Ableton/Arrangement View/Q/How can I set a locator and rename it without the mouse in Ableton Live on Mac?

• How can I set a locator and rename it without the mouse in Ableton/Live on Mac?

  • My Answer

    • After making some mappings:
      • ; to set locator
      • j to prev locator
      • k to next locator
    • Then use ; to create the locator, then kj to go to the prev locator then back really quickly, at which time the Cmd+R rename will work

    • Note - it seems to only sometimes work

      • If the cursor is on a track that has a clip in the arrangement view, sometimes I find that Cmd+R renames the clip rather than the Locator.
      • Yeah, actually, now I can't seem to get it to work.

  • AI Answer

    • Answer/Official from Live 12 Manual: Launching the Arrangement with Locators
    • Short answer: press your Set Locator key (;), then Cmd+R, type the name, and press Return.
    • Why it works: the manual says selected locators can be renamed with the Rename command, Cmd+R on Mac (Ctrl+R on Windows). It also says that once a locator exists, the Ableton/Live/UI/Arrangement View/Button/Set Locator button becomes the Delete Locator button, which only happens while a locator is selected. So a locator you just set should already be selected and ready for Cmd+R.
    • Not confirmed in the manual: that Cmd+R lands on the new locator and not on a track. Rename also applies to tracks (Cmd+R is "Rename Selected Track" in the shortcut list), so test it once in your set.
    • Keys that help afterwards:
      • Arrow keys move the selected locator.
      • Delete removes it.
      • Pressing the Set Locator key again while a locator is selected deletes it instead of adding a second one.
    • Selecting an existing locator without the mouse: the manual gives no key for this. Mapping Ableton/Live/UI/Arrangement View/Button/Previous Locator and Ableton/Live/UI/Arrangement View/Button/Next Locator to keys jumps playback to a locator, but the manual does not say whether that also selects it for Cmd+R.