A club media player: it plays tracks prepared in rekordbox from a USB stick or SD card. You'll find it in many clubs, so it makes sense to start here.
3D: «Pioneer Cdj 3000», «Pioneer CDJ 3000 Pioneer DJM A9» — MaxTht · sketchfab.com · CC BY 4.0
Touch displayTouch screen9-inch touch screen: track list, waveform, BPM, key, time and a countdown in bars to the next cue.
You scroll and load tracks with a tap, and while playing you watch the waveform and count the bars to the spot you need. Tapping the overview waveform while paused moves playback to that point.
Mentor tip: Don't just look at BPM: if the key shows green, the track is a harmonic match for the track on the master player.
SOURCE / BROWSE / TAG LIST / PLAYLIST / SEARCH / MENU/UTILITYNavigation buttonsSwitch the screen: SOURCE picks the media, BROWSE shows categories and folders, TAG LIST shows the tracks you set aside, PLAYLIST shows playlists, SEARCH finds tracks. Hold MENU/UTILITY to open the player settings.
Before your set, press SOURCE and pick your USB stick, then work from PLAYLIST — that's where everything you prepared in rekordbox lives.
Mentor tip: Build your playlists at home: in the club there's no time to dig through a folder called “New (3)”.
Rotary selector / BACKRotary selector and BACKTurn the rotary selector to move the cursor through the list; press it to open a folder or load a track. BACK goes up one level (hold it to jump to the top).
Turn to pick a track, press to load it. On the waveform screen, holding the rotary selector switches between waveform zoom and beatgrid adjustment.
Mentor tip: Never load a track onto the player that's on air: first make sure its channel on the mixer is closed.
TAG TRACK/REMOVETag a trackAdds the selected track to the TAG LIST — a short “play later” list (up to 100 tracks per media). Hold to remove a track from the list.
While one track plays, tag 3–5 candidates for the next one, then choose from that short list instead of your whole library.
Mentor tip: Other players on the PRO DJ LINK network can see your Tag List — handy for suggesting a track to your partner in a B2B.
TRACK FILTER/EDITTrack filterNarrows the track list by BPM (a range of up to 6%), compatible key, rating, color or rekordbox My Tag. Hold to set the filter conditions.
In the settings, press MASTER PLAYER — the filter takes the BPM and key of the playing track, and only matching tracks stay in the list.
Mentor tip: The filter only works with a rekordbox library — one more reason to export your USB stick properly.
SHORTCUTQuick settingsOpens the quick settings screen: Beat Jump and Quantize step, hot cue auto load, waveform color, brightness, and saving and loading My Settings.
When you get to the club, use SHORTCUT to load your own settings from your USB stick (MY SETTINGS LOAD), and the player behaves just like at home.
Mentor tip: The 3 BAND waveform color shows lows, mids and highs in different colors — it's easier to see where the kick is and where the vocal is.
USB / SD / USB STOPUSB port, SD slot and USB STOPThis is where you insert a USB stick or SD card with tracks exported from rekordbox. The USB STOP button safely disconnects the USB stick.
When your set is over, hold USB STOP until the indicator stops flashing, and only then pull out the stick.
Mentor tip: Always carry two USB sticks with the same export: sticks fail at the worst possible moment.
TIME MODE/AUTO CUETime mode and Auto CuePress to switch the time display between elapsed and remaining. Hold to turn on Auto Cue — the cue is set right before the first sound of the track, skipping the silence.
Most DJs keep it on remaining time (REMAIN) so they can see how long until the track ends.
Mentor tip: If a track loads and you get a couple of seconds of silence after PLAY, turn on Auto Cue.
DIRECTION FWD, REV, SLIP REVPlay directionA lever: FWD plays forward, REV plays backward, SLIP REV is a reverse after which the track returns to where it would have been.
A short 1–2 beat SLIP REV before a drop is a flashy and safe trick.
Mentor tip: Plain REV without Slip knocks the track out of phase — you'll have to beatmatch again afterwards.
SEARCH / TRACK SEARCHSearch and track searchSEARCH scans forward or back while you hold it. TRACK SEARCH jumps to the start of this track or the next one in the list.
When paused, SEARCH moves the track in small steps — handy for setting a precise cue.
Mentor tip: Need to go fast? Hold SEARCH and turn the jog wheel — scanning gets several times faster.
