Lately I have been receiving many questions about whether it is possible to learn how to scratch on a portable scratch DJ setup.
The simple answer is YES and here is my take on it:
Main Considerations
- Portable turntables are currently not designed for scratching – this may change!
- They are belt driven and are less powerful than turntables normally used for scratching.
- A lighter touch is required to avoid moving the turntable / fader too hard and also to prevent needle skipping.
- This can help you develop a greater level of record control.
- A relaxed, lighter touch can help you in the long run – your scratches can sound better and flow smoothly.
- The platter is smaller so you have less vinyl surface area to play with and again this can actually be great for record control.
- Test out if you like scratching before you invest in a professional setup.
- Lower initial £$ outlay.
- They feature all the benefits of portablity in a controller sized package but with the feel and sound of real vinyl.
- If you do decide to stick with scratching and upgrade to a full setup – the portable is a fun option to have for when you want to switch things up.
- You might find you scratch differently in a fun, relaxed manner.
- Be patient and relax. Less is more!
Demo
Here is a rough demo of what is possible on a portable set up.
Setup Information
- The Ultimate Guide to Portable Scratching – details my setup and other options.
Links
- Portablist – great site covering all things portable scratch related.
- Open Format – another great site with some super cool DVS options.
- School of Scratch – Learn how to scratch with me in my online School. Super fun, super and friendly, you are more than welcome to join our Supa Scratch Crew!
Summary
If you have any questions about scratching on a portable setup, leave them in the comments below.
If you are already rocking a portable setup – what equipment do you use and what are your top tips for the best portable scratch experience? You can share with us in the comments below.
Happy Scratching! 😀
– Emma Short-E
This is the only setup I’m using right now, and I’m one of Emma’s students. If you have any questions, feel free to get hold of me.
Lance! Thanks for sharing and for the offer of answering questions! Appreciate your generosity!
Emma – are you aware of this?
https://www.facebook.com/7portablescratcher/?fref=nf
Somebody is trying to build a prototype of an all in one unit with an Innofader inside it!
If they had a prototype (that actually worked) and a Kickstarter I think that could be a massive success!
Oh yes it looks super cool!
Thanks for offering dude. Is this the only setup you’ve used or did you start with a full size turntable then move onto this afterwards? Also when you go between the two (regular and portable) how long does it take you to adjust? I.e. If you learned a new scratch on one can you quickly transition over to the other one and replicate it?
Hey, man. I’ve run the whole gamut – brace yourself: Started scratching on a Traktor controller. Bought a couple Technics last summer and continued on those. Convinced myself that they were taking up too much space, and went back to a Reloop controller. Bought my Numark PT-01 portable about a month ago, and breathed a sigh of relief to be back on vinyl. The Reloop is currently up for sale (great platform, but still doesn’t have the physicality of vinyl).
Long story short, it is not terribly difficult to switch between platforms – that’s 4 total for me in 12 months. Smaller platters are slightly more difficult perhaps, but also teach you more control. I am actually really comfortable on 7″ vinyl. I tend to hang on close to the label on a 12″ anyway.
I will be getting a new 12″ table and a mixer in the coming months, but I’m not in a hurry. The Numark is surprisingly scratchable, and has the bonus of portability if you spring for batteries (scratching on the front porch or at the park for the win).
Hey man thanks for getting back to me – sounds like you’ve seen it all! Controllers were the first thing I looked at tbh and I was considering a Reeloop Beatpad 2. The main reason for this was another DJ on YouTube reviewed a whole bunch of them and that one seemed to be the best for what I was willing to spend. But then the more I dug into it the more I realised that the people who were scratching on controllers (really well) were seasoned beasts who had learned on Vinyl to begin with haha. The only one that really stood out as anything close was the Numark one with the spinning platters and 7″ vinyl on top – but it costs 1000 pounds (ish) in the UK. When I saw Emma ripping it up on the Handytrax I was totally blown away. It seemed almost too good to be true when I saw the price of the Numark so I was kinda sceptical about the skills required to scratch on it properly. There’s a couple of videos of Emma and Ritchie Ruftone ripping the shit out of them – but they’re both top level turntablists… I feel more at ease now though after this video. Gonna grab one, start with the basics and see where we go from there. I asked a couple of questions in the thread above – would you mind answering them?
The Beatpad 2 is really nice – that’s what I am selling (via Amazon). Reloop’s jog wheels are the best non-motorized ones in the business. If you decide to go with a controller, that’s a great choice.
