Scratch Live - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Scratch Live is a vinyl emulation software

Vinyl Emulation Software

Vinyl emulation software allows the user to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer using the turntables as an interface, thus preserving the hands-on feel of deejaying with vinyl while allowing playback of audio recordings not available in phonograph form...

application created by New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

based Serato Audio Research

Serato Audio Research

Serato Audio Research is an Auckland, New Zealand based software developer, specialising in audio production and performance tools. It was founded in 1998 by Stephen West and AJ Bertenshaw who developed a timestretching and pitch-shifting Pro Tools plugin, Pitch 'N Time.With that technology they...

, distributed by and licensed exclusively to Rane Corporation. Serato was first known for its popular Pro Tools

Pro Tools

Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...

plug-in Pitch N Time which was sold predominantly to the film industry However, since its debut in May 2004, Scratch Live has become Serato's main product focus, and as such, Scratch Live is often referred to simply as "Serato" within the DJ

Disc jockey

A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...

and music scene.

Scratch Live allows manipulation and playback of digital audio

Digital audio

Digital audio is sound reproduction using pulse-code modulation and digital signals. Digital audio systems include analog-to-digital conversion , digital-to-analog conversion , digital storage, processing and transmission components...

files (mp3, wav, aiff, ogg and non-DRM aac) using traditional vinyl turntables

Phonograph

The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...

or CD players via special timecode vinyl records or CDs. It seeks to cross the divide between the versatility of digital audio

Digital audio

and the tactile control of vinyl turntablism

Turntablism

Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer.The word 'turntablist' was coined in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records, and one who performs by touching and moving the records, stylus and mixer...

and has become the industry's dominant digital DJ'ing tool.

Video SL

In 2008, Serato released the first major plugin for Scratch Live, Video-SL. It allows the playback of video files in similar fashion to audio files. Users can apply effects in real time and mix between video independently of audio.

A demo copy can be installed and used but a watermark is displayed on the main output screen. Activation is done via a serial number.

DJ Intro

This is the latest software from Serato. This new software is based around all-in-one controllers such as the Numark Mixtrack Pro. This innovation makes it where:
Two tracks can be mixed simultaneously using traditional DJ controls - scratch, nudge, pitch bend, EQ. Serato Sync locks tracks together for seamless grooves. Serato Crates make audio file management easy and advanced iTunes integration gives you instant access of personal library and playlist information. Cue points allow you to quickly access specific parts of songs. Loops repeat selected sections and can create new intros, outros and extended mixes. DJ-FX will enhance any DJ set, allowing you to color songs and create unique sounding transitions. The Sample Player can play up to four short samples, audio loops, sound effects or full length tracks in addition to the two tracks you're mixing. Plug-and-Play connectivity makes it simple and fast to setup your supported Serato DJ Intro controller, computer and software and start DJing.

Itch

In 2008, Serato announced the development of Itch, an integrated software and hardware system similar to Scratch Live but tied to hardware controllers and with a more simplified interface. Compatible hardware included the Vestax

Vestax

The Vestax Corporation of Japan began in 1977 as a designer and manufacturer of electronic guitars. In the 1980s Vestax introduced a series of cassette based multitracks to challenge established products from Fostex, Yamaha and Tascam's portastudios...

VCI-300 and the Numark

Numark (DJ equipment)

Numark Industries is a global DJ equipment brand. It makes DJ mixers, turntables, and DJ CD players. Recently, it introduced DJ DVD mixing consoles. Numark has also started to build upon the world of computer DJing through its own mixing software called Cue...

NS7.
The controllers connect via USB and use the MIDI Protocol to communicate with Itch. Since Itch's original release, new controllers and accessories have been released by Numark, Vestax, Denon, and Allen & Heath. These include:

Allen & Heath Xone DX - All-in-one contoller with four channel mixer layout. Allows four deck control/playback(compared to two with other current hardware) and fx control.

Denon DN HC5000 - Rackmount controller with touch sensitive jog wheels and displays with two line character text support. Compatible with optional CD/DVD drive.

Numark NSFX - Matching fx controller for the NS7. Unlocks and allows control of Itch's fx section.

Numark V7 - Single deck style controller modeled after NS7. Features A/B function for two deck control from one V7. When using two decks, the controllers are linked via an RJ45 ethernet cable so that only one USB port is used, which also allows seamless transition between DJs by plugging into the free USB port. Also features built in fx control.

Vestax VFX-1 - Matching fx controller for VCI-300. Unlocks and allows control of Itch's fx section.

There is also the forthcoming Numark X7 digital mixer which is rumored to allow full four deck control when combined with four V7s.

Custom hardware

Scratch Live currently works in conjunction with five application specific audio devices designed and manufactured for the system by Mukilteo, Washington-based Rane Corporation.

