In this article, we'll look at tips using MIDI Preferences, and when to choose the right settings for different use cases.

We’ll cover the following 4 things in this post…
How to setup a MIDI controller/ keyboard to play instruments
How to control Ableton Live with knobs on a MIDI controller
Using a Control Surface
Mapping 3rd Party Plugin Parameters
1. How to setup a MIDI keyboard to play instruments in Ableton Live
Below is a screenshot from the MIDI activity section of Ableton. This view is located in the upper-right corner of Ableton Live’s screen. This is a great quick reference to know if you’re getting any MIDI signal in and out of Ableton.

Let’s go to Live –> Preferences. In our Link/ Tempo/ MIDI tab we turn on our MIDI controller's Input to TRACK to play MIDI notes into clips, etc.
