Behringer Bcd2000 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Behringer's Bcd2000 is an exceptionally flexible midi controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Behringer Bcd2000 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Bcd2000.

Article Contents

Does the Behringer Bcd2000 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Behringer Bcd2000 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Bcd2000 to ableton
How to midi map the Behringer Bcd2000 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Bcd2000
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Behringer Bcd2000 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Behringer Bcd2000 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The Bcd2000 is equipped with a standard midi remote script in Ableton Live, so you just need to connect it (see instructions below) to get it working.

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Bcd2000 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Bcd2000.

Does the Behringer Bcd2000 come with ableton Live included?

The Bcd2000 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need 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.

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 Bcd2000 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Behringer Bcd2000 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 controller.

1. Connect the Bcd2000 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Bcd2000 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 Bcd2000 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Bcd2000 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 Bcd2000 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Bcd2000 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 Behringer Bcd2000 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 Bcd2000, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Bcd2000.
5. Moving the physical control on your Bcd2000 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 Bcd2000

For the fastest way to map your Bcd2000, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Bcd2000 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 indicates that each control on your Bcd2000 is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

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 Bcd2000, 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 Bcd2000's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Bcd2000,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Bcd2000, 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 Bcd2000 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Bcd2000 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Bcd2000 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Bcd2000.
4. Make sure that the Bcd2000 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.