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Moving A DJ Library From Serato Into Traktor

By Dan White on May 10, 2013

We’re constantly being asked by Serato DJs who have recently discovered Traktor and want to give it a shot about the best way to easily move their library across without having to start all over with cue points, BPM information, and so on. The good news is that moving your library to Traktor is relatively simple. Watch today’s video inside and learn how to make it happen!

As the video mentions, you’ll need to be sure to download the SSL Database Importer, which is available here.

Remember that Serato Scratch Live doesn’t write beat grids to tracks, so setting a starting cue point is the best way to have a guideline as to where to drop your beatgrid. Since the track still retains BPM data, you don’t have to worry about asking it to reanalyze BPM upon adding to the Traktor Collection (unless you think you might need to)!

Have another set of software that you want to see a video of how to convert your DJ library data to and from? Let us know and we’ll investigate!  

bpmconversionconvertingcratesCue PointsDisc Jockey (Profession)djdj libraryseratoSerato Scratchtraktor dj libraryTraktor ProTraktor Tips
Comments (60)
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  • Aleksi Hakanpää

    How about a shared library if you want to use both softwares? Has to be iTunes based I’m assuming?

    • Damien Sirkis

      iTunes will only let you sync playlists. No beat grid, cue points, etc…

  • m

    does anyone try to use drag & drop method ? why i have to waste my time and energy to download some programs , searching files etc…. when all those methods fail (on my win7 this SSL Importer crash), i just open my serato ,then open traktor , grab a playlist from sertao and drop it in traktor. it works. thank you for not helping me

  • Derek Mills

    How can you export virtual dj database to serato?

    • Damien Sirkis

      Right now you can’t but it’s something I’m looking into with Rekord Buddy.

  • Alex

    This doesn’t help me one bit if my music is in FLAC.

  • CM

    my music is organized in serato, not itunes. how do i transfer my files without needing to duplicate serato set lists in itunes?

  • mo-b

    Thank for the video. I just ordered a Z2 and want to use Traktor mainly in the studio. I normally use Serato and my Music is organized with iTunes. So when I add new Music I have to do this every time? Isn’t it easier to just work with iTunes in Traktor (maybe I’m wrong because I’m not familiar with the Traktor software at all…) And does the problem with aac-files still exist? Because a lot of my files are in this format (iTunes Match). Thanks

  • Nicole

    Id Like To Download This

  • timeless

    Yes open standard, plzzz. Really think it will always be serato and traktor? Abelton? What if abelton incorporated dj decks into their setup. Plug in a controller and whats better now?

  • Ak1723

    I think a VDJ to Traktor tutorial would be great as well.

  • Anonymous

    Plus 1 for the open standard, which is basically iTunes and MP3’s with at least the meta data that is stored in the MP3 @ this point. Of course this probably misses out on some capabilities of any product’s advanced toolset if you go beyond using 1200’s, etc…which is kinda the point @ DJTT/for controllerists I suppose.

  • DJ Moxxy

    I would love a good tutorial on how to have multiple Traktor libraries. How to properly switch between them, keep them organized and how to back them up.

  • D.J. MacIntyre

    I think it’s very valuable to be able to transfer all the work we put in organizing from one program to another. It puts the onus on the programmers to make the best program and not sit back on yesterday’s victories.

    I’d like to see Virtual DJ to Traktor and vice versa.

  • D.J. MacIntyre

    I think it’s very valuable to be able to transfer all the work we put in organizing from one program to another. It puts the onus on the programmers to make the best program and not sit back on yesterday’s victories.

    I’d like to see Virtual DJ to Traktor and vice versa.

  • Robert Wulfman

    also if you use traktor at home but are going to play at a place with CDJs, make your playlist in traktor then right click the playlist and export as an xml file. then go to rekordbox, click import playlist then import the xml. You should then be able to put it on a usb and use it on most CDJs that you’ll find in a club (however any beatgridding and cue points will not be on the rekordbox version)

    • Damien Sirkis

      See my comment on Rekord Buddy if you want full beatgrid and cue points.

    • Damien Sirkis

      See my comment on Rekord Buddy if you want full beatgrid and cue points.

    • tr4gik

      Only for MAC users … : /

      • Damien Sirkis

        For the time being. Who knows what the future holds 🙂

        • Anonymous

          Meh, I wouldn’t worry about it. DJ’ing with a Windows laptop is a terrible idea. I would pay BIG bucks if you made a Serato -> RekordBox converter though. 🙂

          • mkdsl

            this is not true. fanboyism at work. (referring to djing with a windows laptop as a terrible idea) been djing on windows based laptops for 8 years with no trouble other than i’ve caused myself.

