The Best DJ Software For PC - Download Now

If you're looking for DJ software for PC, there are countless options to choose from. Although, they're not all the same quality. In this guide, I'll share the most popular DJ software for making DJ sets on your PC.

PC DJ software comes with a range of functions from basic features to advanced tools. Some of the more attractive features include hardware integration, the ability to play tracks in time with auto-sync, connections to streaming services, powerful cue points systems, effects, stem separation, and digital vinyl systems.

As I'll explain, some of the best PC DJ software apps include DJ.Studio, rekordbox, Traktor, Serato, and Virtual DJ. Each of these have their own nuances, strengths, and weaknesses.

Keep reading this guide to work out which is the best DJ software for PC - for you!

TL;DR - DJ Software for PC#

• There are loads of different PC DJ software apps out there, each with their own style and design.

• Most are designed specifically for live performances, but this isn't always the most powerful option.

• DJ.Studio has a uniquely refreshing take on creating mixes - for new and professional DJs.

• DJ.Studio is also some of the Best DJ Software for Beginners

The Truth About DJ Software - It's (Mostly) All The Same#

Before getting to the heart of this article, I'm going to raise a few points to help you find the best software for your needs.

In truth, the majority of DJ software is essentially identical - even the Best DJ Software. Besides a few visual differences in the user interface and a few features - most DJ software works in the exact same way.

There isn't much difference between rekordbox, Traktor, Serato, or other programs. They all use the same basic system of simulating a 'decks and mixer' style setup.

Now, the team at DJ.Studio is offering something completely new and unique. As you will learn, DJ.Studio moves away from the stale traditional paradigm of DJ software and brings a powerful new concept to the table.

Read on to find out why DJ.Studio is so unique, and how you can use it to get an advantage over other DJs on the scene.

The Best DJ Software for PC - DJ.Studio#

It goes without saying that DJ.Studio is one of the best options for most DJs. Whatever kind of music you are into, DJ.Studio is a serious tool that makes DJs' lives easier and gives them a huge amount of power and competitive advantage.

While it isn't desiged for hands on control with DJ controllers, for a real time performance, it gives you a new way to create your own playlists, play tracks, and make mixes. Some of the most recent updates include Stem Separation, sample lanes, and Beatport Streaming integration. You can even make your own music videos with this unique digital DJing tool.

DJ.Studio's Features Overview#

DJ.Studio features a unique cutting edge design, unlike any other DJ software on the market. This gives users a huge advantage over other software types and makes it super easy to organize your music and make flawless mixes.

Here are some of DJ.Studio's unique features:

• Create mixes using a unique, timeline-editor based approach.

• Rapidly build the perfect setlist with the lighting fast harmonic automix.

• Design custom music videos and animations to upload to YouTube.

• Export finished mixes to many platforms and destinations, including WAV, video, YouTube, our own online mix sharing platform, Ableton Live, or as a prepared playlist to your rekordbox library (or other popular DJ software).

• Extensive and flexible music library management, which can connect to your other software and libraries.

• Direct integration (in and out) with all other mainstream DJ software.

• Suitable for beginner DJs and professional DJs alike.

• A highly active development team, that provides constant new updates.

What Makes DJ.Studio Different From Other Software#

DJ.Studio is a revolutionary piece of software that stands out from the crowd.

While all other DJ software revolves around the same concept - decks and a mixer - DJ.Studio uses a completely different workflow which presents a range of advantages over other standard systems.

The core difference is in the timeline-based workflow. Unlike other software where you have to mix in real-time (mimicking a DJ deck setup), in DJ.Studio you use a DAW-style timeline to arrange your mix. This gives you a lot more flexibility, accuracy, and creative options.

A second unique feature of DJ.Studio is the powerful AI-assisted Automix Algorithm. This scans your library to find which songs are most compatible based on the key and BPM.

You can create perfect, harmonic mixes, with minimal effort. Your sets will sound seamless and truly professional, without any awkward clashing keys and melodies!

Another powerful tool is the built-in transition editor. This lets you craft the perfect transition between each song, in more detail than you could achieve with a standard deck-style setup.

