Roland Aira Tb 3 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Aira Tb 3 from Roland is an incredibly versatile midi enabled synthesizer 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 explain all you need to know on using the Roland Aira Tb 3 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Aira Tb 3.

Article Contents

Does the Roland Aira Tb 3 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Roland Aira Tb 3 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Aira Tb 3 to ableton
How to midi map the Roland Aira Tb 3 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Aira Tb 3
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roland Aira Tb 3 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Roland Aira Tb 3 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Aira Tb 3 can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 Aira Tb 3 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 Aira Tb 3.

Does the Roland Aira Tb 3 come with ableton Live included?

The Aira Tb 3 does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

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.

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 Aira Tb 3 to ableton

Linking the Roland Aira Tb 3 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi enabled synthesizer.

1. Connect the Aira Tb 3 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Aira Tb 3 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 Aira Tb 3 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Aira Tb 3 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 Aira Tb 3 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Aira Tb 3 is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Roland Aira Tb 3 to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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 Aira Tb 3, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Aira Tb 3.
5. Moving the physical control on your Aira Tb 3 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 Aira Tb 3

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Aira Tb 3, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Aira Tb 3 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Aira Tb 3 can only be assigned to control 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 Aira Tb 3, 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 Aira Tb 3's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Aira Tb 3,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Aira Tb 3, 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 Aira Tb 3 in Ableton Live?

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