- So recently, we've
seen some major updates
to both Virtual DJ and Serato DJ Pro
and Serato DJ Pro version 2.2.2,
which at the time of this recording
are the two most current versions.
Before we get to the new stuff,
I just want to do a quick introduction
for those of you who may
be new to all of this.
So Serato DJ Pro and Virtual DJ
are two DJ programs
that allow you to DJ,
mixing music that is either stored on
or streamed from your laptop.
You can mix, scratch, or
control all the tracks
that you're playing from your computer
using turntables, media
players, controllers,
or play directly off the laptop.
Both Serato and Atomix Productions,
which developed Virtual DJ,
have been making DJ
software for a long time.
They have a proven track record
of putting out great
and reliable DJ software
and their software are used
by DJs all over the world.
Now, as technology evolves
and the needs of DJs change,
both Serato and Atomix
have been listening to their user bases
and they put out updates
to include new features
and improvements that their
users have been asking for.
First, let's take a look
at the brand-new 2020
version of Virtual DJ,
which sports an entirely
refreshed user interface.
comparing it with other DJ software
and how I always felt like
the Virtual DJ interface
wasn't as modern
or even as professional
as those other programs.
That is no longer a
problem in version 2020,
and I'm happy to see
that the new interface
with its dark matte
colours and flat design
definitely feel more premium.
Like previous versions of Virtual DJ,
much of the interface is customisable
from the different layouts
like pro and performance
to the colour and
position of the waveforms.
Even the jog wheel
display can be customised
to show more or less information.
Serato DJ Pro
maintains its familiar and
well-organized interface,
allowing you to choose from
several different layouts,
show or hide panels for FX, the sampler,
and recording your mixes,
and displaying cue points in a list
or a performance pad layout.
There is also a high-res option
for DJs who use laptops with
higher resolution displays
which delivers a sharper user interface.
Now, a brand-new interface feature
that's found on both of these
programs is daylight mode.
This is perfect for when
you're DJing outside
on a bright sunny day
and it's difficult to
see what's on the screen,
especially with dark-themed DJ software.
In day mode,
the software will essentially
invert its colours,
making it much easier
to see the interface.
to organise your digital music collection.
Serato DJ Pro lets you
create crates of tracks.
They can be nested within each
other to create sub-crates.
And you can also create smart crates,
which will automatically add
any tracks in the library
that meet the criteria you set.
Virtual DJ lets you do
essentially the same thing
with their virtual folders
and filter folders,
and it also has tools like Genius DJ
that can suggest tracks to play next
based on what is currently playing.
Virtual DJ can also
read your Serato crates.
Both programs will keep
track of your set histories
and allow you to record your mixes.
Only Virtual DJ currently has support
for broadcasting your
mix live via Facebook,
YouTube, Twitch, or a radio server.
is support for music streaming.
This is the ability to stream
music from an online source
directly from within your DJ software.
This gives you a massive
music library to work with,
you no longer need
to purchase tracks or albums individually,
and it virtually
eliminates the possibility
of not having a song
that somebody requests.
Virtual DJ has offered
music streaming in the past
with services like iDJPool,
Digitrax, and Deezer,
and now in version 2020,
Soundcloud and Beatport
LINK are also available.
Serato DJ Pro has also recently
added streaming support
using Soundcloud and TIDAL.
You'll need a subscription
to the streaming service of your choice
to stream music in your DJ software.
Once you're set up,
you can search for an online track
the same way you would search for a track
saved on your computer
and you can load it to a deck.
Streaming music in DJ software
is the direction the industry is heading,
so it's great to see both of
these programs supporting it.
some like media players
like the Pioneer CDJ series
or the Denon Prime series.
Some DJs like all-in-one controllers.
No matter what you use,
both Serato DJ Pro and Virtual DJ
can support using all kinds of hardware.
Here's how it works.
Serato has a substantial list of hardware
that's made by multiple manufacturers
that plug and play with their software.
But it does need to be
officially supported by Serato
for it to connect.
That official support means
the hardware and software
are designed to work perfectly together,
but it does mean that not
every piece of DJ hardware
can be used with Serato DJ Pro.
