I don’t have any decks right now but I need to practice scratching. I’m still toying with a VCI 100 but after peeps have said the jog wheels arent the most responsive things in world I’m holding back for a while. But I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how I can practice in the mean time. Is there something cheap I can buy purely for scratching purposes? I have tried an iphone app but thats bullshit.
Wouldn’t piano be better for that? I mean, that specifically detaches the left hand from the right hand, while you do separate each limb while drumming you usually end up with doing just that, separating the limbs and not the hands, which is what we’d want?
dj angelo on youtube has the best collection of scratch techniques i’ve seen so far. He breaks them down very slowly and has great motivational tips. just you tube dj angelo uk and you will see his videos i think he covers everything from basics (slipmats, needles, and carts) to advanced techniques like one click flares, crab scratching, and so forth.
Like misha val commented jus practice on your vci 100 until something better comes along. The vci 100 is more than capable of producing very good flairs (most open fader cuts like flair’s, crabs are easily pos on the vci 100) and it’s great for transforming too. Stabs and chirps are a pain unless kept at a low speed. Stick too long samples to scratch with, the jog resolution isn’t great, hence scratching with short sample’s and vocals can be very awkward.
This vid below is me and buddy’s first go (well, first day) on the vci 100, we’re both experienced scratch dj’s and we were very surprised at what the vci 1oo can do.
option 1; get one SCS3d. you can use the input fader as CF or input, or you can make one of the buttons around the outside kill all three freqs. And before anyone decides to chime in, let me say, I DON"T GIVE A RATS ASS whether ya think that’s reall scratching or not. SCRATCHING AIN"T SET IN STONE. It’s still evolving. There are some scratches the 3d doesn’t do well, ie waves, but some it does VERY well, ie scribbles.
the other option, and hopefully this remind everyone that i’m not just some stanton fan who comes here to tout their products. I TRY EVERYTHING! and decide what works and what I like based on the merit of the equipment, giving extra weight to affordability and portabilty. Having said that, I’ll do the unthinkable and suggest that you get yourself a DJ Tech VTT 101. It takes 2 seconds to mapp it in Traktor, the deck works very well, and the CF is actually GOOD. It has some curve settings and everything. I have one. I connect a 16 foot usb cable and works just fine.
The scratch /deck/control on both of these is similar. The SCS3D is better, but with the VTT you get a reall life midi CF that will crab OK.
Drumming does use hands and even the fingers. I will not argue that piano isn’t great practice (because it is) but I still believe drumming to be the best translation to scratching. But hey that is just my opinion.
I like this. This is the kinda thing I am after. What do you mean by “the unthinkable”? How responsive is the platter? Is it anything like the VCI 100? Cos I’d sooner pay for the VCI as opposed to getting the VTT 101 if it aint in the same league as the VCI. Also there’s the CDJ 101. Any idea if the platter response is the same? I’d sooner go for the CDJ 101 and use the crossfader on the mixer for scratching that way I got the pitch control on the CDJ 101 to play with. Or I might even go for one of each. And what about the imix reload mkII?
Any help greatly appreciated. I’m now seriously thinking about the VCI after dubba’s post but I just need something, anything, that I can use with decent jog wheel response.
1)the awful video that dj tech posted with the vtt that killed any interest that any intelligent, reasonable person would have had in the device(i possess neither of those qualities)
2)the vtt hasn’t really been around long enough to have a durability accessment. There are people on here who have the i-mix and can give info on them.
3)it’s generally a bad idea to suggest that any gear that doesn’t have a bandwagon behind it is “Good” Because, although all of us here, like “Tech” we are equally suspicious of marketting.
But here’s why I like it. It works. the platter response is good, it’s precise. i set the sens at 5 and go. it’s not expensive. i paid $115 for mine. Not bad for a touch sens deck and a midi CF. It didn’t come with any software.
Anyways, i have one, it works, I like it, love it, want more of it. Is it as nice as an SCS3D?, no way, the 3d is still the best controller going, no contest. But if you’re just put off by the whole touch deck thing, the the Vtt is a nice solution for scratching.
Hey Dodge, sorry I thought you meant you already owned a vci 100. Well if your trying to keep things to a budget Drimachus is spot on, the VTT has had my interest for a while and it’s good to hear some positive info. Scratching via touch screen doesn’t do it for me but it does for many others, you get a lot more controls for your money with an Scs3d and with the lack of moving parts, picking up cheap second hand units is a good option.
The poor jog remarks you’ve heard concerning the vci 100 is simply down to it being a midi controller, in other words you’ll get virtually the same lag feel with all midi jogs. Controllers like the vci 300 and Numarks V7/NS7 are a whole different beast, they have amazing jogs but will only get high resolution platter performance when used with Itch. If you can spare the extra cash I’d certainly consider the vci 100, Eans mapping takes that controller to a whole different level.
Anyone know where I can buy a VTT 101? I’m having trouble locating a stockist. There’s no option to buy direct from the website and I’ve found one place selling online but they won’t ship to where I am (currently Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands).
If anyone can point me in the right direction that would be awesome.
Thank you greatly for this information, Drimachus. I needed confirmation that the VTT 101 will work with Traktor before I shell out the money for one. As for Dodge, try Ebay, that is where I am getting mine from and it’s only around 70 dollars.
