Icon Qcon Pro X Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Icon Qcon Pro X is a versatile midi controller and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi controller is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Icon Qcon Pro X with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Qcon Pro X.

Article Contents

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

Does the Icon Qcon Pro X work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Icon Qcon Pro X is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Qcon Pro X can still be midi mapped to many functions within 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 Qcon Pro X is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Qcon Pro X.

Does the Icon Qcon Pro X come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Qcon Pro X, therefore it must be bought 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 prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Qcon Pro X to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Icon Qcon Pro X with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi controller.

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

The Qcon Pro X is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Icon Qcon Pro X to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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

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

Saving your Qcon Pro X Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Qcon Pro X 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 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 Qcon Pro X, 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 Qcon Pro X's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Qcon Pro X,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Qcon Pro X, 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 Qcon Pro X in Ableton Live?

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