Sub Zero Controlkey49s Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Sub Zero Controlkey49s 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 explain all you need to know on using the Sub Zero Controlkey49s with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Controlkey49s.

Article Contents

Does the Sub Zero Controlkey49s work with Ableton Live?
Does the Sub Zero Controlkey49s come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Controlkey49s to ableton
How to midi map the Sub Zero Controlkey49s in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Controlkey49s
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Sub Zero Controlkey49s work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Sub Zero Controlkey49s is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Controlkey49s can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Controlkey49s is a MIDI enabled device, it will work 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 Controlkey49s.

Does the Sub Zero Controlkey49s come with ableton Live included?

The Controlkey49s does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

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.

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 Controlkey49s to ableton

Linking the Sub Zero Controlkey49s 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 Controlkey49s to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Controlkey49s 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 Controlkey49s from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Controlkey49s 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 Controlkey49s (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Controlkey49s is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Sub Zero Controlkey49s 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 Controlkey49s, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Controlkey49s.
5. Moving the physical control on your Controlkey49s 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 Controlkey49s

For the fastest way to map your Controlkey49s, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Controlkey49s 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Controlkey49s can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 Controlkey49s, 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 Controlkey49s's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Controlkey49s,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Controlkey49s, 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 Controlkey49s in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Controlkey49s is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Controlkey49s is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Controlkey49s.
4. Make sure that the Controlkey49s is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.