DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

DJ Tech Tools's Midi Fighter Classic is a fantastically adaptable midi 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 DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Midi Fighter Classic.

Article Contents

Does the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic work with Ableton Live?
Does the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Midi Fighter Classic to ableton
How to midi map the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Midi Fighter Classic
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic is usable with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Midi Fighter Classic 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 Midi Fighter Classic is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Midi Fighter Classic.

Does the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Midi Fighter Classic, 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'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 Midi Fighter Classic to ableton

Connecting and setting up the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic 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 controller.

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

The Midi Fighter Classic 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 DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Classic 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 Midi Fighter Classic, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Midi Fighter Classic.
5. Moving the physical control on your Midi Fighter Classic 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 Midi Fighter Classic

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Midi Fighter Classic, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Midi Fighter Classic 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

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

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