Recovery

Recognise the characteristic failure patterns before they damage the new system.

Failure, Drift and Recovery Architecture

Restore hierarchy

1. 01Stop making changes in both Lexicon and Serato.
2. 02Identify the last known-good matched checkpoint.
3. 03Restore the Lexicon database backup if the administrative master is damaged.
4. 04Restore the Lexicon-created Serato backup or _Serato_Backup if the performance database is damaged.
5. 05Verify file paths before reopening both applications.
6. 06Repeat only the failed migration phase, not the entire process unless the baseline itself was wrong.

Source basis: S5, S6.

What not to delete

• Do not delete the old iTunes media folder while unresolved files remain.
• Do not delete the fresh XML after successful migration.
• Do not delete Music Library.musiclibrary or the legacy .itl files merely to make the folder look clean.
• Do not delete _Serato_Backup immediately after a successful first migration.
• Do not delete the successful Lexicon baseline backup from the automatically cleaned backup folder without copying it elsewhere.

Turn the migrated system into a repeatable professional routine.

Daily streaming cycle

1. 01Discover and add streamed music in Spotify.
2. 02Maintain existing genre, theme, event and current/classic playlists rather than creating unnecessary new lists.
3. 03Allow or trigger Soundiiz to synchronize the selected Spotify playlists to TIDAL.
4. 04Review failures or suspicious matches in active DJ playlists.
5. 05Use the TIDAL mirror in Serato when stems or FLAC performance is required.

New local-purchase cycle

1. 01Place the file in Lexicon Watch Folder.
2. 02Process it in Incoming.
3. 03Set Grouping/riddim, BPM, key, genre and version details.
4. 04Add it to durable Lexicon playlists.
5. 05Mark it done and move it into Master Music Library.
6. 06Run Modified Sync to Serato.
7. 07Test the file in Serato before relying on it at a gig.

Before a gig

• ✓Lexicon changes have been synced.
• ✓Critical crates load and contain the expected tracks.
• ✓Grouping/riddim and BPM columns are visible where useful.
• ✓The intended streaming provider is selected.
• ✓TIDAL playlists have been refreshed after Soundiiz synchronization.
• ✓Stems have been tested on critical TIDAL tracks.
• ✓Local fallback music is sufficient if streaming fails.
• ✓A backup controller/computer plan exists if the event warrants it.

After a gig

• ✓Add useful requests and discoveries to the correct Spotify playlists.
• ✓Promote important streaming-only tracks to purchased local files when long-term reliability is required.
• ✓Decide whether temporary Serato crates should remain temporary or be imported into Lexicon.
• ✓Create a Lexicon backup after substantial administrative work.
• ✓Quit Serato normally so its backup can update.

Monthly maintenance

• Review Soundiiz synchronization history and persistent match failures.
• Resolve part of the missing-files smartlist.
• Copy a current Lexicon backup to a permanent location.
• Confirm an independent backup of Master Music Library is current.
• Recreate one or more high-value Smartlists from the former iTunes rules.
• Avoid large cleanup projects immediately before an important gig.

How the architecture can simplify without losing the owned-library foundation.

Current state

Spotify already functions as a powerful streaming curation source and, in current Serato versions, can be edited from within Serato and added to ordinary crates. The remaining decisive limitation for this workflow is that Spotify tracks do not currently support Serato Stems. TIDAL therefore remains the practical stems-capable mirror.

Source basis: S9, S10.

Potential future architecture

Potential future architecture

Potential future architecture

Conditions for retiring TIDAL and Soundiiz

• ✓Spotify Stems are officially available and stable in Serato.
• ✓The feature is permitted on the subscription tier you intend to use.
• ✓Audio quality is adequate for your venues and system.
• ✓The deck limit and other streaming restrictions fit your four-channel workflow.
• ✓The Spotify catalogue versions used in performance are reliable.
• ✓The contractual terms are acceptable for the intended professional context.
• ✓A tested local fallback remains available.

The migration is finished when the system passes these conditions.

Acceptance tests

• ✓The current physical audio resides in Master Music Library.
• ✓Lexicon points to those physical files and plays them.
• ✓The current Apple Music XML has been preserved as a frozen migration source.
• ✓The historical ordinary playlist hierarchy is editable in Lexicon.
• ✓Serato cues and desired performance metadata have been merged into Lexicon.
• ✓Grouping/riddim, BPM and key are preserved.
• ✓The historical hierarchy appears as native Serato crates and subcrates.
• ✓Tracks load from Master Music Library in Serato.
• ✓Show iTunes Library is disabled and the native crates remain.
• ✓The known unresolved files are documented in a missing-files smartlist.
• ✓The old iTunes media folder is retained only until recovery work is complete.
• ✓Spotify is the streaming curation source.
• ✓Soundiiz mirrors selected Spotify playlists to TIDAL.
• ✓TIDAL is usable in Serato for stems and higher-quality streaming.
• ✓New local music enters through Lexicon Incoming and is synced to Serato.
• ✓Routine syncs use Modified or Playlist mode rather than unnecessary Full Syncs.
• ✓Lexicon and Serato backups exist as a matched successful-migration checkpoint.
• ✓The audio files themselves have or are scheduled to receive an independent backup.

What has been preserved

• Years of historical playlist organisation.
• The DJ-specific logic encoded in Grouping/riddim, BPM, keys and cues.
• The ability to use old owned music and new streaming music in the same performance environment.
• The freedom to change performance software later because the administrative master is no longer trapped in Apple Music.
• A clear route for future simplification if Spotify gains stems.