The new 5.0 update introduces Lucid Beatgrids, a rebuilt Beatgrid analysis engine. This article covers what’s changed, how to get Lucid Beatgrids on your tracks, and the new settings and editing controls.
Contents
What’s changed?
Lucid Beatgrids can follow a tempo that moves. Where the tempo changes, analysis places a Beat Warp Marker, so the Beatgrid stays on the beat.
You’ll notice the biggest difference on music that wasn’t recorded to a fixed tempo, like live recordings, vinyl rips, and anything played by a drummer.
Your existing Beatgrids
Lucid Beatgrid data is stored alongside your existing Beatgrids. Nothing is overwritten until you choose to re-analyze a track.
NOTE: If you open a track in an earlier version of Serato DJ Pro, it uses your previous Beatgrid. If the track only has a Flexible Beatgrid, no Beatgrid will show.
Re-analyzing existing tracks
Tracks you'd already analyzed before updating won't get a new Beatgrid Mode automatically. To apply Fixed or Flexible to your existing library:
- Drag tracks, crates, or your whole library onto the Analyze Files button to re-analyze them.
- Or use Analyze Entire Library in your Analysis Settings to force a re-analysis of every track in one go.
Analysing tracks with Fixed and Flexible mode
There are two Beatgrid Modes:
- Flexible places a Beat Warp Marker wherever the tempo changes. If there are no tempo changes, you get a single steady Beatgrid. This is the default.
- Fixed always gives one BPM and one Downbeat Marker, the same structure as earlier versions, with improved downbeat detection.
To choose a mode for analysis:
- Click the dropdown arrow next to Analyze Files.
- Set Beatgrid Mode to Flexible or Fixed.
To change the mode for specific tracks without changing your analysis settings, right-click a track, crate or playlist and choose Set Beatgrid, then Set Flexible Beatgrid or Set Fixed Beatgrid.
PLEASE NOTE: The 'Set Beatgrid' right-click option is the only way to analyze your tracks to set the new beatgrids for Spotify tracks.
NOTE: If a steady-tempo track shows extra Beat Warp Markers it doesn’t need, often in a breakdown or intro, set it to Fixed.
Beatgrid settings
Go to Setup > DJ Preferences:
- Beatgrid BPM Changes : choose BPM Changes on Bars Only for fewer tempo changes and a smoother Beatgrid. This is the default and suits most music. Choose BPM Changes on Beats for more tempo changes and the tightest sync on complex music.
- Waveform BPM Labels: choose All BPM Changes, Major BPM Changes (default) or None to set how many BPM labels show on the waveform.
BPM labels appear on the main waveform and the track overview at each tempo change, so you can see a change coming.
New editing controls
Open the Beatgrid Editor by clicking Edit Grid, or press alt + spacebar. Two controls are new:
- Set Grid Start moves the Downbeat Marker without changing the rest of the Beatgrid. Use it when the beats line up but Bar 1 is in the wrong place.
- Set Beat and Set Bar place a Beat Warp Marker on the nearest beat or bar. Both are available when Beatgrid BPM Resolution is set to BPM Changes on Beats.
All existing controls, including Slip, Adjust and Clear, work as before. See Editing Beatgrids for the full editor reference.
NOTE: The Edit Grid button only appears when Simple Sync with Snap to Beatgrid, or Smart Sync, is enabled under Setup > DJ Preferences > Sync Mode.
Still can’t find what you are looking for? Contact our Support team
If your Beatgrids don't look right?
The beats line up, but the downbeat is on the wrong beat?
The grid is tight, but the "1" is landing on the second kick, or two beats out. Load the track, click Edit Grid, move the playhead to the true first downbeat, and click Set Grid Start.
There are extra tempo markers on a track that never changes tempo?
This is most likely on tracks with a long breakdown, a drumless intro or outro, or a heavy swing or syncopated feel. Right-click the track and choose Set Fixed Beatgrid
The grid drifts out of time as the track plays?
Live recordings, vinyl rips, and anything not recorded to a click can drift. Analyze the track as Flexible. If it still drifts, set manual warp markers through the track in the Beatgrid Editor.
The track has a deliberate tempo change and the grid doesn't follow it?
Analyze the track as Flexible. If the grid still doesn't follow the change, set manual warp markers at the transition