Akai Mpc Live Ii Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Mpc Live Ii from Akai is an incredibly versatile midi controller and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Akai Mpc Live Ii with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Mpc Live Ii.

Article Contents

Does the Akai Mpc Live Ii work with Ableton Live?
Does the Akai Mpc Live Ii come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Mpc Live Ii to ableton
How to midi map the Akai Mpc Live Ii in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Mpc Live Ii
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Akai Mpc Live Ii work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Akai Mpc Live Ii is usable with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Mpc Live Ii to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Mpc Live Ii is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live’s components with your Mpc Live Ii.

Does the Akai Mpc Live Ii come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn’t included with the Mpc Live Ii, so this must be bought separately.

There are three main versions with Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Though Intro and Standard are both comprehensive, Suite offers much more, such as 70GB of library sounds, in comparison to Standard’s 10GB.

For those seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Mpc Live Ii to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Akai Mpc Live Ii with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they’re connected you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Mpc Live Ii to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mpc Live Ii and your computer.
2. Launch Ableton Live and open the MIDI preferences.
Double click the Ableton Live icon to launch the software. Then, in the top menu of Ableton, go to the Preferences menu by opening the ‘Live’ menu and clicking ‘Preferences’.
3. Select the Mpc Live Ii from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mpc Live Ii are checked.
4. Ensure that the proper ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are checked for both input and output.

Track: When checked, this allows MIDI notes and CC messages to be sent/received.
Sync: This option enables MIDI clock syncing between Ableton live and the external device.
Remote: Allows external MIDI controllers to remotely control parameters within Ableton Live.

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In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Mpc Live Ii (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mpc Live Ii is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Akai Mpc Live Ii and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

1. Select the MIDI Map Mode button in the top right corner of the Live window. The button should turn orange, indicating that the MIDI Map Mode is enabled.
2. Select the parameter you wish to control in Ableton by clicking it with the cursor, the parameter will become highlighted.
3. Move a control on the Mpc Live Ii, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mpc Live Ii.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mpc Live Ii will now move the position of the corresponding parameter in Ableton.
6. Repeat steps 2 – 4 for any other parameters you wish to map.
7. When you’re finished mapping, press the MIDI Map Mode button again to disable it.

The Limitations of midi mapping the Mpc Live Ii

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Mpc Live Ii, there are however, some limitations to be aware of…

Saving your Mpc Live Ii Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Mpc Live Ii can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren’t currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Mpc Live Ii, our Ableton Midi Script Creator tool ‘Control Surface Studio‘ is exactly what you need!
With it, you’ll be able to:
– save and re-use your Mpc Live Ii’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mpc Live Ii,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mpc Live Ii, than Live’s internal midi mapping mode allows.

Learn more about Control Surface Studio and see how it can help you by clicking here!

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Why can’t I hear my Mpc Live Ii in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mpc Live Ii is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mpc Live Ii is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mpc Live Ii.
4. Make sure that the Mpc Live Ii is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.