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

Sub Zero's Minicontrol is a fantastically adaptable midi 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 guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Sub Zero Minicontrol with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Minicontrol.

Article Contents

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

Does the Sub Zero Minicontrol work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Sub Zero Minicontrol is compatible with Ableton Live.

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

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Minicontrol is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function 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 Minicontrol.

Does the Sub Zero Minicontrol come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Minicontrol, therefore it 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.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Minicontrol to ableton

Linking and configuring the Sub Zero Minicontrol to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi controller.

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

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

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

Saving your Minicontrol 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 means that each button or knob on your Minicontrol can only be assigned to control a single 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 Minicontrol, 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 Minicontrol's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Minicontrol,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Minicontrol, 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 Minicontrol in Ableton Live?

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