Roland Mc 101 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Roland Mc 101 is a versatile midi enabled groovebox and when used alongside Ableton Live, it’s an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi enabled groovebox is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Roland Mc 101 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Mc 101.

Article Contents

Does the Roland Mc 101 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Roland Mc 101 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Mc 101 to ableton
How to midi map the Roland Mc 101 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Mc 101
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roland Mc 101 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Roland Mc 101 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Mc 101 can still be mapped to many of the software’s 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 Mc 101 will be usable with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Mc 101.

Does the Roland Mc 101 come with ableton Live included?

The Mc 101 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased separately.

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 Mc 101 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Roland Mc 101 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 groovebox.

1. Connect the Mc 101 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mc 101 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 Mc 101 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mc 101 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 Mc 101 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Mc 101 with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Roland Mc 101 to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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 Mc 101, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mc 101.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mc 101 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 Mc 101

Ableton’s midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Mc 101, however, you must take into account some potential limitations…

Saving your Mc 101 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 Mc 101 can only be assigned to 1 parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren’t currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Mc 101, 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 Mc 101’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mc 101,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mc 101, 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 Mc 101 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mc 101 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mc 101 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mc 101.
4. Make sure that the Mc 101 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.