Re: [microsound] Final Scratch -- was Re: [microsound] Make your own vinyl

[-nacht- <nacht@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Heya microsound list, just joined.

Tobias, I have Final Scratch 2.

> Has anyone here been working extensively w/ Final Scratch in live
scenarios?

I use it both to DJ with, as well as a seperate live instrument.

> After seeing several high-profile failures of the rig over the past few

I have had final scratch 2 fail on me a number of times. The general
scenarios where Final Scratch generally fail are to do with dirty needles,
where the Scratch Amp isn't able to get a steady clean signal. The solution
to this generally is to bring a set of needles with you and make sure you
get to the venue on time. Most Dj's and/or turntablists I know generally
take their own needles out with them.

The second one is accidentily having the firewire kicked out, will cause
Final Scratch to give you the middle finger or worse give you a false zero
reading. ie. start of the song is some random point in the middle of the
vinyl.

> years, it appears the bugs have far to be overcome to produce the
> reliability of wax ..
FS2 is certainly better than its predecessor.

> I'd like to be able to use it as a controller for far more experimental
> material (as I am a turntablist, and I play the decks as an instrument),
but
If you intend to scratch with FS2, be prepared for a bit of practice as the
altency is a bit of a pain. Simple things such as crabs will start sounding
a bit weird without tuning your setup properly.

> I don't wish to sink the kind of money necessary for a FS rig without
> guaranteeing its live-performance stability and durability .

I've had FS for awhile now, and teh jury is still out whether I like it or
not. When it comes to practicing scratching I'm back to real vinyl.

> I'm also wondering if FS can replicate the following:

> - banging on the turntable to produce low end resonance

not as reliable as normal vinyl since banging the turntable only makes the
timecode skip or jump, so you get random glitches noises as Traktor skips
through the MP3.

> - banging on the tonearm to skip the needle at random points

Yes works just like normal vinyl

> - burning the digital timecode vinyl

Gives you weird timecodes. If you have just burnt it in such a way that it
just warps the vinyl you get time stretch effects. Generally you've jsut
destroyed one of your limited FS vinyls :)

> - removal of groundwires to stimulate line feedback hum at variable points

nope, as the sound comes from the scratch amp, which is fed from the
computer

> - physical finger manipulation of the needle to produce fibrous scratching

this is just the needle being maniopulated but once again when you are using
final scratch and not the through channel, you're jsut manipulating the
timecode, not the audio itself.

> - needle burning

don't have that much money :)

If you can afford it, i'd say go for it. If you are seeking to invest in
some kit, and your funds are limited, try it out in teh stores or borrow a
friends finals cratch kit. I'm still not sure if I've have bought a very
expensive toy.

my .02c

<Nacht />


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