https://www.instagram.com/p/BcDilzFAIUl/
As I believe all you cool young people say, it’s been a “hot minute” since the first offerings from the inMusic vision of Rane DJ appeared. In our attention starved minds, it’s been forever since we glimpsed the leaks and subsequent first showing at the DMC world finals. We had also hoped to see the Seventy Two and Twelve make an appearance at BPM 2017, but no — these aspirational lumps of nextlevelness have yet to be seen in a working state anywhere.
Until now. For DJ Fatfingaz aka JP aka Rane DJ’s front man has posted a couple of all too short videos of himself demonstrating his considerable skills on the next things that you want to buy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcDm257Am5b/
Behold, waveforms on a mixer. Be still my beating heart.
BUT WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?
Easy answer — Serato DJ Pro. It’s been in the works for a long time, and needs a solid landmark first product to show it off. There’s little point supporting this new Rane stuff in the very final release of the old version. Thus this will be underlining and reinforcing the brave new world of Serato DJ Pro, and drag users kicking and screaming into the promised land of whatever it is.
There will also be tactical and political reasons for showing off hardware a full six months before the plastic you’ve been throwing at your screen finally works. I suspect that the hardware has been ready for quite some time, and Rane DJ has quite rightly struggled to keep it in their pants. Expectations have been high and patience wearing thin.
I also imagine that rumours of other pieces of gear hitting the scene are at play, and an early unveil cements Rane DJ in the hearts and minds of loyal fans, who otherwise have had their heads turned, either by emptying their accounts into the tills of their local DJ retailer, or just having them turn up unexpectedly on their doorstep. It’s clear that the Pioneer DJ DJM-S9 has very quickly replaced the Rane Sixty Two in all the high-profile social media posts.
SO WHEN?
The place to see all of this (Rane DJ and Serato DJ Pro) will probably be NAMM 2018. This is where Rane DJ traditionally puts on a big show, and have a veritable A-list of VIP DJs stop by to play and hang. Last year, inMusic hid their assorted wares in a private suite, but that’s not going to work for Rane DJ. They need to be out on the floor in full view of even the most casually interested punter.
The media blast from being in full view will be epic for Rane DJ and Serato, and certainly take attention away from others who may have they new shiny on display. Given the invite only industry focus, it’s amazing just how many non-trade mere mortals get to step foot on the hallowed NAMM show floor. And each one of those will be telling their cohorts about the new Rane DJ stuff. You can’t do that in a more sombre media only setting.
Whenever it all comes you won’t miss it, nor be able to escape it. And it’ll be interesting to see how all this pans out for DJs and the industry alike.