Reloop Contour Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Reloop Contour is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

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

Article Contents

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

To sum it up, the Reloop Contour is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Contour to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

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 Contour 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 Contour.

Does the Reloop Contour come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Contour, so it needs to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared to Standard’s 10GB.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Contour to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Reloop Contour with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Contour to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Contour 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 Contour from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Contour are checked.
4. Ensure that the proper ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are checked for both input and output.

  • Track: When checked, this allows MIDI notes and CC messages to be sent/received.
  • Sync: This option enables MIDI clock syncing between Ableton live and the external device.
  • Remote: Allows external MIDI controllers to remotely control parameters within Ableton Live.

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In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Contour (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Contour is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Reloop Contour and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

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

With Ableton’s midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Contour, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions…

Saving your Contour Midi Mappings is cumbersome

It is important to note that your mappings are stored with the Ableton session when saving. Consequently, when you create a new session, you will have to remap your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Contour can only be assigned to 1 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 Contour, 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 Contour’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Contour,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Contour, 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 Contour in Ableton Live?

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