Anyone can learn how to DJ, and it’s never been easier to get into, but beyond technical skills, a DJ’s greatest asset is their ability to find and curate a collection of killer tunes to get dancefloors rocking.
It’s a constant process; if you’re anything like me, you’ve amassed a massive collection. We’ve been involved in the DJ scene for over 15 years and spent several years reviewing products and gear and establishing a network of industry professionals.
In that time, there was one thing that many DJs feared: losing their music collection. All the work they put into downloading songs from their favorite record pools, iTunes, or sites like Beatport. Then creating crates/playlist and tagging their collection to perfection. Imagine if all that hard work disappeared in the blink of an eye.
It’s more common than you think. Laptop failures, corrupted hard drives, or theft are genuine threats. In this review, I take a deep dive into a tailor-made solution to end this never-ending feeling of dread. Read on to claim your exclusive 2 month free trial of My DJ Cloud.
What Is My DJ Cloud?
My DJ Cloud is a dedicated backup service for professional DJs. Utilizing trusted and secure cloud technology, you can upload your entire music collection to the cloud to ensure you never lose your songs, edits, and recordings.
My DJ Cloud is a one-stop solution for backing up your music and library.
But it’s more than just a straight file backup service. It’s also a way to back up something even more valuable: your DJ library. All your cue points, playlists/crates, tags, and comments can be safely stored in the cloud.
DJ Focused Approach
My DJ Cloud goes beyond a basic backup service with specific DJ-focused features. I list these below but remember; this is an ever-evolving service.
It’s one of the aspects that I like the most about what I’ve seen from My DJ Cloud. There is a distinct focus on DJs, and the team is highly responsive to feedback.
I went through the Feedback and Roadmap section, and it’s fantastic to see the new features in the pipeline, along with the features already added based on feedback from working DJs. The Discord community is also active with suggestions and feedback that the team at My DJ Cloud is exceptionally receptive to.
My DJ Cloud offers a DJ-focused approached to cloud backups.
Seeing a dedicated team putting its community front and center in a world filled with soulless corporate behemoths is refreshing. Below is a list of the DJ-specific features My DJ Cloud offer. Though, I’ll likely need to update in the future, considering the pace of improvements I’ve seen in the last few months!
- Backup Your Music Files – Your music is safe and secure with My DJ Cloud. They utilize Microsoft Azure to ensure you never lose your collection.
- Backup Your DJ Library – All your Cue Points, Tags, Playlists/Crates, and more are conveniently stored in the cloud.
- Multiple Supported Platforms – Currently, My DJ Cloud works with Serato, Rekordbox, and Virtual DJ, with other popular DJ software platforms in the pipeline.
- Advanced Duplication Detection – Instantly identifies duplicate songs using an audio fingerprint rather than a simple name match.
- Simple And Effective Mobile App – Listen to your tunes on the go, including browsing your crates/playlists.
- iTunes Support – Easily add your entire iTunes library.
- Intelligent Sync – The program runs in the background and constantly updates based on changes to your Sync Folders. But it only does this when you are not using your DJ software—no interruptions or potential conflicts when performing.
- Emoji Support – It may seem trivial, but many DJs use emojis in their crate titles, so I’m glad it’s supported.
How To Use My DJ Cloud
One of the aspects I like the most about My DJ Cloud is how easy the process is. I got up and running quickly, and the answers to any questions I had were readily available in the growing Knowledge Base.
Step 1: Registration
Head to My DJ Cloud and click the download button. Enter your email address and select a password. Details on the exclusive 2 month free trial to follow in step 4…
Step 2: Download The Software
Once you verify your email, you’ll gain access to a download link for your platform—full support for Mac and Windows.
Step 3: Installation
Launch the installation file and follow the installation process. Once installed the application will launch and you’ll be presented with a prompt to activate a free trial. Click this button which will take you to a page in your preferred browser.
Step 4: Select A Plan
When prompted, you’ll need to sign-in and select a plan based on the amount of storage you require.
Standard users are given a 1 month free trial, however you can claim an exclusive 2 month free trial using the referral code: HDJS
You’ll be asked to enter some credit card details to activate your free trial. After the trial period you’ll be charged a monthly fee, which can be cancelled at any time.
