USB-MIDI Troubleshooting

This guide covers basic troubleshooting steps to determine whether your USB MIDI device is recognized and working properly on a Mac computer.  Contents Testing to see if a MIDI device is recognized on Mac How to Reconfigure your Mac OS MIDI Studio Further Technical Support   Testing to see if a MIDI device is recognized on Mac Open the Audio/MIDI Setup by going to Applications > Utilities > Audio/MIDI Setup.     If the MIDI Studio window does not appear automatically, go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and select Window > Show MIDI Studio. With the MIDI Studio window open, plug in your USB/MIDI keyboard or controller. Once the device is plugged in and recognized it will appear in the window as solid. If the device is grayed out it is currently unavailable. If your device is not listed or grayed out you may want to try a different USB cable and or USB port. [Back to Top] How to Reconfigure your Mac OS MIDI Studio If your MIDI Device is not being recognized by your Mac, creating a new MIDI configuration can help the device be recognized. Before getting started, disconnect all USB MIDI devices or keyboards. This will eliminate any potential conflicts upon creating a new configuration.   Open the Audio/MIDI Setup by going to Applications > Utilities > Audio/MIDI Setup. If the MIDI Studio window does not appear automatically, go to the menu bar at the top of the screen and select Window > Show MIDI Window. The MIDI Studio window will pop and display all of your current MIDI devices. You may see icons for all of your MIDI devices that have been "greyed out." This just means that the devices are not currently connected. If a device is not connected to the computer but still appears connected in your MIDI Studio, that may be a part of the problem and a sign that the MIDI Studio needs to be reset. Please Note: The IAC Driver and Network will always appear in the MIDI Studio. To create a new configuration, click on the Configuration drop-down menu and select New Configuration... Name the new configuration in the window that appears. Click OK and the MIDI Studio will rescan your devices. If nothing is connected, only the IAC Driver and Network should appear again. Starting with the device in question, re-connect each device one by one. Wait for the device to show up in the MIDI Studio before connecting the next one. Hint: you can also use the Rescan MIDI button at the top if a device is still not showing up while connected. And that's it! Test your keyboard or MIDI device in your DAW again and refer back to our USB Troubleshooting Guide for more troubleshooting tips. [Back to Top]   Further Technical Support It's impossible to cover all of the possibilities of USB troubleshooting in a single guide but this should act as a jumping-off point. The suggestions above should at least help you quickly determine that a product is functional, and help you overcome common set up obstacles such as poor USB communication or out-of-date drivers.  If you require further assistance with product setup or have determined that the product is NOT functioning correctly, click the New Support Ticket button at the top of the screen to contact our support team and receive further assistance.   

This article will explain how to find your computer's specs, using DxDiag on Windows, and System Information on macOS. Contents Why is this important? What Sort of Specs Are We Looking For? Obtaining Windows Computer Specs Using DxDiag Obtaining Mac Computer Specs Using System Information. Why is this important? When it comes to troubleshooting, it is helpful to have an in-depth understanding of the machine we are using. Sometimes, issues can arise from incompatibility & system overloads - being mindful of our Computer Specs will help us avoid these issues.   What Sort of Specs Are We Looking For? Very generally speaking, the most important specs to know are as follows: Your Computer Operating System (OS) Your Processor (ie, Intel i7, AMD Ryzen) Your Internal Storage Space, in Gigabytes (GB) Your Internal Memory or RAM, in Gigabytes (GB)   Obtaining Windows Computer Specs Using DxDiag DxDiag is a powerful tool for Windows operating systems. By running DxDiag, we are given a succinct window with all of the desired Computer Specs. Follow these steps to get there: In your computer's search bar, type in "DxDiag". You will be greeted with a program called DxDiag, symbolized by a blue circle & yellow x. Click on DxDiag to run the program. DxDiag will then scan your system. If/when prompted, click Yes. You will then be given a screen with all of your pertinent computer specs. Press the Shift + Windows + S keys at the same time, to take a screenshot of this screen.     Obtaining Mac Computer Specs Using System Information. Apple Computers have a similar tool for retrieving computer specs, called System Information. The following steps outline the process of using this tool, and obtaining the information we need: In the top left-hand corner of your Mac, click on the Apple Icon, then select About This Mac. A window with basic Computer Specs, such as Processor Type, Internal Memory (RAM), and OS will be displayed. Click on the System Report button. This will open the System Information app, automatically showing an in-depth Hardware Overview. In the column on the left, you can click through various different Hardware, Network, and Software sections, to get even more in-depth specifications. Navigate to the Storage category to see your internal storage space. Press SHIFT + CMD + 4 on your keyboard at the same time to take a screenshot of these screens. The key information will be in the overall Hardware Overview and the Storage Specs.      