          • Damien Sirkis

            Doesn’t matter what you DJ with, the only thing that matters is whether you play the right tunes at the right time 🙂

  • Kryp

    Any difference coming from Itch/DJ with beatgrids already in the tracks?

  • Kryp

    Any difference coming from Itch/DJ with beatgrids already in the tracks?

  • DJ_ForcedHand

    I think we need an international open standard for Electronic Music Libraries like MIDI for electronic musical instruments.

  • DJ_ForcedHand

    I think we need an international open standard for Electronic Music Libraries like MIDI for electronic musical instruments.

  • Fiderman

    If you have a big library, be careful when you do this. My transfer got interrupted and corrupted most of my music files. I experienced this first hand.

    On the safe side I just started creating playlist in iTunes because they are read by both programs.

    • DJ_ForcedHand

      Are you still able to access the tagged cue points and loop length?

    • DJ_ForcedHand

      Are you still able to access the tagged cue points and loop length?

      • Fiderman

        I would have no idea. After my files had been corrupted, I just stopped using this application overall. I just redownloaded my music from my external hd and didn’t bother using it again.

  • Fiderman

    If you have a big library, be careful when you do this. My transfer got interrupted and corrupted most of my music files. I experienced this first hand.

    On the safe side I just started creating playlist in iTunes because they are read by both programs.

  • djelevation

    I’ve been using Itch for a while and really want to get a Z2. My one hangup is that I like how Serato shows the phase of my grids much better. I notice the Traktor DJ iphone/ipad app seems to use bright and dim markers to show the phase more clearly. Does anyone know how to show that in the full version of Traktor? That’s basically the only thing I like better about Serato, but it’s kinda a big deal to me too.

  • djelevation

    I’ve been using Itch for a while and really want to get a Z2. My one hangup is that I like how Serato shows the phase of my grids much better. I notice the Traktor DJ iphone/ipad app seems to use bright and dim markers to show the phase more clearly. Does anyone know how to show that in the full version of Traktor? That’s basically the only thing I like better about Serato, but it’s kinda a big deal to me too.

    • dannybyrne29

      Yeah you can turn it on in preferences..!

  • Elicio

    There should be a tutorial for moving a traktor library into serato too…

  • Elicio

    There should be a tutorial for moving a traktor library into serato too…

    • Dan White

      We’re gonna make one! : )

      • Razz

        have you made one?

    • Dan White

      We’re gonna make one! : )

    • Anonymous

      YES! Please do one for Traktor-to-Serato. I started on Serato years ago, then went Traktor for a while to see what it was was about, and now done with Traktor and want to go back to Serato now that Serato DJ is here.

  • DJ Zobe

    What if you have your music on an external drive? Can you convert with out having to use the itunes step?

  • DJ Zobe

    What if you have your music on an external drive? Can you convert with out having to use the itunes step?

  • KValdini

    Can we look at moving Serato crates (library) into Pioneer Rekordbox in the next one!

  • KValdini

    Can we look at moving Serato crates (library) into Pioneer Rekordbox in the next one!

    • DJ_ForcedHand

      I agree, the Serato “Smart Crates” are much better at sorting than the Traktor Library. You can literally add new tunes (with the appropriate tags) and Serato will automatically sort them for you without any effort on your part. I’ve done this by genre and year released… all I had to do to update my library was dump the songs into the library folder and launch Serato Itch.

    • DJ_ForcedHand

      I agree, the Serato “Smart Crates” are much better at sorting than the Traktor Library. You can literally add new tunes (with the appropriate tags) and Serato will automatically sort them for you without any effort on your part. I’ve done this by genre and year released… all I had to do to update my library was dump the songs into the library folder and launch Serato Itch.

    • Anonymous

      Yes, please! I’ve done this before but its very cumbersome. Basically its Serato -> Traktor via the NI converter (doesn’t work on .m4a) then Traktor -> Rekordbox via RekordBuddy. Would love to know an easier way as I like to use both Serato and Recordbox for different types of gigs.

  • KIO

    Well, the Traktor beatgrid was actually not that tight. And as I’ve said before I’m still amazed that Traktor doesn’t understand downbeats. From a program as elaborate as Traktor it’s quite strange that it just goes beat-beat-beat-beat-beat-beat rather than 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4.
    Anyway, I’m quite happy that it is indeed possible to transport my cue points into Traktor.
    Does it also work the other way around?

    KIO

  • KIO

    Well, the Traktor beatgrid was actually not that tight. And as I’ve said before I’m still amazed that Traktor doesn’t understand downbeats. From a program as elaborate as Traktor it’s quite strange that it just goes beat-beat-beat-beat-beat-beat rather than 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4.
    Anyway, I’m quite happy that it is indeed possible to transport my cue points into Traktor.
    Does it also work the other way around?

    KIO