IndustryStandard
Re: Rekordbox
They give you so many ways to pay its almost not obvious most Pioneer users can use it for free even in Performance Mode if you bought most DDJ controller/XDJ all in one equipment after 2017. I know people who started paying to subscribe and I’ve shown them how they didn’t need to. They ram the subscription options down everyones throats up front some just say yes/next/card details etc.
Things I’ve done with Rekordbox include
FREE FEATURES
- Making USB sticks for CDJs - Export mode
- Adding a hot cue at the first major drop (so I can quickly judge in headphones whether to cue or try a different track)
- Adding custom tags that mean something to me like like Ritual Beats, Beach, Vocal, Anthemic, Sentimental, Intelligent Intro, Opener, Closer, Dramatic
- Automatic loops (if a track is short or I want to layer - a loop can kick in without me pressing anything when it gets to that part in the track and the track will go on forever until mixed out)
- Editing colours of tracks for mood (I don’t do this now, instead only use #3)
- DJ’d long sets with laptop open in in Export Mode (Macbook off to the side connected to any model CDJ-2000 nexus 1 onwards, or any XDJ). Sometimes its handy to be able to type into your library and click things when playing 8hrs instead of relying on USB menus on smaller screens
- Edit beatgrids so that the Cue button is definitely on the first beat when first importing
- iTunes can port in (even if its called Music on new Macbook software they still call it iTunes)
- After getting home from a performance, plug the USB back into rekordbox on the macbook. A History entry will be generated in Rekordbox called the date you opened rekordbox. I right click on that history and click “Turn the History into a Playlist” naming it the event i.e. Live @ Early Doors Club 18/2. I do this so that in future sets when I hear a track in my head that would work right now and can remember where I last played it but don’t remember the name of the track if its new… I can still get it ( ha.. brain 🖕)
- I have my inFlyte connected so that promos from Producers/Labels come straight into rekordbox now. I can test the tracks at home and approve/download if I want them or feedback. I don’t know when this appeared its not that new but I’ve only just started to use this instead of web browser.
- Have the laptop connected to the XDJ-XZ off to the side to record my sets. (I wonder if you can do this with a Pio mixer as I use a wired in Tascam at events?). The XZ can record to a USB stick but the quality is only OK instead of great.
- Down the left under DEVICES if you click on your USB stick you can customise it’s name and colour. So if you go for a Green or Red or Yellow etc you lower the risk of a different DJ pulling out the wrong stick and your menus appear quite obviously in that colour on CDJs as well. You can name the USB your name too and the CDJ will say it. Very few DJs seem to know about this and its handy for everyone
- You can edit MySettings (Export Mode - Preferences - DJ System - Mysettings) so all CDJs appear to have the same settings you like
i.e.
- 6/10/16/wide tempo
-Master Tempo On
- CDJ wheel/screen brightness
- What extra info comes up on the screen
- Load Lock / Eject Lock on
- Auto Cue On, Quantise On
- CDJ-3000 jogwheel screen settings (artwork only, or BPM / waveform too)
- On Air Display (playing CDJ wheel turns red)
This makes you feel like every CDJ you play on is just like yours at home if you press Menu - LOAD on a stopped deck with your USB in / linked. Stops DJs handing over and squinting at 10 settings so they can just focus on the music.
PERFORMANCE MODE FEATURES
Either subscription, or most DDJ / new CDJ hardware unlocks it
- DJ in performance mode on controllers, with 4 channels, Sampler, FX
- DJ with DVS vinyl - play MP3s/Wavs etc controlled by Turntables (activated free if you buy a DDJ-XP1, XP2 or its a monthly subscription)
- DJ with synchronised DMX Lighting (activated free if you buy the RB-DMX1)
- DJ with Streaming (Beatport Link, Soundcloud Go, Tidal)
To do the streaming side you still have to use rekordbox in performance mode IIRC. Although they are making some inroads with CDJ-3000 and XDJ-RX3 / Opus Quad its not as complete as Denon is yet - they seem to be taking far too long on that to just give everybody everything Denon did in like 2018. If you want to stream you need to be sure what you are DJing on vs if it unlocks Performance Mode. One good thing about it is on Beatport Link you can get an “offline locker” of 50 or 100 tracks so you don’t need to be connected to the internet for your favourite streaming AFAIK.
Tidal offline locker is coming but hasn’t yet (they have just launched it on DJay PRO) - Tidal was great for corporate events/weddings even tethered to my mobile phone’s 4G when I did some of those but I only used it for weird requests or to find unusual background music playlists.
When I started writing this it was short, I don’t know what just happened (applying for jobs at Pioneer tonight). Hopefully useful to others!
