Controls & Moves

labeled photo of Picotracker keymapping

The keyboard layout resembles a typical old console game controller (controller button names in brackets):

ARROW keys NAV (RT) ALT (LT) ENTER (A) EDIT (B) PLAY (Start)
arrow keys arrow keys arrow keys arrow keys arrow keys arrow keys

The NAV ([]) and ALT keys are modifier keys for the ENTER, EDIT and ARROW keys. They are designed to modify the opposite keys to their location, so ALT will modify the ARROW keys and NAV will modify ENTER and EDIT ( though there are exceptions).

Remark about navigation between screens

Screens are getting more detailed from left to right. Navigating to the next right screen ins only possible if the current cursor position is at field with a filled value.

For example, in the song mode, to switch to the chain view, you need to have a filled value for a chain at the cursor position.

Song View

No Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Move cursor on screen ARROW keys arrow keys
Start/stop playback PLAY play key
enter last used value or start with 0 ENTER enter key
Function Key Combination Image
Switch to Project view NAV + UP nav + up key
Switch to Mixer view NAV + DOWN nav + down key
Switch to Chain view (if current position has a chain) NAV + RIGHT nav + right key
Stop playback of selected chain, once it finished NAV + PLAY nav + play key
solo selected track NAV + ENTER nav + enter key
mute selected track NAV + EDIT nav + edit keys
reset all muted & soloed tracks NAV + ALT nav + edit keys

Solo & Mute

When NAV is released first, the (solo / mute) mode will be kept active (toggled). Pressing the same key combination but releasing NAV first will reset the (solo / mute) mode of the currently selected track.

To reset all muted and soloed tracks, press NAV + ALT.

ALT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Jump up/down to next populated row after a blank row ALT + (UP / DOWN) alt + up/down keys
Nudge tempo down/up ALT + (LEFT / RIGHT) nav + alt + left/right
query current row for playback ALT + PLAY nav + alt + play
reset all muted & soloed tracks ALT + NAV nav + alt + enter
cut the current cursor position if filled, paste otherwise ALT + ENTER arrow keys
Clone: Overwrite current highlighted Item with a copy of itself using the next unused Item available. ALT + EDIT + ENTER alt + edit + enter keys
start selection ALT + EDIT edit + alt keys
start selection with row selected ALT + EDIT + EDIT edit + alt keys
start selection with current screen selected ALT + EDIT + EDIT + EDIT edit + alt keys

Use Selection

Once a selection is started you can do a few more things:

Description Key Combination Image
change selection ARROWS arrow keys
increase selection to full row / screen ALT + EDIT nav + enter
copy selection to clipboard EDIT arrow keys
cut selection to clipboard ALT + ENTER arrow keys

EDIT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Cuts the current Highlighted Item. EDIT + ENTER edit + enter keys
start selection EDIT + ALT edit + alt keys
Page up/down in Song Screen. EDIT + (UP / DOWN) edit + up/down keys
Switch between Song and Live Mode EDIT + (LEFT / RIGHT) edit + left/right keys
mute selected track EDIT + NAV nav + edit keys
[advance only] Sample recording, only accessible when sequencer is stopped EDIT + PLAY edit + play keys

ENTER Key Combinations

Function Key Combination Image
insert if cursor position is empty ENTER enter key
Insert next unused chain ENTER, ENTER enter key twice
cut the current cursor position if filled, paste otherwise ENTER + ALT arrow keys
Change chain at cursor position by 0x10 ENTER + (UP / DOWN) enter + arrow keys
Change chain at cursor position by 0x01 ENTER + (RIGHT / LEFT) enter + right/left keys
solo selected track ENTER + NAV nav + enter key

Chain View

No Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Move cursor on screen ARROW keys arrow keys
Start/stop playback of current chain PLAY play key
enter last used phrase or start with 0 ENTER enter key
Function Key Combination Image
switch to song view NAV + LEFT nav + left key
switch to phrase view NAV + RIGHT nav + right key
play chain in song NAV + PLAY nav + right key
unmute all NAV + ALT nav + alt key
toggle mute NAV + EDIT nav + edit key
switch solo mode NAV + ENTER nav + enter key

ALT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
unmute all ALT + NAV alt + nav key
clone current position ALT + EDIT + ENTER alt + edit + enter key
paste clipboard ALT + ENTER alt + enter key
start selection ALT + EDIT alt + edit key

