Reloop Buddy Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

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

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

Article Contents

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

In short, yes, the Reloop Buddy 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 Buddy 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 Buddy 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 Buddy.

Does the Reloop Buddy come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Buddy, so this must be bought separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Although Intro and Standard are both powerful, Suite offers extra features, such as 70GB of library sounds, in contrast to Standard's 10GB.

For those seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Buddy to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Reloop Buddy 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 controller.

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

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

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

Saving your Buddy 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 button or knob on your Buddy can only be assigned to control 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 Buddy, 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 Buddy's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Buddy,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Buddy, 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 Buddy in Ableton Live?

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