Pioneer Ddj Sb3 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Pioneer Ddj Sb3 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 Ddj Sb3 with Ableton Live, which includes how to connect, configure and midi map the Ddj Sb3.

Article Contents

Does the Pioneer Ddj Sb3 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Pioneer Ddj Sb3 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Ddj Sb3 to ableton
How to midi map the Pioneer Ddj Sb3 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Ddj Sb3
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Pioneer Ddj Sb3 work with Ableton Live?

To put it briefly, the Pioneer Ddj Sb3 is compatible with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Ddj Sb3 to multiple functions inside the program.

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 Ddj Sb3 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

You can easily create midi mappings for Ableton, allowing you to access many functions of Ableton Live with your Ddj Sb3.

Does the Pioneer Ddj Sb3 come with ableton Live included?

The Ddj Sb3 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 Ddj Sb3 to ableton

Connecting and setting up the Pioneer Ddj Sb3 with Ableton Live is a simple task, after they're connected you'll be able to adjust the software's parameters from your midi DJ controller.

1. Connect the Ddj Sb3 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Ddj Sb3 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 Sb3 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Ddj Sb3 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 Sb3 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Ddj Sb3 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 Sb3 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 Sb3, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Ddj Sb3.
5. Moving the physical control on your Ddj Sb3 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 Sb3

Ableton's midi mapping system provides a great way to quickly customize your Ddj Sb3, though it does have a few limitations to be mindful of...

Saving your Ddj Sb3 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

With a one-to-one MIDI mapping, each control on your Ddj Sb3 can only be assigned to a single parameter in Ableton Live.

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 Ddj Sb3, 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 Sb3's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Ddj Sb3,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Ddj Sb3, 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 Sb3 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Ddj Sb3 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Ddj Sb3 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 Sb3.
4. Make sure that the Ddj Sb3 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.