Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Pioneer’s Djm 2000 Nexus is an exceptionally flexible midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Djm 2000 Nexus.

Article Contents

Does the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus work with Ableton Live?
Does the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Djm 2000 Nexus to ableton
How to midi map the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Djm 2000 Nexus
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live does not come with a MIDI remote script, the Djm 2000 Nexus can still be mapped to many of the software’s functions.

All forms of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, Standard and Suite, can work with practically any instrument that sends out MIDI data, and it will be compatible with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. Due to this, the Djm 2000 Nexus will be usable with Ableton Live.

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 Djm 2000 Nexus.

Does the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not included with the Djm 2000 Nexus, 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 Djm 2000 Nexus to ableton

Linking and configuring the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus to Ableton Live is not too complicated, and once you have them paired together you can control the software’s settings from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Djm 2000 Nexus to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Djm 2000 Nexus 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 Djm 2000 Nexus from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Djm 2000 Nexus 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 Djm 2000 Nexus (Sync can also be optionally checked).

Set up of the Djm 2000 Nexus with Ableton Live is now complete.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After linking up the Pioneer Djm 2000 Nexus to Ableton Live using the steps provided, you can now assign the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to specific functions within Ableton Live via MIDI mapping as follows:

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 Djm 2000 Nexus, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Djm 2000 Nexus.
5. Moving the physical control on your Djm 2000 Nexus 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 Djm 2000 Nexus

With Ableton’s midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Djm 2000 Nexus, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions…

Saving your Djm 2000 Nexus Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Saving your mappings can be a problem as mappings are saved with an Ableton session, so if you start a new session you will need to re-map your controls again.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping indicates that each control on your Djm 2000 Nexus is capable of controlling only one parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode is unfortunately missing many control options. Options such as selected track and selected device control aren’t possible using this method. You can see a list of all available Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Djm 2000 Nexus, 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 Djm 2000 Nexus’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Djm 2000 Nexus,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Djm 2000 Nexus, 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 Djm 2000 Nexus in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Djm 2000 Nexus is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Djm 2000 Nexus is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Djm 2000 Nexus.
4. Make sure that the Djm 2000 Nexus is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.