Korg Nanopad Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Nanopad from Korg is an incredibly versatile midi controller and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

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

Article Contents

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

In a nutshell, the Korg Nanopad is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Nanopad to a variety of functions.

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Nanopad is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Nanopad.

Does the Korg Nanopad come with ableton Live included?

The Nanopad does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

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.

If you're looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Nanopad to ableton

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

The Nanopad has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Korg Nanopad to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Nanopad, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Nanopad.
5. Moving the physical control on your Nanopad 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 Nanopad

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Nanopad, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Nanopad Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

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

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