Where to store music when using club CDJ’s?
I’ve been considering trying out to DJ in clubs using their CDJs and I have a question. What do you guys think is the best way to store your music? Is it usb stick or laptop or something else? Also, if you use one USB stick, can two CDJs use the tracks from it or do you need a copy?
Thanks in advance and sorry if the questions are too basic or something.
Depends on the gear they have in the club.
Older CDJ’s will mean having your music on CD rather than USB. Or you will need your PC and some software, and timecodes. Newer ones you may be okay with USB sticks, but some of the less professional grade stuff will require a drive for each deck.
To be honest, if you dont know your tech good enough to already know the answer to these questions, your probably not ready to play in a club yet.
You can beatmatch by ear right? Without the sync button?
CDJ-900, CDJ-2000 and CDJ-2000 nexus are the only decks that have the link feature. The CDJ-400 and CDJ-850 will read USB drives, but you need one for each player. Everything else requires CD’s.
I prefer to have the original BPM written down to have an approximation, but I can, yeah.
And obviously, I’d do my research about a club’s equipment if I decided to have a gig there, I just wanted to have some general knowledge about it cos I feel it’d be more convenient to use the club’s equipment rather than a controller.
Thank you both.
If I were you I would use multiple media to cover all cases, CDRs, memory sticks, SD cards, just in case. With some duplicates, too. Memory sticks and SD cards are dirt cheap, anyway.
^^^ This
I play at a club where they provide brand new CDJ2000 Nexus decks (Avalon in Hollywood, CA). However, the mixers get moved around from room to room.
I’ve had times where I played on a DJM900 Nexus and other times where I played on a DJM800 (pretty standard in clubs in LA).
I usually forego the laptop and bring two USBs for each deck - analyzed in Rekordbox with all of my cue points and hot cues set before I arrive at the venue. But things do go wrong…
This past week, the USB cards weren’t reading and I had to resort to my trusty CD wallet and just spin my set the old fashioned way. For clubs, get used to spinning on all formats…it can be a lifesaver and save you from a train wreck or not getting invited back to play.
If you are using USBs always bring 2 (Even if playing off 900s, 2000s) I have 2 which have identical content. Why? Because 99% of the time I play out the link cables don’t work!
I rarely ever use CDs any more because I find most clubs in my area have decks with USBs
And run everything through rekordbox!
Cheers, guys!
yeah its always good to have a backup, I roll with 2 usbs and a book of cds just in case
I have my music on a 500gb Lacie 3,5 inch drive. Got some extra thumbdrives as backup and my old CD wallet.
-epikeddie-
getting off topic, but I live in the valley and would love to see you at the avalon, I go from time to time when they have headliners coming to LA 
We’re playing on the 16th if you want to check us out! Robbie Rivera is headlining.
We also got a couple of gigs at Exchange LA, Yost Theater, and Sutra OC coming up!!! Schedule has been crazy!!!