Scratching Hand Control

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DJ_Mc7

New member
I've always been into scratching. It started when I saw the video for Nelly Furtado's "Turn Off The Lights". DJ Mathew Jonson (http://www.myspace.com/mathewjonson) was scratching in the video and ****...and I fell in love with it. I went and got 2 CD jewel cases, 2 FUBAR CDs and started "scratching" with the song. Of course, I didn't know at the time that turntablism isn't just moving the vinyl back and forth, but rather a mix of that and using the crossfader/up-fader.

Now back to the present. I find that it's a pain in the ass to move the crossfader at a different speed than moving the platter with my other hand. Huh? I'm saying when I move the crossfader back and forth really fast, my other hand follows it and vice-versa. Kinda like how if you don't know how to drum and your pattern is:
Kick |o-----o--o---o------o-|
Hi-Hat |x---x---x---x---x---x--|
Snare |---------o-------------|
And when you get to that double kick there you either hit the hi-hat at the same speed as the kick or the kick as the same speed as the hi-hat. What I'm basically getting at here, is how can I train my hands to independently move at different velocities and motions. I know about the whole "pat head & rub tummy" or "move one arm in a forward motion and the other in a backwards motion", but is there anything else I can do, besides say, practicing on a mixer and deck?

I apologize for always beginning threads with long ass stories but I like setting up scenarios and identifying the problem.
 
Hmmm... let's see if I can come up with a useful technique that can aid you.

I just thought of a good technique that might help you, but it'll take you a little practice.
There's a classic scratch technique that is the base(or modified version) of quite a few other cuts... it's called "TRANSFORMING". It's a cut that simulates the sound of the transformation process of the cartoon/action figures(The Transformers). What you do find a long sound(like the traditional 'Ahhhhh' or 'Fresh')... and slowly move the wax back n forth.(keep the needle on the sound) Now, take your mixer hand and just open n close your crossfader. (with the vinyl hand)Maintane a smooth back n forth motion... you don't have to do it fast... for now... just do it slow, while chopping into the sound with the crossfader.
Depending on how long you practice... you'll then find yourself experimenting with using other sounds, increasing your endourance, and increasing your speed.

Honestly, a whole lot of cuts are developed by accident and by establishing total confident in the equiptment that your using... which can lead to 'visualizing' the cuts before you actual apply them.
Sure, there are video's out here that might make short work of the training process... but, most cats that use these video's don't learn how to cut... they copy what they see and end up sounding like each other.

For the record... I learned how to 'transform' on my own and by accident... on a mixer that didn't have a slope adjustment... I used the channel selector.

I hope this helps... peace bro
 
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practice, practice, practice, i can scratch at any tempo but the thing is my left hand can only scratch my right works the crossfader. So my challenge is getting my right hand to scratch. I might post a video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnPzwFLS7JM
 
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Before DJing last night I jerked my hands off to an invisible mixer and turntable and kinda got it down. When I got to the gig I put on this like 66 minute mix CD I made and loaded up my CD with scratch samples. I found myself doing quite well actually. One of the coolest things I probably did (which is probably a scratch trick) is say on the "Ahhh!" sound, I would scratch it and then keep going back a little on the sample, making it sound like it's Ahhhhhhhh (if the original sound contains four h's), but cutting and repeating.

I think the main thing that really helped though is because I was using GOOD CD players. I posted this the night after I DJed at this other club, Players, where they have some extremely sh1tty American Audio CDI-500's. Also the positioning helped I think. At Players, the tables are like a little bit above waist height (I'm 6'1), where as the other club, Vespa, which is really a restaurant, it was a good 5 or 10 inches below my waist.

But anyways...I'm getting a pair of Denon DN-S3500s soon and I feel like it's gonna step up my game a thousand-fold. If I were to rate my performance using the American Sh1tty, I would give it a 3/10 — CDJ-800 mmm probably 5/10 — S3500 with an actual platter and not a jog wheel? probably about 8/10.

Oh goddamnit I forgot. Another thing I want to mention is should I position both CD players to the side of my dominant hand (right)? I can't scratch with my left hand for sh1t. I thought it would be easier seeing as how I could have better control of the crossfader with my right hand, but it's totally not. Kinda like playing a guitar. My right hand is stronger and could hold the neck and strings a lot better, but my left hand is retarded.

