The technology that's helping to kill the vinyl market for dance and hip hop DJ's wants to prove that it doesn't hate vinyl. Serato, which is famous for it's Rane Serato SSL virtual vinyl emulation hardware is now coming out with Serato Pressings.
According to Serato:
Serato Pressings - Music and Control Tone on limited edition records
Serato Audio Research have now pressed so many of our Control Vinyl records since releasing Serato Scratch Live in 2004, it has become the biggest selling 12" vinyl record in the last 14 years according to music industry sources.
Rare colored vinyl and promotional 7 and 10 inch pressings of the Serato Control Tone have fetched over $US400 a pair on eBay this year. Illegal bootleg vinyl pressings of the control tone have surfaced without the benefit of Serato's extensive testing. Often the copies have proven to be problematic and unreliable.
To ensure a high standard of quality, Serato is now officially licensing the Control Tone with a new venture called Serato Pressings. The result is a new form of vinyl record that will be hitting stores in December 2008. The new record is a hybrid of music and the Official Serato Control Tone and bears a catalog number of authenticity.
"Serato is genuinely interested in preserving vinyl culture" reports Product Manager for Serato Pressings, Bill Mitsakos. "Serato Pressings allows us to work with record labels and the few remaining pressing plants to cut a collectible series of records that have original music on Side A and the ability to control our software on Side B".
Serato Pressings have a solid schedule of releases lined up for 2009 with record labels from around the world. Each release promises to be collectible and will be catalogued online for authenticity and quality control.
The first official Serato Pressing will be released and distributed by Mad Decent, the label started by revolutionary DJ producer Diplo. The limited edition 12” "Get Off" from Diplo and Blaqstarr will be available for pre-order in December 2008.
Release information and sales locations are available at www.serato.com/pressings.
Serato Pressings are distributed by the partner record labels and will be sold in traditional record stores and online vinyl stores.
Meanwhile, Serato also runs a digital download "promo" service called Whitelabel.net
Today's question ... is Serato helping vinyl to survive or is Serato killing the vinyl market? Let me know your thoughts.
They already done killed it.
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't Serato,, it'd be something else. Carrying a huge box of vinyl to gigs all the time just doesn't seem to make sense in this day and age.
ReplyDeleteI dont use Serato, but I switched from vinyl to CD's a couple of years ago now. I can buy a tune for £1 online and burn it to blank CD for about 10p - As opposed to £6 for a record with an extra tune on the other side that I don't want anyway. You dont have to pay for expensive pressing and distribution, you just download it direct. It makes much more sense.
Yeah, vinyl is pretty much dead - but its technology, not serato. If Serato is saving anything its the Technics SL 1210!