https://github.com/interfluve-wav/dj-metadata
Cross-platform DJ library metadata quality: UDMS schema, Python adapters (Rekordbox, Serato, Engine DJ, VirtualDJ), replication data & LaTeX. Zenodo DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19618271.
https://github.com/interfluve-wav/dj-metadata
bpm-detection camelot-wheel dj-software engine-dj latex metadata-quality music-information-retrieval python rekordbox replication-package serato udms virtualdj
Last synced: about 1 month ago
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Cross-platform DJ library metadata quality: UDMS schema, Python adapters (Rekordbox, Serato, Engine DJ, VirtualDJ), replication data & LaTeX. Zenodo DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19618271.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/interfluve-wav/dj-metadata
- Owner: interfluve-wav
- License: mit
- Created: 2026-04-16T23:38:42.000Z (about 1 month ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-04-17T00:49:24.000Z (about 1 month ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-04-17T01:31:55.659Z (about 1 month ago)
- Topics: bpm-detection, camelot-wheel, dj-software, engine-dj, latex, metadata-quality, music-information-retrieval, python, rekordbox, replication-package, serato, udms, virtualdj
- Language: TeX
- Homepage: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19618271
- Size: 445 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- License: LICENSE
- Citation: CITATION.cff
- Security: SECURITY.md
- Zenodo: .zenodo.json
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# UDMS: A canonical schema and assessment framework for DJ metadata quality
[](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19618271)
[](https://zenodo.org/records/19618271)
[](./LICENSE)
[](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
**Python (schema + analysis)** · **LaTeX paper** · **Four DJ platforms (Rekordbox, Serato, Engine DJ, VirtualDJ)**
**Preprint (archived PDF):** [Zenodo record 19618271](https://zenodo.org/records/19618271) · [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19618271](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19618271)
*Replication bundle: UDMS (eleven canonical fields) plus adapters for Rekordbox, Serato, Engine DJ, and VirtualDJ, cross-platform comparison code, anonymized parsed exports, JSON Schema, and the LaTeX paper in `paper/`.*
We present the first cross-platform metadata quality analysis of real-world DJ libraries. Using UDMS (Unified DJ Metadata Schema), we analyze 636 Rekordbox tracks, 382 Serato tracks, 112 Engine DJ tracks, and 190 VirtualDJ tracks — matching 143 tracks across Rekordbox and Serato, and 22 tracks across Rekordbox and VirtualDJ — quantifying how reliably metadata is preserved across ecosystem boundaries.
## Key Findings
| Finding | Value |
|---------|-------|
| Genre annotation coverage | 31–69% (varies by platform) |
| Editorial metadata (ratings, labels) | 0–53% (sparse) |
| Musical key coverage | 93–98% (best across platforms) |
| BPM coverage | 100% (Rekordbox) |
| Cross-platform key agreement (exact / effective) | 71.3% / 100% |
| BPM disagreement | Explained by systematic 2× half-tempo interpretation difference in Rekordbox for half-tempo genres |
| Key finding | Title, artist, album are perfectly preserved across platforms (100%) |
Rekordbox applies a 95 BPM threshold heuristic when analyzing half-tempo genres (UK dubstep, drum-and-bass, footwork, Jersey Club), causing it to store BPM at exactly 2× the actual tempo. Engine DJ and Serato store the correct value. This is a systematic interpretation difference, not a cross-platform transfer issue.
## UDMS — Unified DJ Metadata Schema
UDMS normalizes 11 canonical fields across Rekordbox, Serato, Engine DJ, VirtualDJ, and Traktor. The Python implementation is in `code/schema/udms_schema.py`.
**UDMS fields:** title, artist, album, genre, BPM, key (Camelot), rating (0–5), label, duration_sec, bitrate, sample_rate
**Key normalization:** OpenKey and Traditional notations are normalized to Camelot (e.g., "Fm" → "4A"). Rating is normalized from platform-specific scales to 0–5 stars.
**BPM 2× detection:** UDMS flags potential 2× errors by checking if `1.95 < platform_bpm / reference_bpm < 2.05`.
## Repository Structure
```
dj-metadata-study/
├── paper/
│ ├── main.tex — LaTeX paper (27 pages)
│ ├── preamble.tex — LaTeX preamble (packages, macros)
│ ├── references.bib — 35 citations (all cited)
│ ├── cite.sty
│ └── fig_*.pdf — All figures
├── code/
│ ├── schema/
│ │ └── udms_schema.py — UDMS schema + 5 platform adapters
│ ├── compare_platforms.py — Cross-platform comparison engine
│ └── parse_serato.py — Parse Serato database V2 binary
├── data/
│ ├── rekordbox_tracks_parsed.json — 636 Rekordbox tracks (UDMS format)
│ ├── serato_tracks.json / .csv — 382 Serato tracks (UDMS format)
│ ├── engine_dj_tracks.csv — 112 Engine DJ tracks (UDMS format)
│ ├── virtual_dj_tracks.csv — 190 VirtualDJ tracks (UDMS format)
│ ├── cross_platform_comparison.json — 143 matched Rekordbox/Serato tracks
│ ├── engine_dj_comparison.json / .csv — Engine DJ cross-platform results
│ ├── virtual_dj_comparison.json / .csv — VirtualDJ cross-platform results
│ ├── bpm_validation_table.json — Audio BPM validation subset
│ └── serato_database_v2 — Raw Serato binary DB (input)
├── schema/
│ └── udms_schema.json — Standalone JSON schema definition
├── ARCHITECTURE.md
├── CONTRIBUTING.md
└── .gitignore
```
## Compiling the Paper
```bash
cd paper
rm -f aux bbl blg
pdflatex main.tex
bibtex main.aux
pdflatex main.tex
pdflatex main.tex
```
The paper compiles to 27 pages with no errors.
## Running the Analysis
```bash
# Cross-platform comparison (requires rekordbox XML + serato JSON)
python code/compare_platforms.py \
--rekordbox path/to/library.xml \
--serato data/serato_tracks.json \
--output data/cross_platform_comparison.json
```
Requirements: Python 3.10+.
## Companion Tools
**[rekordbox-smart-mcp](https://github.com/interfluve-wav/rekordbox-smart-mcp)** — MCP server for Rekordbox library management. 33 tools covering library queries, smart playlists, BPM cache with multi-algorithm voting, Camelot key normalization, and safe mutations with full audit logging. 20/20 tests passing.
**[Bonk!](https://github.com/interfluve-wav/bonk-app)** — Electron+React desktop DJ metadata editor. Reads Rekordbox XML and master.db directly, normalizes BPM/key via aubio and keyfinder-cli, writes back to Rekordbox.
## Citation
```bibtex
@misc{chitturi2026djmetadata,
author = {Suhaas Chitturi},
title = {UDMS: A canonical schema and assessment framework for {DJ}
metadata quality},
year = {2026},
publisher = {Zenodo},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.19618271},
url = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19618271},
}
```
## License
MIT