Studio Logic Mp 117 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Studio Logic's Mp 117 is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi Pedalboard has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Studio Logic Mp 117 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Mp 117.

Article Contents

Does the Studio Logic Mp 117 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Studio Logic Mp 117 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Mp 117 to ableton
How to midi map the Studio Logic Mp 117 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Mp 117
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Studio Logic Mp 117 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Studio Logic Mp 117 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Mp 117 to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

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 Mp 117 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Mp 117.

Does the Studio Logic Mp 117 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Mp 117, so this must be bought 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.

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 Mp 117 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Studio Logic Mp 117 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi Pedalboard.

1. Connect the Mp 117 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mp 117 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 Mp 117 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mp 117 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 Mp 117 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mp 117 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 Studio Logic Mp 117 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 Mp 117, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mp 117.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mp 117 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 Mp 117

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Mp 117, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Mp 117 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 Mp 117 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 Mp 117, 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 Mp 117's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mp 117,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mp 117, 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 Mp 117 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mp 117 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mp 117 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mp 117.
4. Make sure that the Mp 117 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.