Behringer X Touch Extender Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Behringer's X Touch Extender is a fantastically adaptable midi controller that is extremely useful when coupled with Ableton Live. This device has a great range of features, making it ideal as an Ableton Live controller.

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

Article Contents

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

In a nutshell, the Behringer X Touch Extender is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the X Touch Extender 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 X Touch Extender is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your X Touch Extender.

Does the Behringer X Touch Extender come with ableton Live included?

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

There are three main versions with Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Though Intro and Standard are both comprehensive, Suite offers much more, such as 70GB of library sounds, in comparison 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 X Touch Extender to ableton

Connecting the Behringer X Touch Extender 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 controller.

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

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

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your X Touch Extender, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your X Touch Extender 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your X Touch Extender can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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

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