Reloop Terminal Mix 4 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Reloop's Terminal Mix 4 is an exceptionally flexible midi and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Reloop Terminal Mix 4 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Terminal Mix 4.

Article Contents

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

Does the Reloop Terminal Mix 4 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Reloop Terminal Mix 4 is usable with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Terminal Mix 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 Terminal Mix 4 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 Terminal Mix 4.

Does the Reloop Terminal Mix 4 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Terminal Mix 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.

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 Terminal Mix 4 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Reloop Terminal Mix 4 to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software's settings from your midi .

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

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

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Terminal Mix 4, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Terminal Mix 4 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Terminal Mix 4 can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

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 Terminal Mix 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 Terminal Mix 4's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Terminal Mix 4,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Terminal Mix 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 Terminal Mix 4 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Terminal Mix 4 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Terminal Mix 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 Terminal Mix 4.
4. Make sure that the Terminal Mix 4 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.