WHAT’S NEXT… for DJ software? You tell us what you want

‘WHAT’S NEXT…’ is a new series designed to foster discussion around a specific subject. While the DJWORX writers will always offer some opinion on the matter, we want to give you, the DJWORX community, a starting point to the conversation and comment along with you all.

It’s human nature to take sides. Traditionally, tribalism helped us belong and kept us protected. But let’s put that to one side for now. Serato. Rekordbox. Traktor. These names don’t matter here. I want to talk about features. Specifically, where we see things going in the future, if indeed, at all.

Have we hit the peak of what DJ software can (or, rather, needs to) do? To me, it feels like new features get rolled out for ever-more niche markets – which, while awesome for those that get it – get lost in the noise for the rest of us. I’m guilty of being both the niche (Traktor’s stem files and remix decks, master clock sync) and the masses (usually turntablist-specific features like Serato’s sticker lock).

Do we need more features, or less? Perhaps we should start seeing streamlined versions of DJ software made for pure mixing? Just two decks and a browser, that’s plug and play with relevant hardware, for when you just want to slam some tunes together, the traditional way? What about library management?

We’ve discussed the idea of DJ software that’s embedded in hardware (in fact, that was my prediction for 2016), and I do think it’s inevitable it will happen as the cost of processing goes down even further. It might not be a sudden revolution, but rather, a slow evolutionary change. I don’t think laptop-based software will be going anywhere, though. There’s just too much power and flexibility for people who need it.