BPM 2011: Serato DJ Intro

In a move that expands their software line up to three levels and squarely targets the Traktor LE market, Serato has released “DJ Intro” – a two deck software mirrored after Itch/Scratch that is designed to ship with OEM controllers like the VCI-100MK2, Numark Mix Track and several others. Loaded with the the basic essentials, this entry-level software comes paired with a low cost controller that is perfect until your little bro is ready to graduate up into the big leagues!

We got our grubby mitts on the new software today and put it through its paces. The simple interface includes:

Two decks
Sync
Two effects banks with a basic suite of Serato FX
Two sample banks with four samples per deck.
Five cue points

..and a beat multiplier which I can’t for life of me figure out the purpose of.

Things it is missing:

Filters per deck
Loop roll
Extra serato effects
Deck C and D
Advanced sample decks (Intro won’t play or sync loops, just launches samples)

At the end of the day, this is a very basic controller version of Serato Scratch with internal mixing. Isn’t that just Itch? Well, yes, but now that Itch is competing head-on with Traktor’s feature list and the demands of modern digital DJing. This software steps in and provides the essentials without any fluff at all. I personally can see a lot of Serato Scratch Live DJs going this route for their basic mobile gigs when turntables are not available or too large to transport.

Controllers Serato has announced it will work with:

Numark MixTrack Pro
Numark MixDeck
Numark MixDeck Express
Numark N4 (Numark’s latest four-deck digital DJ controller and mixer)
Numark MixDeck Quad
Vestax Typhoon
Vestax VCI-100 Mk II

We downloaded the beta, plugged in a VCI-100MK2 and it worked right away. As long as you own one of these devices the software will run.

And why should you care?
Intro DJ, as best we can tell, will not be purchasable on its own or with a sound card. It comes with 2 deck controllers as an OEM software. This means a new piece of decent software will ship with entry level controllers that isn’t one of the two ubiquitous prepackaged two: Traktor LE or Virtual DJ LE. Most importantly, this new incursion into NI’s territory means we are one step close to the all out DJ company face-off we hope to one day host on pay-per-view! I personally would pay to see Sam Gribben Vs. Florian Plenge (the titans of DJ divisions!)