Korg Kaossilator Pro Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Korg's Kaossilator Pro is a fantastically adaptable midi controller that is extremely useful when coupled with Ableton Live. This device has a great range of features, making it ideal as an Ableton Live controller.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Korg Kaossilator Pro with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Kaossilator Pro.

Article Contents

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

In short, yes, the Korg Kaossilator Pro is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Kaossilator Pro to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

All versions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, are able to be utilized in collaboration with any equipment that sends MIDI data. This is applicable to all releases of Live, such as 9, 10, and 11. As the Kaossilator Pro is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Kaossilator Pro.

Does the Korg Kaossilator Pro come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Kaossilator Pro, so this must be bought separately.

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.

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 Kaossilator Pro to ableton

Linking the Korg Kaossilator Pro to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi controller.

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

The Kaossilator Pro is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Korg Kaossilator Pro and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

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

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

Saving your Kaossilator Pro Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

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

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode is unfortunately missing many control options. Options such as selected track and selected device control aren’t possible using this method. You can see a list of all available Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

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

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