Ableton 12 Device Control S88 MK3

Apticx · 2025-04-15T08:26:37+00:00

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Hi, this question is probably asked frequently but I wanted to be sure about it before deciding on which keyboard to get. (clicked through a few pages and did not find anything recent)

I am a Ableton user and heavily rely on its built in effects and instruments and really love how the S88 MK3 lets you control the Mixer and other parameters using DAW control.

But wherever I looked noone either talks about device control (automapping controls to default instruments and effects like lets say the push or the novation sl mk3) or the information is from when it was released.

Is this possible by now or is it planned to add it?

This is the only thing keeping me from getting it.

Thanks in advance.

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JesterMgee

Not possible (natively) and although it could be possible with some enhancements to the script, unlikely NI will bother add any extra features, I mean it's one of many requests that has been made over the years that has fallen on deaf ears…

I say it could be possible because I have done this myself with the MK1 and MK2 keyboards so I can only assume it is the same for the MK3. It involves creating a custom control surface script and adding this as a second control surface then creating a MIDI template to use with the custom script. It works by switching the keyboard to MIDI mode then if you have the MIDI template loaded you will get "blue hand" control of whatever you select in Live.

The limitations are there is no parameter name feedback but the actual control state will update to the keyboard to show the correct value of the parameter and using the bank switch feature for controls for the control script you can make a few pages of controls however without feedback of labels it can be hard to know what is controlling what but it's workable. With actual proper python scripting over the Ableton User Script method it would be possible to get parameter names but not something I have bothered to yet dive into.

Video of this solution I made with the MK1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzdd_gSlZYk

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PoorFellow

But wherever I looked noone either talks about device control (automapping controls to default instruments and effects like lets say the push or the novation sl mk3) or the information is from when it was released.
Is this possible by now or is it planned to add it?

@Chris_NI , this appear to be a question for you .

JesterMgee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzdd_gSlZYk

Apticx

Thanks so much for the detailed feedback.
Very informative video too.

Hopefully NI will add it eventually. This seems like it could greatly benefit a device with beautiful screens like this one and some control is already in place so i will just have to hope.

Thanks again! Maybe i can figure it out if i get it sometimes. Right now its probably better to stick to a push.

JesterMgee

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/222057#Comment_222057

that’s what I do, reason I’ve never gone deeper, been waiting for some change in this (and other) areas for over 10 years, still waiting for even just 1 improvement, maybe they still need another 10 years to work out the next feature.

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