American Audio Versadeck Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

American Audio's Versadeck is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi DJ controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

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

Article Contents

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

Does the American Audio Versadeck work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the American Audio Versadeck is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

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

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

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Versadeck.

Does the American Audio Versadeck come with ableton Live included?

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

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared to Standard’s 10GB.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Versadeck to ableton

Linking the American Audio Versadeck to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

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

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

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Versadeck, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Versadeck 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 control on your Versadeck can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton's internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren't currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Versadeck, 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 Versadeck's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Versadeck,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Versadeck, 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 Versadeck in Ableton Live?

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