Akai Mpd225 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Akai’s Mpd225 is an exceptionally flexible midi controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Akai Mpd225 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Mpd225.

Article Contents

Does the Akai Mpd225 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Akai Mpd225 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Mpd225 to ableton
How to midi map the Akai Mpd225 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Mpd225
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Akai Mpd225 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Akai Mpd225 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Mpd225 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Mpd225 is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Mpd225.

Does the Akai Mpd225 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Mpd225, so it needs to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared to Standard’s 10GB.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Mpd225 to ableton

Linking the Akai Mpd225 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software’s parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Mpd225 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mpd225 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 Mpd225 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mpd225 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 Mpd225 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mpd225 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Akai Mpd225 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within Ableton Live by doing the following:

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 Mpd225, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mpd225.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mpd225 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 Mpd225

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Mpd225, there are however, some limitations to be aware of…

Saving your Mpd225 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Mpd225 is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren’t possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Mpd225, 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 Mpd225’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mpd225,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mpd225, 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 Mpd225 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mpd225 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mpd225 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mpd225.
4. Make sure that the Mpd225 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.