Practice mode overview

 Practice mode is available when Serato DJ Lite hardware is not connected, and outputs through the current default audio device. Controls become available in the user interface, and can be modified with the mouse or keyboard shortcuts.
Load a track in Practice mode by dragging and dropping onto either waveform display area, the track display area, or by pressing shift + left arrow (or shift + right arrow for deck 2).

Practice mode is a useful tool for preparing crates, auditioning tracks and mixes, and adding Cue Points. To access the track controls, simply click on the 'Cues & loops' button.

SEE CUE POINTS FOR MORE INFORMATION
SEE LOOPING FOR MORE INFORMATION
SEE PRACTICE MODE CONTROLS FOR MORE INFORMATION

Track Gain Adjust

 The Track Gain Adjust allows adjustment of the playback volume for track loaded in Practice mode, as well as when Serato DJ Lite hardware is connected.

The Gain value adjustment made is saved to the file and will be retained the next time you load that track. Track Gain Adjust behaviour is also the same when your Serato DJ Lite hardware is connected.

SEE TRACK GAIN ADJUST FOR MORE INFORMATION

Analyzing Files

Analyze files prepares the waveform overviews, detects file corruption, and if enabled, calculates BPM values. Analyzing files in Serato DJ Lite ensures that your songs are ready for you when you need to use them, and reduces CPU load when DJing. We recommend you analyze songs as they are added to your library for best performance.

NOTE: When hardware is connected, Set BPM options are in effect. Keep these checked in Practice mode if you wish to have new tracks analyzed with these values when dragging files to a deck.

NOTE: If you have files you don’t want to analyze, you can Lock tracks. 

How to Analyze Files

To analyze your files open Serato DJ Lite with your hardware disconnected. You will see the analyze files button, click this to automatically analyze ALL the tracks in your library, that have not yet been analyzed.

You can also drag and drop individual folders, crates and files onto the button to analyze small or specific groups of files at a time.

Re-Analyze Files

Previously analyzed tracks can be re-analyzed by dragging the track, selection of tracks or entire Crate to the Analyze Files button. 

NOTE: Re-analyzing will not analyze any Locked tracks.

Analysis Settings

Set BPM

Check this option to ensure Serato DJ Lite calculates the BPM while analyzing files. Re-analyzing files with this option checked will overwrite any manual changes made.

NOTE: Locked files will not have a new BPM calculated. 

BPM Range

This option sets the upper and lower limits of the BPM range while analyzing files. Selecting the correct range will help to avoid half or double BPM values being calculated. For example, if you have tracks that are being analyzed at 140 BPM and you want them analyzed at 70, choose 68-135.

NOTE: If you find tracks with BPM values that are incorrect, check the BPM Range is correct in Practice mode.

Lock Beatgrids

Tracks in your library can be locked to avoid accidentally changing the BPM information for the file. This provides a handy visual aid for tracks in your library you feel have correct BPM values. Find a track you wish to lock, hold control + click in the empty Status column (the first column in the main Library view). A Blue Lock icon will be displayed in this eld. Press control + click again on this icon to unlock the track.

TIP: You can lock several tracks at once. Highlight the track selection you want and then click in the Status column. Serato DJ Lite will then prompt you if you want to edit all the tags for these tracks.

Lock Tracks

If a track displays a gold lock in the Status column, then the file information for the track itself cannot be changed. You will not be able to change any of the track’s information permanently in Serato DJ Lite. This includes BPM, waveforms, cue points, or other metadata information. However, you may be able to adjust information for the track when in a session, but this information will not be saved (written) to the file’s meta tags where this information is kept.

The file may be locked because you are using the wrong formatted hard drive (i.e. an NTFS drive formatted on a Windows PC and trying to use this on a Mac which can only read this information).

Or it could be the file itself is locked. To find out if a track is locked, highlight the track in Serato DJ Lite, and press control + R to ‘reveal’ the file location on your hard drive.

Then press either command + I (‘Get Info’ for Mac) or alt + enter (‘Properties’ for Windows). Then see if the track is Read Only, or that you have the permissions to write to the file.

Track Analyze on Deck Load

Loading an un-analyzed track to a deck will follow the Analyze Files rules. Having Set BPM checked in Practice mode will also set the BPM when you load a track to a virtual deck or sample slot in Serato DJ Lite. Loading a previously analyzed track to a deck will not detect BPM if the track has none already.