Novation Launchkey 61 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Novation Launchkey 61 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 tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Novation Launchkey 61 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Launchkey 61.

Article Contents

Does the Novation Launchkey 61 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Novation Launchkey 61 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Launchkey 61 to ableton
How to midi map the Novation Launchkey 61 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Launchkey 61
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Novation Launchkey 61 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Novation Launchkey 61 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

The Launchkey 61 comes with a midi remote script to ensure it functions with Ableton Live, so just plug it in (see the instructions below to see how) and you're good to go.

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 Launchkey 61 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 Launchkey 61.

Does the Novation Launchkey 61 come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Launchkey 61, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those of 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.

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 Launchkey 61 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Novation Launchkey 61 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 Launchkey 61 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Launchkey 61 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 Launchkey 61 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Launchkey 61 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 Launchkey 61 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Launchkey 61 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 Novation Launchkey 61 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 Launchkey 61, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Launchkey 61.
5. Moving the physical control on your Launchkey 61 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 Launchkey 61

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Launchkey 61, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Launchkey 61 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Launchkey 61 can only be assigned to 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 Launchkey 61, 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 Launchkey 61's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Launchkey 61,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Launchkey 61, 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 Launchkey 61 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Launchkey 61 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Launchkey 61 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Launchkey 61.
4. Make sure that the Launchkey 61 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.