Nektar Panorama P1 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Panorama P1 from Nektar is an incredibly versatile midi controller 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 Nektar Panorama P1 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Panorama P1.

Article Contents

Does the Nektar Panorama P1 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Nektar Panorama P1 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Panorama P1 to ableton
How to midi map the Nektar Panorama P1 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Panorama P1
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Nektar Panorama P1 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Nektar Panorama P1 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Panorama P1 to multiple functions inside the program.

All versions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, are able to be utilized in collaboration with any equipment that sends MIDI data. This is applicable to all releases of Live, such as 9, 10, and 11. As the Panorama P1 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 Panorama P1.

Does the Nektar Panorama P1 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Panorama P1, so it needs to be purchased separately.

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 seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Panorama P1 to ableton

Linking the Nektar Panorama P1 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software’s parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Panorama P1 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Panorama P1 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 Panorama P1 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Panorama P1 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 Panorama P1 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Panorama P1 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 Nektar Panorama P1 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 Panorama P1, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Panorama P1.
5. Moving the physical control on your Panorama P1 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 Panorama P1

With Ableton’s midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Panorama P1, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions…

Saving your Panorama P1 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 Panorama P1 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 Panorama P1, 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 Panorama P1’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Panorama P1,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Panorama P1, 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 Panorama P1 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Panorama P1 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Panorama P1 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Panorama P1.
4. Make sure that the Panorama P1 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.