MIDI Support in Export Mode

+1!

While I'm on-board with the premise of your idea, there are some important things worth mentioning.

ProDJ Link sends encoded data "packets" across a network whereas MIDI uses standard MIDI messages transmitted via USB. These are two completely different languages (for lack of a better word) with differing architecture and capabilities, the later of which requires a computer.

ProDJ Link is intended to free the user from using a computer but still have a means to have DJ hardware sync with other ProDJ Link devices with regards to tempo (quantize, beat sync/grid, etc.)  and data (ex: a single flash drive with Rekordbox analyzed tracks shared across multiple CDJ/XDJ players, cue points, waveform etc.). When connected to your computer using Rekordbox Export, your computer is essentially acting like a glorified external harddrive, albeit with a QWERTY keyboard. :)

What you're proposing would require a combination of both MIDI communication via USB (for messages to be sent to/from the computer/host) and ProDJ Link via ethernet. That's a whole lot of communication occurring at once. Furthermore, as of right now, CDJ/XDJ hardware can only operate in it's default mode for Rekordbox or HID (for MIDI), not both. There's a lot of hurdles to overcome.

BTW, I mention all the previous stuff not out of negativity or to shoot down your proposal, but do point out the many factors and potential roadblocks that stand in the way. In other words, please don't take this as a negative post. :)

Having said that, I'm hoping that the new Pioneer Toraiz-SP16 will open up many new doors that will address some of the things you're looking for. Being able to trigger sync'd samples/loops/one-shots/etc. using external hardware without the need for staring at a laptop screen would be huge.

Hi lostnthesound,

Pro DJ LINK is a technology to have Rekordbox on a PC as a library that is connected via network. Yes I know.

You can control Rekordbox with mouse and keyboard. So why not with (maybe) Multi-Touch or even MIDI or any other control protocoll,?

In my first post I made two suggestions. Only the first is relevant.. the second is only an idea. The first suggestions is to give rekordbox remote control of the browser/library and the track loading functionality via MIDI. I don't say that I want connect a CDJ/XDJ device as HID!

I say I will some other standard midi hardware like a studio-controller or a midi-keyboard or whatever to remote control the browsing through playlists and tracks and load them to player a,b,c,d or the pre-listen player. It is only a replacement for the cursor keys, the loading keys and the mouse to choose a playlist.

For me is rekordbox in dj-link mode the central music station to _load_ music IN the players. It's not a DVS software like RekordboxDJ, Traktor or Serato and I don't want back to a DVS based software, that processes the audio in the PC instead nativ in the players.

Because of my hugh library I need a laptop display to browse through it.. the CDJ2000 displays are toooo small for a comfortable way to browse and load. And the CDJ lacks a comfortable search via full-sized keyboard. (no usb-hid keyboard support)

I switched from Traktor to Rekordbox because I want back the native feeling of playing musik with CDJs and I don't want any sound-playback dependences of the PC hardware.

What I want is a simple MIDI remote control of the rekordbox GUI... not a full-hid support. Because of that the code is already in the rekordbox software implemented, it is only a little effort to make it available in export mode in a limited way to only remote control the library browser.

The Toraiz-SP16 will be a remote control of the CDJ.. that is not what I want/mean.

What is it you are unable to do by browsing the songs on your rekordbox link from the players? MIDI is not necessary.

It will be nice that you can use the searchknop on the CDJs/XDJs to brouwse the libary on the computer. It is no big thing that it is not possible now. But it will be nice that we as users of pro link can do it. Now I mapped me computers keyboard to search true tracks on my mac. And with a keyboard combi botton press I can laod the track directly to my CDJ of choice. 

Hello Pulse. I know that I'm able to browse ON the CDJ through my tracks. But the display is to small to have an whole overview of my music. I need more columns side by side and I like the way to see 2 playlists or 1 playlists + whole library side-by-side on screen.

I'm not a one/two genre club DJ that needs only 2-3 hours of music.. I'm a wedding/birthday DJ with a ALL genres and a playtime between 6 - 12 hours. A comfortable way to browse and search my complete library is necessary for me and the CDJ displays are to small for me to see all infos that I need to decide which titel is next.

Hi Dennis,

to use the knobs and switches on the CDJ decks to remote control rekordbox is a nice idea, but it is not practical, because the CDJs a standanlone devices. They are capable to do anything in browsing and playing of music locally.. and this is a good thing.

Also there is no special assignd knob on the CDJ decks to switch between remote and local control. Such a knob would be necessary to have a straight forward usablity that pioneer prefers in his products.

So your idea is not possible to implement in an easy manner.

What I mean is, to use the MIDI feature, that is already in rekordbox, to remote control rekordbox with an external standard midi controller, like the Native Instruments X1.

Here you have no change in the CDJ/Rekordbox Pro-DJ LINK Ecosystem. You only have a connection to your PC to remote control the software, like in RekordboxDJ Performance mode, but only for the browser and the pre-listen player.

@Jan > You can set the preferences for which information is displayed in a second column through rekordbox, and you can use the MENU button to add additional sort preferences.

If you are using rekordbox from your computer, all of this becomes moot as you are able to display much more information there.

I ended up here because I want to be able to scroll through Rekordbox without having to use my laptop trackpad. 

Trakor has a great system for scrolling and finding music using the X1...

In the house when I have my full library connected it would be good to be able to use the laptop and a controller same as traktor

Thank you Mike

+1

So Pioneer make it possible. It is already in Rekordbox, but only in DJ mode.. the only thing you should do is to activate the midi control in Export mode for browsing and pre-listen.

Thats all!

Hi Craig,

you don't understand me in the right way.

You have written:

What you're proposing would require a combination of both MIDI communication via USB (for messages to be sent to/from the computer/host) and ProDJ Link via ethernet. That's a whole lot of communication occurring at once. Furthermore, as of right now, CDJ/XDJ hardware can only operate in it's default mode for Rekordbox or HID (for MIDI), not both. There's a lot of hurdles to overcome.

I don't want to remote control the Pioneer hardware. Also I don't want that the Pioneer hardware remote control Rekordbox with MIDI. Both things, as you already said, are too complex.

The only thing I want is that the Rekordbox Software has an MIDI input available. So I can setup 3rd Party MIDI Controllers (Ableton, Akai, Native, etc.) with USB on the PC and remote control ONLY the Rekordbox software. Nothing else.

Thats important to not have the need to use a mouse, trackpad or keys. To control the browsing list with an encoder is much faster than with a keyboard. And I can put the midi controller side by side my pioneer deck in the near of (for example) my DJM mixer. So I don't need long arms to reach the PC :-)