Apple is set to release its latest macOS 10.15 Catalina operating system in October 2019. It brings tighter security features for Mac laptop and desktop users, but be warned: your DJ gear and DJ software will not be compatible with it just yet, especially since it won’t work with 32-bit software. That means it’s highly likely that your installed DJ apps, DAWs, plugins and soft synths will require their own updates before they work with macOS 10.15 Catalina.
What about iTunes?
There is the added issue for DJs who use iTunes that Catalina will break the link between iTunes and your favourite DJ software, because the new Music app will need to integrate into your software in a different way. Despite the scare stories, we think that most of the DJ software companies will fix this pretty quickly so you should have a seamless switch from iTunes to the new Music app as long as you wait for the go-ahead, but watch this space for more news on that too.
Here’s a compatibility watchlist of DJ software and hardware, which we’ll be updating as the patches and bug fixes roll out:
DJ software
- Serato DJ – Not yet supported (read the statement)
- Rekordbox – Not yet supported (read the statement)
- Traktor Pro 3 – Not yet supported (read the statement)
- Virtual DJ 2020 – Supported*
- djay Pro 2 – Not yet supported*
- Ableton Live 10 – Not yet supported (read the statement)
- Denon DJ Engine / Engine Prime – Not yet supported
- DJUCED – Supported (read the statement)
- Serato Sample – Not yet supported (read the statement)
* Already works with the new Music app
DJ hardware
- Pioneer DJ – Not yet supported
- Numark – Not yet supported
- Denon DJ – Not yet supported
- Akai Pro -Not yet supported
- M-Audio – Not yet supported
- Novation – Not yet supported
- Hercules – Not yet supported
- Korg – Not yet supported
- Focusrite – Not yet supported
- Arturia – Not yet supported
- Allen & Heath – Not yet supported
As always, we recommend that you wait until your manufacturer gives the go signal before updating to save you from a ton of headaches.
Let us know your experiences with macOS Catalina in the comments below.
Joey Santos
