Ruckus displays the file browser when it first starts up. Here you can choose an MP3 file from the Memory Stick. The list of files is filtered; only files with a .mp3 extension are listed. If an MP3 file has an ID3 tag, the song title and artist will be displayed instead of the file name.
Once you have selected an MP3 file in the file browser, Ruckus will switch to playback mode. The remaining track time is displayed by default, but you can switch between remaining and elapsed with the SELECT button. You can seek back and forth with the trigger buttons; holding down the CIRCLE button will speed up seeking.
When a track is first loaded, the cue point is set to the very beginning of the track. To change the cue point, start playing the track. When the track reaches the point where you want to set the cue point, pause it. While paused, Ruckus will continuously loop 1/4 of a second beginning at the point where the track was paused to help you set the cue point more precisely. Also, while paused, a single press of the seek buttons will advance or reverse 1/60 of a second. When you're ready to set the cue point, press the SQUARE button.
To return to the cue point, press the SQUARE button while the track is playing.
Ruckus provides two beatmatching tools: tempo adjustment and pitch bend.
Tempo adjustment operates identically to the pitch selector on a professional turntable. Use the left and right buttons on the D-pad to set the tempo. You can adjust a track's tempo ±12%.
Pitch bend provides a momentary change in tempo only as long as the D-pad is held down. This is useful for giving a track a "nudge" if its tempo is only slightly off. Press the up and down buttons on the D-pad to activate pitch bend. The longer you hold down the button, the more extreme the effect becomes, gradually increasing to ±25% (in addition to any tempo adjustment you may have set) after two seconds.
If the track you're playing has an ID3 tag that specifies the track's BPM, the adjusted BPM will be displayed below the tempo adjustment.