Virtual DJ 7 Review: Virtual DJ sometimes gets a bad press. Maybe itłs because the manufacturers and developers, Atomix, began many many years ago making some seriously toy-like DJ software of the same name (mind you, it would run on anything).

Maybe itÅ‚s because the company doesnÅ‚t have “pedigree" by not being an all-round electronic musicianÅ‚s software developer like Native Instruments. Maybe itÅ‚s just because the “Virtual DJ" name itself gets “real" DJsÅ‚ backs up.

Whatever the reason, itÅ‚s relatively common to hear the software being derided by both the aforementioned “real" DJÅ‚s (youÅ‚re not a DJ unless you can beatmix 1970s funk on two cassette decks blah blah) and snobby digital jocks (“no pro would be seen dead on Virtual DJ") having a dig at it.

So can Virtual DJ Pro 7 which was released today, do anything to placate either group?

Well, the first thing to say in any review of Virtual DJ Pro 7 is that Virtual DJ is, in fact
and has been for a long time
very good software.

It is stable, easy to use, insanely configurable, powerful and because of all of this, wildly popular. It is more immediate than Traktor for the beginner, it will work on just about any hardware, it has busy and helpful user forums, and has been consistently ahead of the pack in many areas, not least video mixing.

It also has built-in key detection, something none of the others has managed yet and arguably a must-have DJ tool nowadays.