DAW

Supported DAWs

Reliq currently includes native support for:

• Ableton Live 12

• Bitwig Studio 5.3 or above

Legacy support for Ableton Live 11 is also available via a separate control surface script, but is no longer officially supported.

The Control Surface integration is fully compatible with Windows 10+ and macOS 15+. Older versions of macOS may still work but are not officially supported.

Interface Overview

The DAW Page interface adapts depending on the connected DAW, but certain elements are consistent:

• Clip View for launching clips.

• Mix View for volume, pan, and sends.

• Master View for scene and master volume control.

• Navigation via the Joystick Encoder.

• Transport and Track Controls using physical buttons.

If no DAW is connected, the screen displays “No DAW connected” and disables the Grid Pads. Once a compatible DAW is detected, Reliq displays the DAW name, enables controls, and loads the full interface.

Transport Behavior

The Play [PLAY], Stop [STOP], and Record [RECORD] buttons behave depending on the sync mechanism used:

1. Without U-SYNC, pressing transport buttons on Reliq will also trigger transport in the DAW if a Control Surface is connected. - The LED on the Play button turns green when the DAW is playing. - The LED turns white when Reliq’s internal sequencer is playing. - The LED color adapts based on context: green on the DAW page, white on other pages.

2. With U-SYNC loaded, pressing Play on Reliq from any page will: - Start the DAW’s transport. - Reliq will then follow the DAW clock and playhead automatically.

3. When the DAW is configured to follow Reliq’s clock (via MIDI sync), pressing Play on Reliq will also start the DAW, keeping both systems in sync.

Ableton Live Setup

To use Reliq with Ableton Live, a Control Surface Script must be installed.

Installing the Control Surface Script

1. Download the Control Surface Script

2. Copy the “Reliq” folder to the following location:

   macOS 15+:

   /Applications/Ableton Live 12/Package Contents/App-Resources/MIDI Remote Scripts/

   Windows 10+:

   C:\ProgramData\Ableton\Live 12 Suite\Resources\MIDI Remote Scripts\

3. Restart Ableton Live and select “Reliq” in Preferences > Link/MIDI.

Using Reliq as a Control Surface for Ableton Live

Interface Overview

The DAW Page for Ableton Live provides two main pages:

• Clip View: Displays clip and track information.

• Mix View: Displays volume, pan, and send controls.

Use the Page Button below the Clip/Mix label to switch views.

• Up to 16 tracks and 13 clip rows are visible at a time.

• Track names, colors, clip names, and return tracks are fully displayed.

• The last 3 pads of each track column control: Enable, Solo, Arm.

• Each track includes a visual fader and encoder for volume.

Mix Page

On the Mix Page:

• Pads represent virtual faders for each track.

• Encoders adjust Volume, Pan, or up to 4 Send Returns.

• Use the Joystick: - Left/Right = switch tracks. - Up/Down = switch between Volume/Pan/Send A/Send B/etc.

Master Track View

Toggle the Master view using the Page Button below “Master”.

• In Clip View: Master column shows Scenes.

• In Mix View: The Master pads act as a virtual fader, and encoder controls Master Volume.

Controlling Ableton Live from Reliq

Launching Clips

• Pads mirror Live’s clip grid.

• Press a pad to launch a clip.

• Clips reflect Live’s colors and show status on Reliq.

Clip States:

• Green = Playing

• Blinking = Queued

• Off = Empty

• Colored = Loaded

Deleting Clips

To delete a Clip, hold UNDO [UNDO] and press the corresponding Grid Pad to delete the Clip.

Stopping Clips

To stop a Clip, hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press the corresponding Grid Pad to stop the Clip.

Launching Scenes

Scenes are triggered using the Track Buttons on the left edge.

Active, Solo, and Arm

Each track includes 3 dedicated pads at the bottom:

• Yellow: Track Enabled

• Blue: Solo

• Red: Arm

Mixer Control

In both Clip and Mix views, each track has a fader and encoder:

• Fader (Grid Pad) adjusts volume in Mix view.

