Roland Tf 6s Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Roland Tf 6s is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Roland Tf 6s with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Tf 6s.

Article Contents

1. Does the Roland Tf 6s work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Roland Tf 6s come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Tf 6s to ableton
4. How to midi map the Roland Tf 6s in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Tf 6s
   1. Saving your Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Roland Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 Tf 6s is a MIDI enabled device, it will work 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 Tf 6s.

Does the Roland Tf 6s come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Tf 6s, therefore it must be bought separately.

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.

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 Tf 6s to ableton

Linking the Roland Tf 6s to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi .

1. Connect the Tf 6s to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Tf 6s.
5. Moving the physical control on your Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Tf 6s, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Tf 6s Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Tf 6s 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 Tf 6s, 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 Tf 6s's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Tf 6s,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Tf 6s, 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 Tf 6s in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Tf 6s is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Tf 6s is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Tf 6s.
4. Make sure that the Tf 6s is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.