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

The Allen And Heath Xone Dx is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Allen And Heath Xone Dx with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Xone Dx.

Article Contents

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

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

In summary, the Allen And Heath Xone Dx 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 Dx to a variety of functions.

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 Dx is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 Dx.

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

The Xone Dx 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.

For those seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Xone Dx to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Allen And Heath Xone Dx 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 Dx to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Xone Dx 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 Dx from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Xone Dx 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 Dx (Sync can also be optionally checked).

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

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Xone Dx, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Xone Dx Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Xone Dx can only be assigned to 1 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 Dx, 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 Dx's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Xone Dx,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Xone Dx, 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 Dx in Ableton Live?

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