Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Arturia’s Keylab 49 Mk2 is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi keyboard has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Keylab 49 Mk2.

Article Contents

Does the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Keylab 49 Mk2 to ableton
How to midi map the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Keylab 49 Mk2
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 is usable with Ableton Live.

The Keylab 49 Mk2 is pre-programmed with a midi remote script in Ableton Live, so all you have to do is connect it (refer to the information below on how to do that).

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Keylab 49 Mk2 will be usable with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Keylab 49 Mk2.

Does the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 come with ableton Live included?

The Keylab 49 Mk2 includes a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite, but its available features are not as extensive as those in Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

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 who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Keylab 49 Mk2 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software’s settings from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Keylab 49 Mk2 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Keylab 49 Mk2 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 Keylab 49 Mk2 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Keylab 49 Mk2 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 Keylab 49 Mk2 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Keylab 49 Mk2 is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk2 to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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 Keylab 49 Mk2, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Keylab 49 Mk2.
5. Moving the physical control on your Keylab 49 Mk2 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 Keylab 49 Mk2

For the fastest way to map your Keylab 49 Mk2, you can’t go wrong with Ableton’s midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations…

Saving your Keylab 49 Mk2 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Keylab 49 Mk2 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 Keylab 49 Mk2, 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 Keylab 49 Mk2’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Keylab 49 Mk2,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Keylab 49 Mk2, 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 Keylab 49 Mk2 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Keylab 49 Mk2 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Keylab 49 Mk2 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Keylab 49 Mk2.
4. Make sure that the Keylab 49 Mk2 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.