Serato’s rolling out a brand new piece of DJ software today – Serato DJ. Fresh on the heels of updates to ITCH and SSL last week, the introduction of Serato DJ is designed to fill a professional controllerist DJ gap in the Serato software lineup. With a feature set that includes real MIDI mapping utilities, iZotope-developed effects, additional cue points, and a brand new Pioneer DDJ-SX controller for the software, is Serato DJ ready to win the hearts of digital DJs?
SERATO DJ FEATURES
- Great New FX Powered by iZotope: Load your choice of high quality FX including: Delay, Echo, Ping Pong Delay, Reverb, Phaser, Flanger, Distortion, High Pass Filter (HPF), Low Pass Filter (LPF), Combo HP/LP Filter.
- MIDI Mapping: Take full advantage of Serato DJ’s features. MIDI mapping opens up the software to be mapped with a secondary MIDI controller.
- More Cue Points: Set and trigger up to 8 cue points in Serato DJ to quickly jump to different sections in your track.
- Brand New User Interface: A greatly improved software layout that looks amazing and is simple to use. The new interface also offers two and four deck view modes for four deck controllers.
- Four Deck Mixing: Mix with four decks on supported four deck controllers.
The press release from Serato also notes that there will be additional features released “throughout the winter”. So far, there are no videos or screenshots of the software in use – but keep your eyes peeled as we’re entering BPM week!
PIONEER DDJ-SX
The DDJ-SX is yet another Pioneer/Serato collaboration – a four deck controller designed to be the ultimate controller for Serato’s new software. The major features of the SX include a completely standalone hardware mixer, slip mode, velocity-sensitive performance pads for samples, channel fader starts, dedicated filters, and touch platters that can be switched into a dual deck mode that allows for control of two decks concurrently.
UPDATE: Learn more about the Pioneer DDJ-SX, launch date, features and cost here!
No word yet on cost – but the unit is set to launch November 1st concurrent with the initial launch of Serato DJ.
HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY AND COST
Continuing Serato’s well-known hardware-paired business model, the new software will roll out in stages for specific controllers:
Serato DJ can be downloaded directly from serato.com and will be available in a series of release dates specific to individual controllers this coming winter.
Serato DJ is a free upgrade for current ITCH customers and is fully compatible with their supported existing controller (Numark NS6, Numark NS7, Numark V7, Vestax VCI-300, Vestax VCI-380, Novation Twitch & Pioneer DDJ-S1). Upgrades for ITCH controllers will rollout gradually this coming winter.
Serato DJ Intro users can upgrade to Serato DJ for a one-off cost of $199USD – and for a limited time this includes a license for the powerful Serato Video plug-in. The software is fully compatible with their existing controller. Customers with a Numark Mix Track Pro controller will be the first to upgrade, followed by others such as: Numark N4, Numark MixDeck Numark MixDeck Express, Numark MixDeck Quad, Vestax VCI-400, Vestax Typhoon, Vestax VCI-100 Mk2, Pioneer DDJ-ERGO, Reloop TM4, Reloop TM 2 and Denon MC2000 in a gradual rollout.
NB: Customers with discontinued hardware will be unable to upgrade to Serato DJ, however these controllers will continue to be supported by ITCH 2.2.2.
There’s something a bit odd about this entire release process – if you’ve been following closely, you’ll notice that the entire feature set of ITCH is wrapped in Serato DJ, it will be a free upgrade for ITCH users, and all ITCH controllers will be supported. It seems like ITCH could very much be undergoing a rebranding process to be taken more seriously – especially if the feature set delivers. Perhaps this is really a completely new version of ITCH with a name change (although a bit less ambiguous of a name would have been nice)? (Editor’s note: We asked Serato and they confirmed that last week’s 2.2.2 will be the last release of ITCH)
The software will continue to be locked down to just Serato DJ certified controllers, just as Scratch Live is. While you can use MIDI mapping to get functionality on secondary controllers, you’ll have to have a primary one plugged in to get the software behaving properly.
More Info:
- Serato DJ Feature List | Serato.com
- DJ Intro Controller Upgrade Dates | Serato.com
- ITCH Controller Upgrade Dates | Serato.com
- DDJ-SX Feature List | Serato.com
Dose the itch for the v7 have the able to have sound effects on it like can you have samples on your laptop set keys
The software is not free anymore… You have to pay it know which really sucks :/
now*
Will Serato DJ co-exist with Itch on the same computer?
They are making Serato DJ available for other controllersEXCITED!!!!
Here’s to hoping that this will allow me to use my VCI-300 with a midi fighter!
Dear all…i need information, where i can buy DDJ SX, my country Jakarta- Indonesia, thanks to all…
So…..MF3D support? 😀
I think over all this is amazing, regardless of weather is a rebrand the upsides are huge. If Serato was to drop the bridge into the mix for serato DJ all the nay sayers would be rather quite.
Shiiiii. I think I’ll still probably be a Traktor guy, but shiiiiii. They should develop some sort of X1 equivalent for modular DJs, especially since most people who use Serato now are doing so on real DJ mixers and DVS and are probably not all too likely to switch to an all-in-one controller.
