Reloop Elite Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

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

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Reloop Elite with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Elite.

Article Contents

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

Does the Reloop Elite work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Reloop Elite is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

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

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 Elite is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

You can create your own Ableton midi mappings with ease, giving you the power to control many of the features of Ableton Live with your Elite.

Does the Reloop Elite come with ableton Live included?

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

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Elite to ableton

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

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

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

Saving your Elite 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

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

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