Arturia Microlab Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map
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Arturia's Microlab 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 Microlab with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Microlab.
Article Contents
- Does the Arturia Microlab work with Ableton Live?
- Does the Arturia Microlab come with ableton Live included?
- How to connect the Microlab to ableton
- How to midi map the Arturia Microlab in Ableton Live
- The Limitations of midi mapping the Microlab
- Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?
Does the Arturia Microlab work with Ableton Live?
To sum it up, the Arturia Microlab is fully compatible with Ableton Live.
The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Microlab to multiple functions inside the program.
All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Microlab will be usable with Ableton Live.
You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Microlab.
Does the Arturia Microlab come with ableton Live included?
You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Microlab, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.
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.
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 Microlab to ableton
Linking and configuring the Arturia Microlab to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi keyboard.
1. Connect the Microlab to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Microlab 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 Microlab from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Microlab 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 Microlab (Sync can also be optionally checked).
The Microlab is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.
How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live
Upon making a successful connection between the Arturia Microlab and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:
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 Microlab, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Microlab.
5. Moving the physical control on your Microlab 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 Microlab
With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Microlab, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...
Saving your Microlab Midi Mappings is cumbersome
Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.
Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Microlab 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 Microlab, 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 Microlab's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Microlab,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Microlab, 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 Microlab in Ableton Live?
There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Microlab is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Microlab is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Microlab.
4. Make sure that the Microlab is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.