Connect Through MIDI

Release planned for 7th of May 2026!!!

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Make Music Together — No Experience Required

Connect Through MIDI is an Ableton Live preset pack and Max for Live instrument system that lets a group of people play music together in real time — each using their own MIDI controller, regardless of their musical background. Every note every player sends automatically follows the chord progression and stays in tune with the group. The result: live, improvised music that always sounds good.

Whether you’re running a community jam, a school workshop, a music therapy session, or a creative event — Connect Through MIDI gives you a ready-made musical framework where you plug in controllers, assign roles, press play, and collaborate.

What Connect Through MIDI Does

Connect Through MIDI provides a set of 10 sound and jam presets — harmonic backdrops with bass, melody, and percussion — that your players can interact with using any MIDI controller. One player might control the bass via a drum pad, another the melody via a keyboard, another expressive effects via a motion controller. Everything stays in key, all the time.

A single popup window handles almost everything: connecting controllers, assigning player roles, selecting presets, and mapping chords. You don’t need deep Ableton Live knowledge to run a session.

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Connect Through MIDI Key Features

–10 sound and jam presets — 5 chord-only pads and 5 full song backdrops (bass, melody, tonal percussion running automatically)

Up to multiple simultaneous players — each assigned their own MIDI controller and musical role

Auto-handoff — live playing takes over from the backing track instantly; reverts after 8 bars of silence

Live chord control — a keyboard player can steer the harmony in real time, and every other element follows

Works with virtually any MIDI controller — USB keyboards, drum pads, electronic drum kits, motion controllers, and more

Note range mapping — split one controller across multiple roles (e.g. bass on low pads, melody on high pads)

One-window setup — 90% of operation happens in a single, resizable popup

No music theory required for players — every note stays musical, no wrong notes

Who Is Connect Through MIDI For?

Music facilitators & animateurs – Run group jams with any combination of skill levels

Music therapists Lower the barrier to active music-making; include people with no instrumental background

Schools & educators Give every student an active role in a live ensemble without months of practice |

Community + Accessible music projects Plug in, play, and improvise together in minutes

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What You Need to Get Started

Ableton Live Suite – the free 30-day trial also works

The Connect Through MIDI preset pack – Free Trial available HERE!

One or more MIDI controllers — USB MIDI keyboards, drum pads, electronic drum kits, or any controller sending MIDI notes

A Mac or Windows computer

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CONNECT THROUGH MIDI ONLINE MANUAL

Please watch the full video online manual playlist. This helps to start navigating and getting the concept and functionality of Connect Through MIDI.

Chapters of CTMIDI Manual:

• Installing Ableton Live Suite
• Installing the Connect Through MIDI Preset Pack
• The Connect Through MIDI Window
• Understanding the Sound and Jam Presets
• Connecting MIDI Controllers to Players
• How to Connect a MIDI Controller to connect through MIDI
• Assigning Multiple Controllers
• Using Note Range Mapping to Split One Controller Across Roles
• Playing Live Chords — Steering the Harmony
• Expressive Play with MIDI CC Controllers
• Setting Up Specialised Controllers (Oddball and Similar)
• Saving Sessions and Managing Files

Installing Ableton Live Suite

Installing and Opening Connect Through MIDI

You would need to install Ableton Live Suite to run Connect Through MIDI. You can get the free Ableton Live 30-day trial here – After the trial period you not necessarily need to buy a license for Ableton Live as Connect Through MIDI is set up really quickly. If you want to save specific set ups and connections you can always decide to buy a full Ableton Live Suite license later.

Installing the Connect Through MIDI Preset Pack

You can get a free trial version of Connect Through MIDI which is limited to 2 sound presets and one live MIDI controller input. We highly advise to first use the free Ableton Live trial and the free Connect Through MIDI trial to check it out.

After you have installed Ableton Live you would need to download the “Connect Through MIDI .alp” file – this is a specific Ableton file format for ‘zipping’ all files into one container file. You can then unpack the file via double click and opening it in Ableton Live. This will extract all files to a location you can select e.g. your desktop folder. You now get a “ConnectThroughMIDI” Ableton Live Project folder which hosts all additional files needed for Connect Through MIDI.

Inside this folder you will find the “ConnectThroughMIDI Preset Pack V1.als” file – which is actually the Ableton Live Project you want to open via double-click.

If you have multiple Ableton Live versions installed, right-click the file and select the version you want. Loading the set will take a few moments depending on your computer.

Once you opened ConnectThroughMIDI this way once a quicker way to load it next time would be via the “Open Resent Set” history in Ableton Live. You will find this in your top bar under “File” -> “Open Recent Set”.

The Connect Through MIDI Window

When Ableton Live finishes loading, a popup window opens automatically — this is the Connect Through MIDI control centre. Almost everything you need for a session happens here.

