Feature knowledge base

What Track analysis does

Track analysis reads the selected audio files on the DJ's own computer and detects, per track, the BPM (tempo), the musical key expressed on the Camelot wheel, an energy value used to shape the set, and the loudness (LUFS) and true peak used by Match loudness. Track analysis runs entirely on the DJ's machine; the audio never leaves the computer. Nothing is written to the USB stick during this step. When analysis finishes, the DJ continues to the Composer.

How to use Track analysis

1. Add tracks or a folder in the Source / tracks to analyze box (see Track selection).
2. Choose the target USB drive in the USB drive / target device box.
3. Click Analyze.
4. When the count under ANALYZED is complete, click Open Composer to build the set.

Track analysis tooltips and on-screen text

What Track analysis does not do

• Track analysis does not upload the DJ's audio anywhere. Analysis happens locally on the DJ's computer.
• Track analysis does not write anything to the USB stick. Writing happens only in the Export step.
• Track analysis does not change the DJ's audio files; it only reads them.
• Track analysis does not need an internet connection to read BPM, key, energy and loudness.

Common questions about Track analysis

Does Track analysis upload my music?

No. Track analysis runs on the DJ's own computer and the audio files never leave the machine.

Does Track analysis change or move my files?

No. Track analysis only reads the files to detect BPM, key, energy and loudness. The files are not changed, and nothing is written to the USB stick in this step.

The detected key or BPM looks wrong — why?

Key and tempo detection is automatic and can occasionally differ from the DJ's own value, especially for tracks with an ambiguous key. The value is a starting point for sequencing.

What Track selection does

Track selection gathers the files the DJ wants in the set. The DJ can add every track from a folder, or pick individual tracks from different folders, and all chosen tracks appear in a scrollable staging list in the Source / tracks to analyze box. Tracks can be removed one by one or all at once before analysis.

How to use Track selection

1. Click + Folder to add every track from a folder.
2. Click + Tracks to pick individual files (multiple can be selected at once); repeat from other folders as needed.
3. Review the staging list; remove a single track with its remove control, or use Clear to empty the list.
4. Click Analyze to interpret the staged tracks.

Track selection tooltips and on-screen text

What Track selection does not do

• Track selection does not copy or move the chosen files. It only lists which files to analyze.
• Track selection does not analyze the tracks on its own; analysis starts when the DJ clicks Analyze.
• Track selection does not import from streaming services; it works with the DJ's local files.

Common questions about Track selection

Can I pick tracks from more than one folder?

Yes. Use + Tracks to add individual files, and repeat from any folder; every chosen track collects in the same staging list.

How do I remove a track I added by mistake?

Use the remove control on that track in the staging list, or use Clear to remove all of them and start over.

What Compose does

Compose orders the analyzed tracks into a set. The DJ picks an energy arc template and can drag its points to shape the curve, sets the target length, and adjusts two priorities. Compose then generates a track order that follows the drawn energy arc and mixes harmonically according to those priorities. The result is opened in the Refine step for review.

How to use Compose

1. Pick an energy arc template (Journey, Wave, Build, Peak-time, Cooldown) and drag its points to shape the curve.
2. Set the length with the minus/plus controls, or click Fit all tracks to size it to all imported tracks.
3. Set the two priority sliders (harmonic vs. energy arc, and key vs. BPM).
4. Click Generate to build the ordered set.

Compose settings

Compose tooltips and on-screen text

What Compose does not do

• Compose does not write anything to the USB stick; it only builds the order, which is written later in Export.
• Compose does not change the DJ's audio files.
• Compose does not change a track's key or tempo; it only orders the tracks.

Common questions about Compose

What does the energy arc do?

The energy arc is the shape the set follows over time. Compose orders the tracks so their energy rises and falls along the curve the DJ draws.

Should I favour harmonic or energy arc?

Pull toward Harmonic for the smoothest key transitions; pull toward Energy arc to follow the drawn curve more closely, even if some key changes are rougher.

Can I change the order after generating?

Yes. The generated order opens in the Refine step, where individual tracks can be reordered or removed.

What Refine does

Refine shows the generated set as a row of energy bars with a mini-player. The DJ can click a bar to load that track, play it, drag a bar to move a track to a new position, and delete a track that does not belong. The Refine step also carries the Match loudness control (documented separately). When the set is ready, the DJ sends it to Export.