Most USB audio and MIDI computer peripherals are "Class Compliant" devices. This means that to communicate with the computer, they use drivers that are built right into the host computer’s operating system. This guide discusses some common troubleshooting steps to determine the cause of these issues and provide potential solutions. CONTENTS What does 'Class Compliant' mean? Potential Symptoms and Potential Causes Quick Test - Windows Quick Test - macOS Further Technical Support   What does 'Class Compliant' mean? A class-compliant device is one that does not require extra drivers to connect to your Windows or Mac computer, or to your iPad. Class-compliant devices use drivers which are built into the host (i.e. the computer or the iPad) operating system.  Back to top Potential Symptoms and Potential Causes Some typical problems with a class-compliant USB device include: The Device will not power on Operating system error after the device is plugged in. This is usually only associated with Windows and the error may report something like the "Device/Driver could not be installed," "Driver could not be found," or "USB device not recognized." The Device is not recognized in software The Device is recognized but does not respond The Device connects and works briefly but disconnects Remember that these devices are built to use drivers that come pre-installed in your operating system. Most potential causes will be because these drivers are not installed, were not updated properly, are in conflict with other devices or drivers,  or have become corrupted. Other potential causes include: A bad USB cable or port Poor communication, typically due to the use of a USB hub, long or extended USB cables, or having too many USB devices plugged in. Missed settings or steps with software or hardware setup The first steps when you encounter a device not connecting properly should always be to try different USB cables, different USB ports, and even a different computer. You will also want to disconnect other USB peripherals and avoid USB hubs (though it's often useful to take note of the response with and without a hub involved). About 95% of these inquiries can be resolved by doing so and can help confirm that the device itself is at least working properly. With this in mind, the following sections will go through some steps to test the response of your device and provide some potential solutions. Back to top Quick Test - Windows When you're frustrated with not being able to get up and running, or if you're thinking you might have a defective product, this 10-second is-it-broken test can restore the confidence necessary to continue working with the product and to complete any needed software setup or authorization process. An M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 will be used as an example for these tests. Please use any reference to the Keystation Mini 32 as a reference to your own device. Windows XP to Windows 10 Connect your USB device and open the Device Manager. You can find this in your Control Panel. If sorted by category, click on Hardware and Sound to find the Device Manager.  Double-click on the Sound, Video, and Game Controllers category and you should find your device: If your device appears similar to the image above, this will indicate that it's connected and communicating properly. If you are still having trouble with the response from the device, please contact Technical Support for further assistance. If the product appears with a yellow triangle or other icons next to it, and/or appears in a different category in Device Manager, this may just indicate that the drivers are not installed correctly or are out of date. Remember that these are windows drivers and are not specific to your device. If the product does NOT appear according to the tests above, the device may just be labeled differently in the device manager or it may indicate a problem with the device. An easy way to test this is to watch the Device Manager while unplugging the device. If the Device Manager flashes, that will indicate that the computer does see your device and may just be putting it in another category or labeling it something different. Plug the device back in and watch the Device Manager again to see what pops up. That will be your device. Often times the system may label something it doesn't recognize as just "USB Audio Device." This is another indication that drivers may not be installed or updated correctly as discussed in Step 3. If the Device Manager does not flash at all, this means that your product is not recognized by the computer and could indicate a problem with the device. This is a good opportunity to try different USB cables, different ports, and confirm with a different computer. If this appears to be the case, contact Technical Support for further assistance. Back to top Quick Test - macOS Disconnect your USB device, count to 5 and then plug it back in. In the upper-left of the screen, click the Apple menu, and select About This Mac. In the window that appears, click on System Report. A new window will open. A System Report window will be displayed.  