Alesis Vx 49 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Alesis's Vx 49 is an exceptionally flexible midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Alesis Vx 49 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Vx 49.

Article Contents

1. Does the Alesis Vx 49 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Alesis Vx 49 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Vx 49 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Alesis Vx 49 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Vx 49
   1. Saving your Vx 49 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
   2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
   3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
   4. A great solution to these problems
6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Alesis Vx 49 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Alesis Vx 49 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Ableton live provides a default midi remote script for the Vx 49, meaning it will work with Ableton Live as soon as you connect it (see the section below on how to connect to ableton).

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Vx 49 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Vx 49.

Does the Alesis Vx 49 come with ableton Live included?

Yes the Vx 49 comes with a free copy of Ableton Live Lite. Although it has unlimited usage, the available features are a lot less than what is available in the full versions of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

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.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Vx 49 to ableton

Linking the Alesis Vx 49 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 Vx 49 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Vx 49 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 Vx 49 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Vx 49 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 Vx 49 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Vx 49 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Alesis Vx 49 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within Ableton Live by doing the following:

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 Vx 49, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Vx 49.
5. Moving the physical control on your Vx 49 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 Vx 49

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Vx 49, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Vx 49 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Vx 49 can only be assigned to control a single 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 Vx 49, 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 Vx 49's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Vx 49,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Vx 49, 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 Vx 49 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Vx 49 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Vx 49 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Vx 49.
4. Make sure that the Vx 49 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.