Alesis Q88 Mkii Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Q88 Mkii from Alesis 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Alesis Q88 Mkii with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Q88 Mkii.

Article Contents

Does the Alesis Q88 Mkii work with Ableton Live?
Does the Alesis Q88 Mkii come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Q88 Mkii to ableton
How to midi map the Alesis Q88 Mkii in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Q88 Mkii
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Alesis Q88 Mkii work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Alesis Q88 Mkii is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Q88 Mkii to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

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 Q88 Mkii 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 Q88 Mkii.

Does the Alesis Q88 Mkii come with ableton Live included?

With the Q88 Mkii you get a free copy of Ableton Live Lite, but its features are not nearly as comprehensive as those of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 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 Q88 Mkii to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Alesis Q88 Mkii with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Q88 Mkii to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Q88 Mkii 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 Q88 Mkii from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Q88 Mkii 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 Q88 Mkii (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Q88 Mkii has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Alesis Q88 Mkii to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Q88 Mkii, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Q88 Mkii.
5. Moving the physical control on your Q88 Mkii 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 Q88 Mkii

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Q88 Mkii, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Q88 Mkii 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Q88 Mkii 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 Q88 Mkii, 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 Q88 Mkii's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Q88 Mkii,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Q88 Mkii, 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 Q88 Mkii in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Q88 Mkii is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Q88 Mkii is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Q88 Mkii.
4. Make sure that the Q88 Mkii is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.