Vestax Vci 100 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Vestax's Vci 100 is an exceptionally flexible midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Vestax Vci 100 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Vci 100.

Article Contents

Does the Vestax Vci 100 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Vestax Vci 100 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Vci 100 to ableton
How to midi map the Vestax Vci 100 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Vci 100
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Vestax Vci 100 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Vestax Vci 100 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Vci 100 can still be mapped to many of the software's functions.

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Vci 100 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Vci 100.

Does the Vestax Vci 100 come with ableton Live included?

The Vci 100 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased 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.

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 Vci 100 to ableton

Linking the Vestax Vci 100 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Vci 100 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Vci 100 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 Vci 100 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Vci 100 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 Vci 100 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Vci 100 with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Vestax Vci 100 to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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 Vci 100, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Vci 100.
5. Moving the physical control on your Vci 100 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 Vci 100

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Vci 100, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Vci 100 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Vci 100 can only be assigned to 1 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 Vci 100, 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 Vci 100's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Vci 100,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Vci 100, 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 Vci 100 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Vci 100 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Vci 100 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Vci 100.
4. Make sure that the Vci 100 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.