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Final Scratch – Is it really an evolution?
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krelm
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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648
Posted : Aug 7, 2003 15:00
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From the above descriptions and what I have read previouslz about it myself, it sounds as though the main advantages with final scratch are more ones of convenience (carrying a laptop as opposed to a record bag/CD case), volume of music one can bring (100+ gig hard drive), and durability of music (ie, lack of a physical medium to become damaged/scratched).
As far as the creativity or artistic level, though is there something else? Does or can this fundamentally change the art of DJing? Does this open up a vastly different toolbox for DJs (I don't count being able to carry more music as such) that is not existent with the more traditional setup of turntables or CDJs?
The fact that such innovators as Richie Hawtin and John Aquaviva have so wholeheartedly pushed this technology leads me to think there is something to it beyond the "convenience" aspect. But I am just not seeing it from everything I have read over the last year or two. If I had an extra 500 Eur to spend, I would probably go for a 3rd CDJ or a C-loops sampler.
Am I just missing something? 
I do welcome the inclusion of purely digital technology into DJing. While I have yet to see the current incarnation Final Scratch as something which changes what DJs can fundamentally do, it does open a door to some really cool stuff in the future.
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Dr. Krelm DJ Mixes and Broken Symmetry archives - http://www.krelmatrix.com
Broken Symmetry on MCast - coming in 2007.... |
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krelm
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
67
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648
Posted : Aug 7, 2003 15:07
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forgot one thing in regards to the original poster's question....
regarding the mp3 mafia, I don't see final scratch driving it any larger. it is still quite expensive and not as common at parties as CDJs, so I just don't see it making more of a demand for piracy.
If the common justification for downloading is that you can't afford to spend $15-20 on a CD, then you definitely won't have several hundred for final scratch. plus, you still technially need a pair of cdjs or turntables to use it. mixing programs like traktor have more of an effect now than something like final scratch will have still for many years.
this is a toy for people with some money to burn.
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Dr. Krelm DJ Mixes and Broken Symmetry archives - http://www.krelmatrix.com
Broken Symmetry on MCast - coming in 2007.... |
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Borris
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
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1581
Posted : Aug 7, 2003 20:28
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Used it a bit, wish i could afford it. amn't famous enough to be sponsored by them.
it has several advantages.
First of all closed looping. until now to have a closed loop u needed a special record made, now just tell the program it should loop the piece and it's looped.
second, I'm prepairing for a techno set. for 3 hours I need round 120 records (30 per hour + some optionality) 120 records is HEAVY!!! (and no, CDJ isn't an option, and i won't go into why not).
Third, the Digital domain factor, as well as what has been said about keeping the originals at home...
and Candy, the MP3 mafia (who haven't been using vinyls) and the Trance world in general (who don't really use vinyls either, when was the last time you saw a TurnTable at a party) have had their tool for a long time, it's called Traktor, and i know some DJ's use it.
BTW the new FS will have a traktor Grafic User interface on the comp instead of the proprietary linux proggy.
and I'm waiting for a 3 turntable version of FS.
Kinetic Honda GmbH, Worldwide Supliers of Quality noise.
Progression Sessions of the 3rd Empire! |
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omniholic
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
122
Posted : Aug 7, 2003 20:35
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...and another thing i forgot to mention, the Final Scratch software is just Linux embedded, it works within Windows, and also on Mac quite soon (if not already). |
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Pavel
Troll
Started Topics :
312
Posts :
8646
Posted : Aug 7, 2003 22:21
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Revolution baby yea!
Me, like!
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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Electronic Bungalow
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
115
Posted : Aug 7, 2003 22:26
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As Krelm said, the main advantages for those using FS now are of a more practical nature than anything else. That´s why I´ve mentioned in my earlier mesg that the concept is more interesting than the current implemenation.
I think there´s plenty of room for this product to develop and become a full-fledged revolution for djing. To start with, it would be nice to have tempo & key independent settings, which is quite easily done in the digital domain.
Now, one very nice thing about BOTH versions (the old and the Traktor-like one), and this changes the way a dj plays his set: The software displays on-line a graphic representation of the music being played dinamically, where you can see in advance the tune´s highs & lows, its breaks, their width, kick in & kick out and so on.
This plays a great deal helping the dj perform his gig. You can apply effects with precision, because you´re looking beforehand, on-the-fly at where to place them. Your mixing becomes more precise (it will not improve your taste, you´ll still be able to make Sphongle sound miserable if that´s your trip, but will do this with far more precision). Also, you´ll become much more demanding regarding the audio quality of your tracks, for you´ll be able to actually see those differences among gain levels which may destroy an otherwise nice mixing, and an array of infos only a waveform can supply you with. If you play a lot, and sometimes haven´t got the spare time to previously hear to the music you´re going to play in detail, you still may have a good perfomance with the help of the waveform display, thus meaning you need much less time to know your music and play it with precision.
