Preparing a USB stick for Rekordbox and CDJ

Step by step

1. Analyse your tracks so that beatgrid, BPM and waveform are available. 2. Set cues and create playlists for the evening. 3. Format the stick with a suitable file system; FAT32 and exFAT are common, and your player's manual lists the supported ones. 4. Export the playlists to the stick in Rekordbox's export mode. 5. Eject the stick safely and, if you can, plug it into the player once at home.

What to look out for

Use file formats that your player reads (see Bitrate). Keep the names tidy, check the files for errors beforehand (clipping and defects), and bring a second stick as a spare. FAT32 cannot store files over 4 GB. Use good-quality sticks, because cheap ones lose data faster under heat or continuous load.

What Sonodex does not replace

Whether a stick works on a particular player depends on the model and firmware. Try it out beforehand if you can, and ask the organisers about the equipment.

In practice: checklist before the gig

Do you have all the tracks you want to play? Are the playlists complete in the export? Are cues and grids right? Is there a second stick in your rucksack? Does the stick open on a computer, and do the folders make sense? These questions help you avoid the most common mishaps.

Note which format you wrote to which stick, and regenerate it after larger changes to the library instead of adding individual files.

Related terms

Frequently asked questions