Akai Mpc Touch Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Akai's Mpc Touch is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Akai Mpc Touch with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Mpc Touch.

Article Contents

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

Does the Akai Mpc Touch work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Akai Mpc Touch is usable with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Mpc Touch can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 Mpc Touch is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Mpc Touch.

Does the Akai Mpc Touch come with ableton Live included?

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

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Although Intro and Standard are both powerful, Suite offers extra features, such as 70GB of library sounds, in contrast to Standard's 10GB.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Mpc Touch to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Akai Mpc Touch with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi controller.

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

The Mpc Touch is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Akai Mpc Touch to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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

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

Saving your Mpc Touch 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 button or knob on your Mpc Touch can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode is unfortunately missing many control options. Options such as selected track and selected device control aren’t possible using this method. You can see a list of all available Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Mpc Touch, 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 Mpc Touch's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mpc Touch,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mpc Touch, 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 Mpc Touch in Ableton Live?

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