Hooking your Akai MPD18 up to Ableton Live allows you to control the digital audio workstation using this USB MIDI drum controller. Manually configuring a hardware device to control Ableton is a tedious and complicated process; fortunately, Ableton Live includes built-in configuration maps for many hardware controllers, including the MPD18. Once the MPD18 is hooked up to Ableton Live, you can use its MPC-style drum pads to control a Drum Rack instrument.
Plug one end of the MPD18's included USB cable into the USB port on the controller. Plug the other end into a free USB port on your computer. Double-click the "Live 8" desktop icon to launch Ableton. Click "Options," then "Preferences."
Click the drop-down menu immediately underneath "Control Surface." Select the MPD18 from the list.
Click the drop-down box under "Input" and select the MPD18 from the list. Do the same in the "Output" drop-down box. Close the "Preferences" window.
Click the "Live Devices" icon on the left-hand side of the program window. Click the arrows next to "Instruments," "Drum Rack" and "Kit." Drag and drop a kit onto the channel labeled "2 MIDI." Ableton automatically maps the MPD18's pads to the samples in the Drum Rack.