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

The Rane Sixty-one is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

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

Article Contents

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

Does the Rane Sixty-one work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Rane Sixty-one is usable with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Sixty-one can still be mapped to many of the software's functions.

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 Sixty-one will be usable with Ableton Live.

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 Sixty-one.

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

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Sixty-one, therefore it 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'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 Sixty-one to ableton

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

Set up of the Sixty-one with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Rane Sixty-one to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Sixty-one, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Sixty-one 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 Sixty-one 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-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 Sixty-one's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Sixty-one,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Sixty-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 Sixty-one in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Sixty-one is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Sixty-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 Sixty-one.
4. Make sure that the Sixty-one is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.