Virtual DJ, on the other hand,
will support a wider range of DJ hardware,
albeit unofficially in some cases,
and they're very good about adding support
for newly-released hardware.
Both programmes support DVS,
or digital vinyl system,
which allows you to DJ with turntables
by using timecode vinyl records.
have the tools to help.
For a while now, Serato DJ
users have been able to use
the Pitch 'n Time DJ expansion pack
to shift and sync the key
of a track to match another,
clicking the adjustment buttons
to shift the key up and down
or clicking the musical note
to sync it to the key of the other deck.
♪ So she tries to cover up her pain ♪
♪ and cut her woes away ♪
♪ 'Cause cover girls don't
cry after their face is made ♪
♪ But there's a... ♪
(upbeat dance music)
(upbeat dance music)
(upbeat dance music)
- [Joe] The music library
can also colour code
the key values of tracks
so you can see at a glance
which tracks would be
harmonically compatible
with the one you're currently playing.
Virtual DJ 2020 adds a new
harmonic key matching feature
which will sync the keys
of two playing tracks
if they are within one
semitone of each other.
Basically speaking,
if two tracks can be key
matched or harmonically matched
without shifting too
far in either direction,
Virtual DJ 2020 will do it
either automatically
or with a simple click.
This is great for DJs who like
to harmonically mix tracks,
add acapellas over tracks
that might not be in the exact same key,
and just keep the mix sounding good.
(energetic dance music)
♪ Ooh baby ♪
♪ ever feel you're naughty
for the fun baby? ♪
♪ I could take you undercover ♪
for DJs who mix music videos
or use visuals in their sets.
You can load a video track to a deck
the same way you would for a music track
and the video is output
to a display or projector
that's connected to your computer.
The recently-updated
Serato Video expansion pack
is now 64-bit for Mac users,
which means significantly
better video performance.
In Virtual DJ, there are
new video transition effects
added to the already impressive list
of video features in the program.
There's a new plays
column in Serato DJ Pro
that will keep track
of how many times you've played a track.
Virtual DJ now has an event scheduler
that can trigger specific actions
to occur at certain times.
So now, DJs can easily schedule
a track, playlist, sample, or video
to play at a designated time.
The waveforms in Virtual DJ
can be positioned below the
decks instead of above them,
similar to the extended
layout in Serato DJ Pro.
Most importantly, both of
these software developers
are dedicated to keeping their
software stable and reliable
and they're consistently
putting out updates
that fix bugs and
glitches, which is great.
The licence for Serato DJ Pro is $129 US
or $9.99 a month if you opt
for the subscription service.
They also have an essentials package
that includes several
of their expansion packs
for $11.99 a month,
or the full suite of
features for $14.99 a month.
Expansion packs can also
be purchased individually
so if you just need DVS support,
you can buy that separately.
It's up to you to decide
which features you need
and which licences or
package works best for you.
It's worth mentioning
that a lot of DJ hardware
designed to work with Serato
will come with at least the
Serato DJ licence included,
so check Serato's hardware page
to see which licence, if any,
comes bundled with the hardware you use.
You can also download the Lite
version of Serato DJ for free
to test-drive the basic features.
Virtual DJ is free for home use
without any professional equipment.
The Pro licence is $299 US
or a monthly subscription of $19.
Unlike Serato DJ Pro,
the Virtual DJ Pro licence
unlocks all the features of the software
including video mixing,
key shifting and matching,
and DVS support for vinyl control.
Check the comparison
chart on Virtual DJ's site
to see the different features
that each of their licences offer.
and Serato DJ Pro 2.2.2.
Thank you so much for watching.
I hope you enjoyed the video.
If you did, please give it a thumbs up
and let us know down in the comments
which new feature or update
you're the most excited for
in either one of these programs.
If you haven't already,
please make sure you're
subscribed to the channel
for more DJ tips, tricks, and reviews.
I'm Joe Moore for Digital DJ Tips.
Thanks again for watching.
We'll see you in the next one.
(smooth electronic music)
