Pioneer Djm 350 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Pioneer’s Djm 350 is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi DJ controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

This guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Pioneer Djm 350 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Djm 350.

Article Contents

Does the Pioneer Djm 350 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Pioneer Djm 350 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Djm 350 to ableton
How to midi map the Pioneer Djm 350 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Djm 350
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Djm 350 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Pioneer Djm 350 is usable with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Djm 350 to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Djm 350 is a MIDI enabled device, it will work 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 350.

Does the Pioneer Djm 350 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Djm 350, so it needs to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Although Intro and Standard are both powerful, Suite offers extra features, such as 70GB of library sounds, in contrast to Standard’s 10GB.

For those who want to guarantee they have access to the largest selection of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest investing in Ableton Live Suite, as it has a much larger selection than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Djm 350 to ableton

Connecting the Pioneer Djm 350 with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Djm 350 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Djm 350 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 350 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Djm 350 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 350 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Djm 350 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 Djm 350 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 Djm 350, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Djm 350.
5. Moving the physical control on your Djm 350 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 350

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Djm 350, there are however, some limitations to be aware of…

Saving your Djm 350 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 means that each control on your Djm 350 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 350, 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 350’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Djm 350,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Djm 350, 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 350 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Djm 350 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Djm 350 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 350.
4. Make sure that the Djm 350 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.