Faderfox Micromodul8 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Faderfox's Micromodul8 is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Faderfox Micromodul8 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Micromodul8.

Article Contents

Does the Faderfox Micromodul8 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Faderfox Micromodul8 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Micromodul8 to ableton
How to midi map the Faderfox Micromodul8 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Micromodul8
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Faderfox Micromodul8 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Faderfox Micromodul8 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Micromodul8 can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 Micromodul8 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 Micromodul8.

Does the Faderfox Micromodul8 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Micromodul8, therefore it must be bought separately.

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 Micromodul8 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Faderfox Micromodul8 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 Micromodul8 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Micromodul8 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 Micromodul8 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Micromodul8 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 Micromodul8 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Micromodul8 is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Faderfox Micromodul8 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 Micromodul8, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Micromodul8.
5. Moving the physical control on your Micromodul8 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 Micromodul8

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Micromodul8, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Micromodul8 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Micromodul8 can only be assigned to 1 parameter in Ableton Live.

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 Micromodul8, 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 Micromodul8's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Micromodul8,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Micromodul8, 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 Micromodul8 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Micromodul8 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Micromodul8 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Micromodul8.
4. Make sure that the Micromodul8 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.