Rekordbox Cue Points for Beginners | Memory Cues, Hot Cues & DJ Phrasing

Not sure where to set your cue points in Rekordbox? In this beginner DJ tutorial, Colin breaks down the cue-point system he uses to prepare tracks, understand song phrasing, count bars, and know exactly when to start a transition. Using Memory Cues, Hot Cues, and Rekordbox’s beat countdown, you can turn your waveform into a visual roadmap for your mix instead of guessing when the next drop, buildup, or phrase change is coming. In this video, you’ll learn: • How cue points work in Rekordbox • The difference between a Cue, Memory Cue, and Hot Cue • How Colin organizes Memory Cues for beginner DJs • How common 8-bar phrasing works in house and EDM • How to recognize the start of a buildup, drop, and major phrase change • How to use Rekordbox’s “Count to the next Memory Cue” display • How to use Memory Cues to count 8, 16, 24, and 32 bars at a glance • How to check that your beat grid and cues line up with the music • Why the waveform is helpful—but shouldn’t replace actually listening to the track • Colin’s Hot Cue convention for marking the final four bars before a drop • How a Hot Cue can help recover if you miss your original mix-in point • How to prepare a second track quickly using the same cue system • How to plan 8-bar, 16-bar, 24-bar, and 32-bar transitions • How this preparation translates from Rekordbox to real CDJ mixing The goal to create a cue-point convention you understand instantly. When your Memory Cues consistently mark phrase boundaries and your Hot Cues have a specific purpose, you can look at a track you prepared weeks ago and immediately understand where you are, how much time you have, and when your next mix can begin. This tutorial is especially useful for beginner DJs learning Rekordbox, CDJs, house music, EDM mixing, phrasing, and track preparation. Music City Accelerator offers DJ instruction, music production education, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, audio engineering, and artist development in San Francisco. Learn more about Music City Accelerator: musiccitysf.com/accelerator/ Book DJ practice time or learn more about DJ instruction at Music City: musiccitysf.com/rehearsal/ Subscribe for more DJ tutorials, Rekordbox tips, mixing techniques, Ableton lessons, and music production education. How do you organize your cue points? Drop your system in the comments. #Rekordbox #DJTips #DJTutorial