Allen And Heath Xone 92 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Xone 92 from Allen And Heath is an incredibly versatile midi DJ controller 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 Allen And Heath Xone 92 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Xone 92.

Article Contents

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 92 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Allen And Heath Xone 92 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Xone 92 to ableton
How to midi map the Allen And Heath Xone 92 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Xone 92
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 92 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Allen And Heath Xone 92 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Xone 92 to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Xone 92 will be usable 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 92.

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 92 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Xone 92, so this must be bought separately.

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'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 92 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Allen And Heath Xone 92 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 DJ controller.

1. Connect the Xone 92 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Xone 92 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 92 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Xone 92 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 92 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Xone 92 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 Allen And Heath Xone 92 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 Xone 92, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Xone 92.
5. Moving the physical control on your Xone 92 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 92

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Xone 92, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Xone 92 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 Xone 92 can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode is unfortunately missing many control options. Options such as selected track and selected device control aren’t possible using this method. You can see a list of all available 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 92, 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 92's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Xone 92,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Xone 92, 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 92 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Xone 92 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Xone 92 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 92.
4. Make sure that the Xone 92 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.