You can move this window anywhere on your screen, including a second monitor. To resize it, find the **Zoom** control on the Main Track’s Max for Live device. You can also save and recall the window’s position from there.

To open and close the window quickly, press the **1** key on your keyboard (this key command is set up by default). You can customise key commands in Ableton Live by clicking the key toggle button in the top right of the interface — anything that lights up orange can be assigned a keyboard shortcut.

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Understanding the Sound and Jam Presets

Connect Through MIDI includes 10 presets accessible from both the popup window and the physical preset buttons on the Main Track device.

Presets 1–5 are chord and pad presets: a harmonic backdrop with chords playing. These are ideal when you want a lighter texture and plan to add live players on top to be recognised a little more.

Presets 6–10 are full song presets: bass, melody, and tonal percussion are already running when you select them. Genres include D’n’B, House, Trap, and more. These give you a complete-sounding arrangement from the moment you press play.

How Live Playing Interacts with Presets

When a player connects a MIDI controller to a role (e.g. bass), the backing track element for that role switches off and the player takes over live automatically when playing. If no MIDI input is received for 8 bars, the backing track element automatically resumes. This means the music never stops — players can drop in and out naturally.

Stop and re-start can always be triggered with the spacebar on the computer keyboard.

Connecting MIDI Controllers to Players

For the main playing operations, you need controllers that send MIDI Note messages

Compatible MIDI Controllers

All MIDI controllers sending MIDI Notes for the “Single Note In” section + “Chords In” section:

– USB MIDI keyboards

– MIDI drum pads and pad controllers

– Electronic drum kits with MIDI output

MIDI controllers sending MIDI CC messages for the CC

Not sure what MIDI messages your controller sends? You can check via my online MIDI monitor (using a MIDI compatible web browser e.g. like Chrome.

How to Connect a MIDI Controller to connect through MIDI

1. Connect your MIDI controller via USB (or 5-pin-MIDI adapter) to your computer

2. In the popup window, click Refresh in the Select MIDI Input section in the place bottom left

3. Your controller appears in the dropdown — select it

4. Click “S” (Set) to assign this controller to a player field in the Note In section

5. The player field now shows your controller name — you can also type in the player’s name here for easier session management

6. Draw a connection line from the player field to the musical role you want them to play (bass, melody, arpeggio, tonal percussion) using click and drag

7. To remove a connection, select the line and press Delete

That’s it. Your player can now start playing their assigned instrument.

Assigning Multiple Controllers

Repeat the process for each additional player. Connect a second controller, hit Refresh, select it in the menu, assign it to the next player field, and draw the connection to a different role. Each player gets their own field, their own controller, and their own musical role.

Using Note Range Mapping to Split One Controller Across Roles

One powerful feature of Connect Through MIDI is the ability to use a single MIDI controller to play multiple roles by splitting it across note ranges. This is useful when one player wants to cover both bass and melody, or when your controller has separate zones (like a drum pad with multiple pads).

How Note Range Mapping Works

Each player field has a **From / To** note range setting. By default it listens to the full MIDI note range (C-2 to G8). You can narrow this to any range — even a single note.

To set a range:

1. Click the “S” (Sync) button next to the From or To field — it starts blinking, waiting for input

2. Play the MIDI note on your controller that you want to set as the boundary

3. Connect Through MIDI detects and sets that note automatically

Now set up a second player field using the same controller, assign it to a different role via a string, and set its note range to a different part of the controller. Each zone on your controller now independently controls a different musical element.

MIDI Channel Selection

If your controller sends on multiple MIDI channels, you can filter by channel in each player field. For most situations, leave this set to All unless you have a specific reason to separate channels.

Playing Live Chords — Steering the Harmony

The Chords In section is one of Connect Through MIDI’s most powerful features. It lets a player take control of the harmony in real time — and every other element (bass, melody, tonal percussion) automatically follows.

Using a MIDI Keyboard for Live Chord Input

Connect a MIDI keyboard (any keyboard with USB MIDI output works, including basic entry-level models). Select it in the Select MIDI Input menu and click “S” in the Chords In section to assign it.

Now when the keyboard player plays chords, the backing chord progression pauses and the live input takes over. All other elements hear the new chords and adapt in real time. Stop playing and the preset chord sequence resumes automatically (after 8 bars).

This works especially well with the full song presets — playing live chords over a Trap or House preset and hearing every element respond is one of the most striking things Connect Through MIDI does.

Using Simple Pad Controllers for Chord Triggering

You don’t need a full keyboard to control chords. The “Notes to Chords” section lets you assign one of the five preset chords to individual pads on a simple pad controller.

1. Select your pad controller in the MIDI input menu and click “S” in the Chords In section

2. Switch to “Notes to Chords” mode (instead of “Free Playing”) on the menu right to the Chords Player Input section

3. Click “S” next to each chord slot, then hit the pad you want to assign it to

4. Each pad now triggers one of the five preset chords for that preset

Hold Notes for Sustained Chords

Activate the “Hold Notes” toggle to make chords sustain after you release the pad. The chord rings until you trigger the next one. This is ideal for sessions where you want slow, held changes rather than short stabs.

