Keith Mcmillen K Mix Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Keith Mcmillen's K Mix 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 explain all you need to know on using the Keith Mcmillen K Mix with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the K Mix.

Article Contents

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

Does the Keith Mcmillen K Mix work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Keith Mcmillen K Mix is usable with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the K Mix can still be mapped to many of the software's functions.

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 K Mix will be usable with Ableton Live.

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

Does the Keith Mcmillen K Mix come with ableton Live included?

The K Mix doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased separately.

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 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 K Mix to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Keith Mcmillen K Mix 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 controller.

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

Set up of the K Mix with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Keith Mcmillen K Mix to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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

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

Saving your K Mix 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 K Mix 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 provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

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

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