How to create an "agnostic" MIDI template to allow standard MIDI mapping in Ableton?

Lab MiniLab
#1

Hello! I just got my Minilab 3 and all I want to do is to map MIDI controls in Ableton as I go (I don’t need any of the pre-mapped configs).

I have created a “User” template in the MIDI Control Center app and I understood how to upload it to the Minilab and how to do “SHIFT + Prog” to activate it. That was pretty straightforward.

Then for example, I set Fader 1 to MIDI channel 1, CC to one of the “general purpose controller” (also tried those called “undefined”), fader mode to “Fader”.

However, when I try to map the Fader in Ableton (or any other knob fader or pad) it doesn’t get mapped, even though I can see the blinking light in Ableton’s “MIDI Track in indicator” (top right of Ableton UI) indicating that MIDI information is being received.

I mean I right-click a control in Ableton, choose “Edit MIDI map” and then move the fader or knob. But the mapping never works. All I get is the blinking light in.

How do I simply “clean” every control to make it mappable in Ableton? I just want the faders, knobs and pads to be “agnostic” so that I can map them to anything in Ableton.

Thank you

#2

Hi @antoniobrandaodesign. Welcome to the community.

I don’t use Ableton Live.

May i suggest you start here.
Learn Live: MIDI mapping and key mapping:

The reason you on a Midi Chart see names like ModWheel and such is because many have agread to use that midi CC for that.
That mean many instruments by default is set to use midi CC#01 for the modwheel. So when you sent midi CC#01, then you move the modwheel. If you use midi CC#01 for something else, then you can give you self a lot of work. But it all depend.
So i suggest you learn some more about midi CC.

Undefined midi CC’s is just midi CC’s where there exist no agreement to use it for something speciel.

Some vendors applications have reserved some of the named midi CC’s in their applications for that named task.

Hope this is a help to continue.

#3

Hello @LBH , thank you for the reply. I hope your response is helpful for someone that has the same problem as I did. I ended up returning the Arturia Minilab 3 because it was too much complication when it for me it should “just work”.

I replaced it with an Akai MPK Mini, which “just works” when MIDI mapping any control in Ableton without having to go to any configuration.

I guess the Arturia wasn’t right for me. It’s probably great for people who want a device that has built-in auto-mapping, but for me a device that behaves like a blank-slate works best. The smaller size of the MPK also works better for me because my goal was to make music on the go, on the couch, in the car, and being smaller increases portability.

Thanks again!