Includes:

• Serato track tag parsing and modification, including cue points, track color, beatgrid, waveform, autogain, etc.
• Serato library database parsing and modification
• Serato crate parsing and modification
• Serato smart crate parsing and rule modification
• Dynamic beatgrid analysis that can be saved to a track's beatgrid.
• Serato USB export that beats Serato's sync by putting all files in 1 folder (without duplicates) and only copying changed files, unlike Serato's sync which takes forever and creates many duplicate file locations

Contents

• Example uses
• Installation
• Examples
  • Renaming or removing track files across the library
  • Modifying the database file
  • Exporting crates to USB
  • Analyzing and setting a dynamic beatgrid
  • Setting track color
  • Snapping cue positions to the beatgrid
  • Modifying track metadata / hot cues
  • Listing available crates or smart crates
  • Modifying a SmartCrate Rule
  • Crate details and adding a track
  • Smart Crate details
• Track Tags
• Sources
• Contributing
• License

Example uses:

USB:

• Export crates (including Smart Crates) to USB. Beats Serato's sync by keeping all files in 1 folder and by comparing files for changes (instead of always copying, like Serato does)

Tracks:

• Change hot cue's text (i.e. change to all caps; change "c" to "CHORUS", etc.)
• Set a hot cue's text based on its color (i.e. if RED, set to "EXIT")
• Set a track's color (i.e. if has hot cues, change to BLUE)
• Set a piece of metadata due to a track's color (i.e. if track is green, set "grouping" to "TAGGED") (this is useful since can't create smart crates by track color in Serato)
• Analyze a track's Dynamic Beatgrid and save it to the beatgrid Serato tag.
• Snap cue points to the nearest beat with a configurable tolerance (e.g. 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 of a beat).

Library:

• Rename or delete a track file while updating the database, crates, and smart crates as well, so that it doesn't go missing.

Database:

• After changing a track's metadata, modify database values for a specific track so that you don't have to "Reload Id3 Tags" in Serato, the change appears in Serato instantly.

Crate:

• Read a crate's tracks
• Remove a track from a crate
• Add a track to a crate
• List available crates

Smart Crate:

• Read a smart crate's tracks and rules
• Modify a smart crate's rules
• List available smart crates

Installation

Currently designed for Python 3.12+. If you would like backwards compatibility with an older version, please reach out!

pip install serato-tools

That alone covers crates, smart crates, the library database, and USB export. The rest of the features need extra packages, installed through the matching extra:

Examples

Renaming or removing track files across the library

Library changes a track file and every place Serato points to it: the database, crates, and smart crates, so the track isn't left missing in Serato.

It's also the fastest way for an app to work with the library. Each file is parsed only once, the first time it's needed, then kept for every later change, instead of re-parsing the whole library per change. Use library.database for other database changes too (like modifying the database file), so they share that one parse. Keep one Library per library folder, since another copy's save would overwrite this one's changes.

NOTE: Close Serato first. It keeps the library in memory, and saves it over any changes made while it's open.

from serato_tools.library import Library

library = Library()  # or Library("/Volumes/USB/_Serato_") for a library on another drive
library.rename_track_file(
    src="/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL - Original Mix.mp3",
    dest="/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL.mp3",
)
library.remove_track_files(["/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL (Radio Edit).mp3"])  # deletes the files too

Modifying the database file

NOTE: Close Serato first. It keeps the library in memory, and saves it over any changes made while it's open.

import time
from typing import Any

from serato_tools.database_v2 import DatabaseV2

now = int(time.time())
files_set_date = ["/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL.mp3"]

def modify_uadd(filename: str, prev_val: Any):
    print(f'Serato library change - Changed "date added" to today: {filename}')
    return now

def modify_tadd(filename: str, prev_val: Any):
    return str(now)

def remove_group(filename: str, prev_val: Any):
    return " "

db = DatabaseV2()
# the available fields are in DatabaseV2.Fields
db.modify_and_save(
    rules=[
        {"field": DatabaseV2.Fields.DATE_ADDED_U, "files": files_set_date, "func": modify_uadd},
        {"field": DatabaseV2.Fields.DATE_ADDED_T, "files": files_set_date, "func": modify_tadd},
        {"field": DatabaseV2.Fields.GROUPING, "func": remove_group}, # all files
    ]
)

