AKAI APC mini User Guide

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User manual (5 pages)

Table of Contents

Contents

1 Introduction
- 1.1 Box Contents
- 1.2 Support
2 Setup
3 Basic Operation
4 Features
5 Documents / Resources
- 5.1 References
- 5.2 Download manual

AKAI APC mini User Guide

Introduction

Box Contents

APC mini
Ableton Live Lite (download)
Software Download Cards
USB Cable
User Guide
Safety & Warranty Manual

Support

For the latest information about this product (system requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit akaipro.com/apcmini.
For additional product support, visit akaipro.com/support

Setup

Use the included USB cable to connect APC mini's USB port to an available USB port on your computer (powered on).
On your computer, open Ableton Live.
In Ableton Live, open the Preferences:
- Windows: Options > Preferences
- Mac OS X: Live > Preferences
Click the MIDI/Sync Tab.
Click an available Control Surface drop-down menu and select APC mini.
Click an available Input drop-down menu and select APC mini.
Click an available Output drop-down menu and select APC mini.
Close the Preferences window.
You can now use APC mini with Ableton Live.

Basic Operation

Refer to this section to learn how to do basic tasks in Ableton Live using APC mini.

Before doing any of the following, set up APC mini as a controller in Ableton Live (described in the Setup section above).

To launch a clip, press one of the Clip Buttons (in the 8x8 matrix) that is lit amber, which means there is a clip loaded to that slot but is not playing. The Clip Button will light green when it is playing.

To stop a clip:

Press and hold Shift and press the first Scene Launch Button (Clip Stop). This puts the Clip Stop Buttons at the bottom of the 8x8 matrix of Clip Buttons in Clip Stop Mode.
Press the Clip Stop Button in the same track (column) as the clip you want to stop.

To launch a scene, press one of the eight Scene Launch Buttons to the right of the 8x8 matrix of Clip Buttons.

To move around the matrix of clips, press and hold Shift and press one of the left four Clip Stop Buttons () to shift the viewable 8x8 matrix. In the software, this is represented by a red rectangle around the clips.

To solo a track:

Press and hold Shift and press the second Scene Launch Button (Solo). This puts the Clip Stop Buttons at the bottom of the 8x8 matrix of Clip Buttons in Solo Mode.
Press the Clip Stop Button in the same track (column) as the clip you want to solo.

To record-arm a track:

Press and hold Shift and press the third Scene Launch Button (Rec Arm). This puts the Clip Stop Buttons at the bottom of the 8x8 matrix of Clip Buttons in Record-Arm Mode.
Press the Clip Stop Button in the same track (column) as the clip you want to recordarm.

To mute a track:

Press and hold Shift and press the fourth Scene Launch Button (Mute). This puts the Clip Stop Buttons at the bottom of the 8x8 matrix of Clip Buttons in Mute Mode.
Press the Clip Stop Button in the same track (column) as the clip you want to mute.

To select a track:

Press and hold Shift and press the fifth Scene Launch Button (Select). This puts the Clip Stop Buttons at the bottom of the 8x8 matrix of Clip Buttons in Select Mode.
Press the Clip Stop Button in the same track (column) as the clip you want to select.

To stop all clips, press and hold Shift and press the eighth (last) Scene Launch Button (Stop All Clips).

To adjust volumes, press and hold Shift and press the fifth Clip Stop Button (Volume) to put APC mini's Faders in Volume Mode. The first eight Faders will control the volume levels of the first eight tracks in Ableton Live.

To adjust panning, press and hold Shift and press the sixth Clip Stop Button (Pan) to put APC mini's Faders in Pan Mode. The first eight Faders will control the panning positions of the first eight tracks in Ableton Live.

To adjust send levels, press and hold Shift and press the seventh Clip Stop Button (Send) to put APC mini's Faders in Send Mode. The first eight Faders will control the levels of Send A for the first eight tracks in Ableton Live.

