Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 is a versatile midi DJ controller and when used alongside Ableton Live, it's an incredible tool filled with potential. This midi DJ controller is equipped with plenty of features that make it the perfect companion to Ableton Live.

This tutorial will show you the whole process of how to operate the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 with Ableton Live. It will cover the steps of connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Cdj 2000nxs2.

Article Contents

Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Cdj 2000nxs2 to ableton
How to midi map the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Cdj 2000nxs2
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

Despite the absence of a built-in MIDI remote script within Ableton Live, users can still use the Cdj 2000nxs2 to midi map to numerous functions in the software.

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 Cdj 2000nxs2 will be usable with Ableton Live.

Creating your own midi mappings in Ableton is simple, and gives you the ability to control a variety of Ableton Live's components with your Cdj 2000nxs2.

Does the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Cdj 2000nxs2, so it needs to be purchased 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.

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 Cdj 2000nxs2 to ableton

Linking and configuring the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 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 2000nxs2 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Cdj 2000nxs2 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 2000nxs2 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Cdj 2000nxs2 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 2000nxs2 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Cdj 2000nxs2 is all set and can now be used with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

Upon making a successful connection between the Pioneer Cdj 2000nxs2 and Ableton Live using the instructions above, you can now use MIDI mapping to allocate the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their respective functions in Ableton Live like this:

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 2000nxs2, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Cdj 2000nxs2.
5. Moving the physical control on your Cdj 2000nxs2 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 2000nxs2

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Cdj 2000nxs2, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Cdj 2000nxs2 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Cdj 2000nxs2 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 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 Cdj 2000nxs2, 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 2000nxs2's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Cdj 2000nxs2,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Cdj 2000nxs2, 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 2000nxs2 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Cdj 2000nxs2 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Cdj 2000nxs2 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 2000nxs2.
4. Make sure that the Cdj 2000nxs2 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.