Best workflow for Prime -> Rekordbox?

I just bought an SC5000 for the home cuz it’s twice the machine as a CDJ for half the price. Easy choice! But I’m getting a little lost in all the libraries and conversion tools.

So: What’s the best approach to using my Prime machine at home, but having my USB ready when I go out to play a gig (on CDJs)?

One thing I tried that I thought should work was:

  1. maintain the rekordbox library w/ rekordbox and my USB
  2. use the SC5000 to convert the library to Engine Prime
  3. use Engine Prime software to do full analysis.

This sort of works, but as soon as I add a track again via rekordbox and plug into the machine, it re-imports everything and I lose all my EP cues and loops.

I thought I might be able to do it by connecting my (exported XML) rekordbox library through the EP software, but as far as I can tell when I got export I now get two copies of all of my tracks on my USB. Not great!

Any advice here? I know I probably won’t get full cues/loops transferred successfully between the two libraries, but anything is better than the solution I have now which is just to maintain the two libraries separately, on separate USBs :slightly_frowning_face:

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You will have to use a third party software called Denon DJ conversion tool to achieve the goal of keep the cues set in Engine Prime (or the players).

https://sellfy.com/p/Y06n/

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Thanks VesNL!

I’ve looked into the conversion utility and it seems like it only works one way: Rekordbox -> Denon. That’s a problem if I’m trying to prepare tracks on my Denon, set up cues and loops etc. Is there currently any way to go the other way? Prepare tracks for Denon but convert to rekordbox?

That would be a question for Rekordbox.

Denon has made it possible to use Rekordbox usb’s on their units And even import Rekordbox libraries.

If you want to use tracks prepared in Engine, in Rekordbox… Then Rekordbox will need to make that happen. Not Denon.

I think that’s generally fair, but given Denon’s deep interest in making inroads into today’s DJs, it’s absolutely in their interest to solve this. If the best flow Denon can offer today for a DJ who owns Denon gear is to prepare everything on the computer in Rekordbox first then convert that to play on the SC5000 … it’s a pretty bad and limiting experience.

Setting loops and hot cues on the SC5000? Cool! Except when you get that next gig at a club that has CDJs (… every club) you can’t use those new hot cues or loops. :man_shrugging:

Right now if you’re “all in” on the Prime ecosystem, you’re screwed when it comes time to play out. That’s bad for business and I think is the largest friction point right now for working DJs using Denon. I’m super convinced by Denon DJ here that they have the best hardware by a mile, and I’m an advocate for it among my friends. But it’s not really tenable unless you can somewhat easily take your home USB and make it club-ready.

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I honestly think that you look at it from the wrong perspective - not saying that I dont understand you…

But I see it more like Denon saying: “Ok, we want more Pioneer djs, to switch from Pioneer to Denon - to make this happen, we will make it possible for them to keep using their Rekordbox-prepped usb’s on our units - or even convert their full library to Engine Prime”

The workaround, if you really have to keep using Pioneer, would be to do all your work in Rekordbox and just use the Rekordbox usb’s on the units. Then you wouldnt even have to use Engine Prime.

But Denon cant open for ‘connectability’ inside Rekordbox or cdjs, only inside their own firmware / hardware.

Oh yeah for sure they can only do what they can with their own hardware, but they should absolutely put time/money into creating a software solution here, to create a Rekordbox USB from an Engine Prime library.

The thing is, the people who “really have to keep using Pioneer” is every DJ who ever plays out. That’s a lot of people who are required to never use Engine Prime to prepare their tracks. Not a good look for Denon imo

As I said, I understand well what you mean …

But let’s assume that Rekordbox uses one kind of code in their software, Denon uses another one … (It’s just an assumption)

Denon then finds an opportunity to “read” Rekordbox USBs - but as you may know, you can’t “write” to Rekordbox USBs - perhaps because Rekordbox will not share that part of the code, with Denon .

Then it does not matter how much time and how much money Denon throws after the development for this - It will ultimately be a collaboration that must happen between Rekordbox and Denon to make this possible.

And since Denon is going after marketshares from Pioneer, I don’t think it’s going to happen for a looong time.

