Dat shit be pretty cool :)

freaking awesome, Mad Zach!!!!1

Damn you Mad Zach!! How am I suppose to get any work done with all these amazing sound packs. Loving my MF Pro LE, best controller I own :)

Great tutorial for a new Ableton user like me, this’ll really help me dive deeper into your awesome soundpacks and put them to use.  Keep the videos coming.

The “User Voice page” link is empty? – I’d love a tutorial on how to expand and add my own sounds to Mad Zach’s MF3D performance environment.

dope!

Great tutorial.  Appreciate it the clear explanation.

Great video! I would love to see something similar for Traktor Pro ;)

Great video! I would love to see something similar for Traktor Pro ;)

OK, that is pretty darn slick.

OK, that is pretty darn slick.

OK, that is pretty darn slick.

OK, that is pretty darn slick.

Good tips. It’s a nice alternative to the Dubspot tactic. http://dubspot.squarespace.com/blog/2009/4/14/pseudo-scratching-in-ableton-live-8.html

Good tips. It’s a nice alternative to the Dubspot tactic. http://dubspot.squarespace.com/blog/2009/4/14/pseudo-scratching-in-ableton-live-8.html

can we do that with Kontrol F1?

can we do that with Kontrol F1?

you can sort of do the noise scratch but unfortunately not the others because Traktor does not support pitch envelopes, and does not have a fully fleshed sampler. That said, Traktor can scratch already so maybe its not as relevant

you can sort of do the noise scratch but unfortunately not the others because Traktor does not support pitch envelopes, and does not have a fully fleshed sampler. That said, Traktor can scratch already so maybe its not as relevant

turntable + scratching = dinosaur

turntable + scratching = dinosaur

Thank you, man!

Thank you, man!

Strange – it’s loading fine for me… you’re just seeing an empty page? 

Strange – it’s loading fine for me… you’re just seeing an empty page? 

It works now.

It works now.

scratching – turntable = mediocrity

scratching – turntable = mediocrity

Except the fact, one is art one is gimmick…

You could never battle or improv like normal.

Everyone I find somethin I want to scratch with… I just do it. Don’t have to say ….. Hang on guys lemme set up my ableton to poser mode!

Except the fact, one is art one is gimmick…

You could never battle or improv like normal.

Everyone I find somethin I want to scratch with… I just do it. Don’t have to say ….. Hang on guys lemme set up my ableton to poser mode!

I do something similar. I have scratch sounds at different buttons on the xone 4d. Then use the cross fader to get that cut scratch sound. Good times. :)

I do something similar. I have scratch sounds at different buttons on the xone 4d. Then use the cross fader to get that cut scratch sound. Good times. :)

You are officialy awesome! Thanks for what you do and how you share it with all of us!

You are officialy awesome! Thanks for what you do and how you share it with all of us!

Bravo! Keep up the excellent trickery!
-One

Bravo! Keep up the excellent trickery!
-One

THanks Zack for listening when i asked for more ableton tutorials especially ones like this.

THanks Zack for listening when i asked for more ableton tutorials especially ones like this.

could you not map the knob to the pitch bend and turn key lock off? (i plan on giving that a try when i get home)

could you not map the knob to the pitch bend and turn key lock off? (i plan on giving that a try when i get home)

I’m sorry but no. This is silly. If you wanna scratch, then pick up a record and scratch. Using a gimmick to fool an audience is just not classy. It’s just a way to sound like you know how without practicing.

Fail.

I’m sorry but no. This is silly. If you wanna scratch, then pick up a record and scratch. Using a gimmick to fool an audience is just not classy. It’s just a way to sound like you know how without practicing.

Fail.

[...] In today’s hands-on video tutorial, join Mad Zach in his studio as he walks through three turntablism-style techniques he uses in Ableton Live to create dynamic performances with a Midi Fighter Pro. We’re also giving away a free template with all of… Read more [...]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/atrak/deadmau5-press-play_b_1694719.html this article is worth a read, I feel we are losing the art form of djing and just going for the easy option now

awesome! still wondering about the timing though with Ableton for scratch emulation. 

i attempted this a couple years back but had dummy clips looping with manually drawn in pitch envelopes, unlinked.  the result eliminated the need for an extra knob assigned to pitch envelope since the dummy clip would just ‘play’ pitch at a random loop, and then i just used one knob for the ‘cue point’ in sampler. honestly what you did sounds identical to what i came up with, but mine is waaaay more of a pain in the ass LOL. but again i wish the timing was tighter. i don’t think it’s a human error thing in this case. i’ll have to wipe the dust off my “ALLSCRATCH” rack and compare to what you have =). nice work! 

arghhhhhh…. i accidently deleted the email with Mad Zachs new ableton goodies.. any one know how i can get these PLEASE ! ! ! !

