Allen And Heath Xone 4d Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Allen And Heath's Xone 4d is an exceptionally flexible midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Allen And Heath Xone 4d with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Xone 4d.

Article Contents

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 4d work with Ableton Live?
Does the Allen And Heath Xone 4d come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Xone 4d to ableton
How to midi map the Allen And Heath Xone 4d in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Xone 4d
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 4d work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Allen And Heath Xone 4d is usable with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Xone 4d to a variety of functions.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Xone 4d is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

You can create your own Ableton midi mappings with ease, giving you the power to control many of the features of Ableton Live with your Xone 4d.

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 4d come with ableton Live included?

The Xone 4d does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

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.

If you're looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Xone 4d to ableton

Linking and configuring the Allen And Heath Xone 4d to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Xone 4d to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Xone 4d 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 4d from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Xone 4d 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 4d (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Xone 4d has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Allen And Heath Xone 4d to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Xone 4d, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Xone 4d.
5. Moving the physical control on your Xone 4d 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 4d

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Xone 4d, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Xone 4d Midi Mappings is cumbersome

It is important to note that your mappings are stored with the Ableton session when saving. Consequently, when you create a new session, you will have to remap your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Xone 4d 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 include every control options, options such as selected track control and selected device control unfortunately aren't possible. You can view a comprehensive list of all 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 4d, 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 4d's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Xone 4d,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Xone 4d, 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 4d in Ableton Live?

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