The Art of Curation: The Foundations of Djoid
DJing is more than just spinning records—it’s about storytelling. It’s about crafting an audio journey that moves the crowd, stirs emotions, and creates an unforgettable experience on the dance floor. At Djoid, we understand that this process goes far beyond mixing skills. That’s why we’ve built a platform to help DJs navigate their music libraries, organize their tracks, and design sets that flow as a journey.
This article dives into the foundational concepts of Djoid and how it reimagines music curation for DJs.
Djoid Music Tagging
Curating music starts with understanding your tracks. Djoid’s AI-Tagging goes beyond conventional metadata by analyzing and tagging each track with core attributes like:
- BPM & Key: Crucial technical details for determining tempo and achieving harmonic transitions in your mix.
- Energy: Measures the intensity and drive of a track, including the strength of its kick and overall impact.
- Danceability: Evaluates the rhythmicality and syncopation of a track. For instance, a Samba track may score higher than Hard Techno due to its dynamic, percussive rhythm.
- Emotion: Captures the mood a track evokes, whether euphoric, melancholic, or anything in between.
- Genre: Classifies tracks based on their audio characteristics. (Our genre detection taxonomy evolves continuously to stay relevant and precise.)
These tags are presented visually on track cards, making this rich information accessible at a glance. No need to search through endless rows in a spreadsheet-like interface—Djoid puts the most important details at your fingertips, allowing for faster and more informed creative decisions.
Planning DJ Sets: The Art of Telling a Story
Every great DJ set is a story—a series of chapters that build and release energy, evoke emotions, and take the crowd on a journey. But planning such a set requires more than intuition; it demands structure and organization.
Why Organization Fuels Creativity
There’s a misconception that being organized stifles creativity. At Djoid, we believe the opposite:
- A well-organized library allows you to focus on designing the journey, not searching for tracks.
- Building playlists in chapters gives you the ability to think in phrases instead of isolated words, ensuring a natural flow on the decks.
By enabling you to curate cohesive sections of your set, Djoid helps you see the bigger picture, making it easier to connect the dots between individual records.
Moving Beyond Tables
Traditional DJ software often resembles spreadsheets, with rows and rows of tracks that make it difficult to spot connections and patterns. Research shows that humans struggle to consume large tables of data effectively. Djoid is built to overcome this challenge:
- Our tools focus on visual navigation and exploration, helping you quickly identify relationships between tracks.
- Features like the Graph provide an intuitive way to discover compatible tracks and plan playlists.
This approach is designed to eliminate the cognitive overload of managing massive libraries, allowing you to focus on creativity and storytelling.
Building Sets as Chapters
Think of each section of your set as a chapter in a story. With Djoid, you can:
- Curate many cohesive chapters, each with its unique vibe and flow.
- Seamlessly transition between chapters during your performance, maintaining the energy and narrative.
This chapter-based approach gives you the flexibility to adapt on the fly while ensuring your overall set feels intentional and well-crafted.
The Journey is Just Beginning
Djoid is more than just a tool—it’s a philosophy rooted in enhancing your creative process as a DJ. The features you see today are only the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be rolling out even more tools designed to make your music curation and set preparation smoother, faster, and more enjoyable.
At Djoid, we’re not just building software; we’re empowering DJs to create unforgettable stories on the dance floor. Stay tuned, and let’s curate the future of DJing together. 🎵
Importing Your Music Library into Djoid
Djoid is designed to make your music curation experience seamless and efficient. Whether you’re importing audio files from your computer or syncing with third-party apps like Rekordbox, Traktor, or Apple Music, Djoid ensures your tracks are easily accessible, well-organized, and enriched with detailed metadata.
Why Importing Your Library is Different with Djoid
Unlike other software, Djoid goes beyond basic metadata analysis. While importing your music, Djoid’s analysis algorithms and models:
- Fix and enhance metadata automatically (without modifying your original files).
- Analyze bpm, key, energy, danceability, emotion, and genre for each track.
- Understand the essence of your records, to offer deeper insights for your curation process.
This extra step means the analysis may take slightly longer (Due to Intensive Computation), but the result is a more detailed and accurate library tailored for DJs.