Seriously this is a joke right. Scratching is something that is done with a turntable an mixer and takes actual skill and practice to perform. It’s the same as a guitarist being able to express themselves in a solo. This is basically taking an art form and turning it into a video game and what’s worse is that the scratching sounds the same. No expression. If you want to add scratching to your sets do it the hard way and learn and practice on a pair of turntables cause this is just sad and honestly the real djs are laughing at this.

Like “real” musician laugh when a dj “play”.

If we still think “my art is better than yours”, the fighting never ends.

If you want to use a controller to DJ with that’s up to you and I don’t hate on that but to take something that was meant to be done with turntables and program it like a video game is just nonsense. All I’m saying is if you want to scratch learn to do it the right way. Like one of the posts above this is just the easy way of doing things and it doesn’t even sound good.

“take something that was meant to be done with turntables” – uh, aren’t you forgetting the basis of scratching and turntablism? None of it was meant to be done with anything; it all started off as tricks and record hackery. 

And let’s be real – there’s a LOT of mediocre scratching in the world by people who have learned how to do it “the right way”. The method by which someone creates a scratch-style sound is completely independent of their ability to make it sound musical and interesting. 

I think it’s great!!!! Nice work.

You’re right scratching was made by accident using what….a turntable and mixer. Maybe you’re listening to people who don’t really no how to cut and that’s what you’re comment is based off of but this method shown in the video is a joke because there’s no variation no expression which you can only get by doing it with a turntable and mixer. I can guarantee if you took someone doing this and had them perform it in front of a crowd then had the likes of qbert doing his thing the real DJ is gonna shine. This is just another way for the guys who don’t wanna take the time to learn how to do it properly. It makes it easy just like everything else and takes away from the craft

You can’t compare the two, turntablism started because they took something and used it for something that wasn’t intended. The same then happened 20 years later with laptops/controllers – but to be a controllerist is to layer tracks, utilize cue points, and to use extensive samples and effects. To use a sample of an action that by definition is more of a freestyle type of movement and to make it rigid and less fluid is just silly.

And not only that but the fact that a controllerist could easily hook up a turntable and incorporate it the right way just shines more light on the laziness involved. If I want to add controller routines to my set, I’m not going to just prerecord one anprerecord spin on my timecode vinyl. It would be stupid and pointless.

anyone who is offended by this tutorial must be very insecure. I clearly stated a million times this isn’t meant to replace normal scratching. Its just a cool sound design trick meant to teach people more about how to make cool sounds. P.S. most of the “scratch records” that people like qbert release are made using sound design techniques like this in the studio that they then press to vinyl and re-scratch. Understanding the mechanics behind this type of sound is interesting and informative. Its a production and performance technique and involves its own skillset: sound design, finger drumming, crabbing. There is no moral debate, its just a thing you can do. 

BEST DJTT TUT YET!

Get back to the sofa Grandpa!

“to make it rigid and less fluid is just silly.” 
I take it you haven’t downloaded the template and tried it for yourself? It’s pretty damn fluid and expressive. 

“there’s no variation no expression which you can only get by doing it with a turntable and mixer” 
You really don’t see variation and expression here? I highly encourage you to download the template and try it for yourself. Remember, this is just a technique tutorial – how it gets used creatively is a completely different step. The idea is that these techniques then allow people to create even more inventive and unique ways to perform. ”This is just another way for the guys who don’t wanna take the time to learn how to do it properly.”
Or perhaps for the guys who don’t have a need to incorporate turntables into an Ableton Live set – which would be nearly every Ableton performer I’ve ever seen. Stop trying to compare these techniques to scratching on vinyl. The resulting sounds are similar, but they both have completely different applications and potential uses. 

Maybe try this analogy on for size:
Turntablism:Unicycling :: Controllerism:Bicycling

turntable = hiphop

The template that does most of the work for you?

My knobs don’t work and I have a LE MF Pro

Mad Zach drops more science! Thank you sir for the education, always.

That’s super cool. Even though I’ve never even tried messing with Ableton, I find this stuff super interesting.

Best Tutorial I’ve seen in a long time – Well done Zack.

So next we add smart knobs to simplify?

Ok so you say this is a way for ableton “djs” can bring scratching into their sets so why not try and learn to actually scratch and incorporate a turntable and mixer into your setup. Like i said this is the easy way and no matter what I say you’ll have answer why I’m wrong and you’re right.

