Alesis V25 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The V25 from Alesis is an incredibly versatile midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Alesis V25 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the V25.

Article Contents

Does the Alesis V25 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Alesis V25 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the V25 to ableton
How to midi map the Alesis V25 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the V25
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Alesis V25 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Alesis V25 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The V25 is equipped with a standard midi remote script in Ableton Live, so you just need to connect it (see instructions below) to get it working.

All versions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, are able to be utilized in collaboration with any equipment that sends MIDI data. This is applicable to all releases of Live, such as 9, 10, and 11. As the V25 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 V25.

Does the Alesis V25 come with ableton Live included?

The V25 offers a complimentary copy of Ableton Live Lite, but its features are limited in comparison to Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared to Standard’s 10GB.

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the V25 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Alesis V25 with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the V25 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the V25 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 V25 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the V25 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 V25 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the V25 with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Alesis V25 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 V25, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the V25.
5. Moving the physical control on your V25 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 V25

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your V25, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your V25 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your V25 can only be assigned to 1 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 V25, 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 V25's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your V25,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your V25, 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 V25 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the V25 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the V25 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the V25.
4. Make sure that the V25 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.