SL4

The latest audio interface is the SL4. It is the first standalone DJ interface with two USB 2.0 ports for seamless DJ changeover and back-to-back performances. Similar to the SL3 it also has 96 kHz, 24-bit audio. The SL4 has built in galvanic isolation between USB and audio, with turn on/off muting. The unit also includes Low-latency ASIO and Core Audio drivers which allow the SL4 to be used as a studio production tool with third-party software applications.

SL3

The SL3 is another audio interface for Scratch Live. Features include a USB 2.0 interface, improved dynamic range (120 dB), improved audio performance (24 bit converters) and additional audio channels with AUX input and output. The extra channel allows the DJ to record his/her music set, use a sampler while performing or connect a third player for three deck mixing.

SL2

The SL2 is the audio interface set to replace the older SL1 interface. The unit has 2 inputs which can be used both as phono or line input, but unlike the old SL1 interface it doesn't have a microphone input and it has only 2 line outputs and no 'thru' outputs. It also features improvements to the sound quality. Whereas the SL1 interface had 16-bit 44.1kHz audio, the SL2 now has 24-bit 48khZ audio with USB2.0 and Core Audio/ASIO support.

SL1

The SL1 is a multi-channel, USB 1.1 external soundcard. The unit has inputs for two stereo turntables or CD players and one unbalanced microphone. There are two stereo line level outputs and two 'thru' outputs which provide a copy of the input signal to enable playback of regular vinyl records or CDs. ASIO drivers are available for the unit to allow it to be used by other Windows applications as a multi channel sound interface. There are no Core Audio drivers for Macintosh based computers. The SL1 interface is no longer in production, but is still supported.

MP4

A 19" rack mount DJ mixer based on the MP2, incorporating the sound card functions of the SL1. The MP4 allows you to record your set digitally within the Scratch Live software over the USB interface. The mixer is recognized by Windows as a 4x output 2x input soundcard so it can be used with any windows application. Also provided are ASIO and Core Audio

Core Audio

Core Audio is a low-level API for dealing with sound in Apple's Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. It includes an implementation of the cross-platform OpenAL library....

drivers for use in audio applications on both Windows XP and Mac OS X.

TTM 57SL

A DJ mixer combining the functionality of the SL1 with an application specific control surface based on the popular TTM56 scratch mixer. It also contains added effects not available with the TTM56 or bare SL1 set-ups.

TTM 57SL specifications

Four main stereo inputs all of which can accept both line and phono level signals. Two of these inputs can be used at any one time for controlling Scratch Live or playback of a phono or line level source. The inputs use RCA jacks.
Two input buses can output any four inputs and both analog and digital signals.
Non-contact magnetic faders on both channel faders and crossfader and slope on all faders is completely adjustable.
One stereo line input without EQ for playback of other sources on RCA jacks.
Input gain with left/right pan with 3-band, full cut EQ with kill switches
Internal effects including default LFO filter and echo with six possible insert points to pre- or post-channel faders for Program 1 and Program 2, main mix, and aux input bus.
A balanced microphone input with two band EQ on a 1/4" TRS jack.
A stereo effects loop with 1/4" Jack connectors.
Three main stereo outputs providing balanced outputs on XLR
XLR connector
The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins...

and TRS Jack connectors and unbalanced output on RCA jacks.
Two record channels can record pre- or post-channel faders for Program 1 or Program 2, main mix, or aux input bux
Two headphone connections providing both 3.5 mm and 1.4" jack connections
1/4" TRS Jack for connection of a three button momentary action footswitch.
Programmable switches and joysticks for software control of cue and loop points.
An IEC 60320 C14 power connector
Power connector
Power connector may refer to:* AC power plugs and sockets* Industrial power plug* DC connector* Blade connector, commonly found in cars for quick connection of wiring to electrical components* IEC 60309 , so-called "Commando" plug and socket...

- the mixer has a universal power supply that can accept any AC voltage 100-240V making it possible to use the same mixer anywhere in the world without changing a setting or the use of a transformer.
USB firmware updates possible directly through Scratch Live program.

Sixty-Eight

Announced at NAMM 2010, the Sixty-Eight is a 4 channel club style mixer with 2 separate USB inputs. Via ScratchLive 2.0 it adds support for up 4 real or virtual deck combinations.

Supported third party accessories

Serato have begun working in supporting third party players/controllers with the Scratch Live software. These controllers are "natively" supported and do no require the use of the timecode CDs, all playback and control information is sent over USB. The following are the currently supported native controllers:

Denon HC 1000S
Denon HC 4500
Denon HD 2500
Novation Dicer (versions 2.1 and above)
Numark NS7
Numark DMC2
Numark iCDX
Pioneer CDJ-2000 (versions 2.1 and above)
Pioneer CDJ-900 (versions 2.1 and above)
Pioneer CDJ-400
Pioneer MEP-7000 (versions 1.9 and above)