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

Pioneer's Ddj Ergo V is an incredibly multi-faceted midi controller and is a powerful addition to any Ableton Live setup. This midi DJ controller has a wealth of features that make it ideal for use with Ableton Live.

This tutorial will teach you everything needed in order to use the Pioneer Ddj Ergo V with Ableton Live, including the processes of linking, setting up and midi mapping the Ddj Ergo V.

Article Contents

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

Does the Pioneer Ddj Ergo V work with Ableton Live?

To sum it up, the Pioneer Ddj Ergo V is fully compatible with Ableton Live.

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

All versions of Ableton Live, Intro, Lite, standard and suite can be used in conjunction with pretty much any device which sends MIDI data, and it will work with all versions of Live such as 9, 10 and 11. As the Ddj Ergo V is a MIDI enabled device it will be fully compatible with Ableton.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Ddj Ergo V.

Does the Pioneer Ddj Ergo V come with ableton Live included?

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

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

The Ddj Ergo V 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 Ddj Ergo V 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 Ddj Ergo V, 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 V.
5. Moving the physical control on your Ddj Ergo V 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 V

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

Saving your Ddj Ergo V 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

Through a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Ddj Ergo V can only be assigned to 1 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 V, 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 V's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Ddj Ergo V,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Ddj Ergo V, 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 V in Ableton Live?

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