On 404 Day Eve, Roland is squeezing more power into the SP-404MKII. This time, you can use the device to add hands-on control to Serato DJ Lite/Pro and Serato Studio, combining Serato’s sampling, beatmaking, live, and DJing capabilities with the 404’s familiar layout and effects. Once you’ve got the 404, you can start playing with all of it for free. Here’s what’s included, and how we got here.
It’s big news for Serato, with two integrations in a week. First, it was Apple Music, and now it’s the 404, with the latter I’m sure being the bigger news for a lot of users.
And on the Roland side, it’s a party, as the 404 turns 20 years old.
Previously on SP-404MKII updates…
The MKII itself has gotten a rapid stream of upgrades since launch:
- V2 added TR-REC step sequencing, more FX, and pitch and chromatic features.
- V3 brought patterns, resampling, pad mute with automation, batch processing, and more. David Abravanel wrote for CDM that it was one of the most valuable pieces of gear he owns.
- V4 gave us loop capture (SP-555 style), groove for audio and loops (VP-9000 VariPhrase style), an internal sound generator with 15 waveforms, workflow improvements, sample merge, pattern chain bounce, 404SX/A conversion, and real-time TR-REC tap recording – just a huge update.
V4 tried something else, too, which was to blur the SP-404MKII’s internal functions with an external app to expand on them, working with the Koala iOS/Android app. I think as clever as Roland’s engineers are, eventually the onboard hardware hits some limits. So it makes sense to look to integration.
404 V5
And that brings us to V5 and Serato. Koala’s feature set mostly overlaps with the 404’s. But Serato’s DJ and Studio production functionality suggests some very new ways of working.
Your 404 is a DJ controller. And it’s like having another deck – with a more interesting layout. (Not everything needs to be a CDJ.) And it’s an audio interface with effects for Studio. And it means Studio gets the familiar 404 layout.
Plus, assuming you own the 404, you don’t have to spend anything to get started playing:
- The update is free
- Serato DJ Lite is free – meaning you have a free DJ solution with hardware here. (The only real gotcha is the lack of internal recording capability, though … that’s not a gotcha as it makes sense here to record from the audio output of the 404. Serato DJ Pro upgrade costs as it normally does. Here’s a good comparison; I don’t know why Serato doesn’t have a table.)
- There’s a basic free version of Studio, too – and Serato confirms it’s supported in the update (plus a 14-day trial of the more advanced version)
Walkthrough:
I’ve been playing with a late build and – ooh, this to me is a reason to open Serato, to be honest, as it opens up some new ways of playing. (Stay tuned, working on prepping a livestream DJ set this month with this.)
Serato DJ
- Pre-mapped faders, cue points, pitch bend, sync
- Full control of Serato’s Stem manipulation, effects, sample triggering, and mixing
- Beat Roll and Auto Loop
- Library Navigation
- Track loading
- Serato Pro mapping: Beat Jump, Key Sync
And other than that last line, everything works in Lite, too. Either way, it’s instantly recognized and mapped.
Serato Studio (both paid and free)
If you ever wished for something between a 404 and your desktop real-time music production software – but also didn’t want to give up the workflow and sample mangling powers of your 404 – this is for you. The 404 acts as a controller and an audio interface, so the notion is to combine the two:
- The SP-404MKII becomes a hands-on controller for triggering samples/loops/one-shots
- Controls are pre-mapped for sampling, sequencing, and effects in Serato Studio – so with the expanded Serato production capabilities
- Because it’s an audio interface, you can also run Serato’s audio through the Roland effects in real-time, on top of all the signal processing you do in Studio
I mean, yes, on some level this is true of any controller and audio interface. But you don’t normally get to use the 404 effects like this – and it finally gives you the 404 controller layout if you want it.
The software/hardware combo makes a potent rival to the recently updated NI Maschine, with a more familiar standalone solution than NI offers. That 404 also makes a nice form factor to keep alongside the computer.
What’s Serato Studio? It starts with Serato’s excellent engine tech, in a friendly new production DAW. There’s a 14-day free trial, plus a limited free version. Paid versions are $249 for a perpetual license, or $9.99 a month as a “Suite” subscription. The sub also includes the Sample and Hex FX plug-ins; the perpetual license does not.
Now, if some intrepid user wants to make mappings for Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio and whatever else in the same way, using the audio interface, I’m there for it! The more the merrier; 404 culture was always about customization anyway.
So – free update, free Lite version of Serato DJ; Serato DJ Pro and Serato Studio require paid licenses, but you don’t need to add anything if you own those and an MKII. Nice.
As usual, Roland is also doing some 404 Day events – this time, extended. And there’s this lovely poster – credit: Gaetan Sahsah (courtesy Roland).
Everything is here:
