M Audio Keystudio Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Keystudio from M Audio is an incredibly versatile midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the M Audio Keystudio with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Keystudio.

Article Contents

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

In summary, the M Audio Keystudio is usable with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Keystudio 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 Keystudio is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live’s components with your Keystudio.

Does the M Audio Keystudio come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Keystudio, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those 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.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Keystudio to ableton

Linking the M Audio Keystudio to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software’s parameters from your midi keyboard.

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

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

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

Saving your Keystudio Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Keystudio 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 Keystudio, 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 Keystudio’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Keystudio,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Keystudio, 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 Keystudio in Ableton Live?

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