Ok – finally got myself a Numark PT-01 (managed to get a bargain on Gumtree) and I have a Jesse Dean fader in the post. I decided to go with the JD as I’ve no idea which way I’m gonna cut so I figured that would work as it works both ways. Took me a while to find a good deal on the Numark and I was also waiting for Ritchie Ruftone to get the fader in stock – but FINALLY I’m on it! Cant wait to get started and find out how badly I suck. I’ve also ordered one of Ritchie’s “Practice Yo Cuts” 7 inch and I’m on the hunt for more wax. I’m gonna get the Super Seal (if I can get it in stock anywhere) and a couple more to play with. Any other vinyl recommendations?
PYC 7″ is my current favorite. Super Seal is obviously a classic, and I also just picked up Combinations with Rhythm & Flow. DJ Brace also released a cool one a few months back, but you might have a hard time finding it. If you’re in the USA, check out Mega DJ Center – they have the best selection of all the online outlets that I’ve found.
I’m 100% gonna get a portable setup to learn. Couple of questions. HOW MUCH better is the Vestax than the Numark and would I even know the difference from the jump? The Numark seems really easy to get hold of. Also I asked Ritchie Ruftone on Facebook and he recommended another fader called the “Jesse Dean” that he prefers… Again would I be able to tell the difference between that and a Raiden Fader? A a few videos that I’ve watched mention that these 7″ vinyl’s are hard to come by and are often limited edition. When you start out do you just murder and scratch the shit out of the vinyl (meaning you need to buy extra ones)? How many copies of these records do you guys normally buy to cover you seeing as they’ll likely never be available again? Can you use one of these small portable turntables with a software interface like Serato and Tracktor? I gather that you need a special mixer for that but I saw that Emma had put up a link to some custom Serato vinyl made for portable scratching? I feel like an asshole for asking so many questions but I’m pretty pumped to play around with it!
That Jesse Dean fader is new. The special thing about it is that it cuts on both sides. Raiden faders only cut on your normal side.
Folks seem to think a Handytrax is slightly better, but they are longer out of production and way more expensive. In totally happy with the Numark.
When you start out, you only need a few records. Longer sounds are better for beginners. I would recommend mini Super Seal, which is a classic, and mini Practice Yo Cuts is my favorite. I wouldn’t worry about the records wearing. That does happen, but not quickly. These 7 inches aren’t cheap, and you’d spend a fortune buying doubles.
You can make or buy control vinyls for DVS later, but I highly recommend not complicating your setup at the beginning. Working “blind” without waveforms, etc. has been the best thing for me!
By “longer sounds are better”, I meant to explain that many of the other vinyls have busy, complicated sounds on them. A couple “aaah” and “freshhh” is all you need when learning. The two I mentioned shouldn’t be too hard to find, and are good for beginners. If you decide to collect others, fine, but not necessary.
Dude, thank you so much for your input! I’m gonna get a basic setup with the Numark and a Raiden to play around with. I’ll pick up Ritchie’s vinyl and the Super Seal one. Send me a link to anything you’ve got online I’ll happily watch it!
Aloha folks! New member here, I was just wondering if any of you have purchased the Numark PT01 Scratch yet?
Aloha! Rocking it myself. It’s fun!
Hello! Is it still belt driven?
Yes it is.
yes!
Ok i have a question. Is there any step by step to learn scratching or its all about techniques which defer person to person?
Yes, I have put together a comprehensive course and step by step program which you can find here: https://schoolofscratch.com Happy Scratching! 😀
Ok. But i was asking about the types i mean is it have to be like first practice this(suppose chirp) then that(flare) kind of manner or i can practice any one i like first then the next one regardless of the manner?
I recommend practicing in an order where you learn the basic scratches first. If you look at the link to the school I show the order I teach, which made the most sense to me when I was learning:
Baby Scratch
Drops
Forward Scratch
Reverse Scratch
Stab Scratch
Transformer Scratch
Chirp Scratch
Flare Scratch
Crab Scratch
Slice Scratch
Tears
Dicing
2 Click Flare
Twiddles
3 Click Flare
This is not definitive and you could move some things around. There are also combos I have not listed which are in another course.
Once you know some scratches you can then start to practice them together and start using them together in freestyles.
Hope that helps!
Can i say i love you. Thank you so much..