On the left-hand side of the window, under Hardware, select USB. On the right, you will see all of your available USB buses and their connected devices. You can expand each bus by clicking on the arrow next to it. If your USB device is connected, you should see it displayed under one of these: If you do not see your device listed here, disconnect it, and select File > Refresh Information. This will make the computer rescan the ports. Connect the keyboard to the computer again, and select Refresh Information a second time. Your device should hopefully appear. If the device does pass the test above and appears in the System Report, it is not defective, and the difficulty is caused by misconfigured software settings or options.  Carefully follow the setup instructions for the software you are using, or navigate to the Further Troubleshooting section for additional tests and troubleshooting. If the device does NOT pass the test above and does NOT appear in the System Report, this may indicate that the device is defective. At this point, you will want to test different USB cables and USB ports. It may also be a good idea to run the same test on a different computer. If you continue to run into trouble, contact our Technical Support team for further assistance. Back to top   Further Technical Support It's impossible to cover all of the possibilities of USB troubleshooting in a single guide but this should act as a jumping-off point. The suggestions above should at least help you quickly determine that a product is functional, and help you overcome common set up obstacles such as poor USB communication or out-of-date drivers.  If you require further assistance with product setup or have determined that the product is NOT functioning correctly, use the New Support Ticket button at the top of this page, or the Get Support button in the bottom-right, to open a ticket with our support team. If you already have an open ticket with our support team, please respond directly to the support agent assigned to your ticket with the results of the test.   

TABLE OF CONTENTS Windows/PC macOS From Inside Your Browser What does this mean? If data is displayed in the MIDI monitor: If only some data is displayed in the MIDI monitor: If no data is displayed in the MIDI monitor or the device is not available as an input source: Windows/PC Important: Please close all other Audio/MIDI software before running this test. Other software may interrupt or conflict with the results of the test. Download and install MIDI-Ox from the link below: MIDI-Ox 7.0.2 7.0.2 (Use the download link for MIDI-Ox 7.0.2) Run the midioxse.exe file to install the software. Follow the on-screen instructions. Open MIDI-Ox. In the window that appears, select Options > MIDI Devices In the MIDI Devices window, click on the ports for your keyboard or MIDI device in the MIDI Inputs and MIDI Outputs sections. Make sure that other devices remain unchecked so that you are only viewing the response from the device in question. Click OK once selected to close the window. To test the keyboard or MIDI device, simply press keys on the board or send MIDI data through the interface. If connected and communicating properly, the incoming MIDI data will be displayed in the window: [Back to top]   macOS Important: Please close all other Audio/MIDI software before running this test. Other software may interrupt or conflict with the results of the test. Download and install MIDI Monitor from the link below: Snoize - MIDI Monitor Double-click on the .zip file that downloads and run the MIDI Monitor software inside. Click on the arrow next to Sources and check off the boxes next to MIDI Sources and the ports for your keyboard or MIDI device. You may want to make sure that other devices are unchecked to ensure that you are only viewing the response from the device in question. To test the keyboard or MIDI device, simply press keys on the board or send MIDI data through the interface. If connected and communicating properly, the incoming MIDI data will be displayed in the window:   [Back to top] From Inside Your Browser Important: Please close all other Audio/MIDI software before running this test. Other software may interrupt or conflict with the results of the test. Make sure your device is connected to your computer. Go to https://www.midimonitor.com To test the keyboard or MIDI device, simply press keys on the board or send MIDI data through the interface. If connected and communicating properly, the incoming MIDI data will be displayed in the window: [Back to top]   What does this mean? If data is displayed in the MIDI monitor: This is usually a good sign. This means that the device in question is communicating with the computer in some way. If the device is still not communicating with your software (i.e. a MIDI keyboard will not trigger a virtual instrument or respond in your DAW) this will likely indicate that software settings have become misconfigured or were never set up properly. In this case, you will find setup guides for a variety of products and software on this site. Search by brand and product at the top of this page to see if there are any guides available here. If you do not see one available, check with the software developer to find available setup guides or tutorials.   