Gemini has been somewhat quiet of late. There’s a whole story behind it, and one that will doubtlessly surface in due course. But for those who thought it was over for them, take a look at what just arrived in my inbox. Gemini has been inducted into the select group of companies that have product bearing the Serato logo, for the Gemini Slate and Slate 4 are now Serato DJ Intro ready. Gemini is back in style — a clean slate?
Serato DJ 1.2.3 remains unchanged bar adding the Gemini Slates into the mix. I would expect this to be a common thing, as Intro core feature set is not about adding cool new things, but more about adding new controllers. And both models offer the paid upgrade path to the full Serato DJ experience, where you can start adding effects packs and features like Serato Flip and Serato Video.
I cannot help but admire Serato’s business turnaround. Scratch Live and ITCH awkwardly coexisted with no real cohesiveness and an unsustainable business model. But with Serato DJ, Intro is the entry level software that manufacturers can licence and bundle with their controllers, and the Serato steps in with Full DJ upgrade and subsequent expansion pack purchases that goes right into their pockets. And when it comes to pro controllers, Serato still sells the full licences and still gets the inevitable income from plugins.
Smart move Serato. I doff my cap. And welcome back Gemini.
Welcome back indeed, with new controllers being thrown into the mix Serato can only move from strength to strength, new user = bigger revenues = more improvements for all of us!
So much pressure on Native Instruments to bring their game face to Traktor Pro 3.
The slate has been on my wishlist for a while. The gemini demo videos of late are really the best in the business. (They are really great examples of what demos should) Wish there was somewhere in SD to try one.
A slate with a custom skin with the One would be my choice, if i wanted to look cool in 2014
I really liked Gemini when they made the original PS-626 mixer or the PT-1000/2000 turntables.
They really need to step up to their good old days. These controllers look really REALLY cheap but I’m glad to hear from them at all.
Maybe we see some more upmarket equipment from them in the future.
With Vestax gone there might be a market for a new brand in the Serato camp.
“With Vestax gone” is a strong statement, although I’ve been wondering what’s up with them. Do we have any official confirmation? The silence is deafening…
Rumours? Who knows.. DJTT says that they know (haha and posting Serato forum rumours/screenshots to back up the rumours)
http://www.djtechtools.com/2014/10/15/is-vestax-out-of-business-closing-bankrupt/
Thanks for the DJTT link. I had been following the Serato forum thread, and the posts in there have had me fearing the worst (and I have two Vestax controllers. Sigh…).
Here’s the demo I was telling ya’ll about. this is as close to perfect for a product demo as I have ever seen. Perfect in length/time, description of the product, varied in use from mix-scratch, well shot, well edited, and the music is good and makes you want to dance. http://youtu.be/yLBq8zggVMs
My first mixer was a Gemini back in 99…. Worst crossfader I’ve ever used, at least it was built like a tank!