Serato DJ Pro: Serato’s First Upgrade Since 2012

Shout out to the homie, OP Miller, for this awesome breakdown

This is a big one. Serato DJ just got rebooted. Its name: Serato DJ Pro. Its users: A-Trak, Jazzy Jeff, Mix Master Mike, Questlove, and Fatboy Slim. Its availability: right now.

Creating a sequel to an industry standard is never easy. Serato DJ has been trusted by DJs globally since its launch in 2012. Replacing the popular Serato Scratch Live and Serato Itch software, it offered extremely stable DVS control, plug-and-play support for some of the most innovative DJ hardware, and a rock-solid platform for learning and mixing on.

What’s New


What's New In Serato DJ Pro

Serato DJ was activated by plugging in one of several dozen Serato DJ ready devices. Without a device connected, Serato DJ only provided one virtual deck for track preparation. Serato DJ Pro introduces Practice Mode, which offers two decks and virtual mixing with on-screen crossfader/upfaders. Practice mode frees DJs to do meaningful set prep and idea exploration from any coffee shop, airplane or toilet seat.

The interface of Serato Pro is reminiscent of the original Serato DJ with up to four virtual decks, each with their own digital playhead. It has controls for loops, key analysis, song libraries, 48 effects, and eight hot cues. Ableton Link is supported, allowing other compatible devices and software to be synchronized in time. One of the biggest improvements under the hood is 64-bit processing that take advantage of modern processors and allows for faster, more stable operation and high-res graphics on 4K and retina displays.

The stripped-down, introductory Serato DJ Intro is replaced by Serato DJ Lite, which will be bundled with entry-level controllers. Upgrading to the full version costs 99$ (contact us for discounts on full licenses here).

Find tons of video tutorials for all the new features here!

A Win or a Fail?

The announcement of Serato DJ Pro caused a lot of commotion on DJ forums, some of whom were not impressed upon release. This is a common response to quality improvements, because quality does not necessarily mean “features.”

The most legendary piece of DJ equipment of all time, the Technics 1200 was remarkably simple, but ultimately high-quality, reliable and effective. Ask yourself this – if the Technics 1200 came out today, would you recognize its excellence from its introductory YouTube video or would another cheaper turntable look just as good? In the modern era, as DJs, it’s important that we check our bias towards more otherwise products that are merely better will cease to be created.

As the industry standard that used and loved by most DJs, we’re happy to see Serato investing in quality, not just quantity.

How to Get It?

If you already own Serato DJ, upgrade to Pro for free here.

If you’re currently using Serato DJ Intro or Lite, you’ll need to purchase a license. Base price is $99, contact us for our best price here)

Tell us what you think!

Did Serato knock it out of the park or into the gutter? What do you like/dislike in Pro? What would you like to see in future versions.

By DJ Deets, contributing writer for The DJ Hookup, DJ Times, DJ Tech Tools and EDM.com. Follow him @djdeets

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