Exporting crates to USB

NOTE: replaces existing crates on flash drive! (but does not delete existing track files) (TODO: ability to merge with existing)

>>> serato_usb_export --drive E --crate_matcher "*house*" "*techno*" --root_crate="Dave USB"

Analyzing and setting a dynamic beatgrid

Rekordbox has Dynamic Beatgrid Analysis but Serato doesn't. This analyzes a non-consistent BPM across a track, such as a track with live drums, and snaps a beatgrid marker to each beat.

NOTE: This feature has only been tested on a couple of tracks. Recommend reviewing the resulting beatgrid in Serato— some grid markers may require adjustment. It seems to be working pretty great though!

>>> serato_analyze_beatgrid "/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL.mp3"

Setting track color

from serato_tools.track_cues_v2 import TrackCuesV2

tags = TrackCuesV2('/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL.mp3')
tags.set_track_color(
    TrackCuesV2.TrackColors.PURPLE,
    delete_tags_v1=True
    # delete_tags_v1 (the default) deletes the legacy "Serato Markers_" tag, since a stale one stops the new color from appearing in Serato. No issues have been found from deleting it, but use caution with versions of Serato before 3, which may still read it.
)
tags.save()

Snapping cue positions to the beatgrid

After you have a good beatgrid (including dynamic beatgrids), you can snap cue positions so they land exactly on beats, within a configurable tolerance:

serato_snap_cues_v2 "/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL.mp3" --snap_cues --snap_tolerance 1/16

• --snap_cues enables snapping for all cue entries in the Serato Markers2 tag.
• --snap_tolerance is a fraction of a beat (e.g. 1/16, 1/8, 1/4) that a cue point can come within a beat in order to "snap" to it.

Only cue points within the tolerance window of some beat are moved; others are left unchanged.

Modifying track metadata / hot cues

import dataclasses
from mutagen.id3._frames import TIT1
from serato_tools.track_cues_v2 import TrackCuesV2

CueColors = TrackCuesV2.CueColors
TrackColors = TrackCuesV2.TrackColors

tags = TrackCuesV2('/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL.mp3')

def track_rule(track: TrackCuesV2.TrackCuesInfo) -> TrackCuesV2.TrackCuesInfo | None:
    # Set ID3 grouping field from track color
    if track.color is not None:
        track_color = track.color.color
        if track_color == TrackColors.LIMEGREEN3.value:
            tags.tagfile.tags.setall("TIT1", [TIT1(text="TAGGED")])
        elif track_color in [TrackColors.WHITE.value, TrackColors.GREY.value, TrackColors.BLACK.value]:
            tags.tagfile.tags.setall("TIT1", [TIT1(text="UNTAGGED")])

    # Normalize cue colors and names
    new_cues = []
    for c in track.cues:
        # Make "close to red", red.
        cue_color = CueColors.RED.value if c.color in [CueColors.PINKRED.value, CueColors.MAGENTA.value] else c.color
        # Make all cuenames all-caps
        cue_name = c.name.strip().upper()

        new_cues.append(dataclasses.replace(c, color=cue_color, name=cue_name))
    new_track = dataclasses.replace(track, cues=new_cues)
    return new_track if new_track != track else None

tags.modify_entries(track_rule, delete_tags_v1=True)
tags.save()

Listing available crates or smart crates

from serato_tools.crate import Crate
print('\n'.join(Crate.get_crate_files()))

from serato_tools.smart_crate import SmartCrate
print('\n'.join(SmartCrate.get_crate_files()))

