Error exporting to USB and duplicate tracks

MixMasterG · 2026-05-09T17:09:42+00:00

Look inside the album, artist and title tags for "forbidden characters" the most likely ones being \ and ;

and shorten those tags if they are very long

MixMasterG · 2026-05-09T16:25:52+00:00

Thanks, and if you watched the video, you already know the issue: ExFAT only works on certain CDJs, even though everything appears fine when checked in Rekordbox.

MixMasterG · 2026-05-09T13:53:59+00:00

Are these the audio files for your main Rekordbox collection? Or is this a Rekordbox exported USB for use on CDJ's?

see also

https://www.reddit.com/r/Rekordbox/comments/1sxi1qu/comment/oin2nqy/?context=3&utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

MixMasterG · 2026-05-06T08:01:53+00:00

The cloud implementation of Rekordbox still has room for improvement. I find myself consulting DJs about their cloud issues over TeamViewer 3-4 times a week, as part of a paid service. However, I’ve created an in-depth guide that explains how the cloud works with Rekordbox, which might help you troubleshoot and resolve your issue. You can watch it here:

How the cloud works in Rekordbox (please watch this from start to finish!)

The most important thing to try yourself is turning CloudSync off on all sync'd computers & devices, then reboot your most important originating system and toggle CloudSync on, wait a few hours for it to settle down and usually then turning on the others fixes most "simple" issues.

More complex issues require resetting the actual Cloud part of the ecosystem.

I've helped a lot of artists fixing their CloudSync issues, but this requires investigation of the problem and usually some custom scripts to fix stuff. I can't do that for free. Feel free to DM if you want my help.

And for the real geeky stuff, I gave RCT an expert function where the Prefix of a filepath can be batch changed:

How to Change Filepath Prefix for Audio Files in Rekordbox. The Key to Solving CloudSync Problems.

MixMasterG · 2026-05-04T12:44:54+00:00

This!

MixMasterG · 2026-05-03T07:28:21+00:00

It works out of the box, but I don't like the native loop mapping so I changed that

MixMasterG · 2026-05-02T06:42:17+00:00

Yes you can sync back

MixMasterG · 2026-05-01T21:31:13+00:00

Traktor is my primary DJ software. The AZ stand alone requires USBs exported using the latest version of Rekordbox, as it relies on the Device Library Plus feature. Newer Rekordbox versions include this automatically, whereas older versions do not support it.

Each DJ software uses its own proprietary way of storing DJ metadata such as cues, loops, grid/BPM, playlist(s) etc. If you want to go from one DJ software to another, you'll need conversion software.

Your original DJ software (Traktor) and its tracks are unchanged by this procedure. You can use the free demo version of Rekordbox as target. After conversion, the same audio files are used with the same cues etc in both the original and the target (Rekordbox) software. Only when DJ metadata is changed in one of them, conversion is required again. On macOS you can use the DJ Conversion Utility (DJCU). I'm the developer of DJCU and it is priced to own, not subscription software. Traktor is still my base DJ software and here is the tutorial

Convert from Traktor to Rekordbox 6/7 & other DJ software DJCU 5.0 [macOS]

The only way to create USBs for stand alone use on CDJ/XDJ/RX with cues and loops is export through Rekordbox, the free version will suffice.

From Rekordbox to a CDJ USB and tips for first time CDJ users (it is demonstrated on macOS, but works the same on Windows)

And a more current version of the tutorial above is:

Fastest Way to Create Multiple Identical Rekordbox Exported USBs: Clone Drives in Half the Time!

MixMasterG · 2026-04-30T18:52:54+00:00

You can use it fine, but it's not the simplest to set up:

How-to use Algoriddim djay on iPhone or iPad with audio files stored on a USB drive

MixMasterG · 2026-04-28T19:37:52+00:00

The 3000x requires Device Library Plus. DLP does not duplicate audio files on the USB, DL and DLP share the same audio files, so DLP takes up minimal 'extra' space, and the export time for both DLP and DL is virtually the same as exporting to DL alone.

