Roland Fantom 08 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Roland's Fantom 08 is an exceptionally flexible midi enabled synthesizer and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi enabled synthesizer has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Roland Fantom 08 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Fantom 08.

Article Contents

Does the Roland Fantom 08 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Roland Fantom 08 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Fantom 08 to ableton
How to midi map the Roland Fantom 08 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Fantom 08
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roland Fantom 08 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Roland Fantom 08 is usable with Ableton Live.

Out of the box, the Fantom 08 has a midi remote script that is compatible with Ableton Live, so once you connect it (check the section below for more info) it is ready to go.

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 Fantom 08 is a MIDI enabled device, it will work 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 Fantom 08.

Does the Roland Fantom 08 come with ableton Live included?

The Fantom 08 does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

There are three main versions with Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Though Intro and Standard are both comprehensive, Suite offers much more, such as 70GB of library sounds, in comparison to Standard's 10GB.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Fantom 08 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Roland Fantom 08 to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi enabled synthesizer.

1. Connect the Fantom 08 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Fantom 08 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 Fantom 08 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Fantom 08 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 Fantom 08 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Fantom 08 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 Fantom 08 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 Fantom 08, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Fantom 08.
5. Moving the physical control on your Fantom 08 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 Fantom 08

For the fastest way to map your Fantom 08, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Fantom 08 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 Fantom 08 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 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 Fantom 08, 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 Fantom 08's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Fantom 08,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Fantom 08, 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 Fantom 08 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Fantom 08 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Fantom 08 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Fantom 08.
4. Make sure that the Fantom 08 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.