St. Chri$topher said:
practice, practice, practice, i can scratch at any tempo but the thing is my left hand can only scratch my right works the crossfader. So my challenge is getting my right hand to scratch. I might post a video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnPzwFLS7JM
Click to expand...
Like I said above, try to position both decks on the same side.
 
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If you still havent figured out what hand is better with what try these options on the mixer youre working with:

flip the hampster switch on the X-fader and then retry the left hand on the platter...or right on the platter. Hampster switch might make your cutting easier. what it does is reverses where the sound cuts off on your faders. most importantly your X-fader, the channels will switch...enabling you to cut the music on the right turntable off by clicking the X-fader all the way right.
 
Yep, basic transforming is the way go. It's a great way to teach your brain to move your left and right hand independently. The drumming analogy is right on point, that's exactly what happens whenever I fool around with a drum kit - when the foot does that extra kik, the hihat and snare want to do the same thing! But my cutting has actually helped me with that. Also, when you practice transforming, try to tap the fader to open it instead of gripping it and jerking it back and forth. This will help you separate the right and left hand motions from each other; the record hand is doing a slow forward/back movement and the fader hand taps out the riddim. Tapping the fader also gives you more control and cleaner cuts.

Hope this helps...

Good luck mang
 
This is good practice I guess for the drumming part of it:

Practice the beginning drum part on Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Otherside". (Tabs on link)
 
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That clip from the RHCP track wouldnt really work at all. Mabey for some simple practise for scratching over but there is really not snare or anything after to hit besides that awkward rimshot.

Most, if not all, skipless battle records have a section with just drums to practise drumming with so look around. I recommend Cop Porn and Superseal.

What I would REALLY check out is "Super Seals Sealed Breaks". The first side is beats to scratch to but the other side is MADE fro scratch drummers. All drum sounds.

Heres a piece from the TR website...

Side A features 4 dirtystyle beats to skratch to. But what makes the Seals Breaks record stand out form the rest is that it is designed for skratch drummers! Side 2 features hundreds of kick, snare, and hi hat sample combinations in an intentional skip formation. Even if the needle skips, it will land on a different sounding but same type sample.

For example, if you are skratching a kick, it will land on a differnt type
of kick
Click to expand...

Hope this helps!
 
I usualy just practise to slow beats, you get the hand control that way, saying this though, i still need to get a lot lot tighter.

check out my progress at www.youtube.com/steelleech

cheers all
 
DJ_Mc7 said:
Before DJing last night I jerked my hands off to an invisible mixer and turntable and kinda got it down. When I got to the gig I put on this like 66 minute mix CD I made and loaded up my CD with scratch samples. I found myself doing quite well actually.
Click to expand...

Wait a minute, you just played a premixed CD while scratching over the top of it? And you call yourself a DJ?
 
Sanguis Mortuum said:
Wait a minute, you just played a premixed CD while scratching over the top of it? And you call yourself a DJ?
Click to expand...

Probably just for practice, man, don't hate.

Wait nevermind! I read closer! YOU CALL YOURSELF A DJ?!
 
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I would recommend practicing isolated techniques for 5 minute periods making sure to bob your head or tap your foot to a beat. So practice chirps for 5 minutes starting out slow getting faster and then doing the last minutes as fast as possible not worrying about accuracy. Then do the same thing for transformers like said before and also flares, 1-click orbits and 2-click obits. After that spend 5 minutes doing chirps at different speeds, 1/4 notes, 1/8 notes, 1/8 note triplets, etc. Once you get that start doing a 1-click orbit forward and a 2-click orbit back, then mix that up until alternating 1-click forward, 2-clicks back, 2-clicks forward, 1-click back... I hope that doesn't sound to basic, maybe I'm slow, but although I slack I still try to do these practice routines. I switch up the routine when I see some deficiency in my technique. I've done two hour practice routines twice a day sometimes and other times 30 minute routines. There are plenty of different ways you could switch this up, you'll probably find things that work better for you. I don't really worry about the speed of the record because if its fast you can hit every first beat or if its really slow do 1/16 notes, this is what I'm thinking you're trying to get at anyway.

