Control Ableton From Your iPhone With touchAble mini

By Ruben Lone

The Berlin-based Zerodebug has expanded the newest, smallest version of its Ableton controller software to the iPhone. touchAble mini runs with the same functionality on the popular iPad version, but condensed for even more portable use.

The Zerodebug app functions much like an Ableton hardware controller, emulating many of the controls offered by Ableton’s Push device. However, touchAble expands on many of Push’s features that open the app up to seemingly limitless iterations of speedy, customizable controls.  With touchAble, you can browse your Ableton library to add audio and MIDI effects, instruments, and Max devices to your session without ever touching the computer. Complete control of session view means you can add, launch, and stop clips in the arrangement, as well as browse through the entire session.

touchAble’s mixer includes track volumes, sends, and pans, with a highly accurate metering system for each control, of which there are multiple for each track. Users instrument banks and samples are accessible and playable with the keyboard or drum pad, which included velocity, pitch wheel, octave, and aftertouch controls. Much like the Ableton Push, the touchAble’s “in-key” mode allows you to play and build chords in the correct key. Much like a Kaoss Pad, the XY pad gives you hands-on control of effects with the ability to manually mix and match up to 12 parameters at a time. Automation is also possible with the ability to save snapshots of effect settings and environments.

Connectivity with the Apple camera kit means the touchAble is compatible with MIDI hardware as well. As for Ableton, the connection recommended by Zerodebug is an ad-hoc network between computer and phone, which offers lightning fast  controls and little latency.

Check out touchAble mini’s introductory video below, and download on the App Store.

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