Modifying a SmartCrate Rule

via command line

Each rule takes a comparison and a value (or DELETE to remove the rule). The available comparisons are the SmartCrate.RuleComparison names, lowercase: str_contains, str_is, int_is_ge, etc.

one crate

>>> serato_smartcrate '/Users/Username/Music/_Serato_/SmartCrates/Dubstep.scrate' --set_rules --grouping str_is UNTAGGED

all crates

>>> serato_smartcrate --all --set_rules --grouping str_is UNTAGGED

via code

from serato_tools.smart_crate import SmartCrate

crate = SmartCrate('/Users/Username/Music/_Serato_/SmartCrates/Dubstep.scrate')

# updates the rule on this field, or adds the rule if the crate doesn't have one for it.
# the value is stored in the value field the comparison expects, just like Serato does.
crate.set_rule(SmartCrate.RuleField.GROUPING, SmartCrate.RuleComparison.STR_IS, "UNTAGGED")
crate.save()

Crate details and adding a track

from serato_tools.crate import Crate

crate = Crate('/Users/Username/Music/_Serato_/Subcrates/Dubstep.crate')

crate.print_track_paths()
# /Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Saka - backitup.mp3
# /Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Mind Splitter - YAPPIN'.mp3
# /Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Flozone - DO IT.mp3
# /Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Evalution - Throw It Back.mp3
# ...

print(crate)  # or crate.print()
# vrsn (Version): 1.0/Serato ScratchLive Crate
# osrt (Sorting): [ tvcn (Column Name): key ], [ brev (Reverse Order): False ]
# ovct (Column): [ tvcn (Column Name): song ], [ tvcw (Column Width): 0 ]
# ovct (Column): [ tvcn (Column Name): artist ], [ tvcw (Column Width): 0 ]
# ovct (Column): [ tvcn (Column Name): bpm ], [ tvcw (Column Width): 0 ]
# ovct (Column): [ tvcn (Column Name): playCount ], [ tvcw (Column Width): 0 ]
# otrk (Track): [ ptrk (Track Path): Music/Dubstep/Flozone - Candy Paint.mp3 ]
# otrk (Track): [ ptrk (Track Path): Music/Dubstep/Mind Splitter - LISTEN TO ME.mp3 ]
# otrk (Track): [ ptrk (Track Path): Music/Dubstep/Flozone - DO IT.mp3 ]
# ...


# Example: Add tracks to the crate and save it as a new crate
crate.add_tracks(['/Users/Username/Music/Dubstep/Raaket - ILL.mp3'])
crate.save('/Users/Username/Music/_Serato_/Subcrates/New Crate.crate')

Smart Crate details

from serato_tools.smart_crate import SmartCrate

s_crate = SmartCrate('/Users/Username/Music/_Serato_/SmartCrates/Dubstep.scrate')
print(s_crate)

Track Tags

Original writeup on Serato GEOB tag discoveries: blog post

What's still unknown in these formats — including the rare, mostly undecoded Serato Offsets_ tag — is collected in docs/MYSTERIES.md.

The different file/tag formats that Serato uses to store the information are documented in docs/fileformats.md, a script to dump the tag data can be found at track_tagdump.py.

Sources

• Serato track file tag parsing and modification from https://github.com/Holzhaus/serato-tags , which appears to be no longer maintained
• Crate file format was first worked out from https://github.com/sharst/seratopy ; but none of its code remains in this project
• Dynamic beatgrid analysis from https://github.com/heyitsmass/audio

Contributing

If you want a new feature, or have a bug fix, please put in a PR! For anything bigger, or if you're not sure about an approach, feel free to open an issue to discuss it first.

Please contribute here rather than publishing your own fork. One maintained package keeps fixes and format discoveries in one place, instead of splitting them across copies that drift apart.

License

MIT: free to use, modify, and include in your own projects, personal or commercial.