Arturia Minilab Mk3 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Arturia Minilab Mk3 is a versatile midi keyboard and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi keyboard is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

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

Article Contents

Does the Arturia Minilab Mk3 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Arturia Minilab Mk3 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Minilab Mk3 to ableton
How to midi map the Arturia Minilab Mk3 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Minilab Mk3
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Arturia Minilab Mk3 work with Ableton Live?

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

The Minilab Mk3 is pre-programmed with a midi remote script in Ableton Live, so all you have to do is connect it (refer to the information below on how to do that).

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 Minilab Mk3 will be usable 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 Minilab Mk3.

Does the Arturia Minilab Mk3 come with ableton Live included?

The Minilab Mk3 includes a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite, but its available features are not as extensive as those in 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 Minilab Mk3 to ableton

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

The Minilab Mk3 is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

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

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Minilab Mk3, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Minilab Mk3 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Minilab Mk3 can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not include every control options, options such as selected track control and selected device control unfortunately aren't possible. You can view a comprehensive list of all Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Minilab 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 Minilab Mk3's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Minilab Mk3,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Minilab 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 Minilab Mk3 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Minilab Mk3 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Minilab 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 Minilab Mk3.
4. Make sure that the Minilab Mk3 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.