Rane One Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Rane's One is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi DJ controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

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

Article Contents

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

In short, yes, the Rane One is compatible with Ableton Live.

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

Does the Rane One come with ableton Live included?

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

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared 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 One to ableton

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

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

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

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your One, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your One Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your One is capable of controlling only one 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 One, 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 One's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your One,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your One, 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 One in Ableton Live?

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