Key Benefits of Djoid’s Import System
- Non-Intrusive Metadata Handling:
Djoid does not modify the metadata of your original files. All changes and enhancements are stored exclusively within Djoid, so your other apps and systems remain unaffected. - No Duplication of Data:
Djoid doesn’t create copies of your music files. It simply references their location, so you don’t need to worry about reorganizing folders or wasting storage. Everything stays where it is, while Djoid keeps your library centralized and organized.
How to Import Audio Files
If you’re importing audio files stored on your computer, follow these steps:
- Open the Import Section:
In Djoid, navigate to the Import menu. - Select Files or Folders:
Choose to import either individual tracks or entire folders. Djoid will scan all compatible formats in your sub folders. - Start Import:
Djoid will process the selected files.
How to Import from Third-Party Apps
Rekordbox
- Export your Rekordbox library as an XML file.
- In Rekordbox, go to File > Export Collection in XML Format.
- Import the XML into Djoid:
- Open Djoid, go to the Import menu, and select Rekordbox XML.
- Djoid will analyze the imported tracks, syncing their metadata and compatibility information without altering your original Rekordbox database.
Music App (iTunes)
- Export your iTunes library XML:
- Open iTunes, go to File > Library > Export Library.
- Import the XML file into Djoid:
- Navigate to the Import menu, select Music App XML, and upload your exported file.
- Djoid will extract track data, playlists, and metadata for further curation.
Traktor
- Locate your Traktor Collection file:
- By default, for macOS it’s saved in: Documents > Native Instruments > Traktor > [latest version folder].
- Open the folder for the latest version and find the collection.nml file.
- (Optional) If you’re unsure of the file location:s
- Open Traktor.
- Go to Settings > File Management.
Organize Without the Hassle
With Djoid, you don’t need to worry about folder structures or manual data management:
- Djoid knows where your files are and keeps track of their location, leaving you free to focus on organizing them within Djoid itself.
- All your metadata and curation work are centralized, making Djoid the go-to platform for managing your library efficiently.
Final Thoughts
Importing your library is the first step towards building a foundation for powerful curation and playlisting.
By keeping your original files untouched and your library centralized, Djoid becomes the ultimate hub for DJs who value both creativity and efficiency.
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Autogroup
The Autogroup in Djoid is a powerful way to quickly navigate and organize your music library. By analyzing your tracks, it identifies and groups tracks that fit well together based on their compatibility. This feature is designed to help you efficiently manage large libraries or kickstart new playlists with cohesive groups of tracks.
How It Works
When you activate Autogroup, Djoid’s engine scans your entire library or a specific subset of it, such as a particular genre (e.g., house tracks). It then suggests temporary groups of tracks that fit harmonically and energetically.
These groups:
- Are not saved automatically. They are presented temporarily for your review and human curation.
- Require manual action to save. You can decide which groups to keep and which to ignore.
This flexibility allows you to maintain complete control over your organization process while benefiting from intelligent automations and suggestions.
Use Cases
1. Organizing Your Entire Library
Autogroup can be called on your entire music library to identify patterns and group tracks that naturally work well together. This helps you bring order to vast collections, making it easier to access cohesive sets of tracks.
2. Kickstarting New Playlists
Looking for inspiration? Use Autogroup to generate potential playlists by grouping tracks that fit a specific vibe or style. This is particularly helpful when you're short on time but need a strong starting point for your next set.
Djoid uses advanced algorithms to evaluate each track in your library, considering:
- Harmonic Compatibility: Tracks are grouped based on key compatibility, ensuring smooth transitions and coherent musical flow.
- Energy Levels: By analyzing the intensity and drive of tracks, Djoid ensures that groups maintain a consistent energy range.
- Audio Fingerprinting: Beyond metadata, Djoid examines the actual audio characteristics of tracks to identify subtle similarities.
The result? Groups that are not only musically compatible but also ready for performance or playlist creation.
The Art: Inspired by DJ Creativity
Autogrouping reflects the creative mindset of DJs who think in moods, vibes, and transitions. Instead of relying on rigid categories, Djoid provides groups that feel natural and intuitive, helping you:
- Explore Your Library: Discover tracks you might not have thought to pair together.
- Kickstart Playlists: Use groups as starting points for new playlists or set ideas.
- Re-Organize your Library: Quickly rethink and adjust how your library is organized.
