Keyboard Shortcuts
PianoRhythm provides extensive keyboard shortcuts to enhance your playing experience and streamline navigation. This guide covers all available shortcuts and their functionalities.
Global Application Shortcuts
These shortcuts work throughout the application and provide quick access to main features:
| Shortcut | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Toggle Instrument Selection | Opens/closes the instrument selection panel |
| F2 | Toggle MIDI I/O Display | Opens/closes MIDI input/output configuration |
| F3 | Toggle Chat Messages | Shows/hides the chat messages panel |
| F5 | Toggle Metronome | Starts/stops the metronome |
| F6 | Toggle Keyboard Mapping Overlay | Shows/hides keyboard-to-piano key mapping |
| F7 | Toggle Sheet Music Viewer | Opens/closes the sheet music viewer |
| F8 | Toggle Scene Widgets | Shows/hides scene control widgets |
| F9 | Toggle Shortcut Bindings Display | Opens the keyboard shortcuts settings |
| F10 | Toggle Settings Display | Opens/closes the main settings panel |
| F12 | Debug Stats | Shows/hides debug information and statistics |
Audio & Performance Controls
These shortcuts control audio playback and performance parameters:
Sustain Controls
| Shortcut | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Activate Sustain | Hold to sustain notes, release to stop sustain |
| Backspace | Toggle Sustain | Toggles sustain on/off (sticky mode) |
Note: Sustain shortcuts work with modifier keys (Shift, Option/Alt) for additional flexibility.
Transpose Controls
| Shortcut | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Insert | Transpose Up | Increases transpose by one semitone |
| Delete | Transpose Down | Decreases transpose by one semitone |
| No default | Reset Transpose | Resets transpose to default (0) |
Octave Controls
| Shortcut | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Octave Up | Increases octave by one |
| End | Octave Down | Decreases octave by one |
| No default | Reset Octave | Resets octave to default |
Channel & Instrument Controls
| Shortcut | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| No default | Reset Channels to Default | Resets all channels to default settings |
| No default | Reset Instruments | Clears all channel instruments |
Display & UI Controls
Control various UI elements and modal windows:
| Shortcut | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ` (Backtick) | Toggle Instrument Dock | Shows/hides the instrument dock panel |
| No default | Toggle Sheet Music Upload | Opens/closes sheet music upload modal |
| No default | Toggle Sheet Music Repository | Opens/closes sheet music repository |
| No default | Open New Room Modal | Opens the new room creation dialog |
Chat & Communication
Shortcuts for chat and communication features:
| Shortcut | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enter | Toggle Chat Bar Focus | Focuses the chat input field |
| No default | Minimize/Maximize Chat | Toggles chat window size |
Piano Playing
Keyboard Layouts
PianoRhythm supports multiple keyboard layouts for playing piano:
VP (Virtual Piano) Layout
The default layout that maps QWERTY keys to piano keys in a logical arrangement:
Lower Octave (Numbers Row):
1-9, 0→ Piano keys starting from C
Middle Octave (QWERTY Row):
Q W E R T Y U I O P→ Piano keys
Upper Octave (ASDF Row):
A S D F G H J K L→ Piano keys
Lowest Octave (ZXCV Row):
Z X C V B N M→ Piano keys
MPP (Multiplayer Piano) Layout
Alternative layout compatible with Multiplayer Piano:
- Different key mapping optimized for specific playing styles
Custom Layout
- Users can create custom key mappings
- Accessible through Settings → Input → Custom Keyboard Layout
Piano Key Behavior
- Key Press: Plays note on (MIDI note on)
- Key Release: Stops note (MIDI note off)
- Shift Key: Can be configured for auto note-off behavior
- Ctrl Key: Can be configured to lower octave while held
- Caps Lock: Can be used as a modifier for MIDI-to-QWERTY conversion
Customizing Shortcuts
Accessing Shortcut Settings
- Press F9 or go to Settings → Input → Keyboard Shortcuts
- Click on any shortcut to modify its key binding
- Press the desired key combination
- Save changes
Shortcut Rules
- Most shortcuts are disabled when typing in input fields
- Piano playing shortcuts only work when the play area is focused
- Shortcuts are disabled while editing keybindings
- Some shortcuts support modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt)
Ignored Elements
Shortcuts are automatically disabled when focus is on:
- Input fields (
<input>) - Text areas (
<textarea>) - Select dropdowns (
<select>) - Editable content areas
Advanced Features
Modifier Key Support
Many shortcuts support modifier keys for enhanced functionality:
- Shift + Shortcut: Alternative behavior
- Ctrl + Shortcut: System-level behavior (some reserved for browser)
- Alt/Option + Shortcut: Extended functionality
Browser Shortcut Conflicts
The application prevents conflicts with common browser shortcuts:
- Ctrl+A (Select All) - Preserved
- Ctrl+C (Copy) - Preserved
- Ctrl+V (Paste) - Preserved
- Ctrl+X (Cut) - Preserved
- Other Ctrl combinations are intercepted to prevent browser actions
Mobile Considerations
- Touch events are handled separately from keyboard shortcuts
- Some shortcuts may not be available on mobile devices
- Virtual keyboards may affect shortcut availability
Troubleshooting
Shortcuts Not Working
- Check Focus: Ensure the play area is focused for piano shortcuts
- Modal Windows: Close any open modal windows that might intercept shortcuts
- Input Fields: Make sure you're not typing in an input field
- Keybinding Mode: Exit keybinding edit mode if active
Conflicting Shortcuts
- Browser Extensions: Some extensions may intercept shortcuts
- System Shortcuts: OS-level shortcuts take precedence
- Custom Bindings: Check for duplicate custom key assignments
Performance Impact
- Shortcuts are optimized for minimal performance impact
- Key repeat events are filtered for most shortcuts
- Audio shortcuts respect the current audio context state
For more information about customizing your PianoRhythm experience, see the Settings Guide and Audio System Documentation.