Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Pioneer's Cdj 2000 Nexus is an exceptionally flexible midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when is used with Ableton Live. This midi DJ controller has a plethora of features, making it perfect for Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Cdj 2000 Nexus.

Article Contents

Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus work with Ableton Live?
Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Cdj 2000 Nexus to ableton
How to midi map the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Cdj 2000 Nexus
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

Despite the lack of a default MIDI remote script existing within Ableton Live, it is still possible to midi map the Cdj 2000 Nexus to a variety of functions.

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Cdj 2000 Nexus is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Cdj 2000 Nexus.

Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Cdj 2000 Nexus, 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.

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 Cdj 2000 Nexus to ableton

Linking and configuring the Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus 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 Cdj 2000 Nexus to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Cdj 2000 Nexus 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 Cdj 2000 Nexus from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Cdj 2000 Nexus 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 Cdj 2000 Nexus (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Cdj 2000 Nexus 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 Pioneer Cdj 2000 Nexus 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 Cdj 2000 Nexus, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Cdj 2000 Nexus.
5. Moving the physical control on your Cdj 2000 Nexus 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 Cdj 2000 Nexus

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Cdj 2000 Nexus, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Cdj 2000 Nexus Midi Mappings is cumbersome

When saving an Ableton session, your mappings will be saved as part of that session. Therefore, if you create a new session, you will need to remap your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Cdj 2000 Nexus can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton's internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren't currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Cdj 2000 Nexus, 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 Cdj 2000 Nexus's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Cdj 2000 Nexus,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Cdj 2000 Nexus, 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 Cdj 2000 Nexus in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Cdj 2000 Nexus is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Cdj 2000 Nexus is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Cdj 2000 Nexus.
4. Make sure that the Cdj 2000 Nexus is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.