If only some data is displayed in the MIDI monitor: A common use for the MIDI monitor is to determine if certain parameters on a MIDI keyboard are responding correctly. This may be because only some of the keys, knobs or other parameters are not communicating with the software, or because they are communicating incorrectly (i.e. sending the wrong notes or CC data). For example, if some of the keys work in the software and others don't, it may be a good idea to test if they respond with the MIDI monitor. If not, this could indicate a problem with the hardware. If the keys or parameters are not responding in the MIDI Monitor, or are responding differently than expected (i.e. different MIDI channel, wrong note, or CC data) refer to the User Manual for the product and contact Technical Support for further assistance.   If no data is displayed in the MIDI monitor or the device is not available as an input source: This could mean that the device is not communicating properly. Make sure to try the following: Try a different USB cable and/or USB port on the computer. Refer to our Troubleshooting Class-Compliant Devices guide to ensure the keyboard or device is being recognized correctly by your computer. Go through the instructions again to ensure that the MIDI monitor has been set up properly and the correct inputs are selected. Select all available input ports for your device in the MIDI Inputs or Sources section. Some keyboards may have several ports that are made available in the input section which are used to send different types of information. For example, keyboards with Mackie/HUI functions will need an additional port to communicate this data. Make sure that all ports are selected as an input so that all available communication from the device is displayed. If you are still having trouble and not receiving any response from the keyboard or MIDI device, please use the New Support Ticket button at the top to contact our support team for further assistance. [Back to top]  

USB Devices not being recognized, needing to get clips/pops out of audio, wanting to have less latency on your controller; there are many reasons you may want to use a high performance plan on your computer and use the full specs of your hardware. This guide will help you get that activated in your settings, and get the option to appear if its' not. Where are the power settings? The power plan settings can be found inside Control Panel. You'll need to change the view inside from Categories to Large Icons, and then Power Options will appear inside there. If you are only seeing one power plan inside this window, the power plan may be managed by the windows Settings App. Simply search settings using the search inside the taskbar, click on the app, then select Power and Battery. Your power plans should be accessible from this screen: What if there is no High Performance power plan? Press and hold the 'Windows' and 'R' key on your keyboard, or right-click on the Start menu button and choose 'Run'. In the 'Run' prompt appears, type "regedit" (without quotes) and then hit enter on your keyboard In the left hand pane of the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power Locate the item entitled CsEnabled, and double-click on it. In the next window that appears, change the Value data field from 1 --> 0. Click 'OK' to confirm your choice, then restart your computer. Please note that if you do not have a high performance plan listed after this either in your settings or control panel, you may need to contact your computer's manufacturer. One last note: You may still need to tweak some settings on the plan for whatever you need the plan to accomplish. These settings are located in Change Plan Settings and Advanced Plan Settings.  Questions? Concerns? Feedback? If you are still having trouble, please use the New Support Ticket button at the top to contact our support team for further assistance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Running the MIDI Monitor Test Obtaining the System Report Using Snoize to run a MIDI Monitor Test Interpreting your MIDI Monitor Results Running the MIDI Monitor Test Let's start by going into your Mac MIDI Settings. You can do so by following the outlined destination below: Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup After you have made it to this location click Window on the top of your desktop and then select "Show MIDI Studio" Your device will appear here along with any devices you have previously connected to your computer. Active devices will show a normal brightness within the product icon while inactive devices will appear grayed out as shown in the picture above.  