Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Hercules’s Dj Control Instinct P8 is a fantastically adaptable midi DJ 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 Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Dj Control Instinct P8.

Article Contents

  1. Does the Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Dj Control Instinct P8 to ableton
  4. How to midi map the Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Dj Control Instinct P8
    1. Saving your Dj Control Instinct P8 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 Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Dj Control Instinct P8 to midi map to numerous functions in 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 Dj Control Instinct P8 is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

Making your own midi mappings is a breeze with Ableton Live, which gives you the ability to control a lot of components of the software with your Dj Control Instinct P8.

Does the Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Dj Control Instinct P8, so it needs to be purchased separately.

Ableton Live has 3 main versions, Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are very capable pieces of software, the Suite version packs more in, such as over 70GB of library sounds compared to Standard’s 10GB.

For those seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Dj Control Instinct P8 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 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 Dj Control Instinct P8 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Dj Control Instinct P8 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 Dj Control Instinct P8 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Dj Control Instinct P8 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 Dj Control Instinct P8 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Dj Control Instinct P8 is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Hercules Dj Control Instinct P8 and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

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 Dj Control Instinct P8, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Dj Control Instinct P8.
5. Moving the physical control on your Dj Control Instinct P8 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 Dj Control Instinct P8

Ableton’s midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Dj Control Instinct P8, however, you must take into account some potential limitations…

Saving your Dj Control Instinct P8 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 indicates that each control on your Dj Control Instinct P8 is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren’t currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Dj Control Instinct P8, 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 Dj Control Instinct P8’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Dj Control Instinct P8,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Dj Control Instinct P8, 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 Dj Control Instinct P8 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Dj Control Instinct P8 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Dj Control Instinct P8 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Dj Control Instinct P8.
4. Make sure that the Dj Control Instinct P8 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.