Numark Mixtrack Edge Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Numark's Mixtrack Edge is a fantastically adaptable midi DJ 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 Numark Mixtrack Edge with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Mixtrack Edge.

Article Contents

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

Does the Numark Mixtrack Edge work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Numark Mixtrack Edge is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Mixtrack Edge to a variety of functions.

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 Mixtrack Edge is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Mixtrack Edge.

Does the Numark Mixtrack Edge come with ableton Live included?

The Mixtrack Edge does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared 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 Mixtrack Edge to ableton

Linking and configuring the Numark Mixtrack Edge to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi DJ controller.

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

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

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

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

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