Can You Use Two MIDI Controllers at Once in Ableton Live?

Can you use two MIDI controllers at once in Ableton? Yes, and Ableton’s own manual says Live can merge any number of MIDI ports and run up to six supported control surfaces at the same time.

Set them up carelessly and one keyboard sits silent because its port isn’t switched on, while a key you mapped to a clip stops playing its note.

Ableton’s manual and help center spell out which switches each controller needs, and the same few settings cover most pairs.

You’ll see how to set up two controllers, how to send each one to its own track or both to one, how to map the second one, and what to check when a device stays silent.

Start with what Live does when two devices are plugged in at once.

Can You Use Two MIDI Controllers at Once in Ableton Live?

Yes, because Live treats every controller as its own MIDI port and lets you use as many as you like. Ableton’s manual says you can use any number of MIDI ports for track input and output, and that up to six natively supported control surfaces can run simultaneously (Ableton manual, MIDI and Key Remote Control).

The two jobs are different, and that’s the key to the rest of this guide. A controller can play notes into a MIDI track, and it can control Live’s own knobs, faders and buttons, and each job has its own switch in the settings.

If you’d like the same idea for other software, our guide to using two MIDI controllers at the same time covers Logic Pro and 5-pin gear as well.

What Happens When You Plug in the Second Controller?

The first thing you’ll see is Live setting the controller up for you, because Ableton’s help center says many controllers load the right settings automatically when connected. Plug in the second one and it usually gets the same treatment, with no manual step at all.

The list of controllers Live knows by name is the Control Surface list, in Live’s Settings under Link, Tempo & MIDI. If a controller isn’t in that list, Ableton says you can still enable it manually in the MIDI Ports section of the same tab.

Automatic setup can also get in your way. To stop Live from connecting to a specific device, Ableton’s MIDI Settings article says to set its Input and Output to the device’s name and set the matching Control Surface to None.

Which Port Switches Does Each Controller Need?

That MIDI Ports list has three switches for every port, Track, Sync and Remote, and the right combination differs by job. For a keyboard you play, the help center says to turn Track on for its input port so it can play instruments and record notes.

For a controller whose knobs and pads you’ll map to Live’s controls, turn Remote on for its input port. Ableton’s MIDI controllers FAQ says to activate Track and Remote for the input port connected to the controller and Remote for the output port, when there’s no control surface for it.

The output port’s Remote switch matters for controllers with lights or motorized faders, because that’s how Live sends their status back. Ableton says you only need Track on an output port if the controller has a built-in sound generator.

Leave Sync off unless a device really needs it. The help center warns against turning Sync on for the In and Out of the same device, and against Sync on the In port for more than one device, because that asks Live to follow several clock sources at once.

How Do You Send Each Controller to Its Own Track?

Once the ports are on, each MIDI track chooses which controller it listens to. Ableton’s manual says a MIDI track’s input chooser can pick a specific MIDI port or All Ins, and the Input Channel chooser offers each channel of that port or All Channels (Routing and I/O).

So for a keyboard on one track and a pad controller on another, choose each device’s own port as its track’s MIDI From. Then set Monitor to In or Auto and arm the track, which Ableton’s FAQ lists as the steps for playing an instrument with your controller.

Play a few keys or pads to test it. The MIDI input indicators at the top of Live’s window flash whenever Live receives a message, so you can see which controller is being heard.

Can Both Controllers Play the Same Instrument?

Yes, and it’s the easiest setup, because All Ins is the merged input of all external MIDI ports. Set one track’s MIDI From to All Ins and both controllers will play the same instrument.

That’s handy for a second keyboard or a pad controller you’d like on the same drum rack. The trade-off is that you can’t tell them apart on that track, so use each device’s own port when you want them on separate instruments.

If two devices share a port, the Input Channel chooser is your other tool. A track can listen to just one channel of the port, so the devices can still be told apart.

How Do You Map Controls on the Second Controller?

Mapping is the second job, and it uses Live’s MIDI Map Mode. Ableton’s manual gives four steps: press the MIDI switch in Live’s upper right corner, click the parameter you want to control, move the control on your hardware, then press the MIDI switch again to leave.

The mapping shows up in the Mapping Browser, where you can also adjust its Min and Max range. Make sure the Remote switch is on for the port first, since Ableton says Remote is what lets a controller create mappings to Live’s parameters.

