Ask Crate Hackers is the chat assistant on the desktop app’s Home screen. Use it to find music ideas, prepare client requests, inspect your library and create crates or playlists. Copy a prompt below and change the details to fit your gig.
Before your first prompt
For local music, scan your music folders and connect your music drive. Use @ in the chat to attach an available track, DJ software or streaming source; sign in to the streaming service if prompted. Attach a screenshot with the image button or paste it into the chat.
Just exploring? Add “Show me suggestions only. Do not save, export or change files.” Asking it to put music in Serato or VirtualDJ can create the export without another confirmation.
Find music and prepare requests
1. Find an existing crate
“Find a Mixable crate for a relaxed wedding cocktail hour. Show me the options.”
Use find for existing curated crates; use build for a new song list.
2. Build a set idea
“Build a 15-song list of 2010s dance-floor tracks for a mixed-age wedding. Avoid explicit lyrics. Show suggestions only; do not save or export.”
Review the exact edits and lyrics yourself before using them.
3. Find songs around a favorite
Attach a track with @, then ask: “Suggest five tracks that mix well with this song. Explain the BPM, key and energy fit. Do not save or export.”
4. Turn a client screenshot into a list
Attach the image, then ask: “Read this song list. Keep Must Play and Do Not Play separate, preserve the order, and flag anything you cannot read. Show artist and title only; do not save yet.”
Check the transcription against the original. Crop out client contact details before attaching.
5. Explore creative transitions
“Suggest three wordplay transitions starting from [artist — song]. Explain the connection and flag any uncertain song details.”
These are ideas to audition, not a guarantee that the songs will mix well.
Check the music you already have
6. Search by BPM and key
“Show house tracks in my Crate Hackers library from 120–124 BPM in Camelot key 8A. Show the file locations.”
Results depend on scanned files and their available genre, BPM and key information.
7. Find missing files
“Check my Crate Hackers library for missing files. Show the affected tracks and paths. Do not change anything.”
This checks whether known file paths still exist. It does not recover deleted audio or automatically find where you moved it.
8. Review duplicates
“Show my duplicate groups and the estimated space used by extra copies. Do not remove anything.”
Review clean, explicit, remix and extended versions before cleanup. Back up first; use the duplicate review and recovery guide if you choose to recycle copies.
Save or export when you are ready
9. Save a reviewed list
After reviewing a song-list card: “Save this list in Your crates as ‘Saturday warmup’.”
A suggestion in chat is not necessarily a saved crate. Check Your crates afterward.
10. Export to your DJ software
With Serato attached and local matches checked: “Export this reviewed list to Serato as ‘Saturday warmup’. Use only matching local files and report anything skipped.”
This requests a real export. Check the resulting crate and load several tracks. For VirtualDJ or rekordbox/M3U, follow the export guide.
11. Preview a streaming playlist
With Spotify attached: “Preview a new Spotify playlist from this crate called ‘Saturday warmup’. Show the destination and tracks, and wait for my approval before creating it.”
Streaming export also supports connected Tidal and Apple Music sources. It creates a new playlist, up to 200 tracks; some songs may not match. It cannot append to an existing playlist.
12. Save a repeatable check
“Save an automation named ‘Pre-gig check’: show my Crate Hackers library totals and missing files. Do not change, export or remove anything.”
Later, ask “Run my Pre-gig check.” Saved automations are instructions you rerun on demand, not scheduled background jobs.
What it cannot do for you
- Download audio from a song list. Recommendations and streaming imports do not give you the local music files.
- See every account or file automatically. Connect or attach the relevant source, and scan your local music first.
- Guarantee every answer or match. Check song versions, readable screenshot text, metadata and actual playback before a gig.
- Permanently empty the Recycle bin through chat. Supported duplicate cleanup uses the recoverable Crate Hackers Recycle bin.
- Handle billing or account decisions. Use billing and account support for charges, refunds or cancellation.
If it gets something wrong
Say what was wrong and give one example. If it repeats an unhelpful step or its answer disagrees with the app, contact support with your prompt, its reply and your app version. A chat answer alone does not prove that an export or cleanup succeeded.
Steps checked against Crate Hackers 12.0.8 on September 23, 2026.