M Audio Axiom Air 25 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

M Audio's Axiom Air 25 is an exceptionally flexible midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the M Audio Axiom Air 25 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Axiom Air 25.

Article Contents

Does the M Audio Axiom Air 25 work with Ableton Live?
Does the M Audio Axiom Air 25 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Axiom Air 25 to ableton
How to midi map the M Audio Axiom Air 25 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Axiom Air 25
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the M Audio Axiom Air 25 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the M Audio Axiom Air 25 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

The Axiom Air 25 comes with a midi remote script to ensure it functions with Ableton Live, so just plug it in (see the instructions below to see how) and you're good to go.

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 Axiom Air 25 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Axiom Air 25.

Does the M Audio Axiom Air 25 come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Axiom Air 25, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

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 Axiom Air 25 to ableton

Connecting the M Audio Axiom Air 25 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 keyboard.

1. Connect the Axiom Air 25 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Axiom Air 25 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 Axiom Air 25 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Axiom Air 25 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 Axiom Air 25 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Axiom Air 25 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 M Audio Axiom Air 25 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 Axiom Air 25, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Axiom Air 25.
5. Moving the physical control on your Axiom Air 25 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 Axiom Air 25

For the fastest way to map your Axiom Air 25, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Axiom Air 25 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 button or knob on your Axiom Air 25 can only be assigned to control a single 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 Axiom Air 25, 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 Axiom Air 25's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Axiom Air 25,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Axiom Air 25, 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 Axiom Air 25 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Axiom Air 25 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Axiom Air 25 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Axiom Air 25.
4. Make sure that the Axiom Air 25 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.