How to use Refine

1. Click a bar to select and load that track into the mini-player.
2. Press play to audition it; drag the progress bar to scrub.
3. Drag a bar left or right to reorder that track in the set.
4. Use the remove control in the player to delete the selected track.
5. Click Send to Export when the set is ready.

Refine tooltips and on-screen text

What Refine does not do

• Refine does not write anything to the USB stick; writing happens in Export.
• Refine does not change the DJ's audio files when reordering or removing tracks; removing a track only takes it out of this set.
• Refine does not delete the audio file from disk when a track is removed from the set.

Common questions about Refine

If I remove a track in Refine, is the file deleted?

No. Removing a track in Refine only takes it out of this set. The audio file on disk is not touched.

How do I change the order of a track?

Drag its bar left or right to the position you want; the set re-numbers around it.

Can I hear a track before deciding?

Yes. Click a bar to load the track into the mini-player, then press play and scrub through it.

What Local backups does

Before writing a playlist to a stick that already has an Engine library, Local backups copies that library to the DJ's computer. The backup is kept on the local disk, not on the stick, so it survives even if the stick itself is wiped. Each backup is tied to the stick it came from, and an earlier version can be restored later.

How to use Local backups

1. Write a set to a USB stick in the Export step. A backup of the stick's existing library is made automatically first.
2. To restore, open the device's playlists and choose an earlier backup version.
3. Confirm the restore to bring the earlier playlists back.

Local backups tooltips and on-screen text

What Local backups does not do

• Local backups does not store the backup on the USB stick; it is kept on the DJ's own computer, so it survives a wipe of the stick.
• Local backups does not copy the audio files; it backs up the Engine library (the playlists and their order).
• Local backups does not upload anything; the backup stays on the DJ's computer.

Common questions about Local backups

An Engine OS update wiped my playlists — can I get them back?

If Alpha wrote to that stick before, a backup of its library was saved on the DJ's computer. Open the device's playlists and restore the earlier version.

Where is the backup stored?

On the DJ's own computer, not on the USB stick, so it is not lost if the stick is wiped.

Does Local backups back up my music files too?

No. Local backups saves the Engine library (playlists and order). The audio files are the DJ's own copies.

What Match loudness does

Match loudness measures each track's integrated loudness in LUFS (the EBU R128 / ITU-R BS.1770 standard) and its true peak while the track is analyzed. In the Refine step the DJ picks a target loudness, and the Refine mini-player then plays every track at that matched level so the DJ can hear the result. In the Export step, when Match loudness is ticked, Match loudness bakes a per-track gain into the copies written to the USB stick: a track quieter than the target is turned up, a louder one is turned down, so all tracks play at the same level on any device. Match loudness never raises a track's true peak above -1 dB, which prevents clipping.

How to use Match loudness

1. Analyze the tracks — loudness is measured automatically during analysis.
2. In the Refine step, keep Match loudness ticked and set the target with the slider, or click one of the reference points beneath the slider.
3. Play a track in the Refine mini-player to hear it at the matched level.
4. Go to the Export step and tick Match loudness (-14 LUFS) (the number shows the target).
5. Click Write to USB. The write confirmation reports how many tracks were matched.

Match loudness settings

Match loudness tooltips and on-screen text

What Match loudness does not do

• Match loudness does not change the DJ's original files. It applies the gain only to the copies written to the USB stick; the library files are untouched.
• Match loudness does not add a compressor or a limiter and does not change a track's dynamics. Match loudness only changes the level (a gain adjustment).
• Match loudness does not push a track above -1 dB true peak, so a quiet, highly dynamic track may stay a little below the target rather than clip.
• Match loudness in Refine (the toggle and slider) only affects the mini-player preview. It changes no files. Only the Export checkbox writes the change into the files.
• Match loudness does not read or reuse loudness or gain tags written by other DJ software; Match loudness bakes the level into the audio instead.

Common questions about Match loudness

Does Match loudness change my original files?

No. Match loudness applies the gain only to the copies written to the USB stick. The files in the DJ's library are not changed.

I ticked Match loudness in Export but the tracks are not louder — why?

The write confirmation may say not matched (loudness encoder unavailable). Match loudness needs the loudness encoder to bake the gain into the files; when it is not available the tracks are copied unchanged, so their loudness is not adjusted.

What target loudness should I choose?

-14 LUFS matches streaming (Spotify, YouTube, Tidal), -16 LUFS is Apple Music, and around -6 to -10 LUFS is louder, club-master territory. Consistency between tracks matters more than the exact number.

