Digital DJing brand Serato has released the latest versions of its virtual wheels of steel—Serato DJ Pro 2.5 and Serato DJ Lite 1.5—with a raft of additional features.
Serato Launches DJ Pro 2.5 and DJ Lite 1.5
Get your cueing finger ready, digital DJs… Serato has released the latest update to its world-renowned virtual DJing software. DJ Pro has leveled up to version 2.5, while Serato DJ Lite skips up to version 1.5.
Both versions come with some fairly hefty upgrades compared to previous releases of the software, including being fully conversant with Apple’s new silicon, compatibility with online music sources, plus support for additional hardware controllers, straight out of the box.
You can download the software from Serato, now, with a free trial or a subscription.
Download: Serato (free trial, $9.99/$11.99/$14.99 subscription)
What Updates Does Serato DJ Get?
So what exactly are we looking at for in terms of Serato DJ Pro upgrades? Well, the most obvious update is support for macOS Big Sur and Apple’s in house silicon; the M1 chip.
Nick Maclaren, Serato’s Chief Strategy Officer, says:
We’ve really appreciated the continued patience from the Serato community regarding official support for macOS Big Sur and M1. We wanted to ensure that the support we provided was of the highest quality with rigorous testing. It’s a great feeling to know we can offer this to Serato DJs with confidence.
However, if you live stream your DJ sets from your macOS device or you use certain hardware DJing controllers, you may encounter some difficulties initially.
Live Streaming from an M1 device is currently in beta, so is still undergoing testing. This means you might encounter bugs as it isn’t currently a stable release.
Likewise, some hardware controllers aren’t yet compatible with the M1 chip conversant Serato DJ, so you may find that your controller doesn’t respond. Check out the Serato DJ support page to check your hardware works with the app.
What Hardware Support Does Serato DJ Get?
Prior to the release of DJ Pro 2.5/DJ Lite 1.5, Serato was already fully compatible with a wide range of digital DJ hardware.
Now, it has added support for Phase; a wireless DJ controller that allows you to control Serato without a mess of cables and such. The device is perfect for planning your DJ set on the go, too.
Aside from Phase, Serato has also added support for Reloop Ready. This is another portable DJ controller, with two channels, that allows you to control your music with the jog wheels, and also fire off samples and effects with the 16 RGB performance pads.
Did Serato Get Any Other Updates?
It did. You can now store up to 100 tracks from Beatport and Beatsource Link offline. This means you can access them directly from your device, with no internet connection.
In addition, it will please Serato DJ Lite users to know that sharing your set with your broadcast software is now even easier, thanks to a new menu option that enables easier broadcasting.
A Step Up for Serato DJ
It is great to see Serato embracing Apple’s new technology. This means that digital DJs can make use of the M1 chip to power their performances.
Serato offers an excellent way to get into digital DJing. Once you’ve mastered the basics with the software, you can play at parties, record your own mixes, and even get people listening to them via websites like SoundCloud and turntable.fm.