DJ.Studio lets you automate any of the transition parameters and effects at the same time - so you can craft exquisitely detailed transitions with a huge amount of customization and finesse. You could only pull these off on traditional software if you had 8 pairs of hands!

Something which will be a huge help to DJs who are looking to share their mixes online is DJ.Studio's Music Visualizer and Video Creator. This could be a piece of software in its own right, but we decided to include it in DJ.Studio to give artists another creative edge to their toolkits.

The video creator lets you build audio-reactive visuals for the entirety of your set. You can choose from over 100 animations and many different spectrum styles.

It can also display the album artwork and track information (title and artist) for each song. This is a super cool feature that streamlines the video mix production process to something quick and easy.

You don't need to know anything about video editing or generating visuals to create a unique and hypnotic video to accompany your mix.

What's more, is that the videos are easily exported to YouTube. An exported video includes all the timestamp and track information, which automatically creates chapter dividers in the uploaded YouTube video.

All the artists get their due credit, and you don't need to worry about fiddling around and making notes of track timings and information!

The Video Engine creates a sweet final product that can easily be shared online to promote your mixes.

This makes the process very easy, and you'll have other DJs wondering - "How on earth did they make that?!"

As for the export and recording process, DJ. Studio has a lightning-fast export engine that reduces the recording times to mere minutes.

No longer do you need to spend a whole hour (or more, if you make mistakes) recording a DJ set manually - DJ.Studio can render the entire mix at up to 10x speed. Meaning an hour-long set can be recorded and downloaded in around 6 minutes!

There are also a bunch of other export outputs built into the software, for example, you can easily export the mix as an Ableton Live multitrack, which makes it ideal for adding voiceovers, jingles, adverts, and any other extra audio you might need to layer in.

It has the ease of use for beginners - but the diversity and detail that a professional will love (not to mention the amount of time they'll save)!

The music library management features are also one of the most powerful on the market. DJ.Studio automatically scans and analyzes every imported track - and indicates the key and BPM. This also makes it easy to pick new tracks to add to a set, as DJ.Studio will be able to suggest other tracks in your library that have compatible keys and tempos!

It's also integrated with a bunch of other DJ programs - for both importing and exporting.

You can share libraries with rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, Mixed In Key, or other accounts, then sequence the optimal set in DJ.Studio, and instantly export it back as a DJ set file to your live mixing software for your next gig!

DJ.Studio's Workflow#

To get a sense of how DJ.Studio can accelerate mix production (and thus your DJ career), you should run through the workflow to see how it compares to traditional programs.

1. Open DJ.Studio - You get the best experience from the downloaded app.

2. Import your music into the library. You can import from a range of sources, including files on your PC and a whole range of other locations.

3. Create a Project - There are two main project types

   1. Local File - For making mixes with your downloaded music collection, this has the most export options.

4. Beatport - Make mixes from any of the 12m+ tracks in the Beatport Streaming library.

5. Import Music - Now you simply add any tracks that you want to use in your mix.

6. Click AUTOMIX, to activate DJ.Studio's magical AI powers. It will now scan through every potential combination and order of tracks to give you the perfect sequence. You can choose to bias the mixing towards key or BPM matching.

7. Edit your mix - Now you can start refining your mix using the powerful timeline editor. This gives you endless customisation and depth, helping you to make the most expressive and creative mixes possible.

8. When you are pleased with the final results, it's time to record and export the mix! Simply hit the record button to render your finished mix at up to 5x speed. Then, you can export it to a number of sources including YouTube (with timestamp/chapter information), Mixcloud, and others.

9. Voila! Now you and your fans can enjoy your perfect new mix!

This workflow is much faster, more efficient, and more creative in comparison to traditional software methods.

You don't need to worry about making mistakes and having to re-record. You can tweak your transitions in infinite detail and expression, and you can even create an accompanying reactive video to hypnotize your audience!

Other DJ Software for PC#

Besides DJ.Studio, there are several other DJ software applications for PCs. These use a more traditional style. I will say that the following types of software are best used with DJ controllers, as they are not very user-friendly to use without one.

