Roger Linn Design Linnstrument Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Linnstrument from Roger Linn Design is an incredibly versatile midi 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 guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Linnstrument.

Article Contents

Does the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument work with Ableton Live?
Does the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Linnstrument to ableton
How to midi map the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Linnstrument
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument is compatible with Ableton Live.

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

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Linnstrument is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

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

Does the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument come with ableton Live included?

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

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison 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 Linnstrument to ableton

Linking and configuring the Roger Linn Design Linnstrument to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi controller.

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

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

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

Saving your Linnstrument Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Linnstrument can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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

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