The Vision: Enabling Exploration
Autogrouping is rooted in the idea that music curation should be about exploration, not limitation. By combining scientific precision with an artistic understanding of DJing, Djoid empowers you to think creatively while staying organized. It’s not just about organizing your library—it’s about inspiring your next great set.
Key Points to Remember
- Temporary Groups: Groups are not saved automatically; they require manual confirmation to be stored.
- Full Library or Subsets: You can run Autogroup on your entire music library or limit it to specific sections, like tracks of a single genre.
- Creative Tool: It’s perfect for organizing your library or quickly finding track combinations for new playlists.
- Complete Control: You have the freedom to save, modify, or discard the suggested groups as needed.
With Autogroup, you can focus more on creating and less on tedious organization, while still retaining full creative control over your music curation.
Music Recommendation
The Recommendation in Djoid is designed to efficiently facilitate navigating your music library for potential matching records by analyzing your current playlist selecting and suggesting tracks that might fit to it.
Unlike traditional recommendation systems found on streaming platforms, which prioritize popularity and listening behavior, Djoid’s recommendations focus purely on music compatibility. Popularity and collective listening behavior are disregarded entirely, ensuring that the suggestions align with your unique sound, music selection, and artistic intent.
How It Works
Djoid analyzes your entire playlist, with special emphasis on the last few tracks as the next track should be more influenced by the ones preceding it. By giving more weight to these tracks, the system ensures the recommendations complement the direction your set is heading. This approach helps you build cohesive, engaging playlists and maintain the flow of your musical journey.
Modes of Recommendation
Djoid offers two distinct recommendation modes to suit your specific needs:
1. Matching Mode
- Purpose: Discover tracks that fit harmonically and energetically with the overall playlist.
- When to Use: Ideal for exploring compatible tracks to fill out a playlist, whether you're building a new set or enhancing an existing one.
Ensures every track fits the playlist's vibe, maintaining its cohesive sound.
2. Next Mode
- Purpose: Find the perfect next track after the last one in your playlist.
- When to Use: Perfect for making track-to-track transitions seamless while preparing your set.
Streamlines the decision-making process for selecting the next track, presenting you with curated options that match the energy and flow of the last track.
Why Djoid Recommendations Stand Out
Unlike generic streaming platforms, Djoid’s system is tailored for DJs and music curators who value musical storytelling over popular trends.
Whether you're designing a set for a gig or curating for personal enjoyment, Djoid’s Engine ensures your track selections are musically aligned and ready to deliver a memorable experience.
Magic Sort
The Magic Sort is a powerful tool designed to help you sort your playlist in the order to play. It suggests an order to play your tracks, considering harmonic compatibility and set energy simultaneously.
By reducing the manual effort of checking keys, energies, and repeatedly moving tracks up and down, Magic Sort streamlines your workflow while keeping your artistic vision intact based on the selection of record you made within a playlist.
The quality of the sorting highly depends on the quality of your selection.
How It Works
When you activate Magic Sort, Djoid’s engine analyzes your playlist and suggests a flow that balances harmonic transitions and energy progression. Tracks are sorted to create a cohesive and smooth transitions.
However, some tracks may not fit into the suggested flow due to a lack of compatible harmonic transitions. These tracks are not discarded or labeled as “bad fits”; instead, they are moved to the Unsorted Tracks section on the left side of your screen. You can choose to:
- Add them back to the playlist if you feel they fit your vision.
- Remove them from the playlist if they no longer align with your desired flow.
These unsorted tracks remain accessible and can be revisited anytime you click the Magic Sort button.
A Guide, Not a Replacement
We believe that your artistic vision is irreplaceable. While Magic Sort is a valuable tool for efficiency, it’s not intended to dictate your creative direction. Instead:
- Use it as a starting point to explore potential flows for your set.
- Feel free to modify the suggested order to suit your unique style.
Our philosophy is to empower creativity, not replace it. We’re mindful of designing tools that enhance your experience and efficiency, ensuring you enjoy the process without feeling constrained by algorithms.
Key Points to Remember
- Magic Sort suggests a flow based on harmonic and energetic compatibility.
- Unsorted Tracks are displayed separately when no harmonic transition is possible within the flow.
- You have complete control to decide how to handle unsorted tracks.
- The feature is meant to guide you, not dictate the final structure of your set.
With Magic Sort, you can save time and focus on what truly matters: crafting unforgettable musical experiences.
