Pioneer Cdj 3000 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Pioneer's Cdj 3000 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.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Pioneer Cdj 3000 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Cdj 3000.

Article Contents

Does the Pioneer Cdj 3000 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Pioneer Cdj 3000 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Cdj 3000 to ableton
How to midi map the Pioneer Cdj 3000 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Cdj 3000
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Cdj 3000 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the Pioneer Cdj 3000 is usable with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Cdj 3000 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Cdj 3000 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 3000.

Does the Pioneer Cdj 3000 come with ableton Live included?

The Cdj 3000 doesn’t come with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, so this would need to be purchased 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 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 3000 to ableton

Linking the Pioneer Cdj 3000 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Cdj 3000 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Cdj 3000 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 3000 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Cdj 3000 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 3000 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Cdj 3000 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 Pioneer Cdj 3000 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 Cdj 3000, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Cdj 3000.
5. Moving the physical control on your Cdj 3000 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 3000

Ableton’s midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly map your Cdj 3000, there are however, some limitations to be aware of...

Saving your Cdj 3000 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

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Cdj 3000 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

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 3000, 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 3000's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Cdj 3000,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Cdj 3000, 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 3000 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Cdj 3000 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Cdj 3000 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 3000.
4. Make sure that the Cdj 3000 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.