Faderfox Ft3 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Ft3 from Faderfox is an incredibly versatile midi controller 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 Faderfox Ft3 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Ft3.

Article Contents

1. Does the Faderfox Ft3 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Faderfox Ft3 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Ft3 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Faderfox Ft3 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Ft3
   1. Saving your Ft3 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 Faderfox Ft3 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Faderfox Ft3 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Ft3 to a variety of functions.

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Ft3 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Ft3.

Does the Faderfox Ft3 come with ableton Live included?

The Ft3 does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

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 Ft3 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Faderfox Ft3 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Ft3 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Ft3 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 Ft3 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Ft3 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 Ft3 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Ft3 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 Faderfox Ft3 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 Ft3, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Ft3.
5. Moving the physical control on your Ft3 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 Ft3

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Ft3, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Ft3 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 control on your Ft3 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 Ft3, 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 Ft3's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Ft3,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Ft3, 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 Ft3 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Ft3 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Ft3 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Ft3.
4. Make sure that the Ft3 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.