CUECueWhen paused, sets a cue at the current point. While playing, returns to the cue and stops the track; if you hold it, the track plays from the cue for as long as you hold.
The classic: cue on the first beat, hold CUE and start the track in time with the one playing, then press PLAY and release CUE.
Mentor tip: CUE on a playing track means stopping it on air. Keep your hands off the CUE button of the player the room is hearing.
PLAY/PAUSEPlay / pauseStarts and stops the track.
Start the track exactly on the downbeat of the playing track — that's where a mix begins.
Mentor tip: In Vinyl mode, the VINYL SPEED ADJ. knob sets how smoothly it stops — you can make a “slowing record” effect.
QUANTIZEQuantizeSnaps cues, loops, hot cues, reverse and Slip to the beatgrid: even if you press slightly off, it lands right on the beat.
Turn it on when you jump between hot cues and set loops on the fly — the rhythm won't fall apart. It only works with tracks analyzed in rekordbox.
Mentor tip: Quantize won't save you from a bad beatgrid — check the grid in rekordbox first.
SLIPSlipA “shadow” mode: while you scratch, loop, hit a hot cue or reverse, the track keeps playing silently in the background. Let go, and the music continues from where it would have been.
Turn on SLIP and do a short loop or reverse for a couple of beats — afterwards the track drops back in phase by itself.
Mentor tip: The waveform shows two lines: yellow is what you hear now, white is where the track “really” is.
LOOP IN/CUE (IN ADJUST) / LOOP OUT (OUT ADJUST)Loop start and endLOOP IN sets the loop start (while playing it also sets the CUE), LOOP OUT sets the end, and that section repeats. Pressing it during a loop lets you move the point with the jog wheel.
Loop 8 or 16 beats of clean rhythm at the end of a track so you can mix in the next one calmly.
Mentor tip: Set IN right on the “one” of a bar — with QUANTIZE on, this happens automatically.
RELOOP/EXITExit loopExits the loop, and the track plays on. Press again to return to the last loop.
Release the loop at the start of a new phrase — the exit will sound natural.
Mentor tip: Press EXIT on the last beat, not after it — otherwise the loop will have time to start over.
4 BEAT LOOP (1/2X) / 8 BEAT LOOP (2X)4- and 8-beat auto loopAn instant 4- or 8-beat loop from the moment you press. During a loop, the same buttons halve or double it.
Press 8 BEAT at the end of a track and you've bought extra time. Halving the loop 8 → 4 → 2 → 1 is a classic build-up move.
Mentor tip: A loop shorter than one beat sounds like a roll: great before a drop, but it gets old fast.
BEAT JUMPBeat jumpJumps forward or back by a set number of beats. During a loop it moves the loop itself.
Skip an extra 16 beats of intro or go back a phrase without breaking the rhythm. To change the step, hold CALL/DELETE and press BEAT JUMP.
Mentor tip: Jumps of 16 or 32 beats almost always go unnoticed — keep phrases in mind.
HOT CUE A–H / CALL/DELETEHot cues8 instant cue buttons. An empty button sets a cue; a used one jumps there and plays from that spot. Green is a cue, orange is a saved loop.
Set hot cues on the drop, the vocal, the break — and in your set you jump to them with one press. To delete one, hold CALL/DELETE and press the letter.
Mentor tip: Make your own system: A is the start, B the first drop, C the break. Then in the club your hands will do it on their own.
CUE/LOOP CALL / DELETE / MEMORYMemory cues (saved cues)MEMORY saves the current CUE point or loop to the media, CUE/LOOP CALL steps through saved cues, DELETE removes the selected one. During a loop, CALL halves or doubles the loop.
Set memory cues at phrase starts in rekordbox — on the player you step through them with the CALL buttons and land right where you need to be.
Mentor tip: Memory cues are bookmarks for preparation; hot cues are buttons for performing. Don't mix them up.
Jog wheel / Jog displayJog wheel and jog displayThe wheel: turning the side slightly speeds up or slows down the track (pitch bend); pressing the top in VINYL mode scratches and stops. In the center is a display: artwork, position, and the SLIP, VINYL, SYNC and MASTER indicators.
When the beats drift apart, nudge the side of the jog wheel clockwise or counterclockwise to bring them back together.
Mentor tip: Nudge the side, not the top: in VINYL mode the top stops the track.
