Hercules Dj Control Starlight Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Hercules's Dj Control Starlight 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 tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Hercules Dj Control Starlight with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Dj Control Starlight.

Article Contents

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

Does the Hercules Dj Control Starlight work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Hercules Dj Control Starlight is 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 Dj Control Starlight to a variety of functions.

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Dj Control Starlight is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Dj Control Starlight.

Does the Hercules Dj Control Starlight come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Dj Control Starlight, so this must be bought separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Even though Intro and Standard are both effective, Suite offers a lot more, including 70GB of library sounds, compared 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 Dj Control Starlight to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Hercules Dj Control Starlight with Ableton Live is a relatively simple process, once you have the 2 linked together you will be able to control parameters of the software from your midi DJ controller.

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

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

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Dj Control Starlight, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Dj Control Starlight Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Be aware that when saving your mappings, they will be stored with the Ableton session. Therefore, starting a new session will require you to re-map your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Dj Control Starlight can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

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 Dj Control Starlight, 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 Dj Control Starlight's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Dj Control Starlight,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Dj Control Starlight, 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 Dj Control Starlight in Ableton Live?

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