Arturia Microbrute Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

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

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

Article Contents

  1. Does the Arturia Microbrute work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the Arturia Microbrute come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Microbrute to ableton
  4. How to midi map the Arturia Microbrute in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Microbrute
    1. Saving your Microbrute 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 Arturia Microbrute work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Arturia Microbrute is compatible with Ableton Live.

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

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 Microbrute 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 Microbrute.

Does the Arturia Microbrute come with ableton Live included?

With the Microbrute you get a free copy of Ableton Live Lite, but its features are not nearly as comprehensive as those of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

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.

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 Microbrute to ableton

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

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

The Microbrute has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Arturia Microbrute to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Microbrute, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Microbrute.
5. Moving the physical control on your Microbrute 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 Microbrute

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

Saving your Microbrute 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

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

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