Graph Playlists
The Graph in Djoid introduces a revolutionary way to visualize and organize your music, Our most beloved workflow. Instead of the traditional list table view, the Graph provides a dynamic, intuitive map of your tracks based on their compatibility, and other key attributes. This Graph is designed to help you effortlessly create cohesive playlists and prepare for gigs in one go overflow where you can take high quality ultra fast decision.
At Djoid, we believe that your listening time is valuable—a finite resource that should be spent on moments that matter. By leveraging The Graph, you can:
- Reduce the strain of endless previewing.
- Make better, more inspired decisions.
- Enjoy the curation process without feeling overwhelmed.
Every 2 Tracks that you connect have a relationship, and once they are connected, they will call tracks that share a similar nature to them.
How It Works
When you access the Graph, Djoid analyzes your selected music library or playlist and places tracks as nodes in a network. The connections between the nodes represent compatibility.
The Graph acts as your curation assistant, visually suggesting pathways for your playlists and helping you find relationships between tracks you may not have considered.
Key Features
1. Visual Workflow
- The Graph provides an interactive overview of your music, making it easy to spot connections and patterns.
- Tracks that fit together are visually grouped or closely connected, giving you clear insights at a glance.
2. Track Suggestions
- As you build your playlist, the Graph suggests matching tracks that align harmonically and energetically with your selections.
- This helps you quickly find the next track and build playlists with a natural flow.
3. Enhanced Playlist Curation
- The Graph makes it easy to create playlists in chapters or sections, ensuring each part of your set has a distinct identity while maintaining overall cohesiveness.
- It encourages exploration, revealing track connections that can spark new creative ideas.
Why Use the Graph?
The Graph is more than just a visualization tool; it’s designed to:
- Prevent creative blocks: By visually presenting compatible tracks, the Graph keeps you inspired and moving forward.
- Simplify complex libraries: For DJs with thousands of tracks, the Graph makes it easier to navigate and curate.
- Save time: Instead of endlessly scrolling through lists, you can instantly see which tracks fit your desired flow.
The Graph is built with science and knowledge to empower your creativity, making playlist creation not just efficient but enjoyable. By bridging the gap between intuitive visualization and technical precision, it helps you craft playlists that flow seamlessly and resonate with your audience.
Exporting Playlists from Djoid
Step 1: Prepare Your Playlist
- Organize your tracks and finalize the flow of your playlist in Djoid.
- Ensure all tracks are properly tagged and accessible in your library.
Step 2: Export as M3U8
- Navigate to the playlist you want to export in Djoid.
- Click the Export button and select M3U8 format.
- Save the file to your desired location on your computer.
Importing to Your DJ Platform
Rekordbox
- Open Rekordbox and navigate to the File menu.
- Select Import Playlist and locate the exported M3U8 file.
- Rekordbox will import the playlist, preserving the order and metadata.
- Analyze the tracks in Rekordbox if needed, and you’re ready to go!
Serato
- Open Serato and navigate to the Files tab.
- Drag and drop the exported M3U8 file into the crate area.
- Serato will automatically add the tracks and create a crate for your playlist.
Traktor
- Open Traktor and go to the Explorer tab.
- Locate the Import Playlist option and select your M3U8 file.
- Traktor will add the playlist to your collection, ready for use in your sets.
EngineDJ
- Open EngineDJ and navigate to the Library section.
- Click Import Playlist and choose the exported M3U8 file.
- EngineDJ will process the playlist, adding tracks and metadata to your library.
VirtualDJ
- Open VirtualDJ and access the Playlist Editor.
- Drag and drop the M3U8 file into the playlist area.
- VirtualDJ will import the playlist, and you can start mixing right away.
Tips for Smooth Playlist Export and Import
- Track Location: Ensure that the tracks in your playlist are stored in locations accessible by your DJ software. If files are missing, the software may not locate them correctly.
- Metadata Consistency: Verify that the tags in your Djoid library are accurate before exporting to avoid discrepancies in your DJ platform.
- Analyze After Import: Some platforms may require you to analyze tracks (e.g., BPM, key) after import to align with their performance tools.
Conclusion
Exporting playlists from Djoid allows you to take your curated sets wherever you go, ensuring your preparation translates perfectly into your performance. Whether you’re spinning with Rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, EngineDJ, or VirtualDJ, the M3U8 format ensures compatibility and simplicity.
