Organizing Digital Music Files: A DJ's Approach

Now I'd like to talk about how I organize my folders and my music digitally.

Overview of My Process

I am not a pioneer instructor, nor the most organized person on the planet. I am also very emotional about music. However, I handle a vast number of files. My music file to DJ is stored on a five terabyte hard drive, which is quite heavy. Thus, I have to find ways to navigate through my collection efficiently.

Simple Techniques to Organize Music

• Use Visuals: One straightforward method I employ is utilizing the track covers. As an old school DJ and a vinyl DJ, I need to see the music I am playing. Importing the artwork of the files is immensely helpful.
  • Benefits: This allows me to easily identify music selections through their visuals. The colors of the artwork, red, blue, green, are simple for me to remember, helping me connect the colors to the tracks.

My Folder Organization

I am not suggesting this is the best way of organizing music, but this method has worked for me.

1. Folder Creation:

   • After purchases, I create a folder in Rekordbox named with the date of the recording, such as "14th July 2021."
   • Within this folder, I import all the music I bought.

2. Classifying Music:

   • Depending on the purpose of the tracks (e.g., my radio show or DJ gig), I categorize them with colors in Rekordbox, similar to Traktor.
     • Color Codes:
       • House: Blue
       • Techno: Red

3. Further Organization:

   • I create new folders based on genre and the date. For instance:
     • A "House 14th of July" folder
     • A "Techno 14th of July" folder
     • An "Open Library 14th of July" folder for radio shows.

4. Event-Specific Folders:

   • If I have a gig at Rex Club on the 15th of July, I create a "Rex Club" folder specifically for that event to import and classify my music.

Effectiveness of My Method

These simple tips and techniques may seem basic, but they are effective. By seeing my markers and styles visually, I streamline my music organization. This approach works well whether I am using Pioneer CDJ players or Traktor.

File Types and Storage

Most of the music I record consists of web files or AIFF files, which are sizable. This is why I utilize a large hard drive.

Key Takeaways

• I aim to make my digital files resemble the way vinyl records look. Knowing the start point, markers, and life of each track helps me navigate my collection.
• I always try to include artwork for the music, and I assign colors to tracks for quick identification of styles.

If I ever find myself panicking in a club needing a house record quickly, I just look for the blue dot, indicating a house track. This visual aid provides a significant advantage in emergency situations.

Structuring with Dates

In summary, organizing my folders with a chronological date-based system allows me to efficiently manage my extensive collection.

• Benefits of Chronological Order:
  • Easier navigation through numerous files.
  • When recalling tracks played at venues like Rex Club, I can simply refer to folders named by date, for instance, "July Rex 2019", to find what I need.

Final Search Tips

When searching for a specific file, I utilize the "Collection" feature in Rekordbox. This allows me to search my entire drive. For instance, if I am looking for a Kenny Larkin track, I can quickly find all related jams in one convenient location.