Does Scratching Damage Vinyl??

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initialproductions

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yo wats good this might seem like a dumb question but i searched it and didnt find anything. I just produce ive never scratched or nothin but i was tryin to put that into my beats, also when im bout to sample i wanna just run the vinyl back to rewind it like i see peoples doin on youtube and sht. Im gettin a direct drive turntable sometime soon. aite so i was wonderin does it damage the vinyl cuz i cant be havin f'd up vinyl lol. get back at me let me kno 1
 
The answer to this question is simply Yes. Even playing your vinyl over and over will damage them to some extent, and your needle/stylus.

I would recommend a decent cd turntable nowadays for scratching, i.e. Pioneer CDJ1000. Hope this helps;)
 
There are specific needles that are less damaging than others when scratching. They can get pretty expensive. Most needles made specifically for scratching have a low record wear rating (they usually have high bass response, too). But, as was mentioned, any needle over time will damage the vinyl, scratching or not. Over years, and maybe a hundred or more listens, any record will start to wear. Scratching just speeds up that process since you're essentially playing a small part of the record over and over very quickly.
 
yo thanks for the replies. I dont wanna go the CD route becuz I dont want to DJ at all, im just using it to sample and put into my beats. I copped a belt drive usb turntable so i could find my own samples while using FL, but now im not even usin the computer to make beats. I just copped an MPC and im bout to cop a direct drive wen i can save up the cash, im goin with a technics, and I just need to be able to like..if i hear a hot part i wanna sample, just be able to run that back with my finger to rewind it to the right point. Also I want to add scratches in my beats like maybe on a breakbeat when its about to drop back in or somethin just for a changeup. Im sayin subtle wear is okay for me I just dont want unplayable records after a short period of time. What kind of needles would you suggest if I want good wear protection and a transparent sound (no added bass becuz I have a low pass filter I can do that w). I also i hear about cartridges wat do these do and is a good one nessesary? And are these things (needles/catrdiges) easy to install
 
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My question to you is, "Why do you want a Direct Drive TT?!" If all you want to do is grab samples, then get a cheap USB TT. Even with scratching you can do it on a belt drive TT. Dont get caught up in the hype cuz you arent trying to be a DJ, so you say, so why spend extra money on a heavy duty TT when all you are gonna be doing is VERY light weight stuff.
I am just giving you this advice to keep you from spending more money then you need to. All you trying to do is get the sound into ya PC so you can manipulate it. There are plugins that will give you a scratch for a sample. http://www.google.com/search?q=VST+scratch+plugin
 
thanks for the tip but im not tryin to use the computer to make beats which is the reason im going to a direct drive TT. I understand that I will be spending a lot of money for light stuff but I need a really good sound. And I dont want to use plugins for scratches becuz im not using the computer and also becuz i want the real thing. thanks for your input tho
 
Buying a turntable of any kind simply for sampling is a really big waste of money, but it's your choice.

If you are only wanting to sample parts of songs I suggest doing it via a computer and using wav files. There will be far more freedom for you, not to mention it will save you alot of money.

If you want to add your own scratch noises in then I would suggest a cheap cd player with a large jog wheel but this will sound exactly the same as any scratching you do on a turntable or any available scratch samples online.

I understand that you want to have an "oldskool" feel but from what you have mentioned you are wanting to achieve I seriously think you are taking the wrong route.

I hope everything works out for you m8;)
 
K mate....

Firstly I don't know your experience or anyone elses on here. But I just want to let you know my experience and where I stand on certain things before giving your advise. I've been DJing coming on 6 years and making beats seriously for say 3. I take everything pretty seriously (3rd year at uni doing music tech) and try to stand by old school ("true hip hop") ethics.

I would say stick to getting a vinyl turntable as if you're going for the oldschool sorta sound then the sound of the vinyl (even the crackle) is something you'll want. I would seriously reconsider getting a Direct drive though and would even look at second hand belt drive hi-fi turntables. Sure a Technics would be a good bet but it's also a shed load of money wasted that could have been spent on those all important samples/records.

And I hear what you're saying about skratches, but even if you wanna do that propperly you've got to then buy a mixer (preffereably a skratch mixer - more expensive) which will cost again more. I mean I'm sure people on here would be willing to put a few basic cuts down. Or even find people near you who are willing to. Collaborations are always good.