If you tap the miniature keyboard icon in the top right of your MIDI Studio Window (the test MIDI setup button), and then start pressing keys or pads on your MIDI controller, you will hear the program play a sound effect with each hit, if you hear a tone with each hit, this will help you determine if the unit is sending MIDI information to the program. If you are not receiving any MIDI input signal, a full system report will help better determine the cause of this behavior.  This is the Test MIDI Setup Button Obtaining the System Report First Unplug your MIDI device from the USB port on your computer Re- Plug the unit back into your computer's USB port. In the top left of your screen, open the Apple Menu and click "About This Mac" Then click on "System Report"  Once the report is pulled up, in the left-hand column click on "USB" this will show a full list of USB devices currently connected to your computer via USB. You should see your controller displayed in this list, If your device is not showing up in this location, disconnect the unit from your computer and then click File > Refresh Information. Lastly, reconnect the unit once more to your computer's USB port and click "Refresh Information" and additional time. If your unit is still not showing up in this list of devices, try connecting your device using different USB cables and / or USB ports and if you have another Mac OS based computer at your disposal, you can try running the steps mentioned above on that machine.  Using Snoize to run a MIDI Monitor Test Mac OS users will want to run additional MIDI testing by downloading and installing the free MIDI Monitor from Snoize here. Once the download finishes: Double click the .dmg file Click & Drag MIDI Monitor into your applications folder Open MIDI monitor from the applications folder and open the sources menu and make sure that the boxes next to MIDI sources and the device you are looking to test are both checked. Please make sure that any other MIDI devices are unchecked, so you only see the results from the device you are testing. Lastly, begin to press the keys and pads and twist the knobs on your controller, If it is connected and functioning properly, you'll see its incoming MIDI data displayed here. Interpreting your MIDI Monitor Results Having MIDI data displayed in the monitor means that your device "is" communicating with your compute, but if it still is not functioning properly within your studio environment or DAW, the culprit is likely that software settings have been configured incorrectly or outside of its intended parameters or were not initially setup correctly. If you are experiencing this or have mapped the controller otherwise, please refer to your product's manual to revert back to its initial factory setup. If you have some parameters that are still not functioning with your software, please refer to the displayed data in the monitor. If there is no MIDI data in the monitor for the parameters in question, this may indicate an issue with your hardware or if your unit's keys or controls are registering differently than expected please refer to the brand's contact information and reach out to our support team for more assistance. 

If you are experiencing parameter control issues with a hardware component of your MIDI device, it is crucial that a MIDI monitor test be performed to determine the issue source and aid in troubleshooting your device. This guide serves to provide step-by-step instructions for doing so with MIDI-OX on your Windows device. TABLE OF CONTENTS MIDI Monitor Test with MIDI-OX: Video Walkthrough Capturing your Results Interpreting your Results MIDI Monitor Test with MIDI-OX: Video Walkthrough Capturing your Results If you are performing a MIDI Monitor test at the request of a technical support specialist, please use the Windows Screenshot/Snipping tool to capture a segment of your results pertinent to the hardware control in question. To do so, key in Windows+Shift+S, then drag the square around the segment of your screen you'd like to capture. After that, you can save the image to a directory on your PC, or simply paste the image from your clipboard. Interpreting your Results If MIDI data is displayed in the monitor while running this test, it is indicative that your device is properly communicating with your computer via MIDI. If, despite this, your controller still is not functioning properly within your studio environment or DAW, the culprit is likely that software settings have been configured incorrectly or outside of its intended parameters, or were not configured correctly during initial setup. Check your DAW's MIDI settings to ensure that the device has been configured to the correct specifications.  If you do not see incoming MIDI data while running this test, double check your configurations against the parameters specified in the tutorial video. If a correctly configured test yields these results, please contact your brand's support department for further assistance.

