Ableton Link
Ableton Link is a technology that synchronizes tempo, beat, and phase across multiple apps and devices on the same Wi-Fi or Ethernet network — without any manual configuration.
Arkestra includes a full Link implementation via LinkKit.
Enabling Link
Section titled “Enabling Link”Open the MIDI & Sync panel (piano keys icon) in the right sidebar and enable Link Enabled. Arkestra will immediately join the Link session if any other Link-enabled apps are running on the same network.
What Link provides
Section titled “What Link provides”| Signal | Arkestra use |
|---|---|
| Tempo (BPM) | Sets the rate for all beat-synced LFOs and sequencers |
Link tempo is shared across all connected apps — if you change the tempo in Ableton Live (or any other Link-enabled app), all synced LFOs and sequencers in Arkestra follow immediately, and vice versa.
Mapping the tempo control
Section titled “Mapping the tempo control”Right-click the BPM control to map it to a MIDI CC, key, or LFO. What the mapped input does depends on who owns the tempo:
- No external sync — the input sets the BPM directly across the full 20–300 range.
- Synced to CLX, Link, MIDI Clock, Rhythm sync, or Auto BPM — the external clock keeps setting the BPM, so the input becomes a Speed multiplier instead: 0% stops beat time, 100% (centre) runs at the clock’s tempo, 200% runs at double speed. The toolbar then shows the Speed slider with the incoming BPM readout to its right, and hides the TAP button, since tapping can’t override an external clock.
The label under the tempo readout names whichever clock currently owns the tempo. Click the synced BPM readout to open that clock’s settings: MIDI & Sync for Ableton Link and MIDI Clock, External Input for CLX, and Audio for Auto BPM and Rhythm sync.
Speed only scales Arkestra’s own beat time. It never retunes the Link session, so other apps on the network keep their tempo.
When several clocks are available
Section titled “When several clocks are available”Only one source owns the tempo at a time, and the order is fixed:
- CLX — DJ software deck state
- MIDI Clock
- Ableton Link
- Auto BPM — tempo only
- Rhythm Analyzer — tempo only
The highest source that is actually receiving data wins. The full list, with an indicator on the active source, is in the CLX tab of the External Input panel.
MIDI Clock also sets the Link session tempo, so Link peers follow an incoming clock. CLX deliberately does not — it drives Arkestra only, leaving the rest of your Link network alone.
Compatible software
Section titled “Compatible software”Any app with Ableton Link support joins automatically:
- Ableton Live
- Traktor, Serato, Rekordbox (DJ software)
- TouchOSC, Lemur
- Many iOS/iPadOS music apps
Link vs MIDI Clock
Section titled “Link vs MIDI Clock”| Ableton Link | MIDI Clock | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Zero config | Requires send/receive config |
| Latency compensation | ✅ Built-in | Manual |
| Multiple apps | Any number | One sender |
| Knows the downbeat | ❌ | ❌ |
| Recommendation | ✅ Preferred | Legacy / hardware only |
If you are syncing to DJ software rather than a DAW, CLX is worth a look instead — it carries beat numbers, so bar 1 in Arkestra matches bar 1 in the track.