Roland System 8 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Roland's System 8 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.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Roland System 8 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the System 8.

Article Contents

Does the Roland System 8 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Roland System 8 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the System 8 to ableton
How to midi map the Roland System 8 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the System 8
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roland System 8 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Roland System 8 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the System 8 can still be midi mapped to many functions within 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 System 8 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your System 8.

Does the Roland System 8 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the System 8, therefore it must be bought separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared 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 System 8 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Roland System 8 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 System 8 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the System 8 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 System 8 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the System 8 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 System 8 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The System 8 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 System 8 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 System 8, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the System 8.
5. Moving the physical control on your System 8 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 System 8

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your System 8, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your System 8 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

It is important to note that your mappings are stored with the Ableton session when saving. Consequently, when you create a new session, you will have to remap your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your System 8 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 System 8, 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 System 8's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your System 8,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your System 8, 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 System 8 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the System 8 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the System 8 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the System 8.
4. Make sure that the System 8 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.