Pioneer Cdj 400 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Pioneer Cdj 400 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 guide will provide you with all the knowledge necessary to utilize the Pioneer Cdj 400 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Cdj 400.

Article Contents

Does the Pioneer Cdj 400 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Pioneer Cdj 400 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Cdj 400 to ableton
How to midi map the Pioneer Cdj 400 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Cdj 400
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Cdj 400 work with Ableton Live?

In short, yes, the Pioneer Cdj 400 is compatible with Ableton Live.

Although Ableton Live doesn’t provide a default MIDI remote script within its software for it, the Cdj 400 can still be midi mapped to many functions within the software.

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 400 is a MIDI enabled tool, it will be completely compatible 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 Cdj 400.

Does the Pioneer Cdj 400 come with ableton Live included?

The Cdj 400 does not have Ableton Live Lite, it must be purchased independently.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison to Standard's 10GB.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Cdj 400 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Pioneer Cdj 400 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 Cdj 400 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Cdj 400 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 400 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Cdj 400 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 400 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Cdj 400 is now ready for use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After you have connected the Pioneer Cdj 400 to Ableton Live with the aforementioned steps, you can now use MIDI mapping to link up the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to their corresponding features in Ableton Live:

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 400, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Cdj 400.
5. Moving the physical control on your Cdj 400 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 400

Ableton's midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Cdj 400, however, you must take into account some potential limitations...

Saving your Cdj 400 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Cdj 400 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 Cdj 400, 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 400's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Cdj 400,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Cdj 400, 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 400 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Cdj 400 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Cdj 400 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 400.
4. Make sure that the Cdj 400 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.