M Audio Oxygen 49 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The M Audio Oxygen 49 is a versatile midi keyboard and when used alongside Ableton Live, it’s an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi keyboard is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the M Audio Oxygen 49 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Oxygen 49.

Article Contents

  1. Does the M Audio Oxygen 49 work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the M Audio Oxygen 49 come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Oxygen 49 to ableton
  4. How to midi map the M Audio Oxygen 49 in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Oxygen 49
    1. Saving your Oxygen 49 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 49 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the M Audio Oxygen 49 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The Oxygen 49 comes with a midi remote script to ensure it functions with Ableton Live, so just plug it in (see the instructions below to see how) and you’re good to go.

All versions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, are able to be utilized in collaboration with any equipment that sends MIDI data. This is applicable to all releases of Live, such as 9, 10, and 11. As the Oxygen 49 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 Oxygen 49.

Does the M Audio Oxygen 49 come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Oxygen 49, but its worth noting that the features of Ableton Live Lite are not as full as those of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

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 Oxygen 49 to ableton

Linking the M Audio Oxygen 49 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 49 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Oxygen 49 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 49 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Oxygen 49 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 49 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Oxygen 49 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 M Audio Oxygen 49 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 Oxygen 49, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Oxygen 49.
5. Moving the physical control on your Oxygen 49 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 49

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Oxygen 49, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of…

Saving your Oxygen 49 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 Oxygen 49 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 Oxygen 49, 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 49’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Oxygen 49,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Oxygen 49, 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 49 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Oxygen 49 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Oxygen 49 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 49.
4. Make sure that the Oxygen 49 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.