Rane Sixty-eight Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Rane Sixty-eight is a versatile midi DJ controller and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi DJ controller is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Rane Sixty-eight with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Sixty-eight.

Article Contents

Does the Rane Sixty-eight work with Ableton Live?
Does the Rane Sixty-eight come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Sixty-eight to ableton
How to midi map the Rane Sixty-eight in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Sixty-eight
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Rane Sixty-eight work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Rane Sixty-eight is compatible with Ableton Live.

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

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Sixty-eight is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Sixty-eight.

Does the Rane Sixty-eight come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Sixty-eight, 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.

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Sixty-eight to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Rane Sixty-eight with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi DJ controller.

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

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

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

Saving your Sixty-eight 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 means that each button or knob on your Sixty-eight can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

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

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