Roland Sp 404 A Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Roland's Sp 404 A is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Roland Sp 404 A with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Sp 404 A.

Article Contents

1. Does the Roland Sp 404 A work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Roland Sp 404 A come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Sp 404 A to ableton
4. How to midi map the Roland Sp 404 A in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Sp 404 A
   1. Saving your Sp 404 A 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 Sp 404 A work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Roland Sp 404 A is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Sp 404 A to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

All versions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, are able to be utilized in collaboration with any equipment that sends MIDI data. This is applicable to all releases of Live, such as 9, 10, and 11. As the Sp 404 A is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Sp 404 A.

Does the Roland Sp 404 A come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Sp 404 A, 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.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Sp 404 A to ableton

Connecting the Roland Sp 404 A 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 .

1. Connect the Sp 404 A to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Sp 404 A 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 Sp 404 A from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Sp 404 A 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 Sp 404 A (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Sp 404 A is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Roland Sp 404 A and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

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 Sp 404 A, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Sp 404 A.
5. Moving the physical control on your Sp 404 A 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 Sp 404 A

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Sp 404 A, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Sp 404 A 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 button or knob on your Sp 404 A 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 provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Sp 404 A, 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 Sp 404 A's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Sp 404 A,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Sp 404 A, 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 Sp 404 A in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Sp 404 A is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Sp 404 A is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Sp 404 A.
4. Make sure that the Sp 404 A is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.