Roland Aira Tr 8 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Roland Aira Tr 8 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi enabled drum machine has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Roland Aira Tr 8 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Aira Tr 8.

Article Contents

Does the Roland Aira Tr 8 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Roland Aira Tr 8 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Aira Tr 8 to ableton
How to midi map the Roland Aira Tr 8 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Aira Tr 8
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roland Aira Tr 8 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Roland Aira Tr 8 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 Aira Tr 8 to a variety of functions.

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 Aira Tr 8 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Aira Tr 8.

Does the Roland Aira Tr 8 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn’t included with the Aira Tr 8, so this must be bought separately.

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 prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Aira Tr 8 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Roland Aira Tr 8 to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software’s settings from your midi enabled drum machine.

1. Connect the Aira Tr 8 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Aira Tr 8 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 Aira Tr 8 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Aira Tr 8 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 Aira Tr 8 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Aira Tr 8 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 Roland Aira Tr 8 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 Aira Tr 8, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Aira Tr 8.
5. Moving the physical control on your Aira Tr 8 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 Aira Tr 8

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Aira Tr 8, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of…

Saving your Aira Tr 8 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Aira Tr 8 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 Aira Tr 8, 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 Aira Tr 8’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Aira Tr 8,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Aira Tr 8, 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 Aira Tr 8 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Aira Tr 8 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Aira Tr 8 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Aira Tr 8.
4. Make sure that the Aira Tr 8 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.