Numark Mixdeck Quad Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

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

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Numark Mixdeck Quad with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Mixdeck Quad.

Article Contents

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

Does the Numark Mixdeck Quad work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Numark Mixdeck Quad is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Mixdeck Quad can still be mapped to many of the software's functions.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Mixdeck Quad is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

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

Does the Numark Mixdeck Quad come with ableton Live included?

The Mixdeck Quad doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need 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 Mixdeck Quad to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Numark Mixdeck Quad 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 DJ controller.

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

Set up of the Mixdeck Quad with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Numark Mixdeck Quad to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Mixdeck Quad, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Mixdeck Quad Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

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

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