Reloop Rp 8000 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Reloop’s Rp 8000 is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi DJ controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Reloop Rp 8000 with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Rp 8000.

Article Contents

Does the Reloop Rp 8000 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Reloop Rp 8000 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Rp 8000 to ableton
How to midi map the Reloop Rp 8000 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Rp 8000
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Reloop Rp 8000 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Reloop Rp 8000 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Rp 8000 can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 Rp 8000 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

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 Rp 8000.

Does the Reloop Rp 8000 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Rp 8000, therefore it must be bought 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 prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Rp 8000 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Reloop Rp 8000 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 Rp 8000 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Rp 8000 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 Rp 8000 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Rp 8000 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 Rp 8000 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Rp 8000 is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Reloop Rp 8000 to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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 Rp 8000, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Rp 8000.
5. Moving the physical control on your Rp 8000 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 Rp 8000

For the fastest way to map your Rp 8000, you can’t go wrong with Ableton’s midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations…

Saving your Rp 8000 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Rp 8000 is capable of controlling only one 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 Rp 8000, 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 Rp 8000’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Rp 8000,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Rp 8000, 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 Rp 8000 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Rp 8000 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Rp 8000 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Rp 8000.
4. Make sure that the Rp 8000 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.