Omnitronic Key 288 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Omnitronic Key 288 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Omnitronic Key 288 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Key 288.

Article Contents

Does the Omnitronic Key 288 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Omnitronic Key 288 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Key 288 to ableton
How to midi map the Omnitronic Key 288 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Key 288
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Omnitronic Key 288 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Omnitronic Key 288 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Key 288 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Key 288 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Key 288.

Does the Omnitronic Key 288 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Key 288, so it needs to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared to Standard's 10GB.

For those seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Key 288 to ableton

Linking the Omnitronic Key 288 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Key 288 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Key 288 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 Key 288 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Key 288 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 Key 288 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Key 288 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Omnitronic Key 288 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within 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 Key 288, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Key 288.
5. Moving the physical control on your Key 288 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 Key 288

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Key 288, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Key 288 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Key 288 can only be assigned to 1 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 Key 288, 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 Key 288's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Key 288,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Key 288, 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 Key 288 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Key 288 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Key 288 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Key 288.
4. Make sure that the Key 288 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.