Akai Mpk261 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Akai Mpk261 is a versatile midi keyboard and when used alongside Ableton Live, it’s an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi keyboard is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Akai Mpk261 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Mpk261.

Article Contents

  1. Does the Akai Mpk261 work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the Akai Mpk261 come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Mpk261 to ableton
  4. How to midi map the Akai Mpk261 in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Mpk261
    1. Saving your Mpk261 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
    2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
    3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
    4. A great solution to these problems
  6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Akai Mpk261 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Akai Mpk261 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Ableton live provides a default midi remote script for the Mpk261, meaning it will work with Ableton Live as soon as you connect it (see the section below on how to connect to ableton).

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Mpk261 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Mpk261.

Does the Akai Mpk261 come with ableton Live included?

Yes the Mpk261 comes with a free copy of Ableton Live Lite. Although it has unlimited usage, the available features are a lot less than what is available in the full versions of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of 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 Mpk261 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Akai Mpk261 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they’re connected you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Mpk261 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mpk261 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 Mpk261 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mpk261 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 Mpk261 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mpk261 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 Mpk261 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 Mpk261, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mpk261.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mpk261 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 Mpk261

For the fastest way to map your Mpk261, you can’t go wrong with Ableton’s midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations…

Saving your Mpk261 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 Mpk261 is capable of controlling only one 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 Mpk261, 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 Mpk261’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mpk261,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mpk261, 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 Mpk261 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mpk261 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mpk261 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mpk261.
4. Make sure that the Mpk261 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.