Rane Mp2015 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Mp2015 from Rane is an incredibly versatile midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Rane Mp2015 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Mp2015.

Article Contents

1. Does the Rane Mp2015 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Rane Mp2015 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Mp2015 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Rane Mp2015 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Mp2015
   1. Saving your Mp2015 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 Rane Mp2015 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Rane Mp2015 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Mp2015 to multiple functions inside the program.

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Mp2015 will be usable with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Mp2015.

Does the Rane Mp2015 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Mp2015, so it needs to be purchased 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.

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 Mp2015 to ableton

Connecting the Rane Mp2015 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 DJ controller.

1. Connect the Mp2015 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mp2015 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 Mp2015 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mp2015 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 Mp2015 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mp2015 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 Rane Mp2015 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 Mp2015, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mp2015.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mp2015 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 Mp2015

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Mp2015, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Mp2015 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Mp2015 can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode is unfortunately missing many control options. Options such as selected track and selected device control aren’t possible using this method. You can see a list of all available Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Mp2015, 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 Mp2015's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mp2015,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mp2015, 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 Mp2015 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mp2015 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mp2015 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mp2015.
4. Make sure that the Mp2015 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.