Circlefade Cf12 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Circlefade Cf12 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi controller has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Circlefade Cf12 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Cf12.

Article Contents

Does the Circlefade Cf12 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Circlefade Cf12 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Cf12 to ableton
How to midi map the Circlefade Cf12 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Cf12
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Circlefade Cf12 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Circlefade Cf12 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Cf12 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 Cf12 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 Cf12.

Does the Circlefade Cf12 come with ableton Live included?

The Cf12 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need 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.

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 Cf12 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Circlefade Cf12 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 Cf12 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Cf12 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 Cf12 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Cf12 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 Cf12 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Cf12 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 Circlefade Cf12 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 Cf12, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Cf12.
5. Moving the physical control on your Cf12 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 Cf12

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Cf12, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Cf12 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 Cf12 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Cf12, 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 Cf12's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Cf12,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Cf12, 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 Cf12 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Cf12 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Cf12 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Cf12.
4. Make sure that the Cf12 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.