Most of the technics that you are describing take skill and practice to learn how to do using a turntable and mixer this method requires you to mash a button and turn a knob and although you’ll compare that to being the same as using a cross fader and your hand on a record it’s not. Just the word arcade crabbing doesn’t sound right. Being able to scratch is a skill and takes practice this does not anyone can do it very easily which goes back to my first point of this is just something else to make something that takes time and practice easier

Really you think turntabalism is a unicycle to controller ism as a bicycle. Ok next time you’re doing you’re controllerism take the sync off

Amazing. Short and to the point

let us know how it goes!

make sure you go into your midi preferences first “file/preferences/midi setup” and select “ON” for Track and Remote next to “Midi Fighter…”

using a turntable is a more advanced technique that allows you to get a totally different sound (and much more variation), not only that but you can get more dynamics. Thats why this isn’t meant to replace turntablism. However, arcade crabbing (and scratch macro’s in general) allow the player to take a traditional scratch skillset and apply it to principles like synthesis, sampling, and other elements of the digital revolution that aren’t accessible with vinyl. For example I like to integrate these macro’s into drumracks full of different drum and synth sounds so I can play a pad routine and implement crab style playing into a beat on the fly.

Great article! I added a little twist. I changed my sample from complex pro or beat to pitch. Then i mapped the bpm to a knob and adjusted the minimum and maximum. Its a little harder to control but works well if you have a knob with a notch in it so you can feel zero but I think it has a more authentic pitch variance then the pitch envelope.

great technique! it’s funny to navigate from a synth blog to here and see such similarities. over there, old people complaining about software and wishing for good old analog days. here, it’s the same debate. yes you may get more sound variation off of a record, but at the end of the day you’re still just rhythmically moving a fader or eq knobs while wiggling a record.

How can this be mapped to a traktor kontrol f1

[...] (source: DJ Techtools) [...]

great video. a tutorial for traktor pro 2 would be awesome

You gentlemen (Spacecamp and MZ) have done an admirable job of trying to satisfy this troll’s desires… but I am afraid his appetite may be insatiable. I’m sure others have benefited from your explanations though! :)

the same for traktor? what FX you need?

Thank you Zach, I already put it into practice, check it out! http://soundcloud.com/dafte/tribute-to-nujabes-unmastered – Are those samples royalty free? or should I take them off my song to sell? xP

Hey I’m far from a troll number one. Number two I always enjoy the articles and posts on techtools but this is one thing that I think should be left alone by controllerists. Like I said if you wanna learn to scratch pick up a deck and mixer and practice because there’s no reason you can’t add it to whatever setup you are using.

how can I get this to work with my apc20?

Jesus listen to you guys. Who cares its all performance regardless. Stop living in the close minded past and look forward. People now use everything from turn tables to controllers, cant STAND purist bulls**t about vinyl etc. Just love the music and stop complaining.

Can this work with the APc 40?

the drum rack is not recognizing the midi signal viva m audio keyboard …. ableton is – yet i cant get the play icons … :( any input ?

Great video dude, really helpful

where can i download them from?

AWESOME!I#ve been searching for this trick for a LONG time

thanks alot

hi zac
i downloaded the scratch template for ableton and only got the three sample scratches and thats it. Nothing else was in the drum rack. I called, and DJTT told me that’s all i was supposed to get. Is this correct? Bless

[...] In today’s hands-on video tutorial, join Mad Zach in his studio as he walks through three turntablism-style techniques he uses in Ableton Live to create dynamic performances with a Midi Fighter Pro. We’re also giving away a free template with all of… Read more [...]

Mad Zach I see you use the midi fighter. What else do you use in your studio? And, what do you use when playign a gig?

great video zach…the haters are jus upset because the ‘biggie’ skratch sounded so cool and on point.they probably couldnt even hit that with their turntable.i skratch on vinyl everyday and thought this was awesome.tell the haters that ‘one of the greatest tablist in the world’ D-styles,must be a bitch cuz he made that video skratching like a master onna vestax spin….if they are so HARDCORE,WHY USE DVS,WHY USE BATTLE RECORDS?-HYPOCRISY IS THE GREATEST LUXURY-disposable heroes.Props to you and ean and the whole DJTT team.its all part of being innovating…people are always gonna say ‘NO,NO, you arent real’…what is real?..real is being you,and sharing what you learn.

i cant get my biggie sample to fine tune….it keeps moving in chunks….any one who isnt a noob to ableton know how i can get my sample to move more smoothly….thanks……peace!

So they Nay Sayers suggest that if you want a scratch sound in a set, you must bring a turntable. So then it stands to reason that if you wanted to add a heavy guitar sound to a song, you should then be required to bring a guitar and amp as well. God help you if you wanted to open your set with a big orchestral piece..Coming from the mind set of a being a musician first, I have to say that if you play other peoples records (or CDs, MP3s WAVs etc) then you have absolutely no right whatsoever to judge how others can play the sounds the want to play. If it makes the people feel. then it is good. Great tut man! thanks!

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou…….

thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou…….

Is there any possible way to make the scratches using no knob? Like dynamic, so it changes frequency each time you press the button/key on midi controller?