• Encoder adjusts volume in Clip view (when selected).

• Joystick Up/Down switches the encoder’s function (e.g., Pan, Send A, Send B, etc.)

Navigation

Use the Joystick Encoder to navigate through Live’s Session View:

• Left/Right = Tracks

• Up/Down = Scenes (in Clip View) or Parameter Pages (in Mix View)

The Red Box in Live updates automatically to follow Reliq’s view.

Ableton MIDI Sync (Without U-SYNC)

To sync Reliq with Live via MIDI:

1. On Reliq: Settings > CLOCK OUT USB MIDI → Active

2. In Live: Preferences > Link/MIDI

3. Enable Sync + Remote on “Reliq (MIDI Output 1)”

4. In Live’s top bar, click EXT (External Sync)

5. Press Play on Reliq to start both systems

Bitwig Studio

Reliq’s DAW Page offers tight integration with Bitwig Studio 5.3 or above, giving full control over clips, tracks, mixer parameters, devices, and transport. The integration is cross-platform.

All clip names, track names, colors, and statuses are visible directly on Reliq’s screen.

From Reliq you can also create and delete Bitwig tracks, load devices and plug-ins, control their parameters, and edit the notes of Bitwig clips. NEW

Installing the Bitwig Extension

The Bitwig features introduced in RLX 1.10 — the Plugin View, the Device Browser, the Clip Editor, FX tracks, and creating and deleting tracks — require the Reliq Bitwig Extension 2.0 or newer. NEW

To install the extension manually:

1. Download the Bitwig Extension.

2. Copy the downloaded file to the following folder: ~/Documents/Bitwig Studio/Extensions/ (Same for macOS and Windows)

3. Restart Bitwig Studio. The Reliq Control Surface will be automatically detected and active.

4. In Bitwig, go to Settings > Controllers and ensure that Reliq is listed as an active controller and assigned to the Reliq MIDIIn2 and ReliqMIDIOut2 ports.

Interface Overview

The Bitwig DAW integration consists of the following views:

• Clip View for launching and viewing clips

• Mix View for volume, pan, and sends

• Master View for scene launch and master volume

• Plugin View for the device chain of the selected track and its parameters NEW

• Device Browser for adding devices and plug-ins to a track NEW

• Clip Editor for editing the notes of a clip NEW

Use the three Page Buttons [page button] on the right of the screen to switch views:

• Plugin: opens the Plugin View. Press it again to return to the view you came from. The FX [FX] button does the same. NEW

• Mixer / Clip: switches between the Clip View and the Mix View. In the Plugin View it opens the Mix View; in the Clip Editor it returns to the Clip View.

• Master: shows or hides the Master column.

With Bitwig connected, the project name is shown in grey in the info bar instead of above the Page Buttons. NEW

The navigation and control layouts of the Clip View and Mix View are identical to the Ableton Live integration:

• Grid Pads trigger clips

• Encoders and faders control mixer parameters

• Joystick Encoder navigates tracks and pages

• Transport buttons control Bitwig’s playback

Using Reliq as a Control Surface for Bitwig

Launching Clips

• Pads reflect clip colors and names from Bitwig

• Pressing a pad launches the associated clip

• Clip states are mirrored live on Reliq’s grid

• Pressing a pad twice in quick succession (within 200 ms) opens the clip in the Clip Editor instead of launching it (see Clip Editor). NEW

• On MIDI tracks a clip launches 200 ms after you press its pad, so that a second press can open it instead. Clips on audio, FX, and group tracks launch immediately. NEW

Deleting Clips

To delete a Clip, hold UNDO [UNDO] and press the corresponding Grid Pad to delete the Clip.

Stopping Clips

To stop a Clip, hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press the corresponding Grid Pad to stop the Clip.

Launching Scenes

Use the Track Buttons on the left to launch scenes.

