Reloop Mixtour Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Mixtour from Reloop is an incredibly versatile midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Reloop Mixtour with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Mixtour.

Article Contents

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

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

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Mixtour can still be mapped to many of the software's 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 Mixtour is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Mixtour.

Does the Reloop Mixtour come with ableton Live included?

The Mixtour doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison to Standard's 10GB.

If you're looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Mixtour to ableton

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

Set up of the Mixtour with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Reloop Mixtour to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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

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

Saving your Mixtour 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Mixtour can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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

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