Jump to content

How many people here still scratch?


Jon

Recommended Posts

I've just had a ganders at the very first DV posts (on this version of the forum) and I'd kind of forgotten how popular the forum was 6 years ago and how excited everyone was about new techniques, internet beef, the battle scene, the developing musical side of the scene etc. How many people here still scratch? If you do do you still train regularly wanting to progress your skills or it just a form of relaxation for you now?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just had a ganders at the very first DV posts (on this version of the forum) and I'd kind of forgotten how popular the forum was 6 years ago and how excited everyone was about new techniques, internet beef, the battle scene, the developing musical side of the scene etc. How many people here still scratch? If you do do you still train regularly wanting to progress your skills or it just a form of relaxation for you now?

 

I work on music pretty regularly. I scratch for fun in Boston with one of my scratch mates from Thought Control..and we too work on projects together. Sometimes we fuck around and work on a loop pedal joint.

 

I wouldn't say I'm doing a whole lot of music production via scratching though, other than the random loop pedal joint.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back when this version of DV started I was cutting almost every day. I was also playing gigs from time to time. Then there was 2ndHand's "scratch loft" where I