Worlde Ks25a Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Worlde Ks25a 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 Worlde Ks25a with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Ks25a.

Article Contents

1. Does the Worlde Ks25a work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Worlde Ks25a come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Ks25a to ableton
4. How to midi map the Worlde Ks25a in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Ks25a
   1. Saving your Ks25a Midi Mappings is cumbersome
   2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
   3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
   4. A great solution to these problems
6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Worlde Ks25a work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Worlde Ks25a is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Ks25a to a variety of functions.

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 Ks25a 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 Ks25a.

Does the Worlde Ks25a come with ableton Live included?

The Ks25a does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

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 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 Ks25a to ableton

Connecting the Worlde Ks25a with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Ks25a to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Ks25a 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 Ks25a from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Ks25a 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 Ks25a (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Ks25a has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Worlde Ks25a to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Ks25a, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Ks25a.
5. Moving the physical control on your Ks25a 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 Ks25a

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Ks25a, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Ks25a 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 button or knob on your Ks25a 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 Ks25a, 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 Ks25a's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Ks25a,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Ks25a, 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 Ks25a in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Ks25a is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Ks25a is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Ks25a.
4. Make sure that the Ks25a is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.