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Ballroom Music Player

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Overview of BDJ4

Overview of BDJ4

A short list of some things that are useful to know when starting out with BDJ4.

Configuration

The configuration is static, not dynamic. When you change the configuration, you will need to close and restart the player and management interfaces. Configuration changes are not immediately applied. Certain configuration options (locale, profile color, accent color, user interface, et.al.) require exiting BDJ4 and restarting.

Database Updates

When a database update is done (rebuild, check for new, re-organize, etc.), it is safest to exit the player and management interfaces, and re-open them. While BDJ4 tries to keep the database changes updated and consistent, it is still safest to exit and restart to make sure the management and player interfaces have a consistent view.

Definition of a Playlist

A playlist in many music players is a static list of songs, which can't be changed during playback.

In BDJ4, this is closest to a Song List. But once a Song List is queued, the BDJ4 player allows songs to be moved, added, and removed. This does not modify the original song list.
References:
Management / Edit Song Lists
Subjects / Song Lists

BDJ4 also has sequences, where dances are played in sequence of your choosing, and BDJ4 chooses the song to be played.
References:
Management / Edit Sequences
Subjects / Sequenced Playlists

And there are automatic playlists, where BDJ4 will choose the dance and the song.
References:
Management / Playlist Management
Subjects / Automatic Playlists

A BDJ4 Song List, Sequence and Automatic Playlist all have associated playlist settings that can be changed. Most often, no changes are needed for song lists.
References:
Management / Playlist Management

In all of these cases, once queued for playback, the BDJ4 player allows songs to be moved, added, and removed. This does not modify the original song list, sequence or automatic playlist.

Using Genre

Some people use the genre tag to set the dance (Waltz, Rumba, etc.).

In writing BDJ4, I have been careful not to overwrite audio file tags that people may be using. BDJ4 leaves the genre tag alone so that it can be used by the user for the purpose they choose (it may be set to New Age, Jazz, Rock, etc.). BDJ4 saves the dance in its own tag, and leaves the genre tag as is.

When updating the BDJ4 database, there is a Database Loads Dance from Genre option that can be set to check the genre tag for the dance when the audio file information is first read and saved into the database.

References:
Configuration / Organization

Menus

Menus in BDJ4 are context sensitive, and will change depending on the selected tab. Switching to a new tab will update the menu. e.g. in the Management window, Edit Song Lists has its own menu. In the Music Manager, the Music Manager sub-tab and the Song Editor sub-tab have an Actions menu, but the menu contents are different.

Music Queues, Profiles and Alternate Folders

BDJ4 installations have the following structure:

This is the usual configuration that many people have. A single installation with one profile and a single music queue.

Main Installation
- Profile
  - Music Queue

BDJ4 can be configured with multiple profiles and multiple music queues. In addition alternate folders can be set up with their own databases and profiles.

Main Installation
- Profile
  - Music Queues (up to 5)
- Profile
  - Music Queues
Alternate Folder(s) (separate database)
- Profile
  - Music Queues
- Profile
  - Music Queues

The BDJ4 player can display up to five music queues, and each music queue can be configured in a different fashion. As examples, a music queue could be configured for ballroom dances, general playback, requests, practice, showcase, rounds, or mixers.
Reference:
Configuration / Music Queues
Subjects / Music Queues
Player (Options / Show Extra Queues)

Profiles are used to keep different configurations separate. As examples, a profile could be set up for working on music at home, for use with headphones, for DJ work, for practice sessions or for general playback.
Reference:
Subjects / Profiles

An alternate folder is used when you need a separate database. For example, you might have ballroom music in the main installation, and an alternate folder for classical music. The databases and configurations are separate and don't affect each other.

Alternate folder installation is optimized so that the BDJ4 installation is not duplicated, only the data files are separate.
Reference:
Subjects / Alternate Folders

Getting help

If you need help getting started, understanding how something in BDJ4 functions, or want to learn how to accomplish a particular goal in BDJ4, use one of the methods in Getting Help.