Setup
Licensing & software
This is a Serato DJ Lite hardware unlocked device, meaning it unlocks Serato DJ Lite when connected.
It is also a paid upgrade to Serato DJ Pro device, meaning it requires the purchase & activation of a Serato DJ Pro license, in order to be used with Serato DJ Pro.
Please ensure you have the latest version of Serato DJ Lite installed:
You can also try Serato DJ Pro, before making a purchase:
Drivers & firmware
The Hercules DJControl Starlight does not require manufacturer-specific drivers on either Mac or Windows operating systems. Simply connect the device to your PC and launch the latest version of Serato DJ Pro.
Overview
| # | DJCONTROL STARLIGHT CONTROL | FUNCTION |
| 1 | MASTER | Output to speakers (3.5mm or 1/8”) |
| 2 | USB | Connect USB data cable to PC |
| 3 | HEADPHONE | Output to headphones (3.5mm or 1/8”) |
|
# |
DJCONTROL STARLIGHT CONTROL | FUNCTION | SHIFT FUNCTION |
| 1 | JOG WHEEL | Control waveform within Serato DJ Pro in vinyl mode, or pitch bend | - |
| 2 | CHANNEL 1 CUE | Press to cue channel 1 for monitoring in headphones | Press to monitor cue master |
| 3 | SHIFT | Used with other controls that have the SHIFT modifier function | - |
| 4 | MASTER GAIN | Adjust Master output level | - |
| 5 | BASS/FILTER TOGGLE | Toggle between filter & bass for channel 1/2 | - |
| 6 | VOLUME -/+ | Adjust channel volume | - |
| 7 | HEADPHONE -/+ | Adjust headphone volume | - |
| 8 | CHANNEL 2 CUE | Press to cue channel 2 for monitoring in headphones | Press to monitor cue + master |
| 9 | VINYL | Press to toggle jog wheel between scratch vinyl mode and pitch bend | - |
| 10 | TEMPO SLIDER | Adjust tempo/pitch | Ignore adjustment |
| 11 | PLAY/PAUSE | Toggles Play/Pause on selected deck | Stutter play |
| 12 | CUE | Cues from temp cue point/Set temp cue point | Load previous track |
| 13 | SYNC | Turn SYNC on | Turn SYNC off |
| 14 | BASS/FILTER -/+ | Adjust low EQ / Filter | - |
| 15 | CROSSFADER | Crossfade audio between channel 1-2 | - |
| 16 | PERFORMANCE PADS | SEE PERFORMANCE PADS FOR MORE INFORMATION | - |
Performance Pads
The Hercules DJControl Starlight has 4 performance pads that can be used across 4 different performance pad modes. These consist of:
HOT CUE mode: Pads 1-4 trigger Serato DJ Pro Cue points, and if no Cue point is present on that slot/ pad, pressing that pad will set a Cue point.
LOOP mode: Pads 1-4 trigger triggers an autoloop of variable sizes. Use the loop selection area in the Serato DJ Pro user interface, to influence the 4 available autoloop sizes.
FX mode: Hold SHIFT while pressing the HOT CUE mode button to enter FX mode. Press pads 1-4 in this mode to trigger FX
SAMPLER mode: Hold SHIFT while pressing the LOOP mode button to enter SAMPLER mode. Press pads 1-4 in this mode to trigger samples loaded into the Serato DJ Pro Sampler. Holding SHIFT while pressing a pad will load a sample if no sample is loaded to the respective slot.
DJ-FX
The FX panel button is displayed in the top left area of the main Serato DJ Pro screen, click on this to toggle the DJ-FX panel.
With the DJ-FX panel open, you have control of two DJ-FX units, and if your hardware supports it, Channel FX, which can be applied to tracks played through your connected Serato DJ-hardware.
Both DJ-FX & Channel FX can be controlled with your mouse, by using dedicated controls on your hardware (where available), or by MIDI mapping controls to the respective software functions.
Learn more about how to use DJ-FX & Channel FX:
| DJCONTROL STARLIGHT CONTROL | FX FUNCTION |
| PAD 1 | Hold & release for Slot 1 Effect On/Off |
| PAD 2 | Hold & release for Slot 2 Effect On/Off |
| PAD 3 | Hold & release for Slot 3 Effect On/Off |
| PAD 4 | Cycle Beats multiplier |
MIDI
The MIDI feature in Serato DJ Pro allows you to remap Serato DJ Pro software functions to your primary Serato controller, interface or mixer. You can also assign controls to a secondary MIDI controller to further enhance your performance.
For more information on MIDI mapping with Serato DJ Pro, click here.
To remap your supported Serato device, open the SETUP screen and click the MIDI tab. If your Serato device supports hardware remapping, it will appear in the MIDI DEVICES list.
Select your connected device from the MIDI DEVICES list and check the Allow Serato Hardware Remapping option.
Once checked, the MIDI assign button at the top of the main Serato DJ Pro interface will become available for you to start remapping.
You can save, edit or delete MIDI presets in the MIDI tab of the SETUP screen. Clicking Restore Defaults will erase any custom mappings for all connected devices and revert their functions back to default.
Lights
The Hercules DJControl Starlight comes equipped with lights that are reactive to Serato software. Lighting control settings are adjusted in Serato DJ Pro, and can be changed via Setup --> Mixer --> Lighting Control (see image below)
Off: Lights are off
On: Lights are on (non-audio reactive)
Beat Fade: Lights turn red for downbeats and blue for non-downbeats
Beat Flash: Lights flash red for downbeats and flash blue for non-downbeats
Master Volume: All lights are lit white and intensity is dependant on controller volume (channel + master)
Waveform Color: Lights react per deck to waveform colors. Intensity is increased when ‘EQ Colored Wave- forms’ is enabled under Setup --> Library + Display
Cue Point Countdown: Lights react per deck and illuminate to match the closest Cue point, then fade white
Help
Show Tooltips
Click on the Help button in the upper right-hand corner of Serato DJ Pro, then Show Tooltips to enable Tooltips. Tooltips provide a handy way to learn the various features of Serato DJ Pro.
Move the mouse over a section of the software to bring up a context-sensitive tooltip that describes the feature.
Click on the Help button again to turn off Tooltips.
Show Shortcut Keys
Click on the Help button in the upper right-hand corner of Serato DJ Pro, then click Show Shortcut Keys to launch a pop-up window displaying shortcut keyboard combinations.
These shortcuts can help you perform various actions quickly, such as triggering specific deck functions, controlling playback, or navigating the library.
Watch Tutorials
Click on the Help button in the upper right-hand corner of Serato DJ Pro, then Watch Tutorials to launch
your default internet browser and watch tutorials to help you get familiar with Serato DJ Pro.
Get Support
Click on the Help button in the upper right-hand corner of Serato DJ Pro, then Get Support to launch your default internet browser and navigate to the Serato DJ Pro knowledge base, where you can find helpful articles and guides on Serato DJ Pro. Alternatively, type keywords in the Search Help box to search the Serato DJ Pro knowledge base for specific, related topics.