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

The DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Twister is a versatile midi controller and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi controller is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Twister with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Midi Fighter Twister.

Article Contents

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

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

In a nutshell, the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Twister is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Midi Fighter Twister 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 Midi Fighter Twister is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your Midi Fighter Twister.

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

The Midi Fighter Twister does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison to Standard's 10GB.

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Midi Fighter Twister to ableton

Connecting the DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Twister with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi controller.

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

The Midi Fighter Twister 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 DJ Tech Tools Midi Fighter Twister 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 Midi Fighter Twister, 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 Twister.
5. Moving the physical control on your Midi Fighter Twister 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 Twister

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

Saving your Midi Fighter Twister Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Midi Fighter Twister can only be assigned to 1 parameter in Ableton Live.

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

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Midi Fighter Twister is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Midi Fighter Twister 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 Twister.
4. Make sure that the Midi Fighter Twister is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.