This short guide will show and explain how to import and analyse your music step-by-step in Rekordbox. By adding your tracks into Rekordbox will allow you to analyse them for BPM & beat grid, you can also arrange them into playlists, set hot cues, loops and so much more. Once imported, you will then be able to export them to a USB that can be used on standalone Pioneer controllers such as the RX3 or CDJ players such as the 3000s.
If you are unsure about exporting you can follow our guide: How to transfer music to USB from Rekordbox. and if you need help formatting your USB you can follow: How to format a USB for Rekordbox, CDJs & controllers.
Importing tracks in Rekordbox
- go to file
- go to import
- choose import track (or Folder if you want to import a folder, or Playlist if your want to import a .m3u or .pls playlist)
- A file dialog will appear where you can choose the location of your music file
- select to your file, Folder or playlist and click Open
- The tracks are now analyzed (progress bar: bottom screen). If done, album art and waveform will appear.
We also have another method of doing the same thing, this is the method i use the most. You can drag and drop files straight from Explorer in windows or Finder in MAC, directly into Rekordbox.
- Select the right playlist or create one in Rekordbox (this can save time later)
- Navigate to the file in Finder/Explorer.
- Make sure one or more files in Finder/Explorer are selected
- Click (hold the mouse button down) and drag them to the area with all the songs in Rekordbox
- Release the mouse button
- The tracks are now analyzed (progress bar: bottom screen). If done, album art and waveform will appear.
Analyzing songs in Rekordbox
Rekordbox can analyze tracks manually of automatically when importing. What is analyzed?
• Beatgrid and BPM (optional)
• Key of a song (optional)
• Phrase (optional)
You can analyze tracks dynamic or normal. With a normal analysation Rekordbox assumes a constant rhythm throughout the whole track of 128BPM for example. A normal analyzation is a static analyzation. With a dynamic analysation Rekordbox tries also to detect changes in tempo. Static analyzation is quicker than dynamic. For most EDM songs static analyzation is enough.
By default when you import a song is automatically analysed. If that doesn’t happen, or you want to switch that off in the Rekordbox Preferences: Rekordbox > Preferences > Analysis).
Here inn the preference screen you can also set what you want be analysed (BPM, key, phrase). You can also choose if the default analyzation mode is: normal or dynamic. When you want to analyse phrases (like intro, outro, chorus, etc…), make sure to check the phrase checkboxes in the preferences screen: Rekordbox > Preferences > View)
Analyzing songs manually in Rekordbox
- Right click on the song you want to analyze.
- Choose Analyze track
- Choose what you want to analyze
- Click OK
Let Rekordbox analyze tracks on USB
So what if your tracks are already on your USB drive and are not prepared by Rekordbox? You will need to import the files into Rekordbox first before you can analyse and export them again (to your USB drive).
Its best to gather all your music files in one folder on your computer’s storage drive. USB drives can be unreliable, and easy to lose. If you backup your computer regularly, as you should, your music is also backed up.