Can't Trigger Ableton Live Drum Pads via MIDI on 3000

I'm relatively new to using my MPC 3000 that I bought a few years ago and am looking to get back into it. I am trying to use the MPC 3000 as the main sequencer of everything (Live, 3000, MPK49) and am able to get the 3000 to start and stop everything via MIDI, but I cannot get the pads on the 3000 to trigger drum pad banks in Live no matter what I do. I have a feeling one of my 3000 settings is incorrect, but I'm not sure which. Any help with being able to use the MPC as a MIDI trigger would be greatly appreciated so that I can start re-learning this awesome piece of hardware and making music again.

The 3000 isn't one of the MPC's I have but if you mean triggering Ableton's Drum Racks this is the default MIDI layout the MPC's need to match :

Pad 1- Note # 60
Pad 2 - Note # 62
Pad 3 - Note # 64
Pad 4 - Note # 65
Pad 5 - Note # 67
Pad 6 - Note # 69
Pad 7 - Note # 71
Pad 8 - Note # 72 (Pads 1-8 all on MIDI Channel 1A)
Pad 9 - Note # 60 (On MIDI Channel 2A)
Pad 10 - Note # 62 (MIDI 2A)
Pad 11 - Note # 64 (MIDI 2A)
Pad 12 - Note # 65 (MIDI 2A)
Pad 13 - Note # 67 (MIDI 2A)
Pad 14 - Note # 69 (MIDI 2A)
Pad 15 - Note # 71 (MIDI 2A)
Pad 16 - Note # 72 (MIDI 2A)

Pad 17 - Note # 36 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 18 - Note # 37 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 19 - Note # 38 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 20 - Note # 39 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 21 - Note # 40 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 22 - Note # 41 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 23 - Note # 42 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 24 - Note # 43 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 25 - Note # 44 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 26 - Note # 45 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 27 - Note # 46 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 28 - Note # 47 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 29 - Note # 48 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 30 - Note # 49 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 31 - Note # 50 (MIDI 3A)
Pad 32 - Note # 51 (MIDI 3A)

Pads 33 - 64 Note #'s 52-83 (All on MIDI Channel 3A)


Drum Racks default to start with MIDI note # 60 on the first pad, but to the right of the 16 pad grid there is a box that allows you select a group of 16 notes over 7 octaves. A MIDI controller/MPC sending MIDI out will control whatever box of 16 are highlighted if it's pads are programmed like the assignments listed above. But only with pads 1-16. Pads 17-64 will always control the same sounds no matter where the highlight box in Ableton's Drum Rack is focused.

It's actually a pretty cool system. You use 4 MPC/MPD pad banks but the Drum Rack's focus grid can allow you access to 128 sounds if you don't mind using the mouse to move the focus box.

Just make sure to have In/Out enabled in Ableton's View settings so it's easier to switch to MIDI from "All Ins" or the Specific Port/Interface the MPC is plugged into. (View In/Out is turned off in Live by default)

That's how I assign the MIDI notes to the pads on an MPD or a 2500/1000/4000 or XL.

Thanks for the response! I switched the MIDI mappings from being chromatic to what you gave, but still nothing. Pretty sure I don't have the settings right somewhere on the main screen of the 3000, but I'm not sure what it should be.

The listing is the mapping that Akai uses in all the MPD's and MPK's for Ableton Drum Racks. I just checked to see if it was mandatory to have the MIDI sent to a Drum Rack be on MIDI Channels 1A, 2A and 3A, and it isn't. They can all be on 1A.

Page 208 of the 3000 manual has the MIDI Assignment/out info.

But if you aren't getting anything triggering on any pads (some pads should work out of order at least) but you know Live is receiving MIDI from the MPC then maybe the track isn't armed to monitor, (Red Record button) or maybe the MIDI In on the Drum Rack track isn't set to All or the specific port/interface the MPC is plugged into.

The notes are written on the pads of the Drum Rack, so move the mouse focus box on the left and map your MPC to those numbers or line a chromatic PGM to work.

Sorry about the 3 MIDI Channel thing I thought it was necessary and I forgot the obvious fact an MPC PGM will send one MIDI Channel. (Whereas an MPD preset can send a pad on any channel).

SirNarwhal wrote:Pretty sure I don't have the settings right somewhere on the main screen of the 3000, but I'm not sure what it should be.

On the Main Screen, in the Track Data section, set Chn: to 1A (if you want MIDI channel 1 on MPC MIDI output A, or set to what you need it to be), set Type: to MIDI.

SimonInAustralia wrote:

SirNarwhal wrote:Pretty sure I don't have the settings right somewhere on the main screen of the 3000, but I'm not sure what it should be.

On the Main Screen, in the Track Data section, set Chn: to 1A (if you want MIDI channel 1 on MPC MIDI output A, or set to what you need it to be), set Type: to MIDI.

Ah, thanks! This is what did it. Fully functioning now with all of my software. I had to switch the keymapping back to chromatic though, but otherwise it's all working now.