Akai Professional worked with Ableton to make the APC40 the optimal control surface for musicians using Ableton Live.

The APC40 communicates bi-directionally with Ableton Live, enabling the controller to display information from the software on its clip matrix of 40 triggers and on LED rings surrounding each knob. The clip matrix gives perfomers an instant view of what is loaded, what is playing and what is being recorded.

The APC40 has two sets of eight knobs: one for track parameters and one for instrument and effect parameters. The second bank of eight knobs is dynamically reassigned to the track selected by the user. This capability lets performers control at least eight track parameters per track - a total of 72 -using the same eight knobs and the nine track-selection buttons.