Creative Technology Xboard 25 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Creative Technology Xboard 25 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Creative Technology Xboard 25 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Xboard 25.

Article Contents

Does the Creative Technology Xboard 25 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Creative Technology Xboard 25 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Xboard 25 to ableton
How to midi map the Creative Technology Xboard 25 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Xboard 25
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Creative Technology Xboard 25 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Creative Technology Xboard 25 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Xboard 25 to multiple functions inside the program.

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Xboard 25 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live’s components with your Xboard 25.

Does the Creative Technology Xboard 25 come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Xboard 25, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared to Standard’s 10GB.

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Xboard 25 to ableton

Linking the Creative Technology Xboard 25 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software’s parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Xboard 25 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Xboard 25 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 Xboard 25 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Xboard 25 are checked.
4. Ensure that the proper ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are checked for both input and output.

Track: When checked, this allows MIDI notes and CC messages to be sent/received.
Sync: This option enables MIDI clock syncing between Ableton live and the external device.
Remote: Allows external MIDI controllers to remotely control parameters within Ableton Live.

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In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Xboard 25 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Xboard 25 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 Creative Technology Xboard 25 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 Xboard 25, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Xboard 25.
5. Moving the physical control on your Xboard 25 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 Xboard 25

With Ableton’s midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Xboard 25, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions…

Saving your Xboard 25 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 button or knob on your Xboard 25 can only be assigned to control a single 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 Xboard 25, 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 Xboard 25’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Xboard 25,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Xboard 25, 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 Xboard 25 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Xboard 25 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Xboard 25 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Xboard 25.
4. Make sure that the Xboard 25 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.