Use these keyboard shortcuts to play, navigate, and edit in GarageBand:
Playback and Navigation:
Start or stop playback > Space bar
Go to beginning > Return or Z or Home
Go to end > Option-Z or End
Move back one measure > Left arrow
Move forward one measure > Right arrow
Move back the visible width of the timeline > Page up
Move forward the visible width of the timeline > Page down
Zoom out > Control-Left arrow
Zoom in > Control-Right arrow
Tracks:
Create a new track > Command-Option-N
Create a new Basic track > Command-Shift-N
Duplicate the selected track > Command-D
Delete the selected track > Command-Delete
Select the next higher track > Up arrow
Select the next lower track > Down arrow
Mute/Unmute the selected track > M
Solo/Unsolo the selected track > S
Show/Hide the track's volume and pan curves > A
Show/Hide the master track > Command-B
Show/Hide the podcast track > Command-Shift-B
Show/Hide the video track > Command-Option-B
Track Info pane:
Show/Hide the Track Info pane > Command-I
Select the next higher category or instrument > Up arrow (when the Track Info pane is open and a category or instrument is selected)
Select the next lower category or instrument > Down arrow (when the Track Info pane is open and a category or instrument is selected)
Move from instrument list to category list > Left arrow (when the Track Info pane is open and an instrument is selected)
Move from category list to instrument list > Right arrow (when the Track Info pane is open and a category is selected)
Editing and Arranging:
Undo > Command-Z
Redo > Command-Shift-Z
Cut > Command-X
Copy > Command-C
Paste > Command-V
Delete > Delete
Select all > Command-A
Split selected region > Command-T
Join selected regions > Command-J
Snap to grid > Command-G
Enable/Disable ducking > Command-Shift-F
Recording:
Start or stop recording > R
Turn the cycle region on/off > C
Turn the metronome on/off > Command-U
Turn count in on/off > Command-Shift-U
Show/Hide instrument tuner > Command-F
Notation View:
Move selected notes to previous grid position > Left arrow
Move selected notes to next grid position > Right arrow
Move selected notes back one measure > Shift-Left arrow
Move selected notes forward one measure > Shift-Right arrow
Transpose selected notes up one semitone > Up arrow
Transpose selected notes down one semitone > Down arrow
Transpose selected notes up one octave > Shift-Up arrow
Transpose selected notes down one octave > Shift-Down arrow
Adjusting Master Volume:
Raise master volume > Command-Up arrow
Lower master volume > Command-Down arrow
Showing Windows and Editors:
Show track mixer > Command-Y
Show Track Info pane > Command-I
Show editor > Command-E
Show loop browser > Command-L
Show/Hide Media Browser > Command-R
Show onscreen keyboard > Command-K
Show Musical Typing window > Command-Shift-K
File menu commands:
Create new project > Command-N
Open an existing project > Command-O
Close the current project > Command-W
Save the current project > Command-S
Save As > Command-Shift-S
Application menu commands:
Show/Hide GarageBand Preferences > Command-comma (,)
Hide GarageBand > Command-H
Hide other applications > Command-Option-H
Quit GarageBand > Command-Q
Help menu commands:
Open GarageBand Help > Command-question mark (?)