Dj Tech Mixer One Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Dj Tech's Mixer One is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi DJ controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Dj Tech Mixer One with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Mixer One.

Article Contents

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

Does the Dj Tech Mixer One work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Dj Tech Mixer One is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Mixer One can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 Mixer One will be usable with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Mixer One.

Does the Dj Tech Mixer One come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Mixer One, therefore it 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.

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 Mixer One to ableton

Linking the Dj Tech Mixer One to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Mixer One to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mixer One 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 Mixer One from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mixer One are checked.
4. Ensure that the ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are all checked.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Mixer One (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mixer One is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Dj Tech Mixer One to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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

For the fastest way to map your Mixer One, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Mixer One Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Mixer One 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 Mixer One, 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 Mixer One's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mixer One,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mixer One, 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 Mixer One in Ableton Live?

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