Back up your data and Reinstall the OS. Sometimes updating from a previous OS to new one can be buggy cause it’s not a complete install. It’s best to wipe the computer and install the OS. A fresh system is always better.

Thing is if the issue wasn’t occurring on Yosemite then it’s likely the update to High Sierra. I would reinstall the OS if issues still occur then limit usb connections like an external drive or other devices and just test with your Serato device and music on your internal drive (Mac)

Thank you so much for the info!

Btw I have the model MBP. Aside from 16GB Ram

I still have this issue occasionally, running a clean install of Yosemite.
Nobody seems to be able to figure out the problem. Doesn’t happen often but it’s a pita when I’m gigging...

Did you go back to Yosemite and did it work? I have the same laptop with the same specs and am experiencing the same issue, only when charging.

Get a Windows machine. Works perfectly.

Does your macbook have an ssd or an optical drive? Sorry, not too familiar with them, but if it's not running a ssd already swapping to one may help.

Unfortunately, I have the same problem :(

Unfortunately, I have the same problem :(

^ Sounds like you need to clean install the OS. I bet the update made things go haywire it is best to always do a fresh install. It will be like starting over but you’ll thank me later 👍🏼

This is a known issue with serato period..... and has been for a long time

My Top Spec 2015 I7 3.4ghz 16gig memory mac book pro

constantly freezes, when clicking on browse button, clicking through crates as serato is trying to display tracks, / cover art for tracks etc.

It's almost like all graphics freezes when any file access occurs,

very very off putting and annoying and uneasy to work with seeing all the graphics stop for a second or two when you access my external thunderbolt drive or plug in a USB stick or click through crates.

with all above said most of the time I don't suffer lack of audio thank god!, but still not ideal or acceptable.


I raised this with serato support, I got the impression it's a know issue, not sure if they are ever going to do anything about it. It may be crappy quick time or something tied up with apple os graphic priority processing or the way CPU threading is done.

All I know is it's nothing to do with cleaning your system and reinstalling you're OS! I have done this and there was no change at all.

It's a known serato issue, I live with itweek in week out and hope that one day, serato will not feel so sluggish and resourceful and processor hungry on hi spec hardware.

That said, still have not found anything better to use

Is it normal for Serato to always freeze? How common is this? I'm not sure if this is a better idea than using CDJs or vinyl if it has the potential to freeze. Maybe it's because it's on computer?

I live with it freezing???, Serato support acknowledged that they know about this issues after I raised it with then and said how un-nervy it is when all graphic stop!

they replied to me the audio should not stop only the graphics, which on the whole they are right.

It's very clear they are prioritising audio playback and processing above everything else which is correct, the last thing you want is audio pausing too

but if everything was written efficiently serato would not suffer with anything pausing when clicking through crates and browsing hard drive files, usb keys etc.

the software feels like java, quicktime, nothing feels light, efficient when clicking, there's a sluggish feel when using serato. This maybe the way serato is written or programmed or what platform seato has been written on.

or it maybe tied up with apple and the apple os's ???? or retna or quicktime i don't know??

It wasn't apparent 3 or 4 years ago when I first used serato (32bit), this issues has been introduced along the way with various updates. I think I noticed a few versions before the 64bit release.

and at the time, I took time out to wipe the macbook trying to resolve the issue and reinstall os, but it had no effect.


Once i found out this issue was known about by searto support, I have now given up and just live with it. :-(

I have to agree i do get the occasional freeze when searching/browsing library it’s their shitty GUI which has never been right. We have 64 bit support now and it still freezes it’s ridiculous however SDJ is still the most comfortable for me. I could give 2 shits about Serato Studio let Ableton handle that and get back to working on SDJ as a whole. Tired of all the new additions but no real stability fixes. SDJ will never live up to SSL. SDJ is always in the shadow of Scratchlive. SSL was such a steady program with less filler i don’t think I’ve ever had SSL freeze on me. If it were up to me I’d get rid of Scratchlive and rewrite the whole program as well as fire the entire development staff...tough nuggets!

