Vestax Vci 380 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Vestax Vci 380 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller 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 Vestax Vci 380 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Vci 380.

Article Contents

Does the Vestax Vci 380 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Vestax Vci 380 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Vci 380 to ableton
How to midi map the Vestax Vci 380 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Vci 380
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Vestax Vci 380 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Vestax Vci 380 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Vci 380 to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

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 380 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Vci 380.

Does the Vestax Vci 380 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Vci 380, so this must be bought separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Although Intro and Standard are both powerful, Suite offers extra features, such as 70GB of library sounds, in contrast 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 380 to ableton

Linking the Vestax Vci 380 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 380 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Vci 380 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 380 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Vci 380 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 380 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Vci 380 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 Vestax Vci 380 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 Vci 380, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Vci 380.
5. Moving the physical control on your Vci 380 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 380

For the fastest way to map your Vci 380, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Vci 380 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Vci 380 can only be assigned to 1 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 Vci 380, 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 380's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Vci 380,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Vci 380, 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 380 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Vci 380 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Vci 380 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 380.
4. Make sure that the Vci 380 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.