M Audio Keystation 49es Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

M Audio's Keystation 49es 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the M Audio Keystation 49es with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Keystation 49es.

Article Contents

1. Does the M Audio Keystation 49es work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the M Audio Keystation 49es come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Keystation 49es to ableton
4. How to midi map the M Audio Keystation 49es in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Keystation 49es
   1. Saving your Keystation 49es 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 Keystation 49es work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the M Audio Keystation 49es is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Keystation 49es to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Keystation 49es 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 Keystation 49es.

Does the M Audio Keystation 49es come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Keystation 49es, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Although Intro and Standard are both powerful, Suite offers extra features, such as 70GB of library sounds, in contrast 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 Keystation 49es to ableton

Linking and configuring the M Audio Keystation 49es 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 Keystation 49es to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Keystation 49es 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 Keystation 49es from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Keystation 49es 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 Keystation 49es (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Keystation 49es 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 M Audio Keystation 49es 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 Keystation 49es, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Keystation 49es.
5. Moving the physical control on your Keystation 49es 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 Keystation 49es

For the fastest way to map your Keystation 49es, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Keystation 49es 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 means that each button or knob on your Keystation 49es 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 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 Keystation 49es, 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 Keystation 49es's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Keystation 49es,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Keystation 49es, 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 Keystation 49es in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Keystation 49es is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Keystation 49es is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Keystation 49es.
4. Make sure that the Keystation 49es is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.