u/Quake-Snake

I'm a Rekordbox DJ trying to switch to Serato. I can't figure out this issue with using Sync, it's probably a user or workflow error. I have been using a FLX-10, and separately, a set of CDJs in software controller mode.

When I hit Sync and it goes into relative tempo mode, both pitch faders control the same relative tempo. However, it's possible to get into a state where there is no more physical "fader" left in the direction you need. For example, you play songs progressively higher in BPM. You keep moving the faders down, then eventually you have a target BPM you are trying to reach but both faders are already all the way down. (Turning off sync doesn't help because then the BPM will abruptly reset to the real pitch fader position)

Then I discovered the shift button (FLX-10) allows you to move the physical fader without affecting the tempo. So you can move the fader back up while holding shift, and now you have more room to pull down. So far so good.

But then I had to plug into CDJs, which don't have a shift button. Now I'm stuck - so both pitch faders are all the way down, and I want to increase the tempo, and I have sync on - I cannot figure out what to do in this scenario. Disabling sync will abruptly change the BPM to real position, and there's no more physical slider in the direction I need it. I'm sure there are other controllers without a shift button, so I'm not sure how this is handled?

Another thing I can't figure out - while sync is on, if I hit the tempo reset button, it seems to disable to pitch fader, but not in a useful way - as soon as I hit it again, the tempo will abruptly adjust to it's new relative position. I feel like this is part of the puzzle I'm missing, but I can't figure out how to make this useful.

Please let me know what I'm doing wrong here because I feel like I'm overlooking something. Thank you.

I recently switched from Rekordbox to Serato Pro and to be honest I'm not seeing why everyone hates on Rekordbox so much. I might even end up switching back, am I missing something?

• Yes, Serato definitely has better performance overall, but on my M1 macbook pro both run fine. I could see on older hardware Serato would have a strong advantage here.
• Serato does some things better for sure and has a cleaner interface.
• Serato absolutely kills Rekordbox when it comes to stems, that's the big one where Rekordbox just does not compete.
• Most of the other differences seem more like personal preference? I prefer the beat sync workflow of Rekordbox, Rekordbox has better built in effects, Rekordbox allows multiple streaming services, memory cues are Rekordbox only, Rekordbox analysis seems slightly better than Serato overall, etc.
• The big advantage to Rekordbox, of course, is that you can do USB export and performance from the same software, and not need to fuss around with Lexicon etc. But this is becoming less of an advantage as it gets easier to sync libraries across multiple softwares.

I was expecting the switch to Serato to be revolutionary but if anything it's just pros and cons, with the most significant pros being performance and stems.

Am I wrong here?