How to · Rekordbox

Set and save loops in Rekordbox.

Rekordbox lets you mark loops directly on a track and save them so they reload every time you play that track. Here is how to do it cleanly, and how Vibes helps you spot the right moments before you even open Rekordbox.

Discover Vibes

First 500 licenses at $49. Be the first to know when we launch.

Rekordbox player view showing waveform with loop markers

Loops saved in Rekordbox reload automatically on your CDJs or mixer.

Set and save loops in Rekordbox, step by step.

Rekordbox stores loop in and out points as part of a track's metadata, so they appear automatically on your hardware or in Performance mode. The process differs slightly between Export mode (track preparation) and Performance mode (live playback), but the core workflow is the same once you know where the controls live.

Open the track in the player

In the Browse panel, double-click any track to load it into the player at the top of the Rekordbox window. Use the waveform or jog wheel to navigate to the point where you want the loop to begin. Zoom in on the waveform for more precise placement. Note: loop controls and keyboard shortcuts differ between Export mode and Performance mode - check which mode you are working in before proceeding.

Set the loop in and out points

Enable manual loop mode by clicking the MA (manual) selector in the loop controls panel. Click the In button to mark the start of the loop, then click the Out button to mark the end. Rekordbox immediately activates the loop and plays it back so you can hear whether the boundaries are exactly right. Default keyboard shortcuts: in Export mode, Loop In is I and Loop Out is O for Deck 1; in Performance mode, Loop In is D and Loop Out is F for Deck 1. These shortcuts can be customized in Preferences.

Adjust the length if needed

You can halve or double the loop length using keyboard shortcuts assigned in Preferences, or via the dedicated hardware buttons on CDJ/XDJ players. If the loop drifts out of time, enable Quantize so loop points snap to the nearest beat division. This keeps loops aligned to the beatgrid even if your initial click was slightly off.

Save the loop to the track

Press the MEMORY button while the loop is active to write it as a saved memory loop on the track. The saved loop appears in the track's cue and loop list. You can save multiple loops per track. When you export your library to a USB drive using the Sync Manager, or use Pro DJ Link, saved loops transfer to CDJ and XDJ hardware automatically.

The catch

Rekordbox analyzes tracks automatically for BPM and beatgrid on import, but it does not auto-set loop points. Finding the right bars to loop requires listening through each track manually before you commit to a position. Keyboard shortcuts for loop controls differ between Export mode and Performance mode, so confirm which mode you are using if the shortcuts do not respond as expected.

bass

mids

highs

lead

intro

verse

buildup

drop

breakdown

outro

Where Vibes fits

Know exactly where to set your loops before you open Rekordbox.

Vibes analyzes every track in your library and labels structural sections, intro, buildup, drop, breakdown, outro, directly on the waveform. You arrive in Rekordbox already knowing which 8 or 16 bars are worth looping, cutting out the guesswork.

See how it works

Auto-detected sections (intro, drop, outro) pinpoint the bars most worth looping during prep

Downbeat-locked beatgrid and BPM analysis mean your loop points land on solid ground

Energy curve shows the intensity arc of each track so you pick loops that match your set's momentum

Exports playlists and cue data back into Rekordbox so your prep work carries through to the booth

Organize in Vibes, export to Rekordbox.

Your playlists, tags, ratings, and cue points travel back to the gear you play on, so nothing you do in Vibes is locked away.

Track 001

Artist A

128

Afterhours

Mysterious

Introspective

Track 002

Artist B

124

Cozy Floor

Peaceful

Home

Track 003

Artist C

132

Rave

Aggressive

Festival

Build & Release

Playlists

Vibes

Mood

Aggressive

Euphoric

Melancholic

Mysterious

Peaceful

Playful

Tense

Function

Arrangement

Sets

Club Night 12/28

NYE Closing Set

Rooftop 01/04

Frequently asked questions

The honest answers, including the trade-offs.

No. Vibes is a prep and library tool, not a performance mixer. You still set and save loops inside Rekordbox. Vibes helps before that step by analyzing your tracks and labeling sections, so you know exactly which moments are worth looping before you load the track.

Yes. Loops saved in Rekordbox are stored as part of the track's metadata and sync to Pioneer hardware when you export your library to a USB drive or use a rekordbox-linked setup. They reload automatically each time you load the track on your CDJs.

Rekordbox supports multiple saved loop slots per track. The exact number available can depend on your Rekordbox plan and hardware, but in practice most DJs save one to four key loops per track and rely on manual in/out triggering for everything else in a live set.

Methodology