With Djoid as your curation hub and your DJ software as the performance tool, you’re equipped to deliver unforgettable sets every time. 🎧
5 Ways to Prepare for a Gig with Djoid
Preparing for a DJ gig is much more than gathering tracks; it’s about planning a story, understanding the crowd, and creating a memorable experience. With Djoid, you have all the tools to organize and design your set with precision and creativity. Here’s how you can approach gig preparation like a pro.
1. Think of Your Set as a Project
Treat your gig like a project with a clear structure and purpose. Consider:
- The Venue: What’s the vibe of the space? A small club, an open-air festival, or an intimate lounge will influence your track selection and energy levels.
- The Lineup: Who’s playing before and after you? Plan your set to complement the DJ before you and smoothly hand over to the next act.
- Energy and BPM Ranges: Define the ranges for your set. If the DJ before you is playing slower, prepare to build up from their pace. If you’re the closing act, consider ending with high-energy tracks to leave a lasting impact.
2. Split Your Set into Chapters
A cohesive set is built in chapters, just like a great story. Plan your set in 3-5 chapters, depending on the duration of your gig.
- Duration Per Chapter: Each chapter can cover 20–40 minutes, with 5–20 tracks.
- Purpose of Chapters: Define the mood, energy, or theme for each chapter (e.g., warm-up, peak, wind-down).
- Be Flexible: Name your chapters clearly and keep a variety of options. Having extra chapters in your pocket allows you to adapt to the crowd's energy or unexpected transitions.
3. Be Ready for Seamless Transitions
Your role as a DJ is not just to play music but to connect the dots:
- Start your set by taking over smoothly from the previous DJ. Prepare tracks that align with their energy and BPM to maintain the flow.
- End your set with tracks that set the stage for the next DJ, giving them a solid base to start their story.
How to Start a Chapter in Djoid
Djoid makes it easy to build and organize chapters for your set. Here are five methods to create a chapter:
1. Seed Playlist
Start with a specific track or a small collection of tracks that represent the vibe of the chapter. Djoid’s Recommendation Engine can then suggest additional tracks that fit with your initial selection.
2. Through the Graph
Use Djoid’s Graph to visually explore your library. Similar to the precious approach you can use the Graph to start selecting your next tracks.
3. Autogroup
Run the Autogroup on your library or a subset (e.g., genre-specific tracks). It will suggest groups of tracks that fit well together, giving you a ready-made starting point for your chapter.
4. Slice a Section of Your Library
Filter your library by specific attributes like genre, BPM, key, or energy. Use these filters to focus on a particular vibe or style for your chapter.
5. Scatter Playlister (Coming Soon)
This upcoming feature will allow you to randomly scatter tracks within set parameters like energy or key. It’s perfect for sparking new ideas and breaking out of routine workflows.
STAY TUNED...
Final Thoughts
Gig preparation is about balance: structure and creativity, planning and flexibility. With Djoid’s intuitive tools and features, you can:
- Organize your music into chapters that tell a story.
- Prepare for smooth transitions between DJs.
- Stay adaptable to the energy of the venue and crowd.
Approach your gig as a curated project, and use Djoid to craft sets that resonate on the dance floor. Because great DJing isn’t just about playing tracks—it’s about creating an unforgettable journey. 🎵
Help & Support
At Djoid, we’re more than just a software company—we’re a passionate team of DJs, music scientists, engineers, and AI specialists, all deeply rooted in the music industry as artists and professionals. Based in Berlin, the heart of electronic music culture, we bring our collective expertise to create a platform tailored for DJs by DJs.
Our Commitment to the DJ Community
We’re a young and motivated company, driven by our mission to make music curation and organization an enjoyable, efficient, and creative experience. We understand the challenges DJs face, and we’re here to provide tools that empower your artistry.
A Work in Progress
As Djoid continues to grow, you may encounter occasional compatibility issues or errors. Please know that our team is working tirelessly to make the software as smooth and reliable as possible.
- Our support team is here to assist you quickly and efficiently.
- Our engineering team is actively improving the platform based on your feedback.
Reach Out to Us
We value your input and want to hear from you! Whether you have a question, issue, or suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us:
hotline@djoid.io
Thank you for being part of the Djoid journey. Together, we’re shaping the future of music curation and making it better for DJs everywhere. 🎵