How to Make Your Music Library Truly Portable – Part 4: Plug and Play (literally)
If you have been following along then you have already done about 95% of the work here. This is the final part of this 4-part series. And it is, by far, the easiest part to follow. You are going to create some playlists, aka Crates, in Serato that will be accessible to your computer and every other computer with Serato installed. Click through for the instructions...
Creating Crates
How to Make Your Music Library Truly Portable – Part 2.5: Why letting iTunes manage your library is best.
After writing part 2, I realized that some people did not realize the power of letting iTunes organize your library for you. I will try to explain here as to why it is much better than managing your file folder structure yourself. Click through to read more:
iTunes organization? Those are big words...
How to: Make Your Music Library Truly Portable – Part 1: Buying the Portable Hard Drive
I am sure you have been there: Its your turn to DJ but first must go through the clumsy act of switching computers with the other guy. That requires putting on some filler record that usually is not the perfect transition song. Well, there is an easier way! Put your music on a portable hard drive, plug it into the existing laptop and BOOM, all of your Serato crates are there and ready to play. (Assuming the other guy lets you use his computer, its best when DJing with friends.)
The concept is simple, but setting it up is not that easy, especially if you have always kept your music on your computer. Well, its time to evolve and move to a more portable solution.
In this 4 part series, we will look at Part 1: Buying the Portable Hard Drives, Part 2: Moving your iTunes Library to your new portable (if you use iTunes), Part 2.5: Why you should let iTunes organize your music library, Part 3: Moving your Serato Files to the new portable, and 4: Plug and Play (literally).
Part 1 - Buying the Portable Hard Drive: click to continue reading:
Hard Drives
Novation “DICER” – Serato Midi Controller
There are many midi controllers out there that can easly control Serato Scratch Live, but none that come setup out of the box for Serato, until now. Novation's DICER is the first, out of the box, midi controller made specifically for Serato. Pretty much all the Serato controls you would want to manipulate are already mapped with Dicer. Yes, it adds more cords and USB usage to your gear, but if you are already are using a midi controller its not a big deal (just remember to pack them in your bag at the end of the night).
DICER integrates right on your turntable's 45 adapter and comes with some "dj putty" to help stick to another player like your CDJs. Note, as of today, the product is not yet available, but once it is, the price point will be about $99 USD, and this should be soon. Not too bad considering you get 2 controllers (a total of 60 midi controls). Click through for more description and some videos of this thing in use:
Novation's Dicer Controller
Scratch Live 2.0 full version, now available
The wait is over, no more buggy 2.0 beta. The full Scratch Live 2.0 is now available to download at Scratch Live's Forum page. It is free if you already own the software. Rane put this out early last week and quietly announced it on their site, no e-blast. But that is ok because there is a laundry list of new features. This is the biggest update in years and the upgrade inclused different ways to view your library, smart crates, and the big one; DJ Effects. All of the new features are listed and a video explaining the features after the jump:
Scratch Live 2.0
Are MP3s melting our Vinyl? a DJ’s perspective
With Serato, Tractor, and other DJ software (combined with high quality MP3s) are we looking at the last leg for records as we know them? Will we all be staring into our computer screens instead of the crowd? Read more, and more pictures after the jump:
Digital DJ
Scratch Live 2.0 Public Beta: now available
Still waiting for the new Scratch Live 2.0? Well, good news, you can now download the public beta! Its been available for a a little over a week now (but officially announced on February 15th). You all have been waiting for more decks (up to 4), the DJ Effects, the new GUI, new views and so on, and now you can give it a try! (No Support for "The Bridge" yet. 2.1 will have it.) More info and the download link after the jump...
Rane Sixty-Eight mixer with Serato Scratch Live
As we already know, Rane and Serato are best friends. They have collaborated in the past on the TTM-57, to bring you integrated serato controls to the mixer. With the Rane-68, they stepped it up a notch. Basically, this is the one stop controller/mixer to control Serato Scratch Live and Ableton Live if you have The Bridge. It's the first mixer with 2 USB 2.0 ports that supports real-time connection with two computers. If you have about $2300 (rumored price), then this is the mixer for you. There are a lot of buttons on this thing!
Some of the other features include: Direct control of over 30 Scratch Live cue and loop functions. Support for 2,3 or 4 Virtual Decks. Flexible USB recording, new high pass/low pass filter, 6 internal effects and support for computer effects.
Hopefully, we can get our hands on one soon to give it a full review. Check out the pictures below and DJ Enferno using it live at NAMM 2010. More info at Rane and Serato.
DJ Enferno using the Rane Sixty Eight @ NAMM 2010
Rane TTM 57SL Performance Mixer with Serato Scratch LIVE Software
Serato Scratch Live DJ Solution with Audio Interface
Ableton Live 8 Full Version
The Bridge – Ultimate Mix Tool
In the previous post about Ableton and Serato's partnership to give us The Bridge, there was some information on how it all will work in Serato's programs. This is how Serato will work in Ableton. Basically, its a super powerful mixtape recording tool. Depending on your audio setup, you can multitrack record into Ableton. And, to top it off, fader movements, EQ tweaks and Crossfader cuts are recorded as automation, allowing you to further edit your mix after your tables stop turning.
This is the multitrack recording for turntables (or CDs, whatever) that DJs have been asking for, basically, for forever. You just set up Serato to record as ".als" and off you go. Im not sure if you must wait for Serato's upgrade, or if you can do this now. Either way, its here are it is going to put DJing back into the mixtape!
Bridge with ableton
Serato and Ableton finally announce “The Bridge”
Well, back in October 2008, the fine people at Ableton and Serato announced that they were going to partner up on some new ideas. Finally, at NAMM 2010, last weekend, they let everyone know. The new project is called "The Bridge" and from what I have gathered, it combines Ableton Live with Serato Scratch or ITCH so you can use them interchangeably and you can use Ableton directly from Scratch Live or ITCH.
Ableton says "With ATC, Scratch Live or ITCH provides your productions with deck control, mixing, nudging and DJ style looping, while you can remix, mute/solo tracks, use virtual instruments, change drum patterns, manipulate audio, tweak effects and launch loops on the fly in Ableton Live." So this is going to be an extremely powerful tool. Check out the picture below and the video too. So far, this is still coming soon. They have not announced the price yet, but if you have Scratch Live or ITCH and the Ableton 8 suite, then you can get it for free. I want to get my hands on this. Once I have it, I will report all the new goodness. More info here for what Ableton can do with Serato.
Ableton and Serato present The Bridge
Serato Scratch Live Kit + Headphones + Clear Vinyl
Ableton Live 8 Full Version
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