It's a real shame, I work with serato every weekend,

never tend to update anymore! (still think I'm on 64bit ver. 2.0 using yosimite)

for the fear of seeing even more bugs and problems with updates, it should be the other way around, the updates should be correcting known issues... not introducing more.


when the 64bit version came to town I had high hopes, unlimited track, a more efficient environment, just hopefully a more snappier feel, less sluggish, just a feeling of reliability and confidence when DJing.

Sadly this was not the case, seeing everything graphics wise stop and pause in serato when you have 300 people dancing in front of you is gut wrenching and far from acceptable. I have reluctantly learned to live with it, it just shows me the software programming is far from perfect for it to perform like this.

but there maybe limitations that the programmers can't get round, I don't know ??

I would be moaning and disrespecting serato much more if the audio paused as well, so I guess we should be throwing some praise at the programmers for not killing the audio only the video /\/\/\/\/\/\

I meant get rid of SDJ lol typo

Na they won’t get any praise from me they don’t deserve that the GUI response has been like this for so long it’s long overdue. Does Sam even work for Serato anymore. He assured us SDJ was going to be the future and sadly it has never progressed.

You are correct Sir - fixed my issue, see below.

How I fixed this issue!
I am running MacBook Retina 2013 Mojave with a Pioneer DDJ SX. I was having issues with waveforms/display/controller freezing but audio would NOT be affected. Move the mouse around a bit and things went back to normal. I would need to do this every 5-10 minutes. Extremely annoying. I was also experiencing HIGH CPU usage with Serato DJ.

Tried optimizing settings - new usb cable - lower latency nothing worked. Was about to give up on Serato DJ.

WHAT WORKED FOR ME (ABOUT 2 HOURS OF WORK):
Time Machine backup to an external Hard drive
Erased Mac Hard Drive
Reinstalled New Copy of Mac OS (Mojave)
Used Migration Assistant to transfer data from Time Machine Backup.

I noticed instant improvements all around and Serato DJ no longer using high CPU or screen/display freeze.

My guess is when Apple switched to a new File System (APFS) with macOS High Sierra (10.13) things got weird but with doing steps above completely fixed things and now working smooth like butter!

This Video explains this process step by step.
Watchwww.youtube.com

That’s great to hear a clean system will almost always rid any Serato issues. I updated from Yosemite to High Sierra and Serato Video was running like shit. So instead o just wiped out the Mac and did a fresh install...smooth as butter ever since. I’ve heard of high cpu issues with high Sierra & Mojave. Something goes wrong with system/configuration during the update process which is why a clean install is the best bet. Cheers 👍🏼

I have not yet managed to run SL4 with the latest Serato DJ pro. MacBook Pro TouchBar wit Mojave 10.14.4. When I connect Rane SL4, SDJPro immediately freezes and only thing I have to is forcibly shut it down.
After10 years working on the SL1 this now makes me frustrating, only to launch the new SL4, on my new mac. What's awaiting me in future.
I don't know what to do anymore.
Ughhh

The blue LED on the SL4 on the new macy does not light up anymore, and in the old light ?!

This may be your fix. Make sure you allow Mojave to use your microphone for Serato
support.serato.com

I guess that's the reason. During the installation process there was no accessing the microphone. And now I do not know how to access it afterwards. In the security and privacy under the microphone its just standing ; Apps that have requested acces to your microphone will appear here !

Finally!
After already lost hope and 10 attempts to install Serato DJ Pro and its related drivers, SL finally asked for access to the microphone in the installation program. Now everything works !!!!!

Great to hear glad i could help👍🏼

I did go back to Yosemite and it worked liked normal.

I'm still getting this Stupid Freezes....I hate it.

Well I hate to say my HP Envy is starting to act up after I updated Serato. Tried updating fresh firmware on mixer, installed new drivers, new usb cable even went through optimizing computer again and downloaded ccleaner and cleaned the registry now I am backing up my hard drive to my external and going to do a fresh start OS.
Hope it works. Hate doing this but I have no other choice. What the heck just happened Serato.