What software are you using to DJ with?

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Albatross said:
What do you like about Traktor that Serato doesn't offer? I'm not defending Serato, I'm just curious what features you need.
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The thing I dislike most about Serato is the GUI itself - very busy with parallel waveforms. This leaves very little room for the "Track Overview Waveform" which is ridiculously small - too little height and difficult to see.

In a perfect world, all my music would be properly prepared ahead of time - loops, cue points, etc., - so the overview waveform is just a placeholder, you don't really have to "read" it - but I don't live in a perfect world. I have a big Library and I will take Requests, so I'll cue up a song that is not prepared. Traktor (and Mixvibes) have nice big Track Overview Waveforms, which makes seat-of-the-pants jumping around in the song very easy. I honestly don't know how Serato users tolerate this, especially with sourcing songs from Tidal, etc..

I don't need parallel waveforms. Latin Salsa music traditionally is not mixed, and the times I do mix - I'm not proud - I turn on Sync!

The reason I never used Traktor in the past was because it never had Smart Playlists (Smart Crates). The newest releases do, and it works very well.

Still, it's not for everyone. For example, no Video...and it's future is an unknown.
 
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Like I said I use VDJ and I love it. As far as Serato I believe there is a way to enlarge the things so you don't have to struggle reading the titles of a song or artist.
 
Enlarge the font size to your likeing on serato
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Like I said I use VDJ and I love it. As far as Serato I believe there is a way to enlarge the things so you don't have to struggle reading the titles of a song or artist.
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sonic-vision said:
Enlarge the font size to your likeing on serato
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This is Traktor -

Traktor.jpg

The area circled in Red is the Track Overview Waveform. Note that it is large enough to be easily read.
By comparison, Serato's is very thin - Font size has nothing to do with it.

Anyone who really knows how to fix this in Serato, I'm all ears! I'm running Serato DJ Pro 2.5.0.2050 Beta
 
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Handinon said:
This is Traktor -

View attachment 52533

The area circled in Red is the Track Overview Waveform. Note that it is large enough to be easily read.
By comparison, Serato's is very thin - Font size has nothing to do with it.

Anyone who really knows how to fix this in Serato, I'm all ears! I'm running Serato DJ Pro 2.5.0.2050 Beta
Click to expand...


There isn't a fix. But I don't think there needs to be one, as it meets the needs of its audience, who are more concerned with the live-waveform, hence, the visual hierarchy. You have different requirements, but it's based on a different issue -- that 100% of your music isn't prepped. So maybe address that. If the software doesn't meet your need, and you use sync anyway, why mix live at all? Other software could run it entirely, and you don't have to be part of the chain, except for queueing, thus, eliminating your need to read whole track waveforms.

Either way, it's your workflow that has the gap, not the software. For private bookings, I, too, roll with a shit ton of music, and take requests, but it's all prepped, even the stuff I got yesterday. It's part of the workflow, and there's software to help accomplish it. I can send you some recommendations.

Rekordbox does have a larger whole-track waveform, and as you said, so does Traktor. If you're not missing anything from else Serato, you're good, right? Serato meets the needs of its audience. I DJ with Serato at home and private gigs, but for club gigs I go with the DJ-standard Export mode/USB drive from Rekordbox.
 
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Handinon said:
The thing I dislike most about Serato is the GUI itself - very busy with parallel waveforms. This leaves very little room for the "Track Overview Waveform" which is ridiculously small - too little height and difficult to see.

In a perfect world, all my music would be properly prepared ahead of time - loops, cue points, etc., - so the overview waveform is just a placeholder, you don't really have to "read" it - but I don't live in a perfect world. I have a big Library and I will take Requests, so I'll cue up a song that is not prepared. Traktor (and Mixvibes) have nice big Track Overview Waveforms, which makes seat-of-the-pants jumping around in the song very easy. I honestly don't know how Serato users tolerate this, especially with sourcing songs from Tidal, etc..

I don't need parallel waveforms. Latin Salsa music traditionally is not mixed, and the times I do mix - I'm not proud - I turn on Sync!

The reason I never used Traktor in the past was because it never had Smart Playlists (Smart Crates). The newest releases do, and it works very well.

Still, it's not for everyone. For example, no Video...and it's future is an unknown.
Click to expand...

Serato has a handful of viewing modes. I personally don't like horizontal wave forms either, but I use the vertical ones. But for more library space, you can also use library mode:
Screen Shot 2021-04-09 at 3.38.21 PM.png

I guess I just don't use those track overview waveforms for much. Occasionally to see a breakdown coming in a more EDM focused song, but having a way to enlarge that component has never been a desire at all.

To each their own though, I'm glad you have a tool that works for you.
 
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Next year marks 40 years since I bought my first turntables.

Over that time, I've gone from vinyl, to CD, to finally MacBook and/or USB media player.

On the software side, started with BPM Studio, then went to VirtualDJ, over to Serato before coming back to VirtualDJ.

For small, informal gatherings, I'm a fan of Algoriddim's DJ Pro on my iPad paired with a bluetooth speaker.
 
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Nice questions, Appreciated!

Basically, I am using these three software using to DJ with- That are, Traktor, Rekordbox and Serato! If you need any other assistance about wedding DJ playlist or whatever you can visit my website here at- https://www.djspinalshift.com/.
 
Hey Spinalshift welcome to the board. If you get a chance please drop by the introductions thread and let us know a bit about yourself
 
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VDJ all the way! For me it's easy to use. Certain effects I don't like or use but others use them. That's why I love my Pioneer EFX 500!!!!! It does certain things that you can't do with VDJ effects. In the past others have tried to talk me out of using it saying I don't need it. For me I love using it and it keeps me from getting bored while doing an event.
 
dunlopj said:
Never had that problem! May say a lot about your events.:pillyes:
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What I like to do is not just play music. I add effects to certain songs. What bores me is when I have an event to do that I have to play the same old songs I've played too many times. Yet my job is to give the client and their guest what they want, Get paid and be done.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
What bores me is when I have an event to do that I have to play the same old songs I've played too many times.
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Dude....we've all faced that! If you can't get past that, you've already written the end result.

It does NOT mean the event is boring! The guests may have not (or never) heard those many played songs.

If you are bored, it WILL SHOW in your performance, demeanor and body language!

I always looked for the GUEST'S body language! That told me tons! And it works both way...i.e guests looking at YOU.
 
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I don’t think I’ve ever been bored playing music. If it’s the right song for the right crowd at the right time, it doesn’t matter if I played that song a million times.

I’m much more concerned about the crowd on the dance floor, and what I need to do for the next thing happening at this event.

If I’m listening to music, then everything is different. But listening to music is not what I’m doing at an event, so a song could never bore me.

Adding effects to songs to attempt to eliminate boredom is probably the worst reason for a dj to do so.
 
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Scott Hanna said:
I don’t think I’ve ever been bored playing music. If it’s the right song for the right crowd at the right time, it doesn’t matter if I played that song a million times.

I’m much more concerned about the crowd on the dance floor, and what I need to do for the next thing happening at this event.

If I’m listening to music, then everything is different. But listening to music is not what I’m doing at an event, so a song could never bore me.

Adding effects to songs to attempt to eliminate boredom is probably the worst reason for a dj to do so.
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I agree! What gets me excited is the crowd... not the song choices
 
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