The announcement of Serato DJ 1.5, available this October, probably throws up a few head scratchers about the future of the platform and what it means for you. We've tried to answer most of the questions we thought you might have about your setup and about what comes next. Take a look, and if there's anything that's unclear, just hit us up in the comments. We're hanging around to chat :)
What will happen to Scratch Live? Will there be any further updates to Scratch Live?
Scratch Live will continue to be supported until 2015. We plan to release updates in order to solve any compatibility issues or major bugs that we may encounter during this period of time.
When will my Rane Hardware be supported?
The Rane Sixty-Two, Sixty-One, Sixty-Eight mixers and the Rane SL 2, SL 3 and SL 4 are all planned to be supported for Serato DJ early 2014.
Why is my Rane TTM 57SL or Rane SL 1 not supported for Serato DJ?
Both the Rane TTM 57SL and Rane SL 1 have had a long healthy life working with Scratch Live. Rane has discontinued manufacturing these units for some time and the technology used is now outdated. Due to significant technical challenges that this presents, we are unable to provide Serato DJ support. Scratch Live will continue to be supported until 2015, so we can try and resolve any bugs or compatibility issues that may arise.
Our Support Team will continue to provide help to TTM 57SL and SL 1 owners indefinitely.
Which Scratch Live Accessories will be supported and when?
The CDJ-2000nexus, CDJ-2000, Novation Dicers and Denon DN-HC1000S will be supported in a gradual roll out during Winter 2014. There are no plans at this stage to support other devices.
Will my Scratch Live library be compatible with Serato DJ? (Crates? MIDI mappings? FX presets? Loops)
Yes, your Scratch Live library (files and crates) will work with Serato DJ. Your MIDI presets and Scratch Live FX presets will not work with Serato DJ, as the functionality is very different and the mapping architecture has changed significantly. However, to create a new MIDI map for your controller is just as easy with Serato DJ as it is with Scratch Live.
Your saved loops and cue points in Scratch Live will be available in the saved loop/cue point slots in Serato DJ, so you will not need to create these again.
I built all my overviews in Scratch Live. Do I need to rebuild my overviews in Serato DJ?
No you will not need rebuild the overviews, all the same information that you have in Scratch Live, will be read in Serato DJ. However, if you have not used Beatgrids before, you may need to re-analyze in order to create Beatgrids. Beatgrids allow you to take advantage of certain features e.g; Slicer.
Do I have to pay for Serato DJ?
Serato DJ will be a free upgrade for Rane Sixty-Eight, Sixty-Two, Sixty-One mixers and Rane SL 2, SL 3 and SL 4 interfaces. Serato DJ is also free upgrade for eligible ITCH controllers and supported Serato DJ hardware. Serato DJ is a paid upgrade only for supported DJ Intro controllers. Check out the Serato DJ Hardware page to see a complete list of supported hardware.
Will the current Scratch Live control vinyl still work with Serato DJ?
Yes, the all CV02/2.5 edition control vinyl will work with Serato DJ.
Can I have both Scratch Live and Serato DJ installed on the same computer?
Yes. You can have both applications installed on your computer at the same time, if you wish to try Serato DJ at home before you are ready to DJ out with it. However, it is not recommended to have both applications open at the same time.
Will the minimum specifications for Serato DJ be the same across all hardware? Or different for some devices e.g the Rane SL 4?
The minimum specifications remain the same for all hardware. Check here to find out the minimum specifications for Serato DJ.
Will I be able to use up to 4 decks with Serato DJ?
Yes, with supported hardware.
Does my Serato Video license I use with Scratch Live still work with Serato DJ?
Yes. If you already have Serato Video installed, it will work straight away with Serato DJ. If you have Video-SL installed with Scratch Live only, you will need to upgrade your license for Video-SL in order to use it with Serato Video.
Does The Bridge work with Serato DJ?
No, at this point there are no announcements regarding The Bridge for Serato DJ.