So if you absolutely need to use Pioneer / Rekordbox, then you are better off using either iTunes or Rekordbox as the “main library”, and from there possibly make an extra USB as backup or whatever you want to call it, by importing the Rekordbox library into Engine Prime.

So you have one USB for Rekordbox use and one clone for Engine Prime / Denon.

(Sidenote: That’s why I use iTunes as my main library - from here I can easily import my playlists to Serato, Rekordbox, VDJ and Engine Prime and still make sure that everyone is exactly the same. (except for the hotcues and loops I´m creating on-the-fly or in the specific programs))

(All of this is just assumptions)

FWIW Rekord Buddy provides a decent workflow for syncing between traktor/serato/rekordbox. It’s true that it doesn’t write rekordbox USB data directly, but the workflow is there for syncing. The dev says Engine Prime support is coming in the next version, which seems like it will be the best route forward. https://next.audio/

Also FWIW I don’t think you understand what I mean. The question is how should the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of DJs who have to be prepared to play on Pioneer CDJs manage using Denon gear at home. The answer today is very unsatisfactory and makes it impossible to use a lot of the great features of the Denon system in a way that will be useful when it comes time to play on a CDJ.

You keep acting like people “absolutely needing to use Pioneer / Rekordbox” is some small market, when in fact it is the vast majority of the market.

Then I think you should read my answer again. What I say, is that if you need to use Pioneer then the best solution…etc etc… I’m at no point stating that its a small market. I know its the majority… That doesnt change the fact that Denon cant do anything to make Pioneer product read Engine Prime Usb’s, if not Pioneer will make it possible.

So yes I do understand you.

No you’re missing my point which is that Denon should provide a workflow for this issue. That doesn’t mean same USB works in both with no other work by the user, doesn’t mean some magic thing where CDJs read Engine Prime USBs, just some good pathway for Denon users to use CDJs in a club environment that doesn’t rely on Rekordbox being the source of truth for grids, cues, loops etc.

Anyway, we’re talking past each other. Hope you have a good fall!

I think we are :slightly_smiling_face:

Good fall to you as well.

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Same to me: 1500 tracks prepared on Engine. Impossible to use in rekordbox or cdj. No way. Solution: buy a second usb stick and spend a full weekend on rekordbox preparation (again)! Move to your gig with the correct one… Decu is not able to convert Engine to Rekordbox. Hope it will change. Quickly.

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The best solution would be for Denon to create a reason for people to never use rekordbox…which hopefully they’re doing with the software they’re working on :slight_smile:

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Hello, After spending time on the web and making a lot of tests, I finally decided to fully recreate my library on Rekordbox. I own around 1600 tracks and it’s already prepared on Engine, but I can’t use this work on CDJ… I started yesterday night and I plan to prepare around 50 tracks per day into Rekkordbox to make all my library for the end of the year. It’s a massive work, and it’s very boring. But it’s the only way to have one USB stick ready for both world. So, my advise for Denon newcomer: Don’t do like me: Keep Rekordbox as your main track library manager! It’s the only way to be ready for both world…

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Yep that’s what it comes down to isn’t it. So sorry you have to go through the entire process again!! What a drag.

Yeah it’s ridiculous!! Doesn’t Denon know most people in industry are on pioneer/ RB? If they want folks to use their platform then there’s gotta be some back and forth mobility. But if all we have is “hey you can bring your library from RB to prime, but can’t go the other way” whats the point? Seriously I like my device but I’m getting industry standard on next purchase if they can’t figure this out it ■■■■■!

Have you ever thought that the buck stops with Pioneer on this, and its Pioneer who aren’t interested in integrating Engine (or any other) library with their software?

Its ironic that you’re decision is to move to the company who are causing this restriction.

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We’re quite happy to help with the “forth” aspect. If we can give Rekordbox users an opportunity to try / use our products, that makes sense.

However on the “back” side of things, there are several practical hurdles which make things rather sticky. Notably - in order for this to happen, we would have to write into the rekordbox database. This is a huge risky responsibility to take on. Even if we do everything perfectly, the rekordbox database could still be malformed, and our writing to it could make it worse, possibly corrupting it. The Rekordbox desktop collection database is also proprietary, with no actual documentation, making this effort even more difficult.

At the end of the day, Denon DJ would rather take the time and energy to continue to make our products better with new features rather than spend the effort on this.

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