Rekordbox 7 Released - Is It Any Good?

Rekordbox users will be pleased to hear that Alpha Theta finally released rekordbox v7.0 on the 14th of May 2024!

Their latest version of this powerful piece of DJ software includes several exciting upgrades - including improved performance, a completely refreshed user interface, improved browsing, intelligent cue creation, new layouts, and a bunch of new integrations.

I've been trying out the new version, and I'm pretty impressed, although there are some new inconveniences. 

In this article, I'm going to share all the important info about the new features in rekordbox 7 and help you work out if it's worth paying for the upgrade. 

TL;DR - Rekordbox 7 Update Overview#

Here are the main new upgrades added in rekordbox ver 7.0.0:

• Improved Performance: A 56% reduction in CPU processing load and 38% lower power consumption.

• Updated GUI: Refreshed design with better usability, sharper graphics and a new color scheme.

• Enhanced Browsing: Media Browser, improved streaming service integration, and Collection Filter.

• Intelligent Cue Creation: Automatic Hot and Memory Cue points setup.

• Dual Player Layout: Simultaneous control of two tracks.

• Collaborative Playlists: Share playlists with metadata.

• Software Learning and Automation: Collection Radar and Streaming Radar to discover new tracks.

rekordbox v7 - In Detail#

rekordbox v7 has been on my radar since the beta announcement in February earlier this year. At the time it didn't seem like a huge change - but looking at all the new features and updates, it's bigger than I first thought. 

This update brings a range of enhancements to improve both functionality and user experience for DJs. As you will see, many of the new upgrades focus on improving the performance and making rekordbox look and feel smoother - making for better interaction all around. 

It feels a bit more modernized and contemporary - where the previous version did feel a little bit dated. It's a bit of a mix of quality-of-life upgrades, new features, and a general refresh to the software. 

Overall, I'm happy with this update, but...

It introduces a few new paywalls, which weren't present in the previous version. This basically means that you can't really use rekordbox 7 unless you're going to pay for a subscription. You can try it out with a 30 day trial, but after this many features (including DJ equipment support and intelligent hot cues) will be restricted, basically making it pointless. 

Don't be like me, and rush to delete your old install of rekordbox, because you may find yourself wanting to go back. 

That said, it's still impressive, so let's have a look at the new features in detail...

Intelligent Cue Point Creation#

One of the most exciting new features in Rekordbox 7.0 is the Intelligent Cue Creation. Annoyingly this is locked behind the rekordbox 'Core' subscription, costing about $20 a month. 

This feature analyzes tracks and automatically places hot cue markers at the most important sections of a track. I found that it's pretty accurate, and placed markers typically at the end of the intro, and before drops and outros. 

Although, it isn't perfect, and sometimes it did add weird cue point markers to my tracks, even though the best places seemed obvious to me. You can see in the image below how it made a couple of pointless cues right at the start of a track. 

To activate this feature, simply right-click a track in the library and select Analyze > CUE(auto). You will need to enable this in the analysis section of the settings. 

Users can customize this feature in the Analysis tab of the preferences panel, allowing control over factors such as whether it overwrites existing cues, the duration of 'phrase cues', and the types of cues set.

This feature is particularly useful for DJs experimenting with new music, providing a streamlined way to set cues. However, due to the analysis time, it is best used during preparation rather than live performances.

I find that cue points are generally quite a personal placement - so this isn't a huge feature for me, but I see the benefits of it being able to quickly scan your music library and add memory cues to your own collection. 

Although to be honest, I think this feature is still a little bit buggy, and I won't be using it. (Sorry...)

Cue points are a vital part of DJing - Learn how to Use Cue Points Like A Master DJ!

UI, Performance, and Browser Upgrades#

One of the most noticeable improvements is a total refresh of the UI, and boosted performance. 

Performance

rekordbox claims that v7 now has a 56% reduction in CPU load, and a 38% decrease in energy start-up consumption. This basically means that it runs more efficiently, and burns less power - so your batteries will last longer. I haven't been able to put this battery drain to the test yet, but I'll keep you posted.  

This vastly improved processing load is pretty noticeable, and the app did feel a lot quicker and more responsive to me. Particularly when I was importing and analysing more music. 

User Interface

More excitingly the user interface has had a bit of a rehaul. I think this was much needed, and I really like the way it looks now. 

It isn't completely unrecognizable - most things are in the same place, but it just feels a lot more professional and refined. The text looks a lot sharper, the UI is generally a lot cleaner and tidier, and the graphics just pop a bit more. It looks a but tastier and more exciting, while older versions did have some graphical griminess to it that made it look a bit cheap.  