Active, Solo, and Arm

Each track column includes three dedicated pads:

• Orange: Track Muted

• Yellow: Solo

• Red: Arm

When a state is off, its pad shows its color dimmed. NEW

Mix View

In the Mix View:

• Pads act as virtual faders

• Encoders control: - Volume - Pan - Send A / Send B / Send C / Send D (if applicable)

• Use the Joystick Encoder: - Left/Right → switch tracks - Up/Down → switch parameter type (Vol, Pan, Send X)

Bitwig applies volume, pan, and send changes from Reliq immediately, whatever Takeover mode is set in Bitwig’s settings. NEW

Master View

Toggle the Master View using the Page Button below “Master”:

• In Clip View: Master column represents Scenes. Its bottom three pads are the master track’s Mute, Solo, and Arm. The master track cannot be armed, so Arm stays dark. NEW

• In Mix View: - Pad = virtual master fader, on the top 13 pads NEW - Encoder = Master Volume - On the Pan and Send pages, the bottom pads are the master track’s Mute and Solo. NEW

The Master column stays visible when Bitwig restarts the controller or reconnects. NEW

While the Master column is shown, the last column belongs to the master track. When 16 tracks are visible, the 16th track is hidden behind it; scroll one track further to reach it. NEW

Transport Control

• Play [PLAY], Stop [STOP], and Record [RECORD] directly control Bitwig’s transport

• LED feedback shows the current playback state

If U-SYNC is active and loaded in Bitwig (via plugin), Reliq will follow the DAW clock from any page.

Bitwig Shortcuts

On the DAW Page with Bitwig connected:

• Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press UNDO [UNDO] to undo the last action in Bitwig.

• Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press REDO [REDO] to redo it in Bitwig.

• Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press RECORD [RECORD] to toggle Bitwig’s Clip Launcher Overdub.

Pressing UNDO [UNDO] or REDO [REDO] without SHIFT [SHIFT] undoes or redoes the last action on Reliq, as on every other page.

Navigation

Use the Joystick Encoder:

• Left/Right → switch tracks

• Up/Down: - Clip View → move between scenes - Mix View → move between Volume / Pan / Sends

In the Clip View and the Mix View, the Arrow Buttons [arrow buttons] move the visible tracks by 16 tracks at a time. NEW

The visible area stops at the end of the project: the last column shows the + after the last track, and the bottom row of pads shows the last scene. NEW

Bitwig’s session view scrolls automatically with Reliq’s navigation.

Selecting Tracks NEW

Turn the Joystick Encoder [Joystick Encoder turn] to select the previous or next track in Bitwig, in the Clip View, the Mix View, and the Plugin View. The selected track is outlined on Reliq’s screen; when it scrolls out of the visible tracks, no track is outlined.

After the last track, the next step selects the + column after it, where you can add a track (see Creating and Deleting Tracks). The selection never moves on to Bitwig’s master track.

FX Tracks NEW

Bitwig’s FX tracks are listed after the regular tracks, in the order of Bitwig’s mixer, in the Clip View, the Mix View, and the Plugin View. They scroll with the regular tracks, and there is no limit to how many are shown.

• In the Clip View, FX tracks show their launcher clips, which you launch, stop, and delete like any other clip. Their Mute and Solo pads work as on any other track. Their Arm pad stays dark and their record button is greyed out, because Bitwig FX tracks cannot be armed.

• In the Mix View, FX tracks have volume, pan, and sends, like any other track. The sends of every track control the first four FX tracks of the project.

• In the Plugin View, you can select an FX track to control its device chain.

• After the last FX track, an empty column shows a + to add a track.

Creating and Deleting Tracks NEW

Creating a Track

In the Clip View and the Mix View:

1. Press the encoder [encoder click] above a track column. A NEW TRACK menu opens on that column, with MIDI, AUDIO, FX, and CANCEL.

