Zomo Mc 1000 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Zomo's Mc 1000 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 teach you everything needed in order to use the Zomo Mc 1000 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Mc 1000.

Article Contents

1. Does the Zomo Mc 1000 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Zomo Mc 1000 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Mc 1000 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Zomo Mc 1000 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Mc 1000
   1. Saving your Mc 1000 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 Zomo Mc 1000 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Zomo Mc 1000 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Mc 1000 to multiple functions inside the program.

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Mc 1000 will be usable with Ableton Live.

You can create your own Ableton midi mappings with ease, giving you the power to control many of the features of Ableton Live with your Mc 1000.

Does the Zomo Mc 1000 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Mc 1000, so it needs 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.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Mc 1000 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Zomo Mc 1000 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Mc 1000 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mc 1000 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 Mc 1000 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mc 1000 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 Mc 1000 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mc 1000 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 Zomo Mc 1000 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 Mc 1000, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mc 1000.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mc 1000 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 Mc 1000

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Mc 1000, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Mc 1000 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Mc 1000 is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not include every control options, options such as selected track control and selected device control unfortunately aren't possible. You can view a comprehensive list of all Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Mc 1000, 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 Mc 1000's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mc 1000,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mc 1000, 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 Mc 1000 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mc 1000 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mc 1000 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mc 1000.
4. Make sure that the Mc 1000 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.