Faderfox Mx12 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Faderfox Mx12 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi controller has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Faderfox Mx12 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Mx12.

Article Contents

1. Does the Faderfox Mx12 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Faderfox Mx12 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Mx12 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Faderfox Mx12 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Mx12
   1. Saving your Mx12 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
   2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
   3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
   4. A great solution to these problems
6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Faderfox Mx12 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Faderfox Mx12 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Mx12 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Mx12 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 Mx12.

Does the Faderfox Mx12 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Mx12, so it needs 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.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Mx12 to ableton

Linking the Faderfox Mx12 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi controller.

1. Connect the Mx12 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mx12 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 Mx12 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mx12 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 Mx12 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mx12 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 Faderfox Mx12 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 Mx12, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mx12.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mx12 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 Mx12

For the fastest way to map your Mx12, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Mx12 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Mx12 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 Mx12, 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 Mx12's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mx12,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mx12, 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 Mx12 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Mx12 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Mx12 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Mx12.
4. Make sure that the Mx12 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.