Random Chord Mode — One Pad, Any Chord

For even simpler operation, set the chords In Menu to “Single Note“. This will set a single pad to trigger random chord selection. Every hit picks one of the five preset chords at random. This gives a participant control over the harmony with literally one button — no music theory needed.

Expressive Play with MIDI CC Controllers

The “MIDI CC Controls In section” supports controllers that send MIDI CC messages (= Continous Control/Control Change data) — things like dials, faders, or motion sensors — rather than note triggers. This opens up a different kind of interaction.

Players 5 — Melodic CC Input

Player 5 maps a CC source to melodic note output. Moving a dial or fader causes notes to play — the pitch corresponds to the controller’s position. You can invert the movement if needed (so moving up plays lower notes, or vice versa).

This is particularly suited to motion sensors e.g. like the MIDI Blaster (get 5% of when using “ABLETONDRUMMER” as a discount code), a light-sensor motion controller that reacts to hand movement and distance. Hovering your hand at different heights above the sensor changes the pitch, creating a theremin-like expressive instrument. Any dial or fader sending CC data works as a simpler alternative.

To set up CC input: select the controller in the “SELECT MIDI INPUT” menu, then hit “S” in the “Player 5” section. Now you need to map the CC number the controller is sending on. Just click “S” next to the CC number field, and move the dial or sensor — Connect Through MIDI auto-detects the CC number.

Players 6 and 7 — Live Effects Control

Players 6 and 7 map CC sources to audio effects running on the Master track in Ableton Live — filters, low cut, delay and other processing. Moving these controllers in real time shapes the texture and energy of the overall mix without touching individual tracks.

Each player has a minimum and maximum range (default: 0–60%). Increase the maximum to 100% for more dramatic effect processing. When no CC input is received for a few seconds, effects reset to their default state automatically — so you never accidentally leave a heavy filter on.

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Setting Up Specialised Controllers (Oddball and Similar)

Some MIDI controllers — like the Oddball, a ball that triggers notes when bounced or caught — require MIDI routing through an intermediate track to clean up the signal before it reaches Connect Through MIDI. This technique applies to any controller that sends dense or just too much MIDI data.

Setting Up a MIDI Threshold Track for a MIDI Controller

1. In Ableton Live, create a new MIDI track (right-click → Insert MIDI Track, or Cmd+Shift+T)

2. Name it clearly (e.g. “Oddball with Thresh”)

3. Set the track’s “MIDI input” to your controller (e.g. Oddball)

4. Set the “Monitor” to “In“

5. Drag a “MIDI velocity threshold” effect onto the track (a simple Max for Live or included MIDI effect)

6. Set the threshold value — around 40 works well for the Oddball, filtering out very low-velocity phantom triggers

7. Only notes above the threshold velocity pass through

Routing the Processed Signal into Connect Through MIDI

With the threshold track set up, go back to the Connect Through MIDI popup:

1. Click “Refresh” in the Select MIDI Input section

2. Your new “Oddball with Thresh” track now appears as an available input

3. Select it and assign it to a player field as normal

The controller now behaves predictably — only intentional hits trigger notes.

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Saving Sessions and Managing Files

How to Save a Connect Through MIDI Session

To save your current setup (player names, connections, and any customisations) without overwriting the original file:

Go to **File → Save Live Set As** (or Cmd+Shift+S on Mac), give it a descriptive name (e.g. “Session with Year 7” or “Workshop Tuesday”), and save. Ableton Live saves the new file inside the same project folder.

Your original Connect Through MIDI file stays untouched. You can always reload it to start fresh.

Note: Saving an Connect Through MIDI Ableton Live file requires a full Ableton Live license

Do You Need a Full Ableton Live License to run Connect Through MIDI?

No. Connect Through MIDI works during Ableton Live’s **free 30-day trial**. The limitation is that after the trial you can’t save new files — but once you know your setup, this isn’t necessarily a problem if you’re running similar sessions each time. A full license is recommended for regular use and for saving multiple session configurations.

Key Commands and Customisation Tips when using Ableton Live

Ableton Live’s *Key Map mode” lets you assign keyboard shortcuts to almost any on-screen button. Activate it via the key toggle in the top-right of the Ableton Live interface — everything that can be mapped lights up orange.

Default key commands in Connect Through MIDI:

–“1” — Open / close the Connect Through MIDI popup window

–“Spacebar” — Start / stop playback

You can also assign MIDI controllers to trigger preset buttons, start/stop playback, and other controls — useful if you want hands-free session management while facilitating.

Connect Through MIDI F.A.Q

You can find more Max for Live devices for live looping, advanced MIDI Control, live performance, missing functions for Ableton Live HERE!