The computer you use when operating a DJ controller is crucial to the controller's performance, audio quality, and other variables. Problems such as freezing, audio distortion, latency, or unresponsive hardware may not necessarily be caused by the DJ controller itself, but rather by an overloaded computer. Therefore, before seeking service for your device, it is important to consider various factors that may contribute to these issues. The use of DJ software involves audio manipulation and using real-time effects, which requires a high-specification computer to ensure optimal performance. This article will cover common issues and provide guidance on diagnosing them in the context of Serato DJ. However, the principles discussed can be applied to any DJ software. Keep in mind, these devices are controllers and can only function within the limitations of your computer.  TABLE OF CONTENTS Understanding Minimum Requirements Mac PC Audio Distortion and Drop-Outs Back-Spinning Platter in DVS Mode Intermittent Power Intermittent Connection or Will Not Connect Understanding Minimum Requirements The minimum required specifications for any software should be considered very carefully, and is the first thing to check when you are experiencing issues. If your computer is running the bare minimum specifications required to run Serato DJ, you will not be able to use advanced functions such as applying effects, low latency scratching, stems separation and video mixing without discrepancy. You may even experience a complete system freeze if your computer becomes overloaded. It is always best practice to use the highest spec computer possible for Serato DJ, especially if you are a gigging DJ and using your system in a live performance scenario. Please see the minimum requirements below.  Mac Recommended Specifications Serato DJ may run with these specifications, however, you may not have an optimal experience. Year 2017 or later Processor Intel Core i5 or Apple M1/M2 or higher Memory 8GB or higher Storage 15GB or more of spare local disk space (SSD) Operating System macOS: 14 Sonoma 13 Ventura 12 Monterey High Performance Specifications For demanding tasks like low latency scratching, stems separation and video mixing Year 2018 or later Processor Intel Core i9 or Apple M1/M2 or higher Memory 16GB or higher Storage 15GB or more of spare local disk space (SSD) Video Memory 4GB or 14-core GPU or higher Operating System macOS: 14 Sonoma 13 Ventura 12 Monterey PC Recommended Specifications Serato DJ may run with these specifications, however, you may not have an optimal experience.  Your processor also requires AVX; you can find details on what AVX is and why it is required required for Serato DJ below. What is AVX? Processor 6th Generation Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 3000 series or higher AVX Required (See Above) Memory 8GB or higher Storage 15GB or more of spare local disk space (SSD) Video Memory Dynamic/shared 512MB (dedicated 1GB or higher for Serato Video)  Operating System Windows: 11 10 High Performance Specifications For demanding tasks like low latency scratching, stems separation and video mixing Processor 8th Generation Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 7 5000 Series or higher AVX Required (See Above) Memory 16GB or higher Storage 15GB or more of spare local disk space (SSD) Video Memory Dedicated 2GB or higher Operating System Windows: 11 10 Audio Distortion and Drop-Outs If you're experiencing audio distortion or drop-outs, this is typically due to computer resources.  Even when you have a new, powerful computer, the manufacturer's default settings will be geared towards battery optimization, not audio performance.  There are also many apps and widgets working in the background that can sap much-needed resources.  Some changes will need to be made to prevent distortion and drop-outs from interrupting your performance. Adjust Audio Buffer Size While lowering the latency will tighten the response time for scratching, it will also require more processing power.  This can cause the processor to be overworked and result in audio dropouts and distortion.  Raising the buffer will help to prevent this from happening.  It is recommended that you start the buffer at 5 or 10 and then raise it as needed. Restart Your Computer It is recommended that you restart your computer before a performance.  There are many issues that can arise if your computer has not been restarted in a while.  The restart can prevent distortion, drop-outs, hangs, freezes, and especially crashes.   Connect Your Power Adapter DJ performance software is very demanding and can drain your laptop's battery very quickly.  When the battery gets low, both Windows and MacOS will begin to throttle the processing power of your computer to save energy and this can cause distortion, drop-outs, freezes, and hangs.   Close Unnecessary Software When other applications are still open, even if they're not actively in use, they can still use up resources in the background.  