Reloop Terminal Mix 8 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Terminal Mix 8 from Reloop is an incredibly versatile midi 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Terminal Mix 8.

Article Contents

Does the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Terminal Mix 8 to ableton
How to midi map the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Terminal Mix 8
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Terminal Mix 8 can still be mapped to many of the software's functions.

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 Terminal Mix 8 is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Terminal Mix 8.

Does the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 come with ableton Live included?

The Terminal Mix 8 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased separately.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared 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 Terminal Mix 8 to ableton

Connecting the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 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 .

1. Connect the Terminal Mix 8 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Terminal Mix 8 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 8 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Terminal Mix 8 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 8 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Terminal Mix 8 with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Reloop Terminal Mix 8 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 Terminal Mix 8, 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 8.
5. Moving the physical control on your Terminal Mix 8 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 8

For the fastest way to map your Terminal Mix 8, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Terminal Mix 8 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Terminal Mix 8 is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton's internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren't currently possible. View a full list of 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 8, 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 8's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Terminal Mix 8,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Terminal Mix 8, 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 8 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Terminal Mix 8 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Terminal Mix 8 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 8.
4. Make sure that the Terminal Mix 8 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.