Lumi Keys Studio Edition Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Keys Studio Edition from Lumi is an incredibly versatile midi keyboard 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 Lumi Keys Studio Edition with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Keys Studio Edition.

Article Contents

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

Does the Lumi Keys Studio Edition work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Lumi Keys Studio Edition is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

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

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Keys Studio Edition is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Keys Studio Edition.

Does the Lumi Keys Studio Edition come with ableton Live included?

The Keys Studio Edition 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 Keys Studio Edition to ableton

Linking and configuring the Lumi Keys Studio Edition to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi keyboard.

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

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

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

Saving your Keys Studio Edition 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 button or knob on your Keys Studio Edition can only be assigned to control a single 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 Keys Studio Edition, 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 Keys Studio Edition's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Keys Studio Edition,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Keys Studio Edition, 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 Keys Studio Edition in Ableton Live?

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