All of them basically work in the same way. They give you a library manager, virtual decks, a mixer, and some effects. These are good for live performances, although they don't have as many cutting-edge features as DJ.Studio.

rekordbox#

Rekordbox by Pioneer DJ is one of the most popular pieces of software in the DJ industry. The free version has all the features you need to plan sets, manage your music library, and practice mixing on your computer.

For live DJing, I would say that this is the most viable option. Most clubs use Pioneer DJ equipment, all of which revolves around rekordbox. This universality makes it an attractive option. If you learn to use it at home, you'll have no issues when it comes to mixing in the club.

The paid versions give you a bunch of better features, including the ability to mix on four decks, create more hot cues, and even use cloud storage for saving your sets and playlists.

Most club DJs have used this at some point - and it's my favorite PC DJ software for mixing live.

Serato DJ#

Serato is another popular choice which comes in a few variations.

Serato DJ Lite is their free offering. It has all the basic features that you need to mix music and can be used with many standard entry level controllers.

The unique side of Serato is its focus on integration with a digital vinyl system. Although, this isn't available in Serato DJ Lite, and you will need to pay for the hardware unlock. That said, it's worth it if you're a scratching artist, and want a DVS control setup to enable low latency scratching.

Serato DJ Pro opens up more options and enables the use of a digital vinyl system - which lets you mix your files on a vinyl-based DJ controller.

I like Serato for the vinyl stuff, but otherwise I prefer rekordbox for live mixing. I would only really suggest that you look at Serato if you want a DVS setup for scratching.

Traktor DJ#

Traktor by Native Instruments is another common DJ software used by many DJs. This has all the standard features and works with most external controllers. This is a decent tool for crafting a DJ set!

I think that Trakor's interface is a bit garish and ugly - but each to their own. I know that a lot of DJs love it for its reactivity and simplicity. Although, personally I'm not a fan.

Virtual DJ#

Virtual DJ is one of the long-standing underdogs in the DJ software scene. This is another good tool to start mixing with, although it is one of the more limited DJ applications out there.

It's very affordable and has some cool features like Video DJing and Stem Separation, although the interface isn't fantastic. The UI doesn't scale nicely, and it can be a bit buggy.

Although, if you're looking for an affordable piece of DJ software that has a bunch of decent features, Virtual DJ is a good choice.

I used to use it years ago, and it has come a long way since, although I don't think it really stands up against rekordbox in terms of reliability and quality.

How To Choose The Best PC DJ Software for Your Needs#

With so many options to choose from, it can be tricky to know which is the right choice for you. Check out these tips to help you pick the most suitable app.

Compatibility#

Not all software is compatible with every operating system. Make sure that you pick one that works with your machine. Some don't run great on older computers too, so that's something to consider.

Controllers#

The way that DJ software connects to controllers varies from brand to brand. Some apps work with basically any controller, while others are more limited, or locked to working only with the same brand's devices.

If you already own a DJ controller (or are considering buying one) make sure you check that the software is also compatible.

Features & Integration#

While the core feature set is pretty much identical in all DJ software, you can still find a fair amount of variation in the finer details and extensions.

Some things to think about are Stem Separation (which DJ.Studio has some of the best tools out there), effects, customization, and integrations with other software.

On that point, integration is also an important area of consideration. You want to make sure that you pick software that integrates well with any other apps you're using.

Upgrades#

Most DJ software comes with a range of versions (usually from free, to mid-range, to top-end), and often they offer a range of extensions and add-ons.

Make sure that the software you choose has the capacity for upward expansion, in order to grow with you (and allow you to grow) as a DJ. Some are pretty much fixed in their feature set, but others have advanced versions that let you expand your DJing techniques and workflow.

Final Verdict#

Ultimately the best DJ software depends on what you need to use it for. If you're mixing as a live performance, then rekordbox or Serato are probably the best options.

However, if you want to create mixes in more detail, and quicker than the traditional methods, then DJ.Studio is the way forward. This is one of the most revolutionary pieces of DJ software modern DJs can get their hands on.

It has a range of useful tools and integrations that make it more useful than a lot of other DJ software - and it also works well side-by-side! It's also a great choice if you want to do DJ Mixing On A Laptop!

Check out the free version today!