Alesis Vi61 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Vi61 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.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Alesis Vi61 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Vi61.

Article Contents

Does the Alesis Vi61 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Alesis Vi61 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Vi61 to ableton
How to midi map the Alesis Vi61 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Vi61
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Alesis Vi61 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Alesis Vi61 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

The Vi61 comes with a midi remote script to ensure it functions with Ableton Live, so just plug it in (see the instructions below to see how) and you're good to go.

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 Vi61 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 Vi61.

Does the Alesis Vi61 come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Vi61, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those of 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 Vi61 to ableton

Linking the Alesis Vi61 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Vi61 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Vi61 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 Vi61 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Vi61 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 Vi61 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Vi61 is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Alesis Vi61 and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

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 Vi61, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Vi61.
5. Moving the physical control on your Vi61 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 Vi61

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Vi61, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Vi61 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Vi61 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 Vi61, 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 Vi61's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Vi61,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Vi61, 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 Vi61 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Vi61 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Vi61 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Vi61.
4. Make sure that the Vi61 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.