Presonus Atom Sq Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Atom Sq from Presonus 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 Presonus Atom Sq with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Atom Sq.

Article Contents

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

To put it briefly, the Presonus Atom Sq is compatible with Ableton Live.

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

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 Atom Sq will be usable 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 Atom Sq.

Does the Presonus Atom Sq come with ableton Live included?

Yes the Atom Sq 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. 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 Atom Sq to ableton

Connecting the Presonus Atom Sq with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi controller.

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

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

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

Saving your Atom Sq 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 button or knob on your Atom Sq can only be assigned to control a single 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 Atom Sq, 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 Atom Sq’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Atom Sq,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Atom Sq, 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 Atom Sq in Ableton Live?

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