Reloop Beatmix Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Reloop's Beatmix is an exceptionally flexible midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Reloop Beatmix with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Beatmix.

Article Contents

1. Does the Reloop Beatmix work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Reloop Beatmix come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Beatmix to ableton
4. How to midi map the Reloop Beatmix in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Beatmix
   1. Saving your Beatmix 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 Reloop Beatmix work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Reloop Beatmix is usable with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Beatmix to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Beatmix will be usable with Ableton Live.

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

Does the Reloop Beatmix come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Beatmix, so it needs to be purchased separately.

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 Beatmix to ableton

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

The Beatmix is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Reloop Beatmix and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

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

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Beatmix, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Beatmix 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Beatmix can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Beatmix, 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 Beatmix's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Beatmix,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Beatmix, 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 Beatmix in Ableton Live?

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