Ableton and mpc 4k question

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone was using Ableton with their 4k? If so do I need something like a midi sport? or I have a midi to usb cord which has a built in driver. All it is a Midi In -5 pin- (MALE) and a Midi Out-5 pin-(MALE) that go into this little box thats about 2.5-3 inch's in length and an Inch in height. Coming out of the other end is one cord that ends as a USB so its literally only one usb cord with 2 male midi's on the other end. Would this work as if I was running into a midi sport essentially? I'm sure if it did work it wouldn't be as good as using a midi sport interface but any thoughts or suggestion's. thanks

What you have should be fine with the 5 pin MIDI end into the 4K, the USB end into your computer, then just make sure the cable interface is enabled in Live's MIDI preferences.

If you want to use all the MIDI outs on the 4K then yeah you'd want a multi input MIDI box to the computer/Ableton.

Ok cool thanks now I just need to figure out how to set everything up lol I also have an M-Audio 88key keyboard hooked up via usb to my pc as well and under the midi sync screen in Ableton I noticed it was picking it up so does this mean I can have all 3 going?

It should take just a few minutes to set this stuff up, your choice if you want to do a proper MIDI sync with either Live or the MPC as the MIDI slave or master. The instructions on the Akai site are real straight forward for that.

In Live, top toolbar, make sure "View" has In/Out activated. You may already have it that way. Then each channel in Live has boxes with an arrow pull down menus for MIDI From and MIDI To.

I use that to send MIDI all over the place, MIDI controllers, MPC and so on. So using that method the keyboard should be able to send MIDI to the MPC when you direct it too.

A lot of people attach the keyboard to their MPC then pass the MIDI to a DAW or whatever through the MPC MIDI out. But what I described above might be easier, especially if you have a keyboard that is on USB to the computer already or don't have an extra MIDI cable and a DC pack for powering the keyboard.

I actually haven't had all this stuff wired together in some time, I get lazy and just do audio editing in Live with a mouse too often. But everything you want to do should be doable I think.

ok cool Ill do some research and futs around with it and yea the keyboard is powered via usb and I dont have the power cord for it but I do have another midi cable but your saying it would have to be powered other than the PC correct?

I think you only need the DC pack if you use the 5 Pin MIDI on the M-Audio.

I'm never sure about MIDI controllers that get power over USB and also have a standard MIDI port. Always afraid the device might only send MIDI on USB or the MIDI port. Or it might not "know" which to get power from if you had USB and the 5 pin going with a DC pack.

Maybe it would only do data on the USB if a plug is used, but I get scared I might short out the USB port or something internal.

But if you're gonna try to use Ableton to route the MIDI to the MPC, I meant just use the regular USB to the computer, no power pack in that scenario.

So having a bit of trouble I have my midi out plugged in to midi in and midi in to midi out and usb to computer. The little box has a red light on indicating it has power. In the "Sync In" page I have "Mode" set to midi clock and sync in set to midi in 1. Heres where I get confused all I wanna do Is hit play in Ableton and have it trigger my sequence on the 4k. Does "Receive MMC need to be on or off? and do I need to set sync out-midi clock to midi out-A? then do I need to have send MMC set to midi out-A? Also getting confused in ableton. I/O is on and going into "options" preferences to which brings up the page to hit the midi sync tab to the left. In this page there are 6 drop down tabs set in 3 colums. The first one is labeled "Control Surfaces" is something suppose to be set here? Second one is labeled "Input" third one is "Output" not to sure what im suppose to be setting in here.

I'm gonna have to actually set up the same thing over here to give you definitive answers. I do have a 4k though, a little short on table space right now, and it's like 1AM over here.

But here's the walk through on the Akai site, should be some help. Although it's for the newer MPC's. Shouldn't differ too much if at all though.

http://www.akaipro.com/syncableton

MMC would be MIDI Machine control, used for having the transport controls work in tandem.

You mentioning that you want Ableton to start/stop the MPC means you're going to want the MIDI master to be Ableton as far as looking at the instructions at the Akai site.

Control Surfaces is for supported MIDI controllers that Live has built in scripts for, allowing you to not have to really map anything manually. More for MPD's, MPK controllers and other MIDI controllers or MIDI mixing surfaces like a BCF 2000 with it's knobs and faders. So you probably will skip that. The input/output would set to on with the BCF 2000 for example so if I move the fader on the screen the motorized fader moves too or vice versa. But again, that isn't needed here.

You'll be looking to have the whatever your MIDI interface is called in Ableton as where you'll set up the 4k's MIDI.

That's in the MIDI Ports settings under the Control Surfaces section in Live's preferences. I think you'll want to activate Track on both the Input and Output listings for your USB to MIDI interface, whatever it's called in the list. And also enable the Sync tabs.

The Remote tab is for Live receiving MIDI from an external source/controller like if you wanted to map something to control Live's faders or knobs. (The Remote mapping mode is engaged by hitting the box that says MIDI in upper right corner on the Ableton GUI, next to the CPU meter)

Pretty sure you can set the Q-links to send out MIDI CC #'s to Live to use the Remote mode.

Like a lot of what I post here I do it from memory, and when it gets more specific I need to actually get it running myself to give clearer answers.

But see how far you can get off the Akai instructions. And even if it's tomorrow I will post again after I have tried this setup myself. I've never used my 4k with Live, only a 1000 and 2500. Also someone more knowledgeable than me might post in the between time. I haven't made too much music this year. Any I have has just been with MIDI controllers and a mouse lately.

Cool thanks man Ill check out the site and keep playing around you have been helping me a lot actually just from your memory and I appreciate the help.

MPCLove86 wrote:Cool thanks man Ill check out the site and keep playing around you have been helping me a lot actually just from your memory and I appreciate the help.

My pleasure dude. I did actually launch Live to be 100% straight on the Preference menu. What you want to do is 100% possible, I'll just wire it up over here so any more info I give is confirmed as working.

awesome thanks a bunch man

damn this being difficult lol sometimes adjusting settings in the midi page on the mpc I can here this weird feed back coming through the speakers but still nothing seems to be triggering anything. The akai site has nothing really for using the midi with the 4k so iv been trying to base it off of what it says for the 5k. Iv gotten the mpc to say "waiting for midi play" but when I hit play in Ableton nothing happens it locks up. I know Im doing something stupid do I need to adjust the routing?

LMFAO!!!!! I had the cords backwards lol wow all good!! thanks for everything

MPCLove86 wrote:LMFAO!!!!! I had the cords backwards lol wow all good!! thanks for everything

Cool.

Like I said I was just going through the random basics up on the posts, and I haven't found table space for the 4k yet either.

But real glad to hear you're up and running man.

yea lol check my new topic have lots of questions their