Mixing & Performance

Memory Cue

A saved marker you cue to and start manually, used for navigation.

A memory cue is a saved point on a track that you can cue to and then start yourself, unlike a hot cue which plays instantly. It works as a navigation marker.

Why it matters

Memory cues mark structural points like the first downbeat or the drop so you can find them fast without triggering playback by accident.

Cue point management technique

Related terms

Hot Cue

More in Mixing & Performance

Beatgrid Waveform Quantize Hot Cue Loop Roll Slip Mode Pitch Fader Pitch Bend

Frequently asked questions

Memory cues mark important points in a track for navigation during prep and performance, such as the chorus entry, a vocal start, or a phrase boundary. Unlike hot cues, they are not triggered for instant playback but instead act as visual bookmarks on the waveform or track timeline.

No. A memory cue is a passive marker you cue to and play from manually. A hot cue is an active trigger that jumps to the saved point and starts playback immediately. On Pioneer CDJs, memory cues appear as white markers and do not occupy the numbered hot cue slots.

Load the track and navigate to the point you want to mark, then press the Memory button to save it. During playback the CDJ will pause the platter at each memory cue automatically if the cue mode is set to trigger on them. This is useful for double-checking your mix-out point before committing to a transition.

Hey, it's Ben Modigell 👋

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I DJ and produce as so I so — downtempo, minimal, dub house, tech house, and techno (releases on Spotify and SoundCloud, links above). Everything I write here comes from my own gigs, studio sessions, and library cleanups: the rules I follow, the failure modes I've actually hit, and the workflow I use when nobody's watching. If a technique didn't earn its place in my own sets, it doesn't make it into a tutorial.

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