Slab is the first MIDI controller built exclusively for Serato Studio

Native Instruments and Ableton have had incredible success with their custom MIDI controllers that integrate with their DAWs (digital audio workstations), Maschine and Live, respectively. Native Instruments’ Maschine (yes, that’s the name of the hardware and software) and Ableton’s Push are pretty much the gold standard for integration between music creation software and hardware. Serato hopes to capture even a sliver of that magic through its association between Slab and Serato Studio.

Many others have tried to build (or have others build for them) custom controllers for their DAWs – FL Studio, Studio One, and the MPC desktop suite all got dedicated hardware at some point. The success, however, was mixed. What Serato has going for it is that Studio is a relatively young, streamlined DAW with minimal bells and whistles. This means that where Push and Maschine can be intimidating (and expensive) with their proliferation of knobs, pads, buttons and large screens, Slab is much more accessible and affordable at $329.

Design-wise, Slab bears more than a passing resemblance to Maschine. It’s not just that both are built around a grid of 16 pads; it’s also the layout, label placement, and font choices. If you told me that Slab was built by Native Instruments instead of AlphaTheta (Serato’s partner), I wouldn’t guess it.

It is, however, quite beautiful material. The gray-on-gray color scheme may not be exciting and a little difficult to read in certain lighting, but the matte texture and clean lines avoid looking purely utilitarian. The panel is made entirely of plastic, but it doesn’t feel cheap. The encoders have good resistance, the buttons are not soft and the large dial has firm detents. The screen is quite small and although it gives you visual feedback, you’ll never be able to compose a beat on Slab without looking at your computer. However, this is to be expected from a controller in this price range, like the Atom SQ controller or MPC Studio.

The velocity-sensitive pads are okay, if nothing spectacular. They’re pretty good for finger playing, but Akai’s MPC still reigns supreme in that department. I found the answer a bit inconsistent, and while AlphaTheta lists “adjustable aftertouch” as one of Slab’s features, Serato Studio currently doesn’t support aftertouch, which is a bit shocking in 2025. RGB lighting, however, makes it easy to quickly color-code your chops and drum hits so you can identify your kicks by, say, making them all red.

In keeping with its budget price, connectivity here is simple: just a USB-C port for connecting to your computer. There is no built-in audio interface or MIDI outputs, as found on Maschine and Push.

What matters most is how Slab integrates with Serato Studio. The good news is that most of the DAW’s essential features are right at your fingertips. I’m new to Serato Studio and have only been using Slab for about two weeks, but I’ve had little trouble quickly mastering the basics. It’s easy and intuitive to sequence a drum pattern or play a bass line by hand. You even have quick access to the stem separation technology that made Serato Sample so successful.

Slab lets you browse your sample library or launch plugins without using your mouse or keyboard. That being said, depending on the size of your collection, it may be quicker and easier to opt for the mouse anyway.

It was simple and quite fun to create a drum break, cut it up and start creating a beat without leaving Slab. By the end of my first day, I had already put together a few (admittedly pretty terrible) beats. Even though the quality of my results was questionable, I had a lot of fun making them. Part of the reason I hadn’t really delved into Serato Studio before is that it wasn’t a particularly tactile experience.

That’s the appeal of the material. While it may be easy to cut up samples or draw a melody with a mouse, it’s much more fun to press the pads and turn the knobs. Slab also puts several performance-focused effects at your fingertips, like a pitched looper and wah-wah. They’re not as sturdy as what you might find on a standalone device like the SP-404 or something from Teenage Engineering, but they still spice up a jam nicely.

Where Slab loses points is in its variety of shift modes and functions. Those more familiar with Serato Studio may have an easier time than me, but I often found myself confused as to which mode I needed to be in to change the note repeat rate, or by the lack of visual feedback when navigating effects and sample slicing modes. And each element has its own “mode”, from the dial to the encoders to the touch strip. Keeping everything straight can get a little tedious.

Although Serato Studio is a relatively simple DAW focused primarily on drum programming and sample slicing, Slab can sometimes feel like it’s split into menus. And while Studio supports VST and AU plugins for playing your favorite software synths, Slab offers limited control over them.

Slab is unlikely to win over many new converts. But if you already use Serato Studio and look with envy at Maschine and MPC owners, the Slab might be a decent investment. It gives you a similar hands-on experience at a reasonable price.