rekordbox dj

It’s not as stable as traktor, this is the main problem. Many times it close down when you load a new track, not something you want happen especially if you use it live. The analyser of new tracks and sync I not find work as good as in traktor. I think the main reason for this is that traktor have been around for awhile, so this is something Pioneer hopefully will fix soon.

I don’t think it will “beat” anybody. There are currently six (count them: 6) mainstream options, with some additional ones for iOS (sorry Android users, still can’t take the offering on Android too seriously, even if one of them comes from my beloved Mixvibes).

In no particular order:
* Traktor Pro 2 (way overdue for a big update). Becoming a more and more closed ecosystem. Best bet is to use Traktor only with NI hardware and vice versa.
* Serato (also pumping out regular updates and ever expanding their plug-ins). As the software is way more mature, you can’t expect them to make big jump updates like RB DJ every few months.
* RekordBox DJ (latest entry and, as stated, quickly playing catch-up). I think there is quite a bit of consensus that it looks most like Serato in functionality. Also everyone agrees it is still suffering from growing pains trying to get out of puberty. And, not unimportant, it seems that RB DJ and Pioneer hardware are supposed to become a (semi-)closed ecosystem. This is something that would bother me. Serato was that way in the past and it made me choose another software because I didn’t want to buy a new controller just to fit my new software.
* DJay Pro (Mac only). Also software growing in functionality rapidly. Good interaction with iPad version. They try to bring a fresh perspective on things. It’s no “me-too” product (like RB DJ). It being Mac only can be off-putting for quite a few users who don’t want or can’t afford a Mac.
* Mixvibes Cross. Unfortunately slipping more and more behind the curve as the last major update is long ago and even the last minor update requires a hard look in the rear-view mirror. It is a very good choice if your are price conscious though and it still has some features and implementations that I really love over that of other software.
* Virtual DJ. Self-proclaimed most used DJ software I think. Appeals to many and is equally disliked by others (I for one would never get it). Not cheap, but lifetime free upgrades make up for that quite a bit. Lots of features including video.

And then, as other might point out, there is a host of other options, either in a more experimental mode or more producer-based or simpler or cheaper. However, those are hardly gathering any serious momentum and are rarely seen in the DJ booth being used by “serious” DJs.

All software is different and has it’s own pro’s and con’s. I don’t believe any software will ever “beat” the other. Of course there is always one that is the biggest, but that honor has gone to many of the mentioned programs over the last 10 years.

Personally I don’t believe RB DJ will make happen for Pioneer what the CDJs did for them in the club scene. They do have a very loyal fan-(groupie?)base though and many people that seem to hang on to the notion that you still need to/want to play on CDJs when you are in a club. For those people there could be some extra advantage to using RB DJ.

That said, our advise here is always that your intended/desired workflow should be leading in picking your software, not the other way around. So, if you have a clear vision of that workflow you will have less trouble picking the software that most closely matches the workflow (100% is pretty much Utopia) and go from there.
Picking your software because of brand, reputation or any other non-workflow-related reason is usually a good recipe for really bad cake.

Finally, keep an eye on the articles on the main site. They will regularly review new releases of relevant software and, together with the DJ Software Buyers Guide, these sources should provide enough info to determine what the pro’s and con’s are for YOU. You see, what you may love as a feature I might find irrelevant or even annoying and vice versa.

I don’t necessarily agree that they all do the same. Each has certain features that are unique or differ so much in implementation that they might as well be unique. Some software is more suited for one kind of DJ than another.

Clearly there is a great overlap in general features. Yet, I left Traktor because it was totally unsuited for my workflow and moved to Mixvibes Cross which fit many times better. I might move to Serato soon (as my MCX8000 isn’t supported) and while Serato is close to Cross in features I already know I will miss certain things in Cross and probably will find some useful things in Serato.

I agree they are tools, but they are unique enough to make their choice a very-well informed one if you can, as picking the wrong tool can limit your options and even hamper your progress/success, where the right choice can set you on the fast track there and unleash your creative potential.