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

Roland's Sp 404 Sx is a fantastically adaptable midi that is extremely useful when coupled with Ableton Live. This device has a great range of features, making it ideal as an Ableton Live controller.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Roland Sp 404 Sx with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Sp 404 Sx.

Article Contents

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

To put it briefly, the Roland Sp 404 Sx is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Sp 404 Sx to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Sp 404 Sx is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function 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 Sx.

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

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Sp 404 Sx, so it needs to be purchased separately.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared 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 Sp 404 Sx to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Roland Sp 404 Sx with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi .

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

The Sp 404 Sx will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Roland Sp 404 Sx to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within 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 Sp 404 Sx, 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 Sx.
5. Moving the physical control on your Sp 404 Sx 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 Sx

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Sp 404 Sx, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Sp 404 Sx 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Sp 404 Sx can only be assigned to 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 Sp 404 Sx, 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 Sx's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Sp 404 Sx,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Sp 404 Sx, 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 Sx in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Sp 404 Sx is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Sp 404 Sx 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 Sx.
4. Make sure that the Sp 404 Sx is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.