Keyboard Shortcut Philosophy
Why BeamTracer uses Ctrl+ modifiers for all shortcuts, and the Ctrl+ convention across all three apps.
All keyboard shortcuts across BeamTracer apps use the Ctrl+ modifier (or Cmd+ on Mac) for multi-key shortcuts. Standalone keys are used only where the context makes conflicts impossible.
The Shortcuts Modal
Every app has the same two ways to see its shortcuts:
- Click the keyboard icon (⌨) in the global header
- Press
Ctrl+/(Cmd+/on Mac)
Both open the current app's keyboard-shortcuts overlay. The list follows the same section order in every app and only shows actions that work in the module or mode currently on screen.
The shortcuts overlay also contains a "Show startup hints again" button — it replays the app's first-run guided tour from step one. (The same replay can be triggered by adding ?welcome=1 to the app's URL.) See Getting Started for what the tour covers.
Why Ctrl+, Not Alt+ or Bare Keys
OSC-1 Oscilloscope has a QWERTY keyboard synth — pressing A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K plays notes. Using bare letter keys for shortcuts would conflict with synth input.
The solution: all shortcuts across all three BeamTracer apps use Ctrl+ as the modifier. This lets users switch between synth mode and shortcut mode without remapping.
Space is the shared transport exception wherever the current module has playback, and it doesn't conflict with synth input. A few bare keys remain inside focused performance modules where their meaning is unambiguous; they are never used as alternate panel-hiding controls.
The Convention
| Pattern | Use |
|---|---|
Ctrl+[Key] | All global shortcuts |
Ctrl+[ / Ctrl+] / Ctrl+\ | Left / right / both panels in every two-panel workspace |
Space | Play / Pause when the current module has a transport |
| Arrow keys | Navigation (non-conflicting contexts) |
Function keys (F1–F12) | Mode or view switching |
Undo and Redo
OSC-1, Animation Studio, and Audio Visualizers share the same undo and redo controls in the global header. The buttons stay visible but disabled until an action is available, and their tooltip names what will be undone or redone next.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Cmd/Ctrl+Z | Undo the most recent edit |
Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+Z | Redo |
Cmd/Ctrl+Y | Redo (alias) |
A slider drag is one history step, even if it passes through many values. Multi-part actions such as applying a preset or resetting a session also return as one step. History is kept for the current app session and is cleared when you reload or leave the app.
When your cursor is inside a text field, these shortcuts keep their normal text-editing behavior instead of changing the app. Click outside the field to undo app changes again.
Per-App Shortcuts
- BT Laser Studio shortcuts
- OSC-1 Oscilloscope shortcuts
- Audio Visualizer shortcuts
- Studio shortcuts — the same global keys, plus the lyric timing set