My NS7 FX has sat in its flight case for over a year, while I’ve been using the S4 and HID. Feels like it’s all “Too little too late” for me
This totally depends on how you want to use your controller. I have to say that using pressure sensitive pads is really nice for a dynamic effect on samples or loops. Sell your NS7 and save up for one of these (or something like it in the near future), you’re not using it anyway.
motorized jog wheels…. If trakor could supporting them he most likely wouldn’t have bought an S4. The NS7 is a beast, just never had a good software support
just looking at this on their site, and all i can say is… God Daym! i really want this controller.
looks like what ive imagined, just wish one could have this with motorized platters too. i really liked those.
Isn’t this the reason Sega died (too many options on the market)? I’m not saying Serato is going anywhere, but it seems silly to have ITCH and DJ (which is essentially ITCH+ with functionality for other controllers), when they could just rebrand ITCH as DJ and add in the new features.
Itch is dead
The problem with ITCH was that it was always somewhat half-baked because there were other projects Serato was always working on. Scratch Live was really good software, but it was mainly for mixing off turntables and because of its flexibility, you could use Ableton Live directly (through the interface) as “the bridge” project. When Serato made a controller specifically for DJing digital files, they did not include the MIDI mapping flexibility of Scratch Live which I think everyone now sees as a mistake. Now, everything Serato is “DJ” with functionality made available based on the hardware (and at least the software key for Video) present (at least until you attach another controller and MIDI map that), just like Native Instruments rolling everything (more or less) up under one package called “Traktor (Scratch) Pro.” I haven’t heard any bad news about Ableton and Serato going separate ways so I’m going to assume that ALL Serato controllers will be able to work with Ableton Live (as Scratch Live did with the Bridge)… eventually. This makes sense and it’s about the smartest thing I’ve seen Serato do in a while. Besides, people always called it “Serato” anyway, no one is going to nit-pick over Scratch Live and ITCH anymore now.
It looks like Traktor finally gets some decent competition in the controllerism field and we, the customers will ultimately benefit from it 🙂
It’s been a struggle for years, and I for one love the competition… we benefit from it.
my xone dx has the symbol tattooed on your skin itch but now will be obsolete and abandoned software for it since you can not upgrade to seratodj, thank you Mr.serato, the money first, then everything else, luckily this traktor, the Were the other end, traktor is better.
so basically the midi mapping is bullshit. Still need a Serato approved controller to midi map a different controller. If i wanted to theoretically use and S4 or 2 X1’s or whatever i would still need a Serato approved device plugged in. Every article writing Midi Mapping as a feature needs to chill out. It’s the same as touting Midi Mapping as a feature in SSL. Still need a box/Controller.
Lovely looking controller but Lets see how it performs first before we all coo over it….!!
That controller looks sexy .. but knowing Pioneer prob. overpriced.
$999, shipping November 12th, just preordered
How do I pre-order ? I live in Egypt and want to know if I can place an order, and shipping information/costs, if you could direct me to an online retailer that would be great, thanks Jayson
and xone dx?!
Not supported.
Wooow… NI KILLERS.. Well i love N.I but i have to admit that..
All of this sounds good and iZotope-based FX sounds great… but I am still waiting for a half-decent time-stretch/keylock rendening from serato to go back from traktor…
ooooh this is exactly the sort of thing to make me stop using Traktor.
I want the DDJ-TX (Traktor Version) … u think they will?
If they do, i hope its got visible waveforms and beat phase indicators for both decks.
I’m fairly positive that the DDJ-SX will work just fine with Traktor just as every other ITCH controller does.
That does rather depend on your definition of “fine”. It’s all about how well the jog wheel performs – you certainly won’t get Serato performance from Traktor on a NS6 or NS7 for example. And my information is that Serato aren’t making it any easier to map the jog wheels either.
Well, there are features that Serato has that Traktor has yet to emulate (like Slicer Mode and pinch commands for looping) and yes, the Jog Wheel control for Traktor is MIDI, not HID, but I mean “just fine” by all the major pieces should work about as well as the Twitch works in Traktor.
I think it’s absolutely inevitable.
so now i can get a VCI 400 and it will work with Serato?
In time, yes.
Isn’t that a kick?
Super hott!
Haven’t been following Serato too much since switching to Traktor, but is there a version w/ an internal mixer yet that I could use with my Serato soundcard and a generic midi controller of my choice (like a UC33 or Livid Cntrl-r)?
Would love to revisit Serato w/ 4 deck mixing and efx, but don’t want to have to buy another specific controller . . .
I can’t think of a Serato controller that won’t work with Traktor… can anyone else?
numark v7
Hmm, pretty lights and the Pioneer/Serato name all over this thing… $1000~$1400, maybe. However, I hope the software release is stable. I don’t know, but I’ll probably use it on Traktor anyways if I get one.
Yeah, pretty good guess on your part. It turns out the MSRP will be $1199 / GBP 809 / EUR 999.
So NI add “Ableton Lite” to Traktor, and Serato respond by adding “a fix for every single problem with Itch.” Woof. Looks like the perception of Serato changed overnight.
