DJs wanting cloud sync now can use Google Drive and not just Dropbox for storage – possibly useful if (raises hand) you’ve got a big unused storage allocation on Google.
Rekordbox’s subscriptions allow you to store, sync, backup, and access libraries via cloud storage. That means if, for instance, you need remote access to your library, you can do it – like if your computer and USB sticks fail, for instance. Or maybe you have more than one machine, like one in the studio and another at home. Cloud functionality now even includes auto upload and cloud analysis – meaning files are being analyzed even when they’re left there unattended.
Rekordbox subscriptions don’t include any allocated storage of their own, however. Maybe that makes some sense – at this point, we have so many cloud-based subscriptions going, it’s easy to wind up paying for storage you don’t use. Dropbox was supported at first; now there’s Google Cloud. Your usage is unlimited; it’s restricted only by how much you pay for from Google or Dropbox, that is.
Here, enter the wild and whimsical world of Rekordbox terminology: Cloud Library Sync works across all subscription levels in some form, syncing your libraries across machines. But if you want cloud storage – and Auto Upload, and Device Library Backup to backup your USB sticks online – you need the Professional account. That’s going to run you thirty+ bucks or so, in either monthly or annual subscriptions.
It’s not for everyone, to be sure, but the convenience is nice enough, and having Google Drive on there is newsworthy. More from AlphaTheta on the software and sub offerings:
One last note: this is not to be confused with CloudDirectPlay, which enables an Internet-connected CDJ-3000 or OPUS-QUAD to stream music online. That service for now is still limited to Dropbox. (“A magical world of AlphaTheta terms awaits you, Pioneer DJ-using DJs…! Step inside the jargonarium!“)
I wrote about options for mobile DJing, including dealing with syncing between devices and the iPhone and everything else, earlier this year for Resident Advisor:
The Nomadic DJ: What Are the Best Tools for Digging and Mixing On the Go? [Resident Advisor]
By the way, in other Rekordbox subscription news, right now you can get a free Ableton Live 11 Lite license with an annual subscription; see the offer details. I expect this won’t apply so much to CDM readers as much as aspiring DJs you know looking to get into production. But it’s worth mentioning now especially, since the excellent Drift synthesizer is included in Lite.