Native Devices and Ableton have had unimaginable success with their customized MIDI controllers that combine with their DAWs (digital audio workstations), Maschine and Stay, respectively. Native Devices’ Maschine (sure, it’s the identify of the {hardware} and the software program) and Ableton’s Push are just about the gold customary for integration between music-making software program and {hardware}. Serato is hoping it will possibly seize even a sliver of that magic with its pairing of Slab and Serato Studio.
Loads of others have tried their hand at constructing (or having others construct for them) customized controllers for his or her DAWs — FL Studio, Studio One, and the MPC desktop suite have all gotten devoted {hardware} sooner or later. Success, nonetheless, has been blended. What Serato has going for it’s that Studio is a comparatively younger and streamlined DAW with minimal bells and whistles. Meaning the place Push and Maschine may be intimidating (and costly) with their sprawl of buttons, pads, knobs, and sizable screens, Slab is far more approachable and inexpensive at $329.
Design-wise, Slab bears greater than a passing resemblance to Maschine. It’s not simply that each are constructed round a grid of 16 pads; it’s additionally the format, label placement, and font selections. When you instructed me Slab was constructed by Native Devices as an alternative of AlphaTheta (Serato’s companion), I wouldn’t second-guess it.
It’s a good-looking sufficient piece of {hardware}, although. The grey-on-gray shade palette will not be thrilling, and a little bit exhausting to learn below sure lighting, however the matte texture and clear traces keep away from feeling purely utilitarian. Slab is all plastic, but it surely doesn’t really feel low-cost. Encoders have quantity of resistance, the buttons aren’t mushy, and the massive dial has agency detents. The display screen is kind of small, and whereas it provides you some visible suggestions, you’ll by no means have the ability to compose a beat on Slab with out your laptop. That’s to be anticipated of a controller on this worth vary, although, just like the Atom SQ or MPC Studio controller.
The speed-sensitive pads are first rate, if nothing spectacular. They’re adequate for some finger drumming, however Akai’s MPC nonetheless reigns supreme on this subject. I’ve discovered the response to be a contact inconsistent and, whereas AlphaTheta lists “adjustable aftertouch” as one of many options of Slab, Serato Studio doesn’t presently assist aftertouch, which is a bit stunning in 2025. The RGB lighting, although, makes it a breeze to rapidly color-code your chops and drum hits so you possibly can determine your kicks, as an illustration, by making all of them crimson.
In step with its price range worth, connectivity is barebones right here — only a USB-C port for connecting to your laptop. There’s no built-in audio interface or MIDI outputs, such as you’d discover on Maschine and Push.
What issues most is how Slab integrates with Serato Studio. The excellent news is that a lot of the DAW’s important options are at your fingertips. I’m new to Serato Studio, and I’ve solely had Slab for about two weeks, however I had little hassle rapidly getting the fundamentals down pat. It’s simple and intuitive to sequence a drum sample or play a bassline by hand. You even have fast entry to the stem separation tech that has made Serato Pattern so profitable.
Slab means that you can browse your library of samples or hearth up plugins with out reaching in your mouse or keyboard. That being mentioned, relying on the scale of your assortment, it may be quicker and simpler to go for the mouse anyway.
It was easy and fairly enjoyable to drag in a drum break, chop it up, and begin crafting a beat with out leaving Slab. By the top of my first day, I’d already put collectively a few (admittedly fairly horrible) beats. Whereas the standard of my output was questionable, I had a blast making them. A part of the explanation I hadn’t actually delved too deeply into Serato Studio earlier than is that it wasn’t a very tactile expertise.
That’s the enchantment of {hardware}. Whereas it may be simple to cut samples or draw a melody with a mouse, it’s simply much more enjoyable to hit pads and switch knobs. Slab additionally places a number of performance-focused results in simple attain, like a pitched looper and wah. They’re not fairly as sturdy as what you may discover on a standalone gadget just like the SP-404 or one thing from Teenage Engineering, however they nonetheless boost a jam properly.
The place Slab loses factors is in its number of modes and shift capabilities. These extra conversant in Serato Studio might need a better time than I did, however I steadily discovered myself confused about which mode I wanted to be in to alter the observe repeat charge, or by the shortage of visible suggestions when looking results and pattern chopping modes. And every factor has its personal “mode,” from the dial, to the encoders, and the touchstrip. Preserving all of it straight can get a little bit cumbersome.
Regardless of Serato Studio being a comparatively easy DAW centered totally on drum programming and pattern chopping, Slab can really feel menu-divy at occasions. And whereas Studio does assist VST and AU plugins for taking part in your favourite software program synths, Slab gives restricted management over them.
Slab is unlikely to win over many new converts. However in the event you’re already utilizing Serato Studio and have been eyeing Maschine and MPC house owners with jealousy, the Slab may be an honest funding. It provides you an identical hands-on expertise at an inexpensive worth.
