Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Keylab 88 Mk2 from Arturia 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.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Keylab 88 Mk2.

Article Contents

Does the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Keylab 88 Mk2 to ableton
How to midi map the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Keylab 88 Mk2
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Out of the box, the Keylab 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2.

Does the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 come with ableton Live included?

With the Keylab 88 Mk2 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. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared 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 Keylab 88 Mk2 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Keylab 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Keylab 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Keylab 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Keylab 88 Mk2.
5. Moving the physical control on your Keylab 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Keylab 88 Mk2, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Keylab 88 Mk2 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 control on your Keylab 88 Mk2 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 Keylab 88 Mk2, 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 88 Mk2's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Keylab 88 Mk2,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Keylab 88 Mk2, 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 88 Mk2 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Keylab 88 Mk2 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Keylab 88 Mk2 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 88 Mk2.
4. Make sure that the Keylab 88 Mk2 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.