Denon Dn Mc6000 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Denon's Dn Mc6000 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 explain all you need to know on using the Denon Dn Mc6000 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Dn Mc6000.

Article Contents

Does the Denon Dn Mc6000 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Denon Dn Mc6000 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Dn Mc6000 to ableton
How to midi map the Denon Dn Mc6000 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Dn Mc6000
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Denon Dn Mc6000 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Denon Dn Mc6000 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Dn Mc6000 to a variety of functions.

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 Dn Mc6000 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible with Ableton Live.

You can create your own Ableton midi mappings with ease, giving you the power to control many of the features of Ableton Live with your Dn Mc6000.

Does the Denon Dn Mc6000 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Dn Mc6000, so this 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.

If you're looking to make sure you have the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we suggest you go with Ableton Live Suite, as it has far more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Dn Mc6000 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Denon Dn Mc6000 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 Dn Mc6000 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Dn Mc6000 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 Dn Mc6000 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Dn Mc6000 are checked.
4. Ensure that the ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are all checked.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Dn Mc6000 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Dn Mc6000 has been configured and is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Once you have connected the Denon Dn Mc6000 to Ableton Live by following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical buttons, pads, keys etc on the device to the corresponding functions in 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 Dn Mc6000, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Dn Mc6000.
5. Moving the physical control on your Dn Mc6000 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 Dn Mc6000

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Dn Mc6000, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Dn Mc6000 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Dn Mc6000 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Unfortunately, Ableton's internal midi mapping mode does not provide every control option, so options such as controlling the selected track or selected device aren't possible. A full list of Ableton midi mapping options can be found here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Dn Mc6000, 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 Dn Mc6000's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Dn Mc6000,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Dn Mc6000, 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 Dn Mc6000 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Dn Mc6000 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Dn Mc6000 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Dn Mc6000.
4. Make sure that the Dn Mc6000 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.