2. Turn the same encoder [encoder turn] to choose MIDI, AUDIO, or FX.

3. Press the same encoder [encoder click] to confirm. Choose CANCEL to close the menu without creating a track.

• MIDI creates an instrument track with no instrument loaded. AUDIO creates an audio track. FX creates an FX track. NEW

• MIDI or AUDIO on a regular track: the new track takes its place, and that track and the tracks to its right move one place to the right.

• MIDI or AUDIO on an FX track or on the + column: the new track is added after the last regular track, because Bitwig keeps FX tracks after the regular tracks.

• FX on an FX track: the new FX track takes its place among the FX tracks.

• FX anywhere else: the new FX track is added after the last FX track.

• Reliq scrolls to show the new track.

• The column after the last track shows a + above its name. On an empty column, only the + column opens the menu.

• While the Master column is shown, its encoder does not open the menu.

• While the menu is open, its encoder only controls the menu. Pressing another encoder moves the menu to that column. Moving the Joystick Encoder or changing views closes it.

Bitwig selects the new track, so the Plugin View shows it straight away.

To create a track from the Plugin View, see Plugin View.

Deleting a Track

In the Clip View and the Mix View, hold UNDO [UNDO] and press the encoder [encoder click] above a track column. The track is deleted, FX tracks included.

In the Plugin View, hold UNDO [UNDO] and press the track’s pad in the top row.

Plugin View NEW

The Plugin View shows the device chain of the selected Bitwig track and puts every Remote Control of its devices on Reliq’s 16 encoders.

Press the Page Button [page button] below Plugin, or the FX [FX] button, to open the Plugin View. Press either one again to return to the view you came from. Opening the Plugin View turns on Bitwig’s mapping indicators, so the controlled parameters are highlighted in Bitwig as well.

The Device Strip

Bitwig lays out the devices of the selected track one after another, each with its Remote Control pages, as one continuous strip of parameters. The 16 encoders show a 16-parameter window of this strip. A device can span several pages, and the window can show parameters from more than one device.

For each device in the window, the screen shows:

• The device name, its preset name when there is room, and ON / OFF.

• The name of each Remote Control page and its number, for example 1/3.

• Each parameter with its name and value, as Bitwig shows it. Continuous parameters are drawn as knobs; parameters with a few named options, and on/off switches, are drawn as selectors.

Below the parameters, the screen shows the tracks and the device chain of the selected track. The selected track and the selected device are outlined. A device with no Remote Controls shows No remote controls; a track with no devices shows No devices on this track.

Encoders

• Turn an encoder [encoder turn] to change the parameter above it.

• Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] while turning for fine adjustments. FINE is shown at the bottom right of the screen.

• Parameters with named options move one option per detent.

• Press the encoder [encoder click] above the first parameter of a device to turn the device on or off.

• Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press an encoder [encoder click] to reset its parameter to its default value.

• Press the encoder [encoder click] under the + in the first empty parameter column to open the Device Browser and add a device at the end of the chain. The other empty columns do nothing.

Pads

• Top row – Tracks: each pad selects a track, in the track’s color. The selected track is brighter. Pressing the pad of the + column after the last track opens the NEW TRACK menu.

• Second row – Devices: each pad selects a device and moves the encoder window to it. Pads are colored by device type: yellow for instruments, orange for audio effects, blue for note effects, grey for other devices. The selected device is brighter; devices that are turned off are dimmed. Pressing the pad of the + after the last device opens the Device Browser to add a device at the end of the chain.

• Third row: not used.

• Rows 4 to 16 – Parameter faders: each column is a 13-step virtual fader for the parameter above it. Press a pad to set the value: the fourth row sets the maximum, the bottom row sets the minimum. Parameters with named options snap to the nearest option. The faders use the colors of Bitwig’s Remote Controls.