Step 5: Add Sync Folders
Once you have entered in your payment details you can return to the application and choose your DJ software platform. At this stage, you’ll select the folders you want My DJ Cloud to back up.
Uploading time will vary based on your collection size and internet speeds. I tested a small batch of 30 songs, and it was surprisingly quick, but if you have an extensive collection, dedicate a reasonable amount of time for the software to do its thing!
Step 6: Backup Your Library
Depending on your DJ software platform, there are some different instructions, so be sure to read the guide carefully when it pops up. Integration with Serato is superb, but there are a few clunkier steps for Rekordbox and Virtual DJ.
Step 7: Install The Mobile App
This is optional, so you can skip this step if you do not want access to your backup on your device. The app is available for both iOS and Android.
Step 8: Enjoy Peace Of Mind
Sit back and relax, knowing your music collection is secured. Your countless hours of hard work tagging, editing, and managing your collection will never be lost.
Available Plans
Currently, My DJ Cloud offers two tiers. Both offer a free trial periods to test the service. Each tier provides the complete feature set. The only difference is the amount of storage capacity. Pricing is very reasonable and more than worth it for professional DJs.
Hints & Tips
After using the service, I would like to offer a few nuggets of advice.
Prepare Your Files
If you have an extensive music collection, ensure it is well organized before beginning the backup process. Everyone has a different way of organizing their music collection, but it’s an essential step all DJs should have established as part of their music collection workflow.
Adding To Your Collection
Discovering new music and adding it to your collection is a constant process. Whether downloading the latest dancefloor bomb from your favorite DJ record pool or hand-selecting gems from dedicated services like Beatport, have a system to add these tracks into your Sync Folders so that My DJ Cloud will back them up instantly.
Backup your latest dancefloor hits by adding them to your Sync Folder.
Set A Reminder
If you are using Serato DJ, you won’t need to worry about this, but for Rekordbox and Virtual DJ, the DJ Library backup is not automatic. Set a weekly reminder to back up your DJ library. It’s a quick process and one that is essential to keeping your latest changes protected in the cloud.
My DJ Cloud Alternatives
Cloud backups are not a new idea, but the unique DJ-focused approach of My DJ Cloud makes it a novel offering that is starkly different from the competition. Below, I explore how My DJ Cloud stacks up to other popular backup methods.
Physical Backups
Many DJs opt for a traditional approach to backing up their collection. This can involve dedicated hard drives or USB flash drives and, in some cases, software.
However, it is a slightly inelegant solution. You need to buy additional drives, take the time to back them up, run software that isn’t tailor-made for DJs, and ideally have an off-site location for your backup drives.
Physical backups are not as secure or reliable compared to cloud backup solutions.
Other Cloud Backup Services
Popular services like OneDrive, Google Drive, or DropBox are viable alternatives, but often, the cost of backing up a lot of data becomes the stumbling block.
I have a collection of .aiff and .wav files for maximum quality, and my music folder is enormous. My DJ Cloud is a reasonably priced option compared to what I would need to pay if I used mainstream cloud backup providers.
Most cloud storage options don’t offer a DJ-focused approach.
However, if you only want to back up your DJ library and not your music files, these services are a reasonable choice, considering you get a certain amount of free storage. Perhaps My DJ Cloud could explore adding a free “DJ Library Only” option to help grow its base. I’m sure many people would eventually upgrade to back up their music files down the line.
Rekordbox Cloud Library Management is also a viable alternative. It’s a solid service, and if you already use it, it is worthwhile staying with it. However, it’s also more expensive than My DJ Cloud so it is still worth contemplating switching over.
Our Verdict
Technology is increasingly becoming a core part of the modern DJ lifestyle, finding and downloading music, using DJ software to organize your collection and performing, and establishing a presence on social media to promote yourself.
My DJ Cloud fits perfectly into this modern era. It resolves one of the remaining antiquated aspects of a DJ’s workflow. Having peace of mind that your collection and DJ library are safe and secure is liberating.
I’m always happy to see new options emerge with a dedicated focus on DJs. From what I’ve seen so far, I can only see My DJ Cloud grow from strength to strength as they refine the service and adapt to feedback.
Is it a must-have? For hobby DJs with a small collection, possibly not. But for dedicated enthusiasts and professionals, My DJ Cloud is a worthwhile investment in securing your treasured music collection and DJ library.
