Akai Mpd226 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Akai Mpd226 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi controller has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Akai Mpd226 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Mpd226.

Article Contents

Does the Akai Mpd226 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Akai Mpd226 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Mpd226 to ableton
How to midi map the Akai Mpd226 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Mpd226
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Akai Mpd226 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Akai Mpd226 is usable with Ableton Live.

Ableton live provides a default midi remote script for the Mpd226, meaning it will work with Ableton Live as soon as you connect it (see the section below on how to connect to ableton).

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 Mpd226 is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your Mpd226.

Does the Akai Mpd226 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Mpd226, so it needs to be purchased 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.

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 Mpd226 to ableton

Connecting the Akai Mpd226 with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Mpd226 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mpd226 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 Mpd226 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mpd226 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 Mpd226 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mpd226 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 Mpd226 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 Mpd226, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mpd226.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mpd226 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 Mpd226

Ableton’s midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Mpd226, however, you must take into account some potential limitations…

Saving your Mpd226 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Mpd226 can only be assigned to 1 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 Mpd226, 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 Mpd226’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mpd226,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mpd226, 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 Mpd226 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mpd226 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mpd226 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mpd226.
4. Make sure that the Mpd226 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.