Faderfox Pc44 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Faderfox's Pc44 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 guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Faderfox Pc44 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Pc44.

Article Contents

1. Does the Faderfox Pc44 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Faderfox Pc44 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Pc44 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Faderfox Pc44 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Pc44
   1. Saving your Pc44 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 Pc44 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Faderfox Pc44 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Pc44 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Pc44 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 Pc44.

Does the Faderfox Pc44 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Pc44, so it needs to be purchased separately.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared 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 Pc44 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Faderfox Pc44 to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Pc44 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Pc44 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 Pc44 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Pc44 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 Pc44 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Pc44 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Faderfox Pc44 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within 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 Pc44, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Pc44.
5. Moving the physical control on your Pc44 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 Pc44

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Pc44, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Pc44 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Pc44 is capable of controlling only one 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 Pc44, 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 Pc44's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Pc44,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Pc44, 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 Pc44 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Pc44 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Pc44 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Pc44.
4. Make sure that the Pc44 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.