EDIT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
warp to (previous / next) channel EDIT + (LEFT / RIGHT) edit + horizontal arrow keys
warp to (previous / next) chain of current channel EDIT + (UP / DOWN) edit + vertical arrow keys
cut current position into clipboard EDIT + ENTER edit + enter key
clone current position EDIT + ALT + ENTER edit + alt + enter key
toggle mute EDIT + NAV edit + nav key
start selection ALT + EDIT alt + edit key
start selection with row selected ALT + EDIT + EDIT alt + edit twice keys
start selection with current screen selected ALT + EDIT + EDIT + EDIT alt + edit thrice keys
[advance only] Sample recording, only accessible when sequencer is stopped EDIT + PLAY edit + play keys

Use Selection

Once a selection is started you can do a few more things:

Description Key Combination Image
change selection ARROWS arrow keys
copy selection to clipboard EDIT edit key
toggle mute EDIT + NAV edit + nav key
update selection values by +/- 0x10 ENTER + (UP + DOWN) enter + vertical arrow keys
update selection values by +/- 0x01 ENTER + (LEFT + RIGHT) enter key + horizontal arrow keys
cut the current selection ALT + ENTER alt + enter key
switch solo mode NAV + ENTER nav + enter key
switch to song view NAV + LEFT nav + left key
switch to phrase view NAV + RIGHT nav + right key
play chain PLAY play key
play chain in song NAV + PLAY nav + play key
unmute all ALT + NAV alt + nav key

ENTER Key Combinations

Function Key Combination Image
update cursor value by +/- 0x10 ENTER + (UP / DOWN) enter + vertical arrow keys
update cursor value by +/- 0x01 ENTER + (LEFT / RIGHT) enter + horizontal arrow keys
paste clipboard ENTER + ALT enter + alt key
switch solo mode ENTER + NAV enter + nav key

Phrase View

No Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Move cursor on screen ARROW keys arrow keys
Start/stop playback of current phrase PLAY play key
enter last used value or start with 0 ENTER enter key
in instrument column: insert first unused instrument number ENTER, ENTER enter key
in argument column of TBL command: insert first unused table number (TODO: see issue #753) ENTER, ENTER enter key
in note / instrument column: audition note ENTER held enter key
Function Key Combination Image
switch to chain view NAV + LEFT nav + left key
switch to instrument view NAV + RIGHT nav + right key
switch to table view NAV + DOWN nav + down key
switch to groove view NAV + UP nav + up key
play phrase in song NAV + PLAY nav + play key
unmute all NAV + ALT nav + alt key
switch mute mode NAV + EDIT nav + edit key
switch solo mode NAV + ENTER nav + enter key

ALT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
unmute all ALT + NAV alt + nav key
paste clipboard ALT + ENTER alt + enter key
start selection ALT + EDIT alt + edit key
clone current instrument (cursor in note / instrument column) ALT + EDIT + ENTER alt + edit + enter key
clone current table (cursor in note / instrument column) (TODO: see issue #753) ALT + EDIT + ENTER alt + edit + enter key

EDIT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
warp to (previous / next) track EDIT + (LEFT / RIGHT) edit + horizontal arrow keys
warp to (previous / next) phrase in chain EDIT + (UP / DOWN) edit + vertical arrow keys
cut current position into clipboard EDIT + ENTER edit + enter key
toggle mute EDIT + NAV edit + nav key
start selection EDIT + ALT alt + edit key
start selection with row selected ALT + EDIT + EDIT alt + edit twice keys
start selection with current screen selected ALT + EDIT + EDIT + EDIT alt + edit thrice keys
[advance only] Sample recording, only accessible when sequencer is stopped EDIT + PLAY edit + play keys

Use Selection

Once a selection is started you can do a few more things:

Description Key Combination Image
change selection ARROWS arrow keys
increase selection to full row / screen ALT + EDIT nav + enter
copy selection to clipboard EDIT edit key
cut the current selection ALT + ENTER alt + enter key
update selection values by +/- 0x10 ENTER + (UP + DOWN) enter + vertical arrow keys
update selection values by +/- 0x01 ENTER + (LEFT + RIGHT) enter  + horizontal arrow keys