Another suggestion is to get really nice noise canceling headphones. I always get screamed on for suggesting this but it really helped me with my fader timing, cancels out the click from the fader. When I record I always wear Bose Quiet Comfort noise canceling headphones now. They were a gift and I know they don't have a nice frequency range, etc., but its nice for getting away from concentrating on the fader too much. I heard Mix Master Mike describe scratching as patting your head and rubbing your stomach at the same time. I have to agree with him, so its also just a tough problem you're up against.

If you haven't read "The Art of Practicing: A Guide To Making Music From The Heart" I would really recommend it, Q-Bert posted something about it once. I know you can order it off Amazon, I found it at Borders in Detroit.
 
Sanguis Mortuum said:
Wait a minute, you just played a premixed CD while scratching over the top of it? And you call yourself a DJ?
Click to expand...

At the time of posting, I would always play a pre-mixed CD to start the night off because from the time it would start playing till about the time the CD was almost over, there would be no one at the club, and I didn't want to have to mix anything because I sometimes "waste" mixes.

Anyways, I feel like I have to comment on this now that I have it down. It all started when I started playing some MAD drums on Guitar Hero. I learned limb separation, which, if no one knows, is like if you're hitting a hi-hat every note, and something else in the off-beat. I don't even scratch that much anymore though because people don't notice it or think it's part of the song. Take for example "Baby Got Back". If I were to loop a part of the instrumental without it, and then scratch exactly the same way as done on the track, people would either not notice it or just think it's the original song.

But yeah. Practice, practice, practice.
 
Sanguis Mortuum said:
Wait a minute, you just played a premixed CD while scratching over the top of it? And you call yourself a DJ?
Click to expand...
This might be the most ignorant post ive seen in a while.

A dj is:

Anyone that plays music to a crowd of people to dance to.

No matter what you use, if you are playing music to a crowd of people then you are a DJ. Who gives a **** if its a pre-made CD. I dont DJ like that and it would be different if he played a pre-mixed CD and claimed he was really mixing the whole time but he didn't. I know people that are considered the number one house-party DJ in the area and a few of them use just a mouse/laptop setup. Are you saying they aren't DJ's?

You sir, are very dumb.
 
Skool.Yard.Mafia said:
This might be the most ignorant post ive seen in a while.

A dj is:

Anyone that plays music to a crowd of people to dance to.

No matter what you use, if you are playing music to a crowd of people then you are a DJ. Who gives a **** if its a pre-made CD. I dont DJ like that and it would be different if he played a pre-mixed CD and claimed he was really mixing the whole time but he didn't. I know people that are considered the number one house-party DJ in the area and a few of them use just a mouse/laptop setup. Are you saying they aren't DJ's?

You sir, are very dumb.
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Lol damn straight. To be honest, it's not even MY mix CD hahahaha. I still play it occasionally because I don't feel like mixing, and I can walk about the club and stuff. Bleah. Like I said, the first hour and a half are dead.
 
Skool.Yard.Mafia said:
I know people that are considered the number one house-party DJ in the area and a few of them use just a mouse/laptop setup. Are you saying they aren't DJ's?

You sir, are very dumb.
Click to expand...

Are you ****ing retarded? There's a big difference between playing from a laptop where you're still choosing the tunes and playing a pre-mixed CD. There's nothing wrong with playing using Serato/Traktor, it's exactly the same as playing vinyl just using a different medium, and I never said anything that would indicate otherwise, dumbass.

Skool.Yard.Mafia said:
A dj is:

Anyone that plays music to a crowd of people to dance to.
Click to expand...

Actually, most sources seem to define a DJ in something approximating the following: "a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience". I especially stress the word 'selects'. If there is no selection taking place, which is especially the case here since the above post says that it wasn't even his own mix CD, then I maintain that this is not DJing.
 
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Practise one handed techniques, and always keep it on beat. Practise to varied genre and tempo tracks, and make sure you practise at least 15 mins everyday, i havent for ages, and i suck even more now.
 
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