Pioneer Ddj Rr Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Ddj Rr from Pioneer is an incredibly versatile midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Pioneer Ddj Rr with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Ddj Rr.

Article Contents

  1. Does the Pioneer Ddj Rr work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the Pioneer Ddj Rr come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Ddj Rr to ableton
  4. How to midi map the Pioneer Ddj Rr in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Ddj Rr
    1. Saving your Ddj Rr 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 Pioneer Ddj Rr work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Pioneer Ddj Rr is compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Ddj Rr to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

All versions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, are able to be utilized in collaboration with any equipment that sends MIDI data. This is applicable to all releases of Live, such as 9, 10, and 11. As the Ddj Rr is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Ddj Rr.

Does the Pioneer Ddj Rr come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Ddj Rr, so it needs to be purchased 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.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Ddj Rr to ableton

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

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

For the fastest way to map your Ddj Rr, you can’t go wrong with Ableton’s midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations…

Saving your Ddj Rr 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Ddj Rr can only be assigned to 1 parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode does not include every control options, options such as selected track control and selected device control unfortunately aren’t possible. You can view a comprehensive list of all Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

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

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