AS for some issues regarding Operating Systems and other compatibility issues. Both versions of FS (1.0 the initial release one, and 1.1, the latest, which is powered by a Native Instruments, Traktor-like software interface). For the Windows environment, BOTH come with their special flavor of Linux bundled in. You install the whole package into your Windows based laptop or desktop without even noticing you are dealing with Linux, the only noticeable difference being at boot-up time, when you´re prompted to select if you want Windows or FS/LINUX to boot up.
The latest release, 1.1, comes with a second CD, which contains the MAC OS/10.2.3 (Jaguar) FS. So you´ll just have to choose which one you want to use.
I´ve got both versions, running them on Windows environment. I prefer the older version to the new one, maybe it´s a matter of personal taste, but I think the old one to be easier to use, more straightforward, the display is clearer and less crowded with options you´ll hardly use, and the display and behavior of the waveform seems to be more precise than in the new one.
As for the price, it´s not a breeze, but it´s not a hurricane either. In US, I´ve paid USD 500 dollars for the whole 1.0 pack, plus USD 49 for the 1.1 upgrade, plus USD 72 for the CDJ hardware upgrade.
The expensive side is that you may need to buy a laptop. And in my case, since I prefer to use it with vinyls, and as was mentioned before, it´s not usual to find one in a psy party, I had the extra expense of buying two turntables. But with FS 1.1, you´ll be able to use it in a regular CDJ assembly.
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Borris
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
45
Posts :
1581
Posted : Aug 9, 2003 23:48
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Heard DJ Luke Sender use it last night to whip a killer Techno set.
Candy, u act like MP3's and technology are our enemy.
Tehy aren't it's what people do with it that is...
Kinetic Honda GmbH, Worldwide Supliers of Quality noise.
Progression Sessions of the 3rd Empire! |
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Pavel
Troll
Started Topics :
312
Posts :
8646
Posted : Aug 11, 2003 21:45
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Quote:
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On 2003-08-09 23:48, Dr. Borris wrote:
Heard DJ Luke Sender use it last night to whip a killer Techno set.
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Luke Slater?
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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Borris
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
45
Posts :
1581
Posted : Aug 12, 2003 14:44
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Nope. DJ luke / Sender (Tresor)
Kinetic Honda GmbH, Worldwide Supliers of Quality noise.
Progression Sessions of the 3rd Empire! |
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Chi
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
26
Posts :
312
Posted : Aug 27, 2003 05:47
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Yes, and Jim Masters uses FS too...
He's the best techno dj i've heard! |
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KosMos
Drone
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
240
Posted : Aug 27, 2003 13:53
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it seems that almost everybody finds this evolution and not help towards mp3 mafia...
and i do, too...
even if every dj in a few years use it and it costs very cheap to buy it, we need to adjust to the needs of our times...
as Dr. Borris said... mp3s and technology are not our enemy...
in search for an answer... |
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Goanna
Started Topics :
5
Posts :
27
Posted : Feb 8, 2004 10:30
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Can someone explain what final scratch is and how it works ? |
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Kaz
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
2268
Posted : Feb 8, 2004 12:48
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Well, other than the fact that Plastikman promotes all Native Instrument stuff (used the FM7 VSTi on Closer, plays with Final Scratch from time to time), but that's because they give him money to do it 
As far as I can see, this just gives a very flexible way for DJs to work, with properly organized music libraries - instead of going through 15 CDs in your case looking for a techtrance track to play, you can just go to the directory you keep 136-138 bpm techtrance tracks and choose the one that fits the set best. Makes life a whole lot easier, and with Traktor's bpm counter and synchronize options, this would make the amount of time in order to get an accurate mix a LOT shorter.
You could do all this in hardware, just with all the DSPs involved you'd end up having a similar setup to the Final Scratch at $2000 minimum (if such a setup even existed, and it doesn't).
http://www.myspace.com/Hooloovoo222 |
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Dovla
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
43
Posts :
748
Posted : Feb 8, 2004 14:57
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when I first saw it on tv a couple of years ago it looked really awesome but back then I didn't notice the difference between 192 bitrate mp3s and wavs, so I can't say I support it in terms of quality, but I love the way it works and makes your entire collection easier to carry
on a side note I really hate the fact that mp3s still exist, we should have been using mp3pro at least a year ago and today they should have invented mp4...but that wouldn't be so lucrative for the industry I guess so they're slowing it down.
DJ Dovla | Interchill Records, Flow Records
www.dovla.info |
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