American Audio Elmc 1 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

American Audio's Elmc 1 is a fantastically adaptable midi DJ 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the American Audio Elmc 1 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Elmc 1.

Article Contents

Does the American Audio Elmc 1 work with Ableton Live?
Does the American Audio Elmc 1 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Elmc 1 to ableton
How to midi map the American Audio Elmc 1 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Elmc 1
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the American Audio Elmc 1 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the American Audio Elmc 1 is usable with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Elmc 1 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 Elmc 1 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 Elmc 1.

Does the American Audio Elmc 1 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Elmc 1, so it needs to be purchased 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.

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Elmc 1 to ableton

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

The Elmc 1 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 American Audio Elmc 1 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 Elmc 1, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Elmc 1.
5. Moving the physical control on your Elmc 1 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 Elmc 1

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Elmc 1, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Elmc 1 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

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

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