Dsi Tempest Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Tempest from Dsi is an incredibly versatile midi 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 tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Dsi Tempest with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Tempest.

Article Contents

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

In a nutshell, the Dsi Tempest is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Tempest to a variety of functions.

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 Tempest 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 Tempest.

Does the Dsi Tempest come with ableton Live included?

The Tempest does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

There are three main versions with Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Though Intro and Standard are both comprehensive, Suite offers much more, such as 70GB of library sounds, in comparison to Standard's 10GB.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Tempest to ableton

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

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

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

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

Saving your Tempest Midi Mappings is cumbersome

It is important to note that your mappings are stored with the Ableton session when saving. Consequently, when you create a new session, you will have to remap your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Tempest can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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

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