Questions & Answers

Akai MPK Mini Mk 3 wont accept knob mapping Studio One?

0 votes
6,073 views
asked Jun 27, 2021 in Studio One 5 by daryllittleton (140 points) 1 flag
So like the question says I have a Mark 3 that I'm able to hear the sound from the keys and the pads but I cannot seem to get the knobs to map even though I see the input is registering. Im using Studio One 5 is there something Im missing?

7 Answers

0 votes
answered Jun 29, 2021 by reinaldkirchner (240 points)
did you try to assign the knobs with midi-learn? I am using the MPK Mini Mk I and have no issues assigning them.
+1 vote
answered Jul 6, 2021 by andrelackmann (160 points)
edited Jul 7, 2021 by andrelackmann
What VST or plugins are you using? I have the Mini Mk3 and I can map knobs and buttons etc for PreSonus intruments like Mojito and Mai Tai I can easily map the Mk3 with a right-mouse click on the control. I DO have a similar problem to what you seem to be experiencing on some 3rd party plugins. I use the midi learn options and can see the input being registered by Studio One 5 (v5.2.1) but the plugin never sees it.

I'm somewhat new to Studio 5 so it could definitely be me doing something wrong. But it certainly sounds similar to what you're seeing.

EDIT: So it's not clear you had the same issue I had or not - but I was able to do the mapping in plugins that wasn't working via the LEARN methods previously. Essentially I was able to use the assignment mapping in the Instrument popup window. In short:

* click the gear icon to show the mapping options
* the first open tab should show the instrument control currently or last used (or use the drop down for your selection)
* the second tab will show the last control touched on the MPK and the current value
* when you have these selected on the mapping you want, click the small arrow between them and your mapping will be completed

Basically what I *think* is going on here is the factory mapping for the rotaries is overriding the CC messages and so they don't get the to plug-in by default? When I click on the midi-in viewer, I can see they aren't returning raw CC messages like the pads do in CC-mode. So using the above method, you're getting SO to explicitly map it (I guess?)

More around the 9:30 mark in this video which helped me get to this result -
0 votes
answered Jan 28, 2022 by cr30 (180 points)
I have the same issue. Looking online I found a workaround, which is to load the Ableton program on the MPK (Prog select + pad 2). This way the knobs will work, however, the mod wheel will be mapped to the same command of Knob 1. I could not find the right way to re-assign the mod wheel (vertical joystick movement).

This should be fixed by PreSonus, especially considering that the AKAI MPKmini mk3 is present in the presets of new MIDI keyboards...
0 votes
answered Apr 12, 2022 by Igro3 (140 points)
edited Apr 13, 2022 by Igro3
I have a similar issue.  When I map, say, a cutoff to K1 button on MK3, then moving the K1 button on the controller doesn't do anything (the synth cutoff knob and the mapper knob won't move). When I'm moving the knob in the Studio One mapper, then the synth cutoff knob is moving as it should. Where is the problem?

Ableton preset works indeed, but not perfectly.
0 votes
answered Jul 9, 2022 by damianogentile (140 points)
edited Jul 9, 2022 by damianogentile

EVERYONE WITH AN MPK MINI 3

I got it to work but, it is not how it should be  dealt with normally, the entire unit will work and you can relax from wanting to throw the mpk across the room. This is the post that will end the garbage responses that make you out to be an idiot,. FYI for people who do not understand  this issue, it only is an issue with the MPK MINI 3, the knob issue is only on this unit, it is a real problem, people genuinely should be fuming. It is for Studio 4, the issue doesn't appear on later versions. so if you are on version 5 its not your concern, you wont have this issue. But rant over here we go

When you first choose to add a new device, out of the list go to Akai midi controllers and DO NOT CHOOSE MPK MINI

you select for your device model from that list - AKAI MPK 49/61/88

NEXT

midi channels select "all"
in the box "receive from" choose the MPK MINI 3
do not tick any of the boxes , you tick any of them and it wont work 
send to  you choose again the MPK MINI 3

your knobs will work on the the software device allocated but the they will appear on the software controller where buttons or volumes are, not where the knobs should appear, ridiculous that these knobs cant actually find the knobs, its a joke. BUT IT DOESNT MATTER, what matters is that your knobs are recognisable on that unit and you now can link them manually on the instrument page when you click the settings on the controller you allocated to the instrument. dont go trying to have the unit auto learn to fill in the controller as it will put the items you want on the software knobs that you cant connect to, YOU HAVE to allocate the knobs manually one by one. If you dont know how to do that i am not going to teach you the basics. 

TADA your knobs on the MPK 3 MINI now are accessible and usable and it is amazing!!

What i did learn which presonus software engineers should correct is that somewhere in the code that was written 

the knobs on the mpk mini 3 do not recognise themselves as "K" knobs. 

the knobs are seen entirely differently example
K1 on the MPK = F4B on the software 
K2 = F5B
K3 = F6B
K4 = F7B
K5 = F8B
K6 = S1B
K7 = S2B
K8 = S3B

i am sure knowing this will make it easier to understand the issue with the MPK mini 3 and then be able to determine if the problem is a presonus software flaw or in fact an issue with AKAI and the signal being sent from the device to the software. 

BUT FOR NOW I think this is something a million ppl at least are going to appreciate and finally have a definitive answer finally available for them on the net and on the presonus site. Maybe i can be classed as a reliable source of info on my profile so if people are looking for an answer they know if from me they will get exactly that. ALSO when i made my profile i think it says i am from USA, apologies i am AUSTRALIAN. yeah baby. any presonus jobs down under? i am a problem solver. lol Enjoy your MPK MINI 3. YAY Damiano.

0 votes
answered Nov 22, 2022 by astraanneclarke (140 points)
It is a long time ago that I found out how to do this, then I changed PC and had to do it again but had forgotten how. I remembered: Here is how I got the knobs to work properly, and it is very simple. Open up Studio One (I'm using Version 6 Artist) and have your Mini plugged in and ready to go. Select Akai MPK Mini from the external devices menu, just leave everything as already filled in.

Now the good bit: On your MPK Mini hold down the 'PROG SELECT' button and press on drum pad 2. On the display you will see Ableton Live, don't worry about this.

Your Assign is now functioning as it should. Go to, for example, CUTOFF on Presence, move a knob, even a little bit, then right-click over the Cutoff dial and select the assigned key. You can do this with any of the control/knob combinations. Job done.
0 votes
answered Jan 9 by carlgonzales (140 points)
Had the same problem. Here's what I did. I'm using Studio One 6 Pro with the MPK mini 3. Same issue, I could play the keys but my knobs would not function. When adding the mini, add your keyboard from the Akai dropdown menu. On the Edit Devise screen, choose all channels and Receive From "MPK mini 3." Do not check any of the finter boxes. (In my case this area was glitchy and I had to toggle just above the dropdown fields.) For Sent To also select MPK mini 3. Click OK. On your keyboard hold down PROG SELECT while choosing PAD 2 (AbletonLive) Go to the mix section of Studio One and toggle the "Show external devices." Under the External Devises column, double click MPKmini and your k1 -8 knobs should be visible. They should move when the knob is physically turned. This is where trial and error showed me which Prog Select would function correctly. At this point, after moving a knob, the virtual instrument should be ready to assign that knob to the function. Hope this helped.
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