Sometimes they can even awaken for automatic updates or data syncs that will cause hiccups in your performance. Operating System Specific Settings There are additional settings that should be fine-tuned within both MacOS and Windows to optimize your system for performance.  These settings can be found in Serato's operating system-specific optimization guides listed below: Optimization Guide for Windows – Serato Support Optimization Guide for macOS – Serato Support   Audio Sounds Robotic If the audio from your master output sound robotic, or if it seems to have an effect on it without any FX applied, it could be due to a conflict between the operating system's audio settings and the audio routing within Serato. Adjust the Default Sound Settings Please close Serato and check your computer's sound settings to make sure that your Input and Output are set to the default devices.  If either is set to your controller, it will cause a conflict with Serato's audio settings. Windows: Input should be set to "Microphone Array" and Output should be set to "Speakers (Realtek Audio)" MacOS: Input should be set to "Built-In Microphone" and Output should be set to "Built-In Speakers" Once these are set properly, you can reopen Serato and try again.  If using external speakers, open the Serato settings, navigate to the Audio tab, and confirm Use Laptop Speakers is NOT enabled. Use Laptop Speakers should only be enabled when you do not have external speakers to connect to.  Back-Spinning Platter in DVS Mode Disable Turntable Reverse Setting in Serato Pressing the Q key on your keyboard for the left side, and the A key for the right side, will enable/disable reverse mode for your decks in Serato. Check Your RCA/Phono Connections The inputs of the turntables or CD players may be reversed.  Red should match with red, and white should match with white, however some turntables may be wired backwards so it is worth trying them in reverse. Flat, Stable Surfaces If a controller is on a surface that is unstable or at an angle, this can cause unwanted behavior with the platter.  The turntable/controller should always be on a flat, stable surface. Intermittent Power Test In Different Locations If your hardware is powering off or dimming during use, it is recommended that you test it in a different location.  If the unit shuts down at a venue but works fine at home, a power conditioner may need to be used at gigs.  Not all venues have reliable power and is always recommended that professional DJs bring their own power conditioner. This should not be confused with a power strip; power conditioners are typically rack mounted and have multiple power ports.  Plug Directly Into a Wall Outlet If you're using a power strip or an extension cord, bypass them and try plugging the unit directly into a wall outlet.  If the behavior ceases, this may suggest that the power strip or extension cord may have been causing a power draw.  A power conditioner would be recommended instead of the power strip. Test different USB cables If your controller is powered via USB, the USB cable may need to be replaced.  If your computer requires a USB-C connection and you are using a USB-C adapter or dongle, we recommend using a straight USB-B to USB-C cable for a direct connection.  Even a high quality USB-C dongle can have trouble transferring both data and power simultaneously. Intermittent Connection or Will Not Connect There are many reasons why a controller may have trouble connecting to Serato.  The steps below will help to determine why the controller is not connecting. Restart Your Computer As simple as this may seem, it is also the most common solution.  Restarting your computer refreshes the drivers, reloads the OS, and can help to clear out anything running in the background that may affect the performance of Serato and your hardware. Install/Reinstall Drivers While some controllers are class compliant, making them plug-and-play, many still require a driver to be installed.  Sometimes it may be necessary to reinstall a driver.  Drivers for Numark controllers will be available for download on the right-hand side of each product's page on the Numark site.  Rane and Denon downloads are available at the following pages: Downloads | RANE  Downloads | Denon DJ Try Another USB Port Or Cable If you have another USB cable to test with, that would be recommended.  You may also want to try plugging the USB cable into a different USB port if your computer has more than one.  Typically, the USB port closest to the charging port on your computer is the best option.   Make Sure Your Controller Is In Computer Mode (If Applicable) If you are using a standalone DJ system, it will need to be restarted in Computer Mode in order to connect with Serato.   Reconfigure MIDI Studio (macOS only) If you're using a Mac, sometimes a new MIDI configuration is needed in order for the device to be recognized.  Please see the related article for detailed instructions: Troubleshooting USB MIDI devices on Mac : Denon DJ