Roland Verselab Mv 1 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Roland’s Verselab Mv 1 is an exceptionally flexible midi enabled groovebox and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi enabled groovebox has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Roland Verselab Mv 1 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Verselab Mv 1.

Article Contents

Does the Roland Verselab Mv 1 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Roland Verselab Mv 1 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Verselab Mv 1 to ableton
How to midi map the Roland Verselab Mv 1 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Verselab Mv 1
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Roland Verselab Mv 1 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Roland Verselab Mv 1 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Verselab Mv 1 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Verselab Mv 1 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Verselab Mv 1.

Does the Roland Verselab Mv 1 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Verselab Mv 1, so it needs to be purchased separately.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared 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 Verselab Mv 1 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Roland Verselab Mv 1 with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi enabled groovebox.

1. Connect the Verselab Mv 1 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Verselab Mv 1 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 Verselab Mv 1 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Verselab Mv 1 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.

.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Verselab Mv 1 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Verselab Mv 1 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Roland Verselab Mv 1 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within 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 Verselab Mv 1, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Verselab Mv 1.
5. Moving the physical control on your Verselab Mv 1 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 Verselab Mv 1

Ableton’s midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Verselab Mv 1, however, you must take into account some potential limitations…

Saving your Verselab Mv 1 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

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

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