Traktor Scratch Pro vs Serato Scratch Live
Hi DJTT.
I recently bought 2x CDJ400 and wanted to use them with Traktor Pro,
but yesterday i got my 2 technics SL-1210 MK3 aswell. So i was thinking about getting Traktor Scratch to run 4 decks together with my CDJS. But have also been checking Serato Scratch Live. Both are in the same price range. So i was wondering if i could get some advices from some users here
. I play mostly house music, no hiphop so i donât scratch.
/Kim
iirc SSL doesnât have four deck support.
Traktor Scratch Pro supports 4 timecode decks with 2 x phono inputs (turntables) and 2 x line inputs (CDJâs) afaik
I have and use both. I much prefer Traktor. Serato feels like it was made in the 1980s. Itâs ugly, limited, and has very inacurate bpm analysis. Itâs very stable, and that is all it has going for it. On the other hand, Iâve never had Traktor crash on me. Strange things happen, like losing tags, but while Iâve been spinning with time code vinyl, Iâve never had any problems at all. I highly recommend going with Traktor Scratch with the NI DJ8 soundcard.
If you are playing house another benefit of Traktor is that it has plenty of internal tempo-synced fx, lots of them work well with house. Also, Traktor can be auto-synced which may or may not be a feature you need now or find you use in the future.
but if he has a 4 channel mixer that wonât matter, 2 on timecode 2 normal
IMHO serato but thatâs just me.
one thing i really like about SSL is the free updates. they have made some remarkable changes to serato since it came out and itâs still free to upgrade for everyone.
N.I. on the other hand likes to jump from traktor 3 to traktor pro etc and you will be paying along the wayâŚ
Yeah dude lets dispel that âjumpâ theory. From T3 to TRO actually took 4 years so not so much a âjumpâ as a journey.
All updates are free.
Pointing this out just for balance.
hey man, i thought i worded it pretty well. sure if you have pro you get pro updates. but when pro pro comes out N.I. will be charging you to upgrade to it.
N.I. isnât a minority in doing this, and they arenât evil for doing it, but thatâs the way things are, except at some companies like serato, where the dj that bought SSL way back in the day can download the most current version free of charge, not just the updates within a subset of the advancement.
Hmm yeah fair enough but i think everyone would agree that TPRO was a huge step onwards after T3.
The updates for Serato have barely changed the program in all this time.
I think anyone can expect a charge for a total rewrite of the app that Pro was.
Anyway its a moot point, i just wanted to point out that it took 4 years to change to PRO.
we will have to agree to disagree about this, but thatâs fine, if anyone feels the need they certainly look up this info and form their own opinion.
both are great programs, its an exciting time in djing technology
Yes. Well.
@charo: Just be aware that when Serato release in January, you may have to pay to get an upgrade (speculation and conjecture, but if Serato move to SSL v2 Iâd be surprised if SL1 and SL3 are compatible).
And as much as Iâd prefer not to, I agree with Karlos Santos. The jump from Traktor 3 â Traktor Pro/Traktor Scratch â Traktor Scratch Pro was more than significant, especially when you consider the implementation of 4 timescoded decks, additional effects, better GUI, etc. Itâs more of a âDJ Studioâ than its predecessors.
@kimh: Donât want to sound the fanboy, but will say I use TSP and prefer it compared to SSL, and agree with GarySâs comments. I think youâll find it a more enjoyable experience and that it has a bit more width and breadth in its capabilities, better hardware support should you shift your setup, and from memory Serato doesnât have onboard recording (though Iâm happy to be proved wrong).
guess we will have to wait and see.
if it does goes to show you all things change.
bottom line for these companies is money.
I sometimes dream more and more people get behind the free DVSâs (mixxx, xwax) and get making that a better alternative.
Traktor definitely unless you are really traditional and want the standard boring Serato/macbook with a pair of CDJs or Technics setup everyone uses. Traktor offers the potential for a lot more fun. I would rather just use CDs and vinyl than serato scratch live. All it has to offer is a way to play your mp3s from your computer. The other features like samples and looping/waveforms arenât enough to make it worthwhile.
Just burn your collection to CDs and then you donât have to deal with hooking up an audio interface and bringing a laptop. Traktor is worth it since it has 4 decks, effects, and so many features that you canât do on normal decks but serato doesnât really offer anything except a little convenience playing your digital music collection instead of going through a CD booklet. SSL is pretty useless unless you spin hip hop and need to play tracks and use timecoded vinyl for scratching/turntablism instead o lugging record crates around or not being able to find some tracks on vinyl.
you should post this same question on the ssl forum as each will produce slightly slanted opinions. both are great programs regardless what type of music you play. the main thing is which one will you have the most fun withâŚcause thats what its all about.
Traktor Scratch Pro will open you up to more possibilities if youâre keen on making your mixing complex/interesting/fun. Tedious things like beatmatching and good phrasing will be easy enough that youâll be mixing into the stratosphere if thatâs what youâre into.
Serato will keep you honing your classical mixing skills if thatâs what youâre into.
I like both for all of those reasons. That said, I keep the timecode stuff at home and little house parties for fun. For paid gigs I run the controller/TPro rig for efficiency.
Dude you are in the worst place in the world to ask this question. DJTT is incredibly biased towards traktor. Im actually currently switching to traktor from serato to cut costs and traktor is definately more detailed in what it is you can actually do but serato is for a fact more stable. in the end it all comes down to what you personally prefer and if you can bring yourself to pay 600$ for the clearly weaker soundcard (SL3) to go serato. thats really all that brought me over to traktor. and traktor is better integrated with timecode + controllers setups.
I will try to give a non biased opinion, I used Serato Scratch (SL1) for a good 4 years, in nightclubs and it was stable easy to use and perfect for the type of DJâng I was doing.
This year I switched over to Traktor Scratch and have been blown away with its sound quality, features (iâm still discovering new things about it) and once you have it set up correctly stability as well. I started using it with time code but have moved onto using it with a vestax vci100se and looking at getting a Kontrol X1 when they come out.
It has put the fun back into DJâng for me!
are you referring to the site in general or the people that use the site?
if itâs the site youâre wrong and i disagree. however see why you would think this as the majority are using traktor, but only for the reasons that have been discussed.
Oh, also, letâs not forget that if you owned Traktor Scratch and Traktor 3 you got TSP for free (hey, I made a rhyme!)
That was the best bit of âWe appreciate you guysâ Iâve seen from a music software company. Shit, saved me a lot of money.