Denon Dn S3700 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Denon Dn S3700 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Denon Dn S3700 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Dn S3700.

Article Contents

Does the Denon Dn S3700 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Denon Dn S3700 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Dn S3700 to ableton
How to midi map the Denon Dn S3700 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Dn S3700
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Denon Dn S3700 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Denon Dn S3700 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Dn S3700 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Dn S3700 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 Dn S3700.

Does the Denon Dn S3700 come with ableton Live included?

The Dn S3700 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need 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 seeking the full range of Audio and MIDI effects, we highly suggest purchasing Ableton Live Suite, as it offers significantly more than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Dn S3700 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Denon Dn S3700 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 Dn S3700 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Dn S3700 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 S3700 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Dn S3700 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 S3700 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Dn S3700 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 Denon Dn S3700 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 Dn S3700, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Dn S3700.
5. Moving the physical control on your Dn S3700 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 S3700

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Dn S3700, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Dn S3700 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 Dn S3700 is capable of controlling only one 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 Dn S3700, 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 S3700's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Dn S3700,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Dn S3700, 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 S3700 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Dn S3700 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Dn S3700 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 S3700.
4. Make sure that the Dn S3700 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.