Numark Omcontrol Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Numark's Omcontrol is a fantastically adaptable midi DJ controller that is extremely useful when coupled with Ableton Live. This device has a great range of features, making it ideal as an Ableton Live controller.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Numark Omcontrol with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Omcontrol.

Article Contents

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

Does the Numark Omcontrol work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Numark Omcontrol is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Omcontrol can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Omcontrol will be usable with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Omcontrol.

Does the Numark Omcontrol come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Omcontrol, therefore it must be bought separately.

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'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 Omcontrol to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Numark Omcontrol with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

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

The Omcontrol is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Numark Omcontrol to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Omcontrol, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Omcontrol Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Omcontrol can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton's internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren't currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Omcontrol, 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 Omcontrol's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Omcontrol,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Omcontrol, 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 Omcontrol in Ableton Live?

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