Why does one track stay quieter than the others?

Match loudness never lets a track's true peak exceed -1 dB. A quiet track with strong peaks reaches that ceiling before it reaches the target and stays a little below it.

Do I have to turn Match loudness on in both Refine and Export?

The Refine toggle controls what the DJ hears in the mini-player; the Export checkbox controls what is written to the stick. Tick the Export checkbox to bake the matched loudness into the exported files.

Why is the Match loudness slider in Refine greyed out?

The Match loudness toggle in Refine is off. Tick it to enable the target slider.

Match loudness troubleshooting

What Skip duplicates does

When Skip duplicates is on, the Export step only copies tracks that are not already on the stick. If a track appears in several playlists, the file is stored once and each playlist links to it. The playlist order is written in full either way; Skip duplicates only affects whether the audio file is copied again.

How to use Skip duplicates

1. In the Export step, find the Skip duplicates checkbox next to the write action.
2. Leave it ticked (the default) to reuse files already on the stick, or untick it to copy every track again.
3. Click Write to USB.

Skip duplicates settings

Skip duplicates tooltips and on-screen text

What Skip duplicates does not do

• Skip duplicates does not leave tracks out of the playlist. The full order is always written; only the file copy is skipped when the file is already present.
• Skip duplicates does not delete anything from the stick.
• Skip duplicates does not change the DJ's original files.

Common questions about Skip duplicates

Will Skip duplicates leave songs out of my playlist?

No. The whole playlist order is written. Skip duplicates only avoids copying an audio file that is already on the stick; the playlist still links to it.

Should I turn Skip duplicates off?

Usually no. Leaving it on saves space and time. Turn it off only if you specifically want every track copied again.

What USB export does

USB export writes a standard Engine OS 3.x library to the chosen USB stick: the audio files, the interpreted metadata (BPM, key), and the playlist order. It plays on any Denon hardware running Engine OS. Before writing to a stick that already has a library, USB export makes a local backup (see Local backups). After writing, USB export validates the result, and the DJ can eject the stick safely.

How to use USB export

1. Confirm the target device / format (Denon, Engine OS 3.x).
2. Check the playlist name, track count and duration.
3. Choose whether Skip duplicates and Match loudness are ticked.
4. Click Write to USB and wait for the confirmation.
5. Use the eject control to unmount the stick before removing it.

USB export settings

USB export tooltips and on-screen text

What USB export does not do

• USB export does not write a Pioneer / rekordbox library; that format is marked coming soon. It writes Denon Engine OS 3.x.
• USB export does not change the DJ's original files; it copies them to the stick.
• USB export does not erase the stick. It adds to the Engine library and backs up the existing one first (see Local backups).

Common questions about USB export

Which gear does USB export work with?

Any Denon hardware running Engine OS 3.x. It was validated on the Prime Go. Pioneer / AlphaTheta (rekordbox) is marked coming soon.

Does USB export erase what is already on my stick?

No. USB export adds the new set and makes a local backup of the stick's existing library first.

Can I remove the stick as soon as writing finishes?

Use the eject control first. It safely unmounts the stick so it can be removed without corrupting the library.

USB export troubleshooting

What Playlists on device does

Playlists on device reads the Engine library on the connected stick and lists its playlists. From there the DJ can rename a playlist, delete a playlist, or restore an earlier version of the library from a local backup (see Local backups). Deleting a playlist removes the playlist entry, not necessarily every audio file it referenced.

How to use Playlists on device

1. With a stick connected, open the device's playlists (from the Analyze or Export step).
2. To rename, use the rename control on a playlist, type the new name, and save.
3. To delete, use the delete control and confirm.
4. To restore an earlier version, choose a backup and confirm the restore.

Playlists on device tooltips and on-screen text

What Playlists on device does not do

• Playlists on device does not change the DJ's original files on the computer; it manages the library on the stick.
• Deleting a playlist does not necessarily remove every audio file it linked to from the stick.
• Playlists on device does not sync with any cloud; it reads the connected stick.

Common questions about Playlists on device

I deleted a playlist by mistake — can I get it back?

If Alpha wrote to that stick before, restore an earlier version from a local backup (see Local backups).

Does deleting a playlist delete the songs?

Deleting a playlist removes the playlist entry. It does not necessarily remove every audio file the playlist referenced from the stick.