Scratching with VCI-100SE?
Hey guys. I’ve been trying to do some basic scratching with my VCI-100SE just for fun. I haven’t read any guides, just tried out my best from what I’ve seen live and on the web. So far, I’ve found it really hard (I’m aware that scratching is skill that takes practice) and I’ve been wondering if it’s even possible to do any good scratching with a VCI-100SE?
It’s hard… I’ve been scratching badly on vinyl for over a decade and I find the VCI 100 to be way to loose no matter the setting.
It’s ok for cutting and scratching track In and simple flares but nowhere near precise enough for much else.
But then I’m not Qbert more like Bert n Ernie.
I agree with Karlos.
I too have been scratching (poorly) for a good while and I find the VCI jogs to not be sensitive enough. Also the xfader isn’t the greatest either (but you can replace the xfader). Come to think of it, I find it pretty hard to scratch on anything that doesn’t have active platters.
There are some folks who can scratch pretty damn well on the VCI (search for youtube videos), but for sure they have been practicing at least a couple hours a day for months. If you’re used to scratching vinyl it is a very different feel, so you really have to re-learn everything, and you have to accept that you will sound like crap for the first few months of practicing. But just like any learned motor skill, with enough practice you could sound pretty good; just start off with the same basic exercises you used to learn scratching on turntables in the beginning – baby scratches, then stabs, then maybe move up to chirps and flares. But for me I will stick to turntables, or maybe a controller with a moving platter like the Numark v7 or the stanton scs1d; I really don’t have the patience to re-learn all that stuff… Then again, if I were really any good at scratching in the first place I might have a different view 
Scratching on the VCI-300 is pretty dreamy, and I found it fairly easy to get used to the new feel. But then again, that’s what they were designed for… I’m really curious about the difference between VCI 300 and 100 on the scratching front.
Scratching is all muscle memory, IMO. Learn the concepts, recreate the sounds slowly, practice-practice-practice, get faster…
You know I remember a long time ago - before the 300 even came out, and before I got my 100 - there was a review I read about it that said the vci 100 was built so that the platters could eventually be upgraded to better platters for scratching. Did I imagine that? Quite possibly so, but is there any reason better platters like those in the 300 couldn’t be put into the 100 if you really wanted to? Not that it would be worth the cost of a 300…
I have kind of been wondering that as well myself. Then I caught this video on YouTube and think that the VCI-100 will be serviceable enough for my needs. 
Nice video! It’s really impressive that he was able to develop skills on the thing that quickly (the video says he’s only had the thing for three days; he’s a lot better at scratching on it than I am after owning one for a year – though I’m guessing his skills are far beyond mine on regular gear as well, hehe). You definitely need to approach it with a different mindset than you do a spinning platter – you have to be a lot lighter on your hands and they move much shorter distances.
Also if you have the arcade edition, you have to watch out for the buttons. I pretty much always hit them when I crab the fader. Someone on here built one a while back where they moved the inner buttons up a few cm so they were out of the way; if I was going to do it all over again I would have built my own that way rather than ordering it directly … better yet, I’d try to special-order one prebuilt with those buttons out of the way
I’ve only played with the 300s in guitar center, there is definitely a better feel to the wheels but it really isn’t all that much different to me. I think one thing I’m really attached to when scratching is the heavy feel of the turntable and the ability to tell by feel whether it’s in “play” mode or not. The visual position of the needle on the record is something I’d miss too… then again if I think about it too much, the only thing I truly enjoy scratching on is real vinyl. I force myself to practice it on DVS but there is something so much more satisfying about scratching up an actual record, right down to the feel of the vibration as the sample starts so you can cue up without any visual cue. Hahaha I guess I’m a luddite, I should sell my gear 
Somehow I missed this thread – VCI-100 unofficial firmware 1.3.1 available – it looks like the jogwheels are 4x more responsive in the new firmware so this is really good news for scratching with it…
I have been trying…and its a NO!
you just do not have the needed control.
As Karlos says…you can get away with very simple scratches…but that’s really about it.
Yeah and that guy in the video above is clearly a decent scratcher but…
The skill hes showing has nothing to do with the jog wheel on the VCI. Its his crossfader doing the good work there.
If that was a vocal sample it would be much harder to precisely cut individual words and phrases. Just scratching the waah sound is not so hard.
Like i said, the difference between the VCI 100 and the VCI 300 cannot be overstated regarding scratching.
Thanks everyone for your great answers, hopefully the S4 will have some better options when it comes to scratching.
Even though it’s not optimal, I would still like to at least give it a shot. I’m not getting a CDJ or a TT any time soon, so the VCI-100 is my only options.
Can you guys recommend any good tuts on just some basics?
Man, I’ve gotta make one of these scratching videos. New unofficial firmware, Pro X fader, I am feeling really good about scratching on the vci 100 as of late. I don’t feel like the controller holds me back at all now, just my less than stellar skills. When I’m on, though, it sounds great!
Just ran into this guy on YouTube last night and I’d recommend giving his channel a look:
DJAngeloUK
He goes from basics to advanced maneuvers… You might have to get past how he talks with his hands when the camera isn’t on his face (the best part) but he really does a good job of breaking things down in an understandable manner. Peep this one:
Brilliant tutorial.
F you and that Pro X Fader!!
I want it…BADLY!
My next buy…def!
YEP!
I DLed his 11 tutorials and have em at home.
Very cool and helpful!
Can you give me YOUR personal assurance about this firmware Zac..?
I trust your opinion. Give me the green light and ill do it.
It’s really easier said than done. Thanks for the link, I’ll just have to practice everyday from now on
yeah that guy is definitely the best scratch instructor on youtube. Very clear tutorials, and he really breaks down how to work each scratch into a routine. Worth watching even if you already know your stuff…