Korg Padkontrol Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Korg's Padkontrol 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 show you the whole process of how to operate the Korg Padkontrol with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Padkontrol.

Article Contents

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

Does the Korg Padkontrol work with Ableton Live?

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

Ableton live provides a default midi remote script for the Padkontrol, meaning it will work with Ableton Live as soon as you connect it (see the section below on how to connect to ableton).

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 Padkontrol is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can create your own Ableton midi mappings with ease, giving you the power to control many of the features of Ableton Live with your Padkontrol.

Does the Korg Padkontrol come with ableton Live included?

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

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Padkontrol to ableton

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

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

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

Saving your Padkontrol 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 Padkontrol is capable of controlling only one 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 Padkontrol, 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 Padkontrol's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Padkontrol,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Padkontrol, 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 Padkontrol in Ableton Live?

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