M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Oxygen 25 3rd Gen from M Audio is an incredibly versatile midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Oxygen 25 3rd Gen.

Article Contents

  1. Does the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Oxygen 25 3rd Gen to ableton
  4. How to midi map the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Oxygen 25 3rd Gen
    1. Saving your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen 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 M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen is usable with Ableton Live.

The Oxygen 25 3rd Gen is equipped with a standard midi remote script in Ableton Live, so you just need to connect it (see instructions below) to get it working.

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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen will be usable with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen.

Does the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen come with ableton Live included?

The Oxygen 25 3rd Gen offers a complimentary copy of Ableton Live Lite, but its features are limited in comparison to Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen to ableton

Linking the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Oxygen 25 3rd Gen 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Oxygen 25 3rd Gen 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Oxygen 25 3rd Gen with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the M Audio Oxygen 25 3rd Gen 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Oxygen 25 3rd Gen.
5. Moving the physical control on your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen

Ableton’s midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen, however, you must take into account some potential limitations…

Saving your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen 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 control on your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren’t currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen, 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Oxygen 25 3rd Gen, 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 Oxygen 25 3rd Gen in Ableton Live?

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