Pioneer Ddj Ergo Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Ddj Ergo from Pioneer is an incredibly versatile midi DJ controller and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

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

Article Contents

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

Does the Pioneer Ddj Ergo work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Pioneer Ddj Ergo 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 Ddj Ergo to a variety of functions.

Any edition of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, will be compatible with any device that transmits MIDI data. This works for all editions of Live, for instance 9, 10, and 11. As the Ddj Ergo is a MIDI enabled device, it will work with Ableton Live.

You can create your own Ableton midi mappings with ease, giving you the power to control many of the features of Ableton Live with your Ddj Ergo.

Does the Pioneer Ddj Ergo come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite isn't included with the Ddj Ergo, so this must be bought 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.

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 Ddj Ergo to ableton

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

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

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Ddj Ergo, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Ddj Ergo 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

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

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode is unfortunately missing many control options. Options such as selected track and selected device control aren’t possible using this method. You can see a list of all available Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

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

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