Pioneer Xdj Aero Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

Pioneer’s Xdj Aero 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.

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

Article Contents

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

Does the Pioneer Xdj Aero work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Pioneer Xdj Aero is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Xdj Aero to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Xdj Aero will be usable 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 Xdj Aero.

Does the Pioneer Xdj Aero come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Xdj Aero, 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 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 Xdj Aero to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Pioneer Xdj Aero with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they’re connected you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi DJ controller.

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

The Xdj Aero will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Pioneer Xdj Aero to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within Ableton Live by doing the following:

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

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

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

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