Tip: Repeat this action to set the faders to control the levels of subsequent sends (e.g., Send B, Send C, etc.).

To adjust devices, press and hold Shift and press the eighth (last) Clip Stop Button (Device) to put APC mini's Faders in Device Mode. The first eight Faders will control the eight Macro Controls of the current device in Ableton Live.

Features

USB Port: Use a standard USB cable to connect this port to a USB port on your computer. The computer's USB port provides power to APC mini. This connection is also used to send and receive MIDI data to and from your computer.
Kensington Lock Slot: You may use this Kensington lock slot to secure the APC mini to a table or other surface.
Clip Stop Buttons: Normally, you can press one of these buttons to stop the clip in the corresponding track—represented by the column of five Clip Buttons just above it.
You can change their functions by pressing and holding Shift and then pressing one of the Scene Launch buttons: Clip Stop, Solo, Rec Arm, Mute, or Select. Each button puts the Clip Stop Buttons in a different mode:
- Clip Stop Mode: The Clip Stop Buttons will stop their corresponding tracks (the default mode).
- Solo Mode: The Clip Stop Buttons will solo their corresponding tracks.
- Record-Arm Mode: The Clip Stop Buttons will record-arm their corresponding tracks.
- Mute Mode: The Clip Stop Buttons will mute their corresponding tracks.
- Select Mode: The Clip Stop Buttons will select their corresponding tracks.
  Press and hold Shift and press one of the left four Clip Stop Buttons (p, q, t, u) to shift the viewable 8x8 matrix of clips. In Ableton Live's Session View, this is indicated by a red rectangle around the clips.
Faders: Normally, you can use these faders to control various parameters in Ableton Live. You can use the right four Clip Stop Buttons (Volume, Pan, Send, Device) to put the faders in Volume Mode, Pan Mode, Send Mode, or Device Mode.
Press and hold Shift and press one of the right four Clip Stop Buttons (Volume, Pan, Send, Device) to put APC mini's Faders in the corresponding mode:
- Volume Mode: The eight faders will control the volume levels of the first eight tracks in Ableton Live.
- Pan Mode: The eight faders will control the panning positions of the first eight tracks in Ableton Live.
- Send Mode: The eight faders will control the levels of Send A for the first eight tracks in Ableton Live. Repeat this action to set the faders to control the levels of subsequent sends (e.g., Send B, Send C, etc.).
- Device Mode: The eight faders will control the eight Macro Controls of the current device in Ableton Live.
Master Fader: Use this fader to control the Master track volume in Ableton Live.
Clip Buttons: While in Ableton Live's Session View, use these buttons in this 8x8 to launch clips. Each Clip Button represents a single clip slot. The eight columns represent eight tracks while the five rows represent five scenes. In Clip Launch Mode, the buttons' LED colors represent the following:
- Off: Clip is empty.
- Amber: Clip is loaded but not playing.
- Green: Clip is loaded and playing.
- Red: Clip present and recording.
  You can launch the entire scene by pressing the Scene Launchbuttons to the right of the row of clips.
Scene Launch Buttons: Normally, you can press one of these buttons to launch the corresponding scene—represented by the row of eight Clip Buttons to its left.
Press and hold Shift and then press one of the top five buttons to change the function of the Clip Stop Buttons, which can then stop, solo, record-arm, mute, or select their corresponding tracks (see #3. Clip Stop Buttons above).
Press and hold Shift and then press the eighth (last) button (Stop All Clips) to stop all clips when they reach the end.
Shift: Press and hold this button and then press a Scene Launch button to change the function of the Clip Stop Buttons (see #3. Clip Stop Buttons above).
Press and hold this button and then press one of the left four Clip Stop Buttons () to shift the viewable 8x8 matrix of clips. In Ableton Live's Session View, this is indicated by a red rectangle around the clips.
Press and hold Shift and press one of the right four Clip Stop Buttons (Volume, Pan, Send, Device) to put APC mini's Faders in the corresponding mode (see #4. Faders above).