JOG MODEJog mode (VINYL / CDJ)Switches the jog mode: in VINYL the top works like a record (scratch, stop); in CDJ pressing the top doesn't stop the track. The VINYL/CDJ indicator shows the mode.
You need VINYL to scratch. For your first mixes CDJ is easier — less chance of stopping the track by accident.
Mentor tip: Check the indicator when you take over: the previous DJ may have switched the mode.
JOG ADJUSTJog tensionAdjusts the jog wheel's weight: turning becomes lighter or heavier.
Set it to suit your hand: heavier for precise scratching, lighter for gentle nudges.
Mentor tip: In a B2B, don't change the tension without saying so — your partner will feel the difference on the very first move.
VINYL SPEED ADJ. TOUCH/BRAKEBrake and start speedSets how fast the track slows down when you press the jog wheel or PLAY/PAUSE, and how fast it speeds back up after you let go (in Vinyl mode).
Turn it to a long brake and press PAUSE at the end of a track — you get a “turntable switched off” effect.
Mentor tip: What the knob changes (brake, start or both) is set in UTILITY → VINYL SPEED ADJUST.
MASTERTempo masterMakes this player the tempo leader (sync master) on the PRO DJ LINK network. Players with SYNC on follow it.
Press MASTER on the playing player, then turn on BEAT SYNC on the next one — tempo and beats will line up.
Mentor tip: Master moves to another player if you stop the track or load a new one on the master. Watch the MASTER indicator.
BEAT SYNC/INST.DOUBLESSyncSYNC matches the tempo and beat position to the master player. Hold it for Instant Doubles: this player loads the same track at the same position as the master.
Use SYNC as a safety net, but choose the phrases and the moment of the transition yourself. Instant Doubles is for tricks with one track on two players.
Mentor tip: Learn to beatmatch by ear without SYNC: with an unanalyzed track or a player without a network, sync simply won't work.
KEY SYNCKey syncShifts the track's key to match the track on the master player, choosing the smallest shift (same key, dominant, subdominant, relative and their related keys).
Turn it on when two tracks with melody or vocals clash. Press it again, or press MASTER TEMPO, to return to the original key.
Mentor tip: A big key shift is audible — better to pick tracks by the Camelot wheel from the start.
TEMPO ±6/±10/±16/WIDETempo rangeChanges the tempo fader range: ±6%, ±10%, ±16% or WIDE (±100%). The narrower the range, the finer the step (0.02% at ±6).
For mixing, keep it at ±6 or ±10 — the fader moves very precisely. WIDE is for effects and big tempo changes.
Mentor tip: Track can't reach the BPM you need? Switch the range instead of looking for another track.
MASTER TEMPOMaster tempo (pitch stays the same)When the button is lit, the tempo changes but the pitch stays the same. Without it, a sped-up track sounds higher, like a sped-up record.
When mixing tracks with vocals, keep it on almost all the time.
Mentor tip: Even with Master Tempo, a big speed-up causes artifacts — pick tracks with similar BPM.
TEMPO / TEMPO RESETTempo faderThe fader changes the track's speed: toward “+” is faster, toward “−” is slower. TEMPO RESET plays at the original speed whatever the fader position (the indicator lights up).
Your main beatmatching tool: you match the next track's BPM to the playing one, watching the screen and listening in your headphones.
Mentor tip: If the fader “doesn't work”, check whether TEMPO RESET is lit or SYNC is on.
AUDIO OUT L/R / DIGITAL OUTAudio outputsAudio outputs to the mixer: analog RCA (L/R) and coaxial digital.
The player connects to the LINE (analog) or DIGITAL input of the right mixer channel. It helps to make the player number match the channel number.
Mentor tip: No sound? First check the input selector on the mixer channel: it must point to where the cable is plugged in (LINE or DIGITAL).
LINK / USB / AC IN / ⏻Network, computer, powerLINK is the PRO DJ LINK network port (shared USB sticks, sync, Link Cue on the mixer). The rear USB port is for a computer with rekordbox or DJ software. AC IN and the ⏻ button are for power.
Players and the mixer are connected with LAN cables through LINK (with many players, through a switch), and then every player can see a USB stick plugged into any of them.
Mentor tip: Can't see another player's USB stick, or SYNC isn't working? Check the LINK cable first.
Lessons run on the school's Pioneer DJ / AlphaTheta gear. A mentor shows you every control live, and you mix your first track yourself.