Faderfox Lv1 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Faderfox's Lv1 is a fantastically adaptable midi 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 Faderfox Lv1 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Lv1.

Article Contents

1. Does the Faderfox Lv1 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Faderfox Lv1 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Lv1 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Faderfox Lv1 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Lv1
   1. Saving your Lv1 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
   2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
   3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
   4. A great solution to these problems
6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Faderfox Lv1 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Faderfox Lv1 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Lv1 to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Lv1 is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your Lv1.

Does the Faderfox Lv1 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Lv1, so this must be bought separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 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 Lv1 to ableton

Connecting the Faderfox Lv1 with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Lv1 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Lv1 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 Lv1 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Lv1 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 Lv1 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Lv1 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 Faderfox Lv1 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 Lv1, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Lv1.
5. Moving the physical control on your Lv1 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 Lv1

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Lv1, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Lv1 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Lv1 can only be assigned to a single 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 Lv1, 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 Lv1's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Lv1,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Lv1, 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 Lv1 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Lv1 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Lv1 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Lv1.
4. Make sure that the Lv1 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.