Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Arturia's Keylab 49 Mk3 is an exceptionally flexible midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Keylab 49 Mk3.

Article Contents

1. Does the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Keylab 49 Mk3 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Keylab 49 Mk3
   1. Saving your Keylab 49 Mk3 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 Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Out of the box, the Keylab 49 Mk3 has a midi remote script that is compatible with Ableton Live, so once you connect it (check the section below for more info) it is ready to go.

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Keylab 49 Mk3 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Keylab 49 Mk3.

Does the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 come with ableton Live included?

With the Keylab 49 Mk3 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.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison 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 Keylab 49 Mk3 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Keylab 49 Mk3 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Keylab 49 Mk3 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 Keylab 49 Mk3 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Keylab 49 Mk3 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 Keylab 49 Mk3 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Keylab 49 Mk3 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 Arturia Keylab 49 Mk3 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 Keylab 49 Mk3, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Keylab 49 Mk3.
5. Moving the physical control on your Keylab 49 Mk3 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 Keylab 49 Mk3

For the fastest way to map your Keylab 49 Mk3, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Keylab 49 Mk3 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Keylab 49 Mk3 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 Keylab 49 Mk3, 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 Keylab 49 Mk3's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Keylab 49 Mk3,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Keylab 49 Mk3, 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 Keylab 49 Mk3 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Keylab 49 Mk3 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Keylab 49 Mk3 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Keylab 49 Mk3.
4. Make sure that the Keylab 49 Mk3 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.