Novation Remote 61 Sl Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Novation’s Remote 61 Sl is a fantastically adaptable midi keyboard that is extremely useful when coupled with Ableton Live. This device has a great range of features, making it ideal as an Ableton Live controller.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Novation Remote 61 Sl with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Remote 61 Sl.

Article Contents

  1. Does the Novation Remote 61 Sl work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the Novation Remote 61 Sl come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Remote 61 Sl to ableton
  4. How to midi map the Novation Remote 61 Sl in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Remote 61 Sl
    1. Saving your Remote 61 Sl 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 Novation Remote 61 Sl work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Novation Remote 61 Sl is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

The Remote 61 Sl 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.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Remote 61 Sl is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Remote 61 Sl.

Does the Novation Remote 61 Sl come with ableton Live included?

You get a complimentary version of Ableton Live Lite with the Remote 61 Sl, 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 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.

If you’re looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Remote 61 Sl to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Novation Remote 61 Sl with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they’re connected you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Remote 61 Sl to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Remote 61 Sl 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 Remote 61 Sl from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Remote 61 Sl 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 Remote 61 Sl (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Remote 61 Sl 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 Novation Remote 61 Sl 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 Remote 61 Sl, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Remote 61 Sl.
5. Moving the physical control on your Remote 61 Sl 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 Remote 61 Sl

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Remote 61 Sl, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of…

Saving your Remote 61 Sl 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 means that each control on your Remote 61 Sl can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 Remote 61 Sl, 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 Remote 61 Sl’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Remote 61 Sl,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Remote 61 Sl, 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 Remote 61 Sl in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Remote 61 Sl is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Remote 61 Sl is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Remote 61 Sl.
4. Make sure that the Remote 61 Sl is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.