What Keyboard Shortcuts Does Bfxr Support?

Updated

Bfxr supports eight keyboard shortcuts, covering playback, file open/export/save, copy/paste, parameter locking, randomization, and mutation. They are listed on the site's "Keyboard Shortcuts" section and work on the currently selected sound. The table below maps each shortcut to its action.

Shortcut Action
SPACE / ENTER Play currently selected sound
CTRL+O Open .bfxr/.bcol file from disk
CTRL+E Export current sound as WAV file
CTRL+S Save current sound as .bfxr file
CTRL+C Copy current sound
CTRL+V Paste current sound
L Lock/unlock all parameters
R Randomize all parameters
M Mutate current sound

How the shortcuts group by task

Auditioning sounds

  • SPACE / ENTER plays whatever sound is currently selected, so you can preview a result without reaching for the mouse.

Moving sounds in and out of Bfxr

  • CTRL+O opens a .bfxr or .bcol file from disk.
  • CTRL+E exports the current sound as a WAV file — the format you would drop into a game project.
  • CTRL+S saves the current sound as a .bfxr file, preserving it for later editing rather than final use.

Reusing a sound

  • CTRL+C copies the current sound and CTRL+V pastes it. This is useful when you want to keep a base sound and create variations without rebuilding it from scratch.

Shaping parameters

  • L locks or unlocks all parameters. Locking is what protects the parts of a sound you already like.
  • R randomizes all parameters, giving you a fresh starting point.
  • M mutates the current sound, making a smaller change than a full randomize.

A practical workflow using the shortcuts

  1. Press R to randomize until you land near the kind of sound you want.
  2. Press SPACE to audition it.
  3. Press L to lock the parameters you want to keep.
  4. Press M to mutate the unlocked parts, then SPACE again to compare.
  5. Press CTRL+S to save the .bfxr file if you want to keep editing later, or CTRL+E to export a WAV for use in your game.

Things to keep in mind

  • The shortcuts act on the currently selected sound, so make sure the sound you intend to edit is selected before using copy, paste, mutate, or export.
  • CTRL+E produces a WAV file, while CTRL+S produces a .bfxr file — they are not interchangeable, and only the WAV is a finished audio asset.
  • CTRL+O accepts .bfxr and .bcol files, so saved projects and catalogue files both reopen through the same shortcut.
  • Locking (L) is the key to controlled editing: without it, R and M will change every parameter at once.