Roland Ax Edge B Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Roland's Ax Edge B is an exceptionally flexible midi keytar and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi keytar has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Roland Ax Edge B with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Ax Edge B.

Article Contents

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

Does the Roland Ax Edge B work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Roland Ax Edge B is usable with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Ax Edge B to a variety of 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 Ax Edge B will be usable with Ableton Live.

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

Does the Roland Ax Edge B come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Ax Edge B, so this must be bought 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.

For those seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Ax Edge B to ableton

Connecting the Roland Ax Edge B with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi keytar.

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

The Ax Edge B has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Roland Ax Edge B to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Ax Edge B, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Ax Edge B.
5. Moving the physical control on your Ax Edge B 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 Ax Edge B

For the fastest way to map your Ax Edge B, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Ax Edge B 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 indicates that each control on your Ax Edge B is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not include every control options, options such as selected track control and selected device control unfortunately aren't possible. You can view a comprehensive list of all Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

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

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