Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 is a versatile midi keyboard and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi keyboard is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Numa X Piano 88.

Article Contents

Does the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Numa X Piano 88 to ableton
How to midi map the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Numa X Piano 88
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Numa X Piano 88 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Numa X Piano 88 will be usable with Ableton Live.

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 Numa X Piano 88.

Does the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Numa X Piano 88, so it needs to be purchased separately.

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.

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Numa X Piano 88 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Numa X Piano 88 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Numa X Piano 88 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 Numa X Piano 88 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Numa X Piano 88 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 Numa X Piano 88 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Numa X Piano 88 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 Studio Logic Numa X Piano 88 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 Numa X Piano 88, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Numa X Piano 88.
5. Moving the physical control on your Numa X Piano 88 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 Numa X Piano 88

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Numa X Piano 88, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Numa X Piano 88 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Numa X Piano 88 is capable of controlling only one 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 Numa X Piano 88, 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 Numa X Piano 88's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Numa X Piano 88,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Numa X Piano 88, 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 Numa X Piano 88 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Numa X Piano 88 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Numa X Piano 88 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Numa X Piano 88.
4. Make sure that the Numa X Piano 88 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.