Korg Kronos Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Korg's Kronos is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi keyboard 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 Korg Kronos with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Kronos.

Article Contents

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

In summary, the Korg Kronos is usable with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Kronos can still be midi mapped to many functions within 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 Kronos is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your Kronos.

Does the Korg Kronos come with ableton Live included?

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

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison 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 Kronos to ableton

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

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

The Kronos is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

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

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Kronos, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Kronos Midi Mappings is cumbersome

It is important to note that your mappings are stored with the Ableton session when saving. Consequently, when you create a new session, you will have to remap your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Kronos can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

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

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