Roland Mc 707 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Mc 707 from Roland is an incredibly versatile midi enabled groovebox 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Roland Mc 707 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Mc 707.

Article Contents

1. Does the Roland Mc 707 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Roland Mc 707 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Mc 707 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Roland Mc 707 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Mc 707
   1. Saving your Mc 707 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
   2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
   3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
   4. A great solution to these problems
6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roland Mc 707 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Roland Mc 707 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Mc 707 to a variety of functions.

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Mc 707 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function 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 Mc 707.

Does the Roland Mc 707 come with ableton Live included?

The Mc 707 does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Although Intro and Standard are both powerful, Suite offers extra features, such as 70GB of library sounds, in contrast 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 Mc 707 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Roland Mc 707 with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi enabled groovebox.

1. Connect the Mc 707 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mc 707 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 Mc 707 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mc 707 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 Mc 707 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mc 707 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 Mc 707 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 Mc 707, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mc 707.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mc 707 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 Mc 707

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Mc 707, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Mc 707 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Mc 707 can only be assigned to 1 parameter in Ableton Live.

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 Mc 707, 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 Mc 707's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mc 707,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mc 707, 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 Mc 707 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mc 707 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mc 707 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mc 707.
4. Make sure that the Mc 707 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.