Tips & Guides

Weighing DJ lessons against teaching yourself? An honest map of every way to learn to DJ, what each path costs, and which one suits you.

Rekordbox explained: what it does, Export vs Performance mode, what the free plan really includes, and which paid plan actually fits how you play.

What do DJs use to mix? A plain-English guide to controllers, CDJs, mixers, headphones, and DJ software, so you know what each piece does.

AI hot cues explained: how automatic cue point detection works, where AI beats setting cues by ear, and where it still gets tracks badly wrong.

How to prepare tracks for DJing: analyze, grid, cue, tag, gain and phrase-check every track with one repeatable checklist so your library loads gig-ready.

Serato hot cues explained: how many you get, how to set, color and name them, plus the shortcuts and the fastest way to cue a whole library.

Harmonic mixing made simple. Learn the Camelot wheel, the three compatibility rules, and how to mix in key, plus when it honestly does not matter.

What hot cues are, how they differ from memory cues, and how to set hot cues in Rekordbox, Serato, Traktor and Virtual DJ. Plus where to place all 8.

How to organise music for DJing without the chaos. Build a DJ library system with crates, tags and playlists you will actually maintain, in Rekordbox or Serato.

The best DJ gear for beginners in 2026: verified controllers, headphones and full starter setups by budget, with honest prices and what to avoid.

How to DJ for beginners, explained as a week by week plan. Learn beatmatching, cue points and phrasing in your first 30 days, gear optional to start.

A step by step home DJ setup guide: connect your controller, install the software, get sound to your speakers and cue in your headphones without the guesswork.

What rekordbox 7 CUE Analysis does, how to set it up, where it lands cues well, where it misses, plus a clear verdict on whether it's worth your prep time.

Learn how to find the drop in a song by ear and on the waveform, why the drop is a DJ's anchor point for mixing, and how it changes genre by genre.

Learn song structure for DJs: intro, build, drop, breakdown and outro, in bars and phrases, so you know exactly where to mix in and where to mix out.

Mixed In Key does two jobs: key detection and cue points. Compare the real alternatives for each, with verified prices, before you spend anything.

Memory cues are Rekordbox's navigation markers. Learn how they differ from hot cues, how to set and delete them, and a faster way to prep tracks.

Set hot cues automatically in Rekordbox and Serato. We compare 6 tools - built-in, free scripts, and paid apps - with verified pricing and honest limits.

Cue points shouldn't be random. Steal the 8-point system pro DJs use on every track, from first beat to outro, plus genre tweaks and CDJ setup.

Rekordbox hot cues explained: set, delete, color, name and export them to USB, plus how to auto-fill 8 cues per track across your whole library.