Korg Kaoss Dj Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Korg’s Kaoss Dj 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.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Korg Kaoss Dj with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Kaoss Dj.

Article Contents

Does the Korg Kaoss Dj work with Ableton Live?
Does the Korg Kaoss Dj come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Kaoss Dj to ableton
How to midi map the Korg Kaoss Dj in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Kaoss Dj
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Korg Kaoss Dj work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Korg Kaoss Dj is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Kaoss Dj can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 Kaoss Dj is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Kaoss Dj.

Does the Korg Kaoss Dj come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Kaoss Dj, therefore it must be bought 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 Kaoss Dj to ableton

Linking and configuring the Korg Kaoss Dj to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software’s settings from your midi controller.

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

The Kaoss Dj is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Korg Kaoss Dj to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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

With Ableton’s midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Kaoss Dj, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions…

Saving your Kaoss Dj Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Kaoss Dj can only be assigned to a single 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 Kaoss Dj, 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 Kaoss Dj’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Kaoss Dj,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Kaoss Dj, 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 Kaoss Dj in Ableton Live?

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