ENTER Key Combinations

Function Key Combination Image
update cursor value by +/- 0x10 ENTER + (UP / DOWN) enter + vertical arrow keys
update cursor value by +/- 0x01 ENTER + (LEFT / RIGHT) enter + horizontal arrow keys
paste clipboard ENTER + ALT enter + alt key
switch solo mode ENTER + NAV enter + nav key

Instrument View

No Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Move cursor on screen ARROW keys arrow keys
Start/stop playback PLAY play key

ENTER Key

Function Key Combination Image
Import sample from samplelib (double-tap on sample field) ENTER, ENTER enter key
Get next available table (on table field) ENTER enter key
Function Key Combination Image
Switch to Phrase view NAV + LEFT nav + left key
Switch to Table view (if instrument has table) NAV + DOWN nav + down key
Start playback (phrase mode) NAV + PLAY nav + play key

EDIT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Previous/Next instrument (-1/+1) EDIT + (LEFT / RIGHT) edit + (left / right) key
Previous/Next instrument (-16/+16) EDIT + (DOWN / UP) edit + down key
Cut/purge instrument (sample) or clear table EDIT + ENTER edit + enter key
clone current table EDIT + ALT + ENTER edit + alt key
[advance only] Sample recording, only accessible when sequencer is stopped EDIT + PLAY edit + play keys

Import View

No Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Move up/down in file list UP / DOWN arrow keys
Toggle selected button LEFT / RIGHT arrow keys
Preview selected sample (hold) PLAY play key
Navigate into directory ENTER enter key

ENTER Key

In File Browser Mode:

Function Key Combination Image
Import sample ENTER (with Import button selected) enter key
Edit sample ENTER (with Edit button selected) enter key

In Project Pool Mode:

Function Key Combination Image
Edit sample ENTER (with Edit button selected) enter key
[advance only] Remove sample from project ENTER (with Remove button selected) enter key
Function Key Combination Image
Return to source view (Phrase or Instrument) NAV + LEFT nav + left key
Toggle between sample library and project pool NAV + EDIT nav + edit key

EDIT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Increase / Decrease preview volume EDIT + (UP / DOWN) edit + (up / down) key

ALT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Import sample ALT + PLAY alt + play key

Sample Editor View

No Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Move cursor on screen ARROW keys arrow keys
Preview sample (hold) PLAY play key

ENTER Key

Function Key Combination Image
update cursor value ENTER + (UP / DOWN) (with start, end or name field selected) enter + vertical arrow keys
update cursor position in field ENTER + (LEFT / RIGHT) enter + horizontal arrow keys
Save sample ENTER (with Save button selected) enter key

EDIT Key

Function Key Combination Image
delete character at cursor position EDIT (with name field selected) edit key
Function Key Combination Image
Return to sample browser NAV + LEFT nav + left key

Table View

No Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Move cursor on screen ARROW keys arrow keys
Start/stop playback of current phrase PLAY play key
Paste last used command (in command column) ENTER enter key
Function Key Combination Image
Switch to Phrase View (from Table1) or Instrument View (from Table2) NAV + UP nav + up key
Switch to Table View (from Table2) NAV + LEFT nav + left key
Switch to Table2 View (from Table1) NAV + RIGHT nav + right key
Play phrase in song context NAV + PLAY nav + play key

ALT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Paste clipboard ALT + ENTER alt + enter key

EDIT Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
Warp to previous/next table (-1/+1) EDIT + (LEFT / RIGHT) edit + (left / right) key
Warp to previous/next table (-16/+16) EDIT + (DOWN / UP) edit + down key
Cut current position into clipboard EDIT + ENTER edit + enter key
Start selection mode EDIT + ALT alt + edit key
[advance only] Switch to Record View (when sequencer stopped) EDIT + PLAY edit + play keys

Use Selection

Once a selection is started you can do a few more things:

Function Key Combination Image
change selection ARROW keys arrow keys
increase selection to full row / screen ALT + EDIT alt + edit key
copy selection to clipboard EDIT edit key
cut the current selection ALT + ENTER enter + alt key

ENTER Modifier

Function Key Combination Image
update cursor value by +/- 0x10 ENTER + (UP / DOWN) enter + vertical arrow keys
update cursor value by +/- 0x01 ENTER + (LEFT / RIGHT) enter + horizontal arrow keys
Paste clipboard ENTER + ALT enter + alt key