Worlde Ks25b Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Worlde Ks25b is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Worlde Ks25b with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Ks25b.

Article Contents

Does the Worlde Ks25b work with Ableton Live?
Does the Worlde Ks25b come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Ks25b to ableton
How to midi map the Worlde Ks25b in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Ks25b
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Worlde Ks25b work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Worlde Ks25b is usable with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Ks25b 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 Ks25b is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Ks25b.

Does the Worlde Ks25b come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Ks25b, so this must be bought separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison 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 Ks25b to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Worlde Ks25b with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Ks25b to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Ks25b 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 Ks25b from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Ks25b 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 Ks25b (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Ks25b 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 Worlde Ks25b 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 Ks25b, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Ks25b.
5. Moving the physical control on your Ks25b 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 Ks25b

For the fastest way to map your Ks25b, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Ks25b Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Ks25b can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not include every control options, options such as selected track control and selected device control unfortunately aren't possible. You can view a comprehensive list of all Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Ks25b, 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 Ks25b's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Ks25b,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Ks25b, 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 Ks25b in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Ks25b is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Ks25b is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Ks25b.
4. Make sure that the Ks25b is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.