Serato
 | |
| Industry | Music software |
|---|---|
| Founders | Steve West and AJ Bertenshaw |
| Headquarters | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Website | serato |
Serato[1] (stylized in all lowercase; /sərɑːtoʊ/) is a music software company founded in 1998 in Auckland, New Zealand by Steve West and AJ Bertenshaw.[1]
History
[edit]West and Bertenshaw met in computer science class at the University of Auckland. When West created an algorithm that could change the tempo of a recorded track without changing the pitch, Bertenshaw realized the opportunity to build upon the idea. The first published product, "Pitch 'n Time", which built off the original audio manipulation concept, was pitched to various companies like Pioneer and Sony but failed to gain traction with the music side of the industry. However, the idea was received more positively in Hollywood, where it quickly became useful editing tool for moviemakers.[1][2]
On July 11, 2023, subject to approval by the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office and other customary conditions, the two companies agreed on the acquisition of all Serato shares by AlphaTheta, which manufactures and sells Pioneer DJ products. While the partnership will capitalize on the combined expertise of both companies, AlphaTheta and Serato will continue to operate as standalone brands.[3]
Software
[edit]Serato DJ
[edit]Serato produces software used in digital music mixing,[4] including digital vinyl record mixing for DVS records.[5] Serato also produces software for DJ mixing, which has visual components including wave form beatmatching[6] and other information about the sound being produced by the system.[7] The software works with DJ controllers from various manufacturers, including Pioneer DJ, Denon DJ, and Roland.[2]
In 2018 Serato changed the names of its DJ software from Serato DJ to Serato DJ Pro, and from Serato DJ Intro to Serato DJ Lite.[8] The new versions use 64-bit software architecture.[9] Serato also partners with hardware developers such as Pioneer to create Serato controllers.[10]
Serato studio
A DAW (digital audio workstation) for music producers and artists. Featuring a sample based interface and bright and vibrant layout. As of 2021, Serato launched an in- software recording feature allowing artists to record directly into the DAW, Serato also hosts other features such as iTunes sync and stem separation to make sampling easier
Serato Pyro
[edit]Released in 2016, Serato developed a mobile app called Pyro, which automatically fades songs from a mobile device as they transition from track to track and serves as a playlist creator[11] drawing music from a device’s iTunes library.[12] Pyro also comes preloaded with other song collections curated by different artists and labels.[13]
Serato Pyro was retired in May 2020 [14]
Serato Sample
[edit]Seeing an increasing overlap between DJ and producer communities,[15] Serato released a VST plugin named Serato Sample, an audio editing tool using their existing Pitch 'n Time algorithms. On release, it provided functionality for key detection, changing the pitch and tempo of samples, and finding samples similar to another.[16]
In 2023, Serato 2.0 was released with the ability to perform stem isolation using machine learning algorithms.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Skipwith, David (16 February 2024). "The Serato story: A 20-year timeline of success". NZ Herald. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ a b Downs, David; Dickinson, Michelle (29 January 2018). No 8 Re-Charged: 202 World-changing Innovations from New Zealand. Penguin UK. p. 139. ISBN 9780143772583 – via Google Books.
- ^ "AlphaTheta Corporation acquires Serato Audio Research Limited – Exciting acquisition strengthens long-standing partnership between the two leading DJ and audio industry brands - AlphaTheta". alphatheta.com. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ Gopinath, Sumanth; Stanyek, Jason (1 March 2014). The Oxford Handbook of Mobile Music Studies. OUP USA. p. 298. ISBN 9780199913657 – via Google Books.
- ^ Katz, Mark (1 May 2012). Groove Music: The Art and Culture of the Hip-Hop DJ. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 220. ISBN 9780195331110 – via Google Books.
- ^ Steventon, John (8 October 2014). DJing For Dummies. John Wiley & Sons. p. 141. ISBN 9781118937266 – via Google Books.
- ^ Borio, Gianmario (29 April 2016). Musical Listening in the Age of Technological Reproduction. Routledge. p. 283. ISBN 9781317091455 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Serato delivers essential upgrades to bring its software into the future".
- ^ "Serato DJ is now Serato DJ Pro in latest update". Music Radar. 28 February 2018.
- ^ "Pioneer DJ launch new Serato controller: Watch". DJ Magazine. 31 May 2018.
- ^ "Serato's new iPhone app will automatically DJ your party". The Verge. 11 February 2016.
- ^ "Serato's new music app Pyro first and free in NZ". New Zealand Herald. 2 October 2015 – via www.nzherald.co.nz.
- ^ "Serato Announces New Pyro iPhone App for Seamless Playlists". Billboard.
- ^ "Serato Pyro no longer supported".
- ^ Serato (19 April 2017). Serato Sample beta overview. Retrieved 3 December 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ MusicRadarpublished (20 April 2017). "Serato Sample plug-in revealed; incorporates Kiwi DJ mavens' Pitch 'n' Time tech". MusicRadar. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ Serato (23 August 2023). "Serato Unveils Sample 2.0: The Future of Sampling". Serato - The Drop. Retrieved 3 December 2024.