Yaeltex Miniblock Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Yaeltex Miniblock is a versatile midi controller and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi controller is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

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

Article Contents

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

Does the Yaeltex Miniblock work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Yaeltex Miniblock is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

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

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Miniblock is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function 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 Miniblock.

Does the Yaeltex Miniblock come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Miniblock, so it needs 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 Miniblock to ableton

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

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

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

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

Saving your Miniblock 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Miniblock can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

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

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