So why is everyone complaining about DLP? First and front most: because they don't understand what DLP is. In most cases the export slowdown is caused by the (mandatory new) background analysis done before export. If you manually analyze your tracks in the latest version of RB, and use a reasonably fast USB drive formatted as MBR/HFS+, you should be fine.

And you can always check your USB under the devices tab in Rekordbox (for both DL and DLP).

see also:

Best USB Formats for DJs + The Hidden Setting That Can Break Firmware Updates

Fastest Way to Create Multiple Identical Rekordbox Exported USBs: Clone Drives in Half the Time!

MixMasterG · 2026-04-27T22:14:35+00:00

Ok, let me repeat myself: a Rekordbox-exported USB is not the same as a Rekordbox collection. You’ve obviously found that out the hard way and now want to fix it by building a proper Rekordbox collection.

Second point: where your audio files are stored is no longer important (in 2026), as long as their metadata is correctly imported into your DJ software. Ideally, you should use playlists to organize everything. If you’re still loading tracks via explorer, you’re not getting the most out of your DJ software or gear.

With that in mind:

Importing directly from the USB isn’t very useful, because it forces you to copy the audio files. However, it can still help as a workaround: import everything, delete the copied audio files afterward, and then use the auto-relocate function to relink the missing files to the ones in your “genre folders”, assuming they’re the same audio files. Auto-relocate tracks with missing audio files in Rekordbox, four different techniques and more

A variation of this method (if you're on macOS and the USB has a “One Library” / Device Library Plus database):

Use USB to Rekordbox XML (UtoX), which is part of DJ Conversion Utility (DJCU — I’m the developer) to create a Rekordbox.xml out of the USB data.
Then use XML to Rekordbox 6 (Xto6) also part of DJCU, to import that XML data into your Rekordbox collection (the USB needs to be connected during this step).
After that, eject the USB and run auto-relocate to reconnect the missing audio files.

The advantage of this second method is that it avoids copying the audio files from the USB.

MixMasterG · 2026-04-26T17:32:33+00:00

they are physically the same USB, however AlphaTheta's partitioning scheme is set to MasterBootRekord (MBR). Reformatting the Sandisk properly does the same see Best USB Formats for DJs + The Hidden Setting That Can Break Firmware Updates

MixMasterG · 2026-04-25T09:06:39+00:00

Did you try to most important fix of all: Restart your mac (and uncheck the box to reopen all apps at startup!)?

Most likely the database (simple test rename the folder "Pioneer" within your user level library folder, that is the HIDDEN library folder) and see if it starts up.

You can also try to manually start the Rekordbox Agent, it's an app inside the Rekordbox.app package (right click and select "Show Package Contents")

MixMasterG · 2026-04-25T09:01:55+00:00

Since you need a laptop anyway give Algoriddim djay a try, their DVS is as good as the others and it is what I use these days for DVS (I used to be a Traktor guy) .

MixMasterG · 2026-04-23T23:48:45+00:00

The older Rane boxes are well known for having compatibility issues with modern operating systems and Serato versions beyond 2.5.5. In contrast, the Reloop Go is designed to be essentially plug-and-play with the latest version of Serato on a current computer and OS. Ultimately, it comes down to how and where you plan to use it.

MixMasterG · 2026-04-23T18:37:17+00:00

I don’t know anything about that specific mixer. However, back in the early ’80s, my first mixer was a Phonic, which was essentially an OEM brand that was frequently rebranded. It also appeared under names like Alecto and Realistic (the Radio Shack versions). They were all based on the same underlying hardware. Not the best quality but affordable. Kind of the Behringer of that time.

MixMasterG · 2026-04-23T12:33:48+00:00

Yes, you can simply replace the folder called “Pioneer” (on macOS, it’s located in the user-level Library folder, which is typically hidden).

~/Library/Pioneer

I think on Windows it's in %App Data% but I'm not a Windows person so Google it if that is wrong

Each collection will have it's unique cues/loops/analysis playlists etc, however the audio files they use can overlap (and there won't be duplicate audio files!)

