Akai Force Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Akai Force is a versatile midi controller and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi controller is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

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

Article Contents

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

Does the Akai Force work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Akai Force is compatible with Ableton Live.

The Force 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 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 Force 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 Force.

Does the Akai Force come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Force, therefore it must be bought separately.

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.

If you're looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Force to ableton

Connecting the Akai Force 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 Force to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Force 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 Force from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Force are checked.
4. Ensure that the ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are all checked.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Force (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Force with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Akai Force to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Force, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Force Midi Mappings is cumbersome

It is important to note that your mappings are stored with the Ableton session when saving. Consequently, when you create a new session, you will have to remap your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

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

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