Joystick

• Left / Right [Joystick Encoder left] [Joystick Encoder right]: move to the previous or next device or Remote Control page. The Arrow Buttons [arrow buttons] do the same. NEW

• Up / Down [Joystick Encoder up] [Joystick Encoder down]: select the previous or next track. Turning the Joystick Encoder [Joystick Encoder turn] does the same. NEW

Creating a Track from the Plugin View

Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press a track pad in the top row, or press the pad of the + column after the last track, to open the NEW TRACK menu for that column. Turn the encoder [encoder turn] above that column to choose MIDI, AUDIO, or FX, then press it [encoder click] to confirm. Press the same pad again to close the menu.

When every column holds a track, select the last track and move the Joystick down [Joystick Encoder down] or turn the Joystick Encoder [Joystick Encoder turn]: the + column after the last track is selected and scrolled into view. Press its pad to open the NEW TRACK menu. Move the Joystick up [Joystick Encoder up], or select another track, to leave it.

Deleting Tracks and Devices

Hold UNDO [UNDO] and:

• press a track pad in the top row to delete that track, or

• press a device pad in the second row to delete that device.

Both are deleted immediately, without confirmation.

Device Browser NEW

The Device Browser adds devices, plug-ins, and presets to the selected track. It opens Bitwig’s own browser at the insertion point and mirrors it on Reliq, so the browser also opens on the computer screen.

To open the Device Browser from the Plugin View:

• Press the pad of the + in the second row, or the encoder [encoder click] under the + in the first empty parameter column, to add a device at the end of the chain.

• Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press a device pad in the second row to insert a device before that device.

The Device Browser always adds a new device. It does not replace an existing one.

What the browser lists depends on where the device goes, as in Bitwig: for example, instruments for an empty MIDI track, and audio effects after an instrument or on an audio track. The header on the left of the screen shows the device type, Add to the end of the chain or Insert before followed by the device name, and the track name.

Screen

• Above encoders 2–7: the browser’s six filters, for example Category, Creator, Tags, Location, File Kind, and Device. Each one shows * Any or the chosen entry. A dimmed filter is not available for this insertion point.

• Left: the entries of the selected filter, with the number of results for each.

• Right: the number of results and a page of 16 results. The selected result is highlighted.

Encoders

• Encoder 1 [encoder click]: Cancel. Closes the browser and returns to the Plugin View.

• Encoders 2–7 [encoder turn]: turn to open a filter and move through its entries. Press [encoder click] to apply the highlighted entry. Bitwig updates the results and their counts.

• Encoder 8 [encoder turn]: move through the results, one per detent.

• Encoder 8 or Encoder 16 [encoder click]: OK. Adds the selected result to the track. When no result has been selected, the first one is added.

Pads

• Columns 1–7: the entries of the selected filter. Press a pad to apply that entry. The applied entry is shown in the filter’s color.

• Columns 8–16: the results, one per row. Press a pad to select that result. The selected result is bright white.

Joystick

• Up / Down [Joystick Encoder up] [Joystick Encoder down]: select the previous or next result. Turning the Joystick Encoder [encoder turn] does the same.

• Left / Right [Joystick Encoder left] [Joystick Encoder right]: show the previous or next page of 16 results.

After a device is added, Bitwig closes its browser and Reliq returns to the Plugin View, with the new device in the chain. Closing the browser in Bitwig also returns Reliq to the Plugin View. Pressing Plugin or FX [FX] closes the browser and stays in the Plugin View; pressing Mixer closes it and opens the Mix View.

Clip Editor NEW

The Clip Editor opens a Bitwig launcher clip on Reliq and turns the Grid Pads into a 16 × 16 note grid, so you can sequence a Bitwig instrument from Reliq.

To open a clip, press its pad twice in quick succession (within 200 ms) in the Clip View. The clip opens without being launched, so the clip already playing on that track keeps playing. Bitwig shows the same clip in its own editor.

• Pressing an empty slot twice creates a new one-bar clip and opens it.

• Only MIDI clips can be opened. On audio, FX, and group tracks, a second press shows Only MIDI clips can be edited on Reliq and the clip is launched as usual. NEW

To close the Clip Editor, press the encoder [encoder click] above the back arrow (encoder 1), or press the Page Button [page button] below Clip. Both return to the Clip View.

