Allen And Heath Xone 96 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Allen And Heath Xone 96 is a versatile midi DJ controller and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi DJ controller is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Allen And Heath Xone 96 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Xone 96.

Article Contents

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 96 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Allen And Heath Xone 96 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Xone 96 to ableton
How to midi map the Allen And Heath Xone 96 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Xone 96
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 96 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Allen And Heath Xone 96 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Xone 96 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Xone 96 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Xone 96.

Does the Allen And Heath Xone 96 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Xone 96, so it needs to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of 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 96 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Allen And Heath Xone 96 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Xone 96 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Xone 96 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 96 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Xone 96 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 96 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Xone 96 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 Allen And Heath Xone 96 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 Xone 96, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Xone 96.
5. Moving the physical control on your Xone 96 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 96

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Xone 96, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Xone 96 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Xone 96 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 96, 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 96's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Xone 96,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Xone 96, 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 96 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Xone 96 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Xone 96 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 96.
4. Make sure that the Xone 96 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.