Here’s the catch that surprises people. Ableton’s manual says MIDI keys that become part of remote control assignments can no longer be used as input for MIDI tracks, so a key you map to a clip launch stops playing its note.

The Control Bar’s MIDI indicators are the quick way to see what’s happening. If a key does nothing musical, check whether you mapped it.

Can Two Control Surfaces Follow Different Devices?

Yes, and this is where the six-surface limit comes in. Natively supported control surfaces use instant mappings, which means their controls reassign themselves to whichever device is currently selected in Live.

You can also lock a control surface to a device. Right-click the device’s title bar, choose Lock to, and pick the controller, and Ableton says a hand icon in the title bar shows that a device is locked.

By default the instrument in a MIDI track locks to the control surface when the track is armed for recording, and Ableton adds that some control surfaces don’t support locking. With two surfaces, locking is how you keep one on your synth and the other on your drum rack.

Which Takeover Mode Should You Pick?

Once faders and knobs share a bank-switching setup, Live has to decide what happens on the first move after a switch. Ableton offers three takeover modes in the same settings tab.

None sends the new value immediately, which can cause abrupt jumps. Pick-Up ignores the control until it reaches the parameter’s current value, and Value Scaling smooths the two toward each other until they match.

Ableton recommends choosing a mode before you leave the settings, so it’s worth a minute when you add the second controller. Try Pick-Up or Value Scaling if you hear jumps.

Can the Computer Keyboard Be a Second Controller?

It can, with one limit. Ableton’s manual says to press the Computer MIDI Keyboard button, use the Options menu, or press the M key, and the center row of letter keys then plays the white keys of a piano starting at C3.

The upper row plays the black keys, and Z and X change the octave while C and V change velocity in steps of twenty. That’s a quick second input when you’re away from your hardware.

Don’t confuse it with key remote control. Ableton says mapping keys to controls is a separate feature from using the keyboard as a pseudo-MIDI keyboard for instruments.

Do You Need a USB Hub for Two Controllers?

Not if your computer has two free ports, and plugging both in directly is the simplest route. Ableton’s help center says a USB hub can connect multiple devices, but make sure it supplies enough power, and it recommends a powered hub.

If you have MIDI-only gear, Ableton says to use a MIDI cable from the controller’s output to an input on your MIDI or audio interface. Our guide to connecting a MIDI keyboard to a PC covers those connections in more detail.

Why Is One of the Controllers Silent?

Work through Ableton’s checklist in order, because it starts with the most common cause. Confirm the ports are configured and only the necessary ones are on, then install or update any drivers the manufacturer asks for.

Next, use Live’s MIDI Monitor device, or a third-party monitor app, to see whether messages arrive. Check whether macOS Audio MIDI Setup or Windows Device Manager recognizes the device at all.

Then check the cables, ports and adapters, and connect directly instead of through a hub if you can. If you’re using a hub, Ableton suggests disconnecting other devices or switching to a powered one.

If the device is recognized but nothing plays, look at the track. It needs the right MIDI From, Monitor set to In or Auto, and the Arm button on.

The Bottom Line

You can use two MIDI controllers at once in Ableton, and the setup is mostly a matter of switches: Track for playing notes, Remote for mapping, and the right MIDI From on each track. All Ins puts both on one instrument, and a specific port keeps them apart.

Watch out for the mapping catch, since a mapped key stops playing its note. If you’re still choosing a second controller, our best MIDI controllers for Ableton compares what works well with Live.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can two keyboards play the same instrument in Ableton?

Yes. Set the MIDI track’s MIDI From to All Ins, which Ableton describes as the merged input of all external MIDI ports, and both keyboards will play it.

How many control surfaces can Ableton Live use at once?

Up to six natively supported control surfaces can run at the same time, according to Ableton’s manual. You can also use any number of MIDI ports for remote mapping, and Live merges their incoming messages.

Why does a key I mapped no longer play notes?

Ableton says MIDI keys that become part of remote control assignments can no longer be used as input for MIDI tracks. Delete the mapping in the Mapping Browser if you want the key to play notes again.

Do I need Sync turned on for a second controller?

Usually not. Ableton says you won’t need Sync on a MIDI controller’s ports unless it has a built-in sequencer or arpeggiator, and it warns against turning Sync on for both In and Out of the same device.

Can I use the computer keyboard as one of the two controllers?

Yes. Turn on the Computer MIDI Keyboard with its button, the Options menu or the M key, and the letter keys play notes starting at C3.