift+Q (⇧Q on a Mac) |
| Write a chord in the box | A–G |
| Repeat the bar before (%) | % |
| To the next bar | | |
| Edit the box’s chord | Enter (↩ on a Mac) |
| Lyrics from the note | Alt+L (⌥L on a Mac) |
Shaping performance
| Show Note Inspector | Ctrl+Alt+I (⌥⌘I on a Mac) |
| Show Value Bars | Ctrl+Alt+E, Ctrl+Shift+B (⌥⌘E, ⇧⌘B on a Mac) |
| Brush (E) | E |
| Smaller Brush ([) | [ |
| Larger Brush (]) | ] |
| Undo | Ctrl+Z (⌘Z on a Mac) |
| Redo | Ctrl+Y, Ctrl+Shift+Z (⌘Y, ⇧⌘Z on a Mac) |
The Score
| Note Input | N |
| Value: 64th … whole | 1–7 |
| Drumpad at the caret | 0–9, Alt+0–Alt+9 (0–9, ⌥0–⌥9 on a Mac) |
| Dot on, off | . |
| Write a note at the caret | A–G |
| Add to the chord just written | Shift+A–Shift+G (⇧A–⇧G on a Mac) |
| A rest | 0 |
| Note input’s value | 1–7 |
| Note input dotted | . |
| Triplets | T |
| Fives, sixes, sevens (a rhythm cell) | Alt+5–Alt+7 (⌥5–⌥7 on a Mac) |
| Tie: the chord a step longer | +, = |
| Back a step | Backspace (⌫ on a Mac) |
| Respell a black key | J |
| Stem up, down, auto | Shift+X (⇧X on a Mac) |
| Beam: break, join, auto | / |
| Cross staff: the staff above, below | Ctrl+Shift+Up, Ctrl+Shift+Down (⇧⌘↑, ⇧⌘↓ on a Mac) |
MIDI
| Record | Ctrl+Alt+R (⌥⌘R on a Mac) |
| Capture MIDI | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R (⌥⇧⌘R on a Mac) |
| MIDI Step Input | Ctrl+Alt+S (⌥⌘S on a Mac) |
| Learn MIDI Control | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+K (⌥⇧⌘K on a Mac) |
Saving and exporting
| Export… | Ctrl+E (⌘E on a Mac) |
| Export Again | Ctrl+Shift+E (⇧⌘E on a Mac) |
Playing and practising
| Play | Space |
| Loop | Ctrl+Shift+L (⇧⌘L on a Mac) |
| Loop Selection | Ctrl+L (⌘L on a Mac) |
| Loop (the selection’s, or on, off) | L |
| Resume Following | Ctrl+Alt+F (⌥⌘F on a Mac) |
| Slower | Ctrl+Shift+- (⇧⌘- on a Mac) |
| Faster | Ctrl+Shift+= (⇧⌘= on a Mac) |
| Normal Speed | Ctrl+Shift+0 (⇧⌘0 on a Mac) |
| Play a Semitone Higher | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+= (⌥⇧⌘= on a Mac) |
| Play a Semitone Lower | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+- (⌥⇧⌘- on a Mac) |
| Play in the Written Key | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+0 (⌥⇧⌘0 on a Mac) |
| Metronome | Ctrl+Alt+M, Ctrl+Shift+M (⌥⌘M, ⇧⌘M on a Mac) |
| Count-In | Ctrl+Alt+K (⌥⌘K on a Mac) |
| Practice… | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P (⌥⇧⌘P on a Mac) |
| Wait for Me | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W (⌥⇧⌘W on a Mac) |
| Skip This Note | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Right (⌥⇧⌘→ on a Mac) |
| Listen | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+L (⌥⇧⌘L on a Mac) |
| Follow Me | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F (⌥⇧⌘F on a Mac) |
Listening tools
| Pin to the recording (a bar, ⇧ a beat) | Alt+M, Alt+Shift+M (⌥M, ⌥⇧M on a Mac) |
Playing together
| Look Here | Ctrl+Alt+L (⌥⌘L on a Mac) |