M Audio Hammer 88 Pro Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The M Audio Hammer 88 Pro is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Hammer 88 Pro.

Article Contents

1. Does the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Hammer 88 Pro to ableton
4. How to midi map the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Hammer 88 Pro
   1. Saving your Hammer 88 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 M Audio Hammer 88 Pro work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro is compatible with Ableton Live.

The Hammer 88 Pro is equipped with a standard midi remote script in Ableton Live, so you just need to connect it (see instructions below) to get it working.

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 Hammer 88 Pro is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function 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 Hammer 88 Pro.

Does the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro come with ableton Live included?

The Hammer 88 Pro offers a complimentary copy of Ableton Live Lite, but its features are limited in comparison to Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared 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 Hammer 88 Pro to ableton

Connecting and setting up the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Hammer 88 Pro to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Hammer 88 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 Hammer 88 Pro from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Hammer 88 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 Hammer 88 Pro (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Hammer 88 Pro with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the M Audio Hammer 88 Pro to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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 Hammer 88 Pro, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Hammer 88 Pro.
5. Moving the physical control on your Hammer 88 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 Hammer 88 Pro

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Hammer 88 Pro, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Hammer 88 Pro 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Hammer 88 Pro can only be assigned to 1 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 Hammer 88 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 Hammer 88 Pro's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Hammer 88 Pro,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Hammer 88 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 Hammer 88 Pro in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Hammer 88 Pro is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Hammer 88 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 Hammer 88 Pro.
4. Make sure that the Hammer 88 Pro is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.