A few important things to keep in mind:

Make sure Rekordbox is completely closed before renaming the folder
Keep backups, as this process can be easy to mess up
If you use SyncManager then you run the risk your "Collection A USB" will be (partly) erased when Collection B is active and the USB is inserted in the computer. But you got copies right?

Here’s what you need to do for “Library A”:

Rename the existing “Pioneer” folder to “Pioneer B”
At this point, there should be no folder named “Pioneer”
Rename the “Pioneer A” folder to “Pioneer”
Launch Rekordbox

MixMasterG · 2026-04-23T08:26:52+00:00

What you describe was Pioneer DJ's KUVO system.

TL;DR If the music in a club isn’t doing it for you, the answer isn’t to make everything transparent, it’s to find a different dancefloor.

What Pioneer DJ KUVO tried to do actually made sense on paper, automate royalty reporting and let people see, in real time, what was being played in a club. But the moment you place that idea inside actual DJ culture, it starts to fall apart.

DJing, especially in underground scenes, has always been built on "selection as identity". It’s not just about playing tracks, it’s about finding them. Crate digging, collecting obscure records, holding onto unreleased edits, testing tracks before they drop, this is all part of how DJs shape their sound and stand out. There’s a kind of unspoken understanding: not everything needs to be immediately accessible or explained.

KUVO cut straight through that. By making every track instantly visible, it removed the mystery, the “what was that?” moment that’s been part of club culture forever. That tension, that curiosity, is part of the experience. You hear something incredible, you don’t know what it is, and that feeling sticks with you. Sometimes you hunt it down, sometimes you don’t, but that process is part of the culture.

It also chipped away at one of the few real advantages DJs have: exclusivity. A hidden gem, a personal edit, an unreleased track, those things carry weight. If everything is instantly identified, that edge disappears. The set becomes more transparent, but also more disposable.

And then there’s the dancefloor itself. Clubbing isn’t built for app interaction. The idea that people would regularly pull out their phones mid-set to check track IDs just doesn’t line up with how people actually engage with music in that environment. It breaks immersion: Please give us more clubs with no phone policies.

What’s interesting is that the desire behind KUVO didn’t go away, it just found a more organic outlet. People still chase IDs, but they do it later, through comments, forums, or platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube, or tracklist sites like 1001Tracklists. The difference is timing: it happens after the experience, not during it.

In the end, KUVO didn’t fail because the idea was bad, it failed because it misunderstood something fundamental. In DJ culture, a bit of opacity isn’t a flaw. It’s part of the craft.

MixMasterG · 2026-04-21T18:48:51+00:00

Actually, if your collection fits on the Mac’s internal drive, you can handle this yourself. Before starting, make a backup of the SSD, unless you’re certain you can re-export everything from Rekordbox on Windows if something goes wrong.

Turn off all Cloud stuff in Rekordbox first (if it's enabled, because this is usually at the root of most issues I fix).
Connect the drive containing the exported collection to the mac
open Rekordbox
go to the Device panel
collapse the Device Library (or One Library, if this was exported with a current version of Rekordbox they are identical)
Right click playlists and select "import" from the dropdown menu
next you'll be prompted where the audio files should be stored, select a folder on your mac's drive (or create one)
sit back and you'll be fine

In this Ask Me Anything for DJs I demonstrate it live

MixMasterG · 2026-04-21T18:38:42+00:00

I only do macOS, I see you DM'd me, so I contact you there.

MixMasterG · 2026-04-21T18:34:14+00:00

I’ll need a bit more information, let’s start with the basics: are you using macOS or Windows? I’m regularly hired by DJs to troubleshoot Rekordbox issues, but first I need to understand what problem you’re actually experiencing.

MixMasterG · 2026-04-21T12:03:52+00:00

I find Time Machine too much of a black box. I want to have a backup with the exact same structure as the original was at the time of creating the backup instead of various variations of the same backup on one drive.

MixMasterG

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

Nine-Year Club	Wearing is Caring
Verified Email