Allen And Heath Xone 1d Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Allen And Heath's Xone 1d is a fantastically adaptable midi controller that is extremely useful when coupled with Ableton Live. This device has a great range of features, making it ideal as an Ableton Live controller.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Allen And Heath Xone 1d with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Xone 1d.

Article Contents

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 1d work with Ableton Live?
Does the Allen And Heath Xone 1d come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Xone 1d to ableton
How to midi map the Allen And Heath Xone 1d in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Xone 1d
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 1d work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Allen And Heath Xone 1d is usable with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Xone 1d can still be mapped to many of the software's functions.

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 Xone 1d is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Xone 1d.

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 1d come with ableton Live included?

The Xone 1d doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Although Intro and Standard are both powerful, Suite offers extra features, such as 70GB of library sounds, in contrast 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 Xone 1d to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Allen And Heath Xone 1d 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 controller.

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

Set up of the Xone 1d with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Allen And Heath Xone 1d 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 Xone 1d, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Xone 1d.
5. Moving the physical control on your Xone 1d 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 Xone 1d

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Xone 1d, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Xone 1d 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 control on your Xone 1d can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton's internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren't currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Xone 1d, 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 Xone 1d's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Xone 1d,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Xone 1d, 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 Xone 1d in Ableton Live?

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