Reloop Mixon 4 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Reloop's Mixon 4 is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi DJ controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Reloop Mixon 4 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Mixon 4.

Article Contents

Does the Reloop Mixon 4 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Reloop Mixon 4 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Mixon 4 to ableton
How to midi map the Reloop Mixon 4 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Mixon 4
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Reloop Mixon 4 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Reloop Mixon 4 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Mixon 4 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Mixon 4 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Mixon 4.

Does the Reloop Mixon 4 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Mixon 4, so it needs to be purchased 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 Mixon 4 to ableton

Connecting the Reloop Mixon 4 with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Mixon 4 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Mixon 4 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 Mixon 4 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Mixon 4 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 Mixon 4 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Mixon 4 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Reloop Mixon 4 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within 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 Mixon 4, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Mixon 4.
5. Moving the physical control on your Mixon 4 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 Mixon 4

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Mixon 4, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Mixon 4 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Mixon 4 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 Mixon 4, 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 Mixon 4's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Mixon 4,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Mixon 4, 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 Mixon 4 in Ableton Live?

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