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Keyboard shortcuts

Every in-app keyboard shortcut for Universal Controller MIDI — panic, preset switch, mapping editor, tab nav, calibration. Built for live use without taking eyes off the DAW.

Updated 29 May 2026

Keyboard shortcuts exist for one reason: during a live set you can't move a mouse. Every critical action — panic, preset switch, mapping reload — is one chord away. Memorise four, you're set.

Global (anywhere in the app)

Shortcut	Action
`⌘ / Ctrl + ,`	Open Settings
`⌘ / Ctrl + P`	Quick preset switcher (Cmd-P fuzzy search)
`⌘ / Ctrl + Shift + P`	Command palette — every action by name
`⌘ / Ctrl + S`	Save current preset
`⌘ / Ctrl + Shift + S`	Save preset as…
`⌘ / Ctrl + Z`	Undo mapping edit
`Esc`	Close panel / cancel edit
`Space`	Pause / resume MIDI output (panic-adjacent)
`F1`	Open Help tab

The panic button

Bound to ⌘ / Ctrl + . (Cmd-period). Fires All Notes Off on every active channel and resets every CC to its default value. If your DAW ever gets a stuck note from a flaky Bluetooth link, this is the muscle-memory shortcut to learn first.

Tab navigation

The main window has 11 tabs. Number keys jump between them:

⌘ / Ctrl + 1 Mapping
⌘ / Ctrl + 2 Visualise
⌘ / Ctrl + 3 Templates
⌘ / Ctrl + 4 Presets
⌘ / Ctrl + 5 Connectors
⌘ / Ctrl + 6 Bluetooth
⌘ / Ctrl + 7 Haptics
⌘ / Ctrl + 8 MIDI in
⌘ / Ctrl + 9 Logs
⌘ / Ctrl + 0 Settings
⌘ / Ctrl + / Help

Mapping editor

Inside the editor, Tab walks between bindings, Enter opens the binding's detail panel, Delete clears a binding, and L arms MIDI learn — wiggle the gamepad input you want, then point your DAW at the binding to capture both sides.

Keyboard shortcut chord — modifier combos fire app actions like panic, save, or tab switch.

Full shortcut matrix

Every shortcut, grouped by context. Print this and stick it on the monitor.

Context	Shortcut	Action
Global	`⌘ / Ctrl + .`	PANIC — all notes off, CCs reset
Global	`⌘ / Ctrl + K`	Reload current preset from disk
Global	`⌘ / Ctrl + Shift + R`	Restart MIDI engine
Global	`⌘ / Ctrl + Shift + B`	Cycle controller (multi-controller mode)
Global	`⌘ / Ctrl + ]`	Next preset (in cycle order)
Global	`⌘ / Ctrl + [`	Previous preset
Mapping editor	`L`	Arm MIDI learn
Mapping editor	`D`	Duplicate binding
Mapping editor	`R`	Reverse binding range
Mapping editor	`I`	Invert curve
Mapping editor	`C`	Open curve editor
Mapping editor	`1–9`	Quick-set MIDI channel
Visualise	`F`	Freeze trace
Visualise	`G`	Toggle grid
Visualise	`+ / -`	Zoom time axis
Logs	`⌘ / Ctrl + F`	Filter log lines
Logs	`⌘ / Ctrl + L`	Clear log
Bluetooth	`⌘ / Ctrl + Shift + H`	Force re-handshake
Haptics	`T`	Test trigger effect

// Override any shortcut in ~/.../Universal Controller MIDI/shortcuts.json
{
  "panic": "Cmd+.",
  "next_preset": "F5",
  "prev_preset": "F4",
  "mapping.midi_learn": "Cmd+L"
}

Real-world scenarios

Stuck note mid-set. Bluetooth blip drops a NoteOff. ⌘ + . kills it instantly. No silence in the set, no audience notices.
Wrong preset loaded. Cmd-P → type three letters of the right preset → Enter. Two seconds, no mouse.
Sound check. Cycle every preset with ⌘ + ] while the engineer rings out the room. No menu diving.
Multi-controller swap. Co-performer takes over. ⌘ + Shift + B swaps to their pad's profile without touching the mapping editor.
Debug a flaky binding. Cmd-2 (Visualise) → press the offending input → see if the trace fires. If not, Cmd-1 (Mapping) → check the binding. Three keys, four seconds.

For headless / no-GUI control, see the CLI page.

Edit this page on GitHub Updated 29 May 2026