Hookpad Keyboard Shortcuts

Add Note/Chord

  • 1 → I
  • 2 → ii
  • 3 → iii
  • 4 → IV
  • 5 → V
  • 6 → vi
  • 7 → vii°
  • 0 → rest

Change Duration

  • h → ¼
  • j → ½
  • k → 1
  • l → 2
  • ; → 4
  • ' (6 beat and up)
  • shift → combine durations
  • shift + t → make triplet

Playback

  • spacebar → play/pause
  • shift + spacebar → play from youtube
  • r → start/toggle record
  • ctrl + spacebar → play from start
  • shift + enter → rewind to start

Copy, Paste, Undo, Redo, Delete

  • x → cut
  • c → copy
  • v → paste
  • shift + v → paste from clipboard
  • z → undo (20 levels supported)
  • y → redo (20 levels supported)
  • del → delete

Selecting

  • Click (command + click adds to a selection)
  • Draw a box with the mouse
  • Shift + left/right arrow to select the note the left/right of cursor
  • a → select all
  • esc → deselect / cancel
  • shift → add batch to selection
  • command → add single to selection

Change Note Pitch / Octave

  • Select note and use ↑ or ↓ keys
  • shift + ↑ or ↓ changes octave
  • Drag notes up/down with mouse
  • For non-diatonic scale degrees, select a note and use "," and "." keys
  • To change octave: select note and use shift + ↑ or ↓
  • To change octave: hold ↑ or ↓ while adding the note, i.e., type "↑ 4"

Nudge Left or Right

  • ⌘ + ← (nudge left)
  • ⌘ + → (nudge right)

Zoom

  • - zoom out
  • + zoom in
  • combine with shift for larger magnitude

Chord Type

  • e (cycles through triad, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th)

Chord Inversion (Bass Note)

  • i (cycles through)

Secondary Chords

  • d (cycles through “none”, IV of, V of, vii° of)

Save, Open, New

  • s → save
  • o → open
  • n → new
  • shift + s → save as
  • ctrl/cmd + shift + s → save to disk
  • ctrl/cmd + shift + o → open from disk
  • shift + n → new blank song

YouTube Sync

  • p → play/pause
  • [ → set sync start time
  • ] → set sync end time

Split & Tie

  • / → then click an item to split
  • t → select two items then click t to tie

Lead Voices

  • ctrl + 1/2/3/4 → select active melody
  • ctrl + shift + 1/2/3/4 → toggle visibility of melody

Toggle Windows

  • b → band browser
  • u → mixer
  • shift + m → meters
  • shift + y → keys
  • shift + l → lyrics
  • shift + p → piano

Additional Shortcuts

  • g → toggle lock/preview
  • m → toggle entry mode(table/text)
  • tab + m → go to next section in editor
  • shift + tab → go to previous section in editor
  • enter → create line break

More Hookpad Resources