Exactly
Traktor officially added Ableton Lite? Not seeing this on their site.
Not that serato didn’t already integrate full Ableton already ages ago anyway…
I think by “ableton lite” he’s referring to the remix decks
Yea it’s just Ableton lite on the remix decks. However you can sync Ableton to Traktor.
now this want to be with traktor and the remix decks!!!
Well, maybe if Serato doesn’t continue to support “the Bridge” as it has been doing for over 3 years with Scratch Live (and Serato DJ is supposed to replace Scratch Live)… so who knows? This could be Serato DJ with the full version of Ableton… and that’s a lot more than Traktor with the Remix Decks enabled… when/if the Bridge is supported.
Sorry, where does it say Serato DJ replaces Scratch Live?
it doesnt.
It will be compatibile with Serato Scrach Live Program? Or i must Have Searto Dj (Old Inch)?
Yes, it will be considered the new version of Scratch Live.
It will be replacing Itch only. dj intro will still b free and scrach live will still be its own beast
This sounds very promsing…
“Serato DJ is a free upgrade for current ITCH customers and is fully compatible with their supported existing controller (Numark NS6, Numark NS7, Numark V7, Vestax VCI-300, Vestax VCI-380, Novation Twitch & Pioneer DDJ-S1)”
So, the venerable A&H Xone:DX is no longer a “supported controller”? Are you kidding me Serato?
I’m thinking of mapping and use my Xone:DX with Traktor – and this new have just pushed me over the edge.
I seriously hope that it is just a mistake on Serato’s PR part.
Its not a mistake, serato said it on the comment section of the post for this on fb
I am deeply confused…. ITCH is free, so how do you upgrade ITCH users and then charge Intro Users? How do you differentiate the Users?
Does that mean if I have a serto.com account registered with ITCH and an ITCH controller, I get a free upgrade? Or does that mean I can download I can download Serato DJ for “free,” but it will only work with certain controllers?
I’m confused… can anyone better explain?
itch is not free itch comes with dedicated controllers so if you own such controllers then you can upgrade the software that such controller controls
I meant you can download ITCH for “free.” So that means I can download Serato DJ, launch it (and probably get some gimped 1 deck version like in ITCH/SSL), and only get full features when I plug in approved hardware?
If that’s true, then for “approved hardware” to include Intro hardware, they have to purchase a $199 “plugin” to allow that Intro hardware (i.e. Numark Mix Track Pro) to be recognized by the software to be “approved”.
Is that correct?
yup!
Hey DJ PC3, Serato DJ Intro users will need to purchase a license to authorize Serato DJ to work with their Intro controller. ITCH customers can just connect their ITCH device and go when supported.
I really hope this release includes “the Bridge” features that have been promised. Hopefully this will work seamlessly with Ableton Live (or any other D.A.W.) as is becoming very popular with Controllerists. Perhaps the partnership with Ableton will continue (as it does with Scratch Live) in Serato DJ. This is very good news for people with Serato products… we’ve been waiting a looooong time for news regarding the future of software available for our gear.
Dont hold your breath on that dude, They always promised the bridge for Itch and they never came through, that was my biggest reason why i switched over to Traktor
The only reason I believe this might be true is that Serato states “The release of Serato DJ doesn’t affect the current release plan for Scratch Live. Serato DJ is bringing the experience of our controller software closer to that of Scratch Live” and Scratch Live was Serato’s part of the two-part deal that made the Bridge work. However they are quite clear that “The Bridge is currently not available in Serato DJ.” So this begs the question “What does currently mean, not right now or not going to happen?”
Discontinued ITCH controllers like xone dx and denon HC5000 are not gonna be part of the upgrade 🙁
I fell ya brah. I own a Xone:DX myself.
yep, im probably gonna have to go traktor now
Probably going to be a new Xone soon and A&H have been working on that instead of the time and effort to add Serato DJ. New Xone will be Hot without a doubt
i don’t see A&H coming out with anymore all in one controller when the K2 is like midi mapable to be one…
I think A&H is kinda fed-up with the 1:1 HW:SW model of Serato and will probably go for more universal options like the K1 and stuffs. I doubt they will release something like a DX2 for Serato DJ though a similar universal MIDI controller (think a miniature 4D) is somewhere down the road though.
This is what I’ve personally been waiting for. My biggest problem with itch has been the FX so hopefully they will be massively improved now.
I’ve also just noticed in Serato’s website that the Vestax VCI 400 is in the supported hardware list.
izoTope effects 🙂 midi mapping 🙂 Looking good…
Anybody got price guesses? I’m thinking a cool $2,000.
It looks Pretty Hot, I would estimate $1399 or $1499, maybe knowing Pioneer as high as $1699. Can’t be too high because the VCI 400 would be great with this and its $999 and the NS6 would be too and I think its around $1200. If they make it $1299 i predict it will be sold out till Christmas when it first comes out.
See above $999, Just preordered, Selling like crazy, better hurry if you want one before Christmas
hey serato pr dude, sup
Serato WINS!