Rane Seventy Two Mk2 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Rane’s Seventy Two Mk2 is a fantastically adaptable midi DJ 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Rane Seventy Two Mk2 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Seventy Two Mk2.

Article Contents

  1. Does the Rane Seventy Two Mk2 work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the Rane Seventy Two Mk2 come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Seventy Two Mk2 to ableton
  4. How to midi map the Rane Seventy Two Mk2 in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Seventy Two Mk2
    1. Saving your Seventy Two Mk2 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 Rane Seventy Two Mk2 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Rane Seventy Two Mk2 is usable with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Seventy Two Mk2 to a variety of functions.

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Seventy Two Mk2 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Seventy Two Mk2.

Does the Rane Seventy Two Mk2 come with ableton Live included?

The Seventy Two Mk2 does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

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.

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 Seventy Two Mk2 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Rane Seventy Two Mk2 to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software’s settings from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Seventy Two Mk2 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Seventy Two Mk2 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 Seventy Two Mk2 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Seventy Two Mk2 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 Seventy Two Mk2 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Seventy Two Mk2 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 Rane Seventy Two Mk2 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 Seventy Two Mk2, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Seventy Two Mk2.
5. Moving the physical control on your Seventy Two Mk2 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 Seventy Two Mk2

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Seventy Two Mk2, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of…

Saving your Seventy Two Mk2 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Seventy Two Mk2 is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren’t possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Seventy Two Mk2, 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 Seventy Two Mk2’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Seventy Two Mk2,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Seventy Two Mk2, 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 Seventy Two Mk2 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Seventy Two Mk2 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Seventy Two Mk2 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Seventy Two Mk2.
4. Make sure that the Seventy Two Mk2 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.