Alesis Photon X25 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Alesis Photon X25 is a versatile midi keyboard and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi keyboard is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Alesis Photon X25 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Photon X25.

Article Contents

Does the Alesis Photon X25 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Alesis Photon X25 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Photon X25 to ableton
How to midi map the Alesis Photon X25 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Photon X25
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Alesis Photon X25 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Alesis Photon X25 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The Photon X25 is pre-programmed with a midi remote script in Ableton Live, so all you have to do is connect it (refer to the information below on how to do that).

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Photon X25 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your Photon X25.

Does the Alesis Photon X25 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Photon X25, therefore it must be bought separately.

There are three main versions with Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Though Intro and Standard are both comprehensive, Suite offers much more, such as 70GB of library sounds, in comparison to Standard's 10GB.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Photon X25 to ableton

Connecting the Alesis Photon X25 with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Photon X25 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Photon X25 and your computer.
2. Launch Ableton Live and open the MIDI preferences.
Double click the Ableton Live icon to launch the software. Then, in the top menu of Ableton, go to the Preferences menu by opening the ‘Live’ menu and clicking ‘Preferences’.
3. Select the Photon X25 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Photon X25 are checked.
4. Ensure that the ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are all checked.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Photon X25 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Photon X25 with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Alesis Photon X25 to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

1. Select the MIDI Map Mode button in the top right corner of the Live window. The button should turn orange, indicating that the MIDI Map Mode is enabled.
2. Select the parameter you wish to control in Ableton by clicking it with the cursor, the parameter will become highlighted.
3. Move a control on the Photon X25, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Photon X25.
5. Moving the physical control on your Photon X25 will now move the position of the corresponding parameter in Ableton.
6. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for any other parameters you wish to map.
7. When you’re finished mapping, press the MIDI Map Mode button again to disable it.

The Limitations of midi mapping the Photon X25

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Photon X25, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Photon X25 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Photon X25 is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Photon X25, our Ableton Midi Script Creator tool 'Control Surface Studio' is exactly what you need!
With it, you'll be able to:
- save and re-use your Photon X25's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Photon X25,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Photon X25, than Live's internal midi mapping mode allows.

Learn more about Control Surface Studio and see how it can help you by clicking here!

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Why can't I hear my Photon X25 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Photon X25 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Photon X25 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Photon X25.
4. Make sure that the Photon X25 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.