Presonus Iostation 24c Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Presonus’s Iostation 24c is a fantastically adaptable midi controller 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 guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Presonus Iostation 24c with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Iostation 24c.

Article Contents

Does the Presonus Iostation 24c work with Ableton Live?
Does the Presonus Iostation 24c come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Iostation 24c to ableton
How to midi map the Presonus Iostation 24c in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Iostation 24c
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Presonus Iostation 24c work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Presonus Iostation 24c is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Iostation 24c to a variety of functions.

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 Iostation 24c 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 Iostation 24c.

Does the Presonus Iostation 24c come with ableton Live included?

The Iostation 24c does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison 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 Iostation 24c to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Presonus Iostation 24c with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they’re connected you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Iostation 24c to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Iostation 24c 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 Iostation 24c from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Iostation 24c 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 Iostation 24c (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Iostation 24c has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Presonus Iostation 24c to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Iostation 24c, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Iostation 24c.
5. Moving the physical control on your Iostation 24c 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 Iostation 24c

For the fastest way to map your Iostation 24c, you can’t go wrong with Ableton’s midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations…

Saving your Iostation 24c 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Iostation 24c can only be assigned to 1 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 Iostation 24c, 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 Iostation 24c’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Iostation 24c,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Iostation 24c, 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 Iostation 24c in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Iostation 24c is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Iostation 24c is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Iostation 24c.
4. Make sure that the Iostation 24c is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.