Believe me, as a DJ who has had **** direct drives, good direct drives, Cd turns and 3 mixers I can tell you that unless you REALLY wanna skratch then that money can be better spent. Could get you some amazingly dope sample material.

Peace, and sorry for the rant.

oh and it does damage vinyl.....sorry about that! As others mentioned there are variables.....tone arm weight used, needle used, even what the record is made of!
 
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Cartridge and needle are just different parts of what most people call "the needle". But actually, "the needle" is a headshell, wires, cartridge and stylus. And the stylus is literally "the needle" that touches the record. It's like this:

The stylus is the little metal needle that you put on the record.
The cartridge is what the stylus slides into.
The headshell is the large flat piece that the cartridge is connected to by screws and 4 wires.
And the headshell is connected to the tonearm (the long S-shaped rod).

Generally, any headshell will be able to hold any cartridge. So when you start out, you'll have a headshell (Turntables often come with these), you'll buy a cartridge and stylus (they come together), but when the stylus breaks or wears out, you can replace just the stylus. They're sold individually, so it saves quite a bit of money. But stylii only work with the cartridges they're designed for, so if you want to switch brands of needle, you'll need to buy a new cartidge/stylus combo. Probably not a new headshell, though (I'm talking generally here, some cartridges won't fit every headshell, and there are even some designed for use without a headshell).

As for whether you need a direct drive, or any Turntable at all, I'd say go for it if you got the cash. I guarantee you'll find a lot more uses for it than you have in mind right now. Hell, once you start scratching, you might find yourself addicted. A lot of people just start out messing around with DJing, and then the bug bites them and they never look back.

EDIT: Forgot about installation difficulty. Headshells and stylii are braindead simple to install. They're designed for quick interchangability. However, hooking up the 4 tiny wires from the cartridge to the headshell can be tricky, but nothing big. It's more tedious than difficult, it's a really small area, and it can be hard to get your fingers in the right spot. I use tweezers a lot. Oh yeah, I should mention that optimizing your needle's angle, forward position, and height can be a chore. Once again, it's not difficult, just time consuming and boring, but it's not something you have to do every time you get on the decks if they're stationary.
 
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^^^^ good post ^^^^

I never really understood little things like headshell/cartridge/stylus etc before I got into DJing. Good info.

I agree with the thing about getting bitten by the skratching/djing bug. My housemate is constantly trying to get on my turntables and learn from what started out as him almost taking the piss.

But do be aware that for mixing u obviously need two tables and even for skratching you will need a skratch mixer. Theres a few stanton mixers and urei etc (which aren't bad mixers) going alot cheaper than when they came out.

If this thread is going too off topic say and I'll shut up lol.

Peace.
 
thanks for the replies everyone could yall shout out some brand names or maybe some links for some good needles so I dont fck my records up too much lol. Oh and I dont wanna go the computer route or the belt drive cuz, i already had these joints and im tired of makin beats on the computer and i would hate having to lift the needle up and refind the spot everytime I wanted to sample somethin. Aite but good look on the replies esp Hosey, very informative.
 
I think Stanton AL-II's are good for beginners. They're pretty inexpensive (maybe around $25 for a cart/stylus, about $15 for just the stylus), they don't wear down the vinyl too fast, and they sound pretty good. I've heard they were the Scratch DJ standard for years before companies started designing needles specifically for scratching. After you get the AL-II's, save up for some Shure M447's, they're the best (according to many). But a set of those runs around $150 USD, and the difference in quality won't be as appreciable to someone starting out.

And another thing, the M447's absolutely hug the record, they don't skip much. AL-II's are a little more iffy, but I think it's good for beginners to have to focus on keeping a light touch and moving the record smoothly. It pays off big time later down the road.

EDIT: I should point out that I've had bad experiences with most other needles that are in the same price range as the AL-II's. Many of the other needles I've used tend to break after what seemed like a really short amount of time. Even many of the more expensive (but still not as expensive as M447's) needles had this problem. On the other hand, I've never broken an AL-II. They're like little tanks. Same with the M447's.
 
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