- Pioneer's rekordbox is a software for cataloguing, analysing and exporting digital music for use in their industry-standard CDJs. It was originally coded by the French company Mixvibes, but version 4.0 sees Pioneer take it back in-house. They've also added optional rekordbox DJ performance software for $129 or a $9 per month subscription. Alongside rekordbox DJ, Pioneer have announced a new flagship hardware unit: the DDJ-RZ.
As well as being a comprehensive controller, the DDJ-RZ is a four-channel mixer. Without a laptop, its four inputs—two with both phono amps and line inputs and two with simply line-ins—can be used standalone, along with the Sound Color FX familiar to DJM users. With a mic input, adjustable crossfader and XLR and balanced booth outputs, you're buying a fairly comprehensive mixer. Due to the size of the unit, you'd imagine this is to tempt any club or bar looking for an install controller. The dual USB B ports for easy mixing between two laptops add to this theory.
Elsewhere on the RZ, the jogs are borrowed directly from the CDJ-2000NXS, so expect full-size and high quality, with the same on-jog display, feel adjustments and visual read-out. Although familiarity is important for both new users and those who choose to practice on the RZ at home, I found Pioneer missed a trick by directly duplicating the CDJ on this screen. Fundamental information like BPM and tempo percentage would have been a nice addition, perhaps offering the ability to switch out traditional CDJ display for those who don't scratch. Of course the software shows this information, but I feel controllers are designed to alleviate the use of a laptop screen. The touchstrip also made the transition from CDJs, and the play and cue buttons feel exactly the same. The whole controller feels extremely sturdy and professional, as you'd expect at a weight of over 10 kilograms. Effects controls per deck, including a RMX-500-style kill switch, and browse functions make up the rest of the top section.
One of the best things about the RZ is its sound. The Wolfson converters from the 2000s are present here, and the depth is fantastic – it's night and day between it and other controllers and DJ soundcards I tested it against. But all that quality sound would mean nothing if the software driving it didn't deliver. Serato users will feel more at home with rekordbox DJ than users of other major DJ software. In fact, the DDJ-RZ is almost a mirror image of the DDJ-SZ, Pioneer's Serato controller released in 2014. Initially, the GUI feels very busy. The browser font is small (though this is adjustable) and the 2Decks Horizontal view is very cramped, so you're likely to opt for the Vertical view—again, similar to Serato. Your rekordbox library is transferred as expected, so any current users will instantly be familiar with folder structure and the process of loading tracks. You're unlikely to run into any hurdles the first time you use rekordbox DJ. The Pad FX are a lot of fun—hold down a pad and the effect is active, let go and it's released with a post-fader tail-off for any spatial effects, though this is also adjustable.
The pads on the DDJ can also be used for up to eight Hot Cues per track, beat-jumping to a predetermined, quantised length and a slicer mode. Slicer is similar to Traktor's Freeze—you can re-trigger and loop any transient by holding down the button. Unlike Freeze, though, the slicer is always running in the background, and once the current bar finishes, the next one is automatically selected and its transients are automatically sliced. As it also operates in slip mode and is synced to the nearest beat, it makes it very difficult to make a mistake, which makes for a fun performance option.
recordbox DJ stands out in its sampling and sequencing functions. The sampler allows you to capture the current loop onto a pad, load a sample from the browser (which can be a full track) or capture the current slices from the Slicer and lay each transient across the eight pads. This is a much more efficient way of re-triggering samples on the fly than any other major DJ software, but it doesn't end there—you can record these performances as patterns to either loop on the fly or save for later. With four banks of eight slots per deck, it's a fairly comprehensive addition, though I do wish you could record and sequence everything, including Pad FX and Hot Cues. On the DDJ, the Sampler has its own dedicated channel and can be routed to the Sound Color FX separately, but if you're using a soundcard you can route it and any other deck individually to any output you want.
However, without global MIDI mapping support, these pad features are only accessible to users with compatible hardware. DJs who like the look of rekordbox DJ can't just plug in their controller and map it manually. Any DJ who uses rekordbox to catalogue their music for USB or SD but likes the idea of recording mixes and practicing using the same software will have to invest in a compatible hardware unit.
It would make sense for a new DJ to adopt rekordbox DJ over its competitors. Even if users ended up ditching the laptop in the club, they wouldn't have to reorganise their music and would be instantly familiar with the Pioneer style. rekordbox DJ is simple, and that could be what makes it successful. As other software moves toward more elaborate performance functions, there are still a huge number of DJs out there who simply want to mix two tracks together using high-quality effects and software that has widespread industry support. It's unlikely any current rekordbox users are going to move to laptop DJing because of rekordbox DJ, but Pioneer have consolidated their libraries for practicing at home and recording mixes with a very well thought-out piece of software. Vitally, any cue and loop points created in rekordbox DJ are intact when exporting to a device from rekordbox. For new users who want a cheaper route to CDJs, it's an appealing option. Setting aside issues like not being able to switch to Performance mode when you're exporting and the lack of MIDI mapping, Pioneer have started their new venture well. With DVS control and extra effects coming soon (though not for free), it's one to keep an eye on. If you're ready to invest in rekordbox DJ now, the DDJ is clearly the best controller option. It may lack the large display we've come to expect from the likes of NI and Numark, but it's the most immediate and instinctive controller I've used.
Ratings:
DDJ-RZ
Sound: 4.8
Cost: 3.1
Versatility: 4.0
Build: 4.0
Ease of use: 4.0
rekordbox DJ
Cost: 3.0
Versatility: 3.8
Ease of use: 4.3