Screen

The screen shows a piano roll that matches the pads: steps run from left to right and notes from bottom to top, with the note names on the left. Notes are shaded by velocity. Above the piano roll, a ruler shows bars and beats, and the clip’s loop range is drawn in the clip’s color with its name. At the bottom, a lane shows the velocity, length, or chance of the notes, and an overview strip shows which part of the clip the pads show.

Pads

Each column is a step and each row is a note, with the highest note at the top. The pads show the notes in the clip’s color; the playing step is highlighted.

• Press an empty pad to add a note: velocity 100, one GRID step long.

• Press and release a note to delete it.

• Hold a note and turn the encoders [encoder turn] above PITCH, VELOCITY, LENGTH, and CHANCE to edit that note.

• Hold a note and press a pad further along the same row to set its length up to that pad.

• Hold a note and press the pad directly above or below it to set the minimum length, a 1/32 note.

Press the encoder [encoder click] above VELOCITY, LENGTH, or CHANCE to turn the pads into faders for that value. In this mode, each column shows the value of the notes on that step; press a pad to set it for every note on that step. Press the encoder [encoder click] above PITCH to return to the note grid.

• VELOCITY: from 8 on the bottom row to 127 on the top row. Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press the bottom row for 1.

• LENGTH: from a 1/16 note on the bottom row to one bar on the top row. Hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press the bottom row for a 1/32 note.

• CHANCE: the probability that the notes on that step play, from about 6% on the bottom row to 100% on the top row.

Encoders

• Back arrow (encoder 1) [encoder click]: returns to the Clip View.

• GRID [encoder turn]: the step size of the pads: 1/32, 1/16, or 1/8.

• LOOP ST [encoder turn]: moves the loop start by one bar per detent, or one beat while holding SHIFT [SHIFT].

• LOOP END [encoder turn]: changes the loop length by one bar per detent, or one beat while holding SHIFT [SHIFT]. The clip length follows the loop.

• PITCH, VELOCITY, LENGTH, CHANCE [encoder turn]: with a note held, edit that note. PITCH moves the note one semitone per detent and replaces a note already on that key; LENGTH changes it by a 1/32 note per detent, or a 1/8 note while holding SHIFT [SHIFT]. With no note held, change every note in the clip: PITCH transposes by one semitone per detent, VELOCITY and CHANCE add an offset, and LENGTH adds or removes a 1/32 note per detent (a 1/8 note while holding SHIFT [SHIFT]). The screen shows the total change since the clip was opened.

• CLIP LEN [encoder turn]: changes the clip length by one bar per detent, or one beat while holding SHIFT [SHIFT].

• QUANTIZE [encoder click]: quantizes every note in the clip to the grid.

• DOUBLE [encoder click]: duplicates the clip content, doubling its length.

• CLEAR: hold SHIFT [SHIFT] and press [encoder click] to delete every note in the clip.

• FOLLOW [encoder click]: when ON (the default), the pads follow Bitwig’s playhead page by page. When OFF, the pads stay where you put them.

Joystick

• Left / Right [Joystick Encoder left] [Joystick Encoder right]: move 16 steps earlier or later.

• Up / Down [Joystick Encoder up] [Joystick Encoder down]: move 4 notes up or down, or an octave while holding SHIFT [SHIFT].

• Turn the Joystick Encoder [encoder turn] to move one note up or down, or an octave while holding SHIFT [SHIFT].

Bitwig MIDI Sync (Without U-SYNC)

To manually sync playback:

1. On Reliq: Go to Settings > CLOCK OUT USB MIDI and set to Active

2. In Bitwig: Open Settings > Controllers > MIDI Sync Enable Sync and Remote for Reliq’s MIDI port

3. Activate External Sync in Bitwig’s top bar

4. Press Play on Reliq → Bitwig will follow Reliq’s clock