Some things have moved around a little bit, like the DJ effects unit options for CFX and the main effects are now combined, but it doesn't change how your DJ controller interacts with these choices. 

Improved Media Browser

Connected to this UI update, is the improved media browser. 

You now get some clear indication of which tracks in your library are compatible with the currently loaded tracks. This makes harmonic mixing much easier, as you can instantly see whether a track has a compatible key or not.

The file and folder browsing system now looks more modern, and is a lot easier and smarter to navigate. The new icons give a bit more visibility to the various tabs, libraries, and integrations. So you can easily find the folder or service you want to use. It has all the same streaming service options as before, but now everything looks a bit tidier and easier to navigate. 

Updated Preferences Panel#

The preferences panel has been completely updated - finally... The old version was pretty ugly, but now I think it looks nice and modern. 

There are a bunch of new settings that I won't go into here, but some exciting ones include giving some controls over how the display text looks, and improved cloud controls. 

Collection Radar & Streaming Radar#

The other most notable additions are the Collection Radar and Streaming Radar, which are completely new track suggestion features in rekordbox.

These connect with rekordbox's integrated streaming services like Beatport, Tidal, and Soundcloud, to suggest new songs for you to play based on the track you're currently spinning.

They base this suggestion using AI to find songs that other DJs commonly play after the track you're playing. You can also filter these with other information like key, BPM, and mood.

This is a neat feature to maximize your use of AI and cloud DJing, although I think it has limited use if you're the type of DJ who is more planned in your setlist building.

New Export Mode Layout#

For fans of Rekordbox's Export Mode, you now have a new layout to prepare your tracks for USB and hardware. The Dual Player mode helps to keep your workflow rolling by letting you prep multiple tracks at the same time.

Additional rekordbox 7 Improvements#

I think I covered the most exciting stuff, but here are some of the other new things you might be interested in!

1. Native Apple Silicon Support - Improved performance and efficiency on newer Mac devices without relying on Rosetta 2.

2. Dual Player Mode in Export Mode - Allows preparation of multiple tracks simultaneously, enhancing workflow efficiency.

3. Enhanced Audio and Visual Performance - Improved waveform rendering and audio threading reduce overall sluggishness and enhance live performance experience​.

4. New Layout Options - Introduction of new layouts like Dual Player mode provides more flexibility in organizing and viewing tracks​.

5. Streaming Service Enhancements - New preview player and improved browsing function for streaming services like Beatport, Tidal, and SoundCloud​.

6. Improved Track Suggestion Algorithms - Collection Radar and Streaming Radar use AI to suggest tracks based on key, BPM, and mood​.

7. Automatic Analysis Function for Cue Points - Generates intelligent cue points, helping DJs quickly prepare their tracks​.

8. New Playlist Display Options - Introduces new playlist display functions, including a column view, which improves organization of track libraries.

How To Get rekordbox 7#

You can download rekordbox 7 from the official site: https://rekordbox.com/en/download/

DJ.Studio & rekordbox 7 Integration#

We're big fans of rekordbox here at DJ.Studio, so we've built in a bunch of powerful features to seamlessly integrate our software with rekordbox. DJ.Studio is the perfect companion for rekordbox, and gives DJs new powers for experimenting and preparing their set.

Here are the most notable DJ.Studio x rekordbox features:

• Library Sync - You can connect your rekordbox library to DJ.Studio, letting you easily browse your playlists, import tracks, and use the phrase analysis created by rekordbox.

• Export DJ Set - Prepare your mix in DJ.Studio using the harmonic automixer and powerful timeline editor, then export it to rekordbox. This includes all the track information and ordering, and it even generates hot cues to indicate when, where, and how to perform your transitions using your controller. Watch the video above to see this in action.

• Export M3U - DJ.Studio can export M3U files, which can be sent into rekordbox to rebuild your prepared mix as an ordered playlist.

• Beatport Streaming Export - You can use Beatport Streaming in DJ.Studio to experiment with songs and craft your mix. Then you can export it to rekordbox's Beatport Streaming integration to mix live, without buying a track!

These are just some of the neatest features offered with the rekordbox and DJ.Studio integration, so explore the rest of this website to find out more details.

Finally...#

That's my analysis of the latest features released in rekordbox v7. Note, that this may not be a complete review and more features may be added later. You can find out more on the rekordbox website rekordbox V7 Press Release.

This should bring even more functionality to the already powerful DJ.Studio and rekordbox hybrid studio/live workflow!

Try this collaboration yourself with the DJ.Studio free 14-day trial.