Pioneer Cdj 850 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

Pioneer's Cdj 850 is a fantastically adaptable midi DJ controller that is extremely useful when coupled with Ableton Live. This device has a great range of features, making it ideal as an Ableton Live controller.

This tutorial will explain all you need to know on using the Pioneer Cdj 850 with Ableton Live. This includes connecting, setting up and midi mapping the Cdj 850.

Article Contents

1. Does the Pioneer Cdj 850 work with Ableton Live?
2. Does the Pioneer Cdj 850 come with ableton Live included?
3. How to connect the Cdj 850 to ableton
4. How to midi map the Pioneer Cdj 850 in Ableton Live
5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Cdj 850
   1. Saving your Cdj 850 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
   2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
   3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
   4. A great solution to these problems
6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Cdj 850 work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Pioneer Cdj 850 is fully 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 Cdj 850 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 Cdj 850 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function 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 850.

Does the Pioneer Cdj 850 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Cdj 850, so this must be bought separately.

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 850 to ableton

Linking the Pioneer Cdj 850 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 850 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Cdj 850 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 850 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Cdj 850 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 850 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Cdj 850 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 850 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 850, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Cdj 850.
5. Moving the physical control on your Cdj 850 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 850

With Ableton's midi mapping system, you can swiftly map your Cdj 850, however, you must be aware of a few restrictions...

Saving your Cdj 850 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 control on your Cdj 850 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 850, 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 850's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Cdj 850,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Cdj 850, 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 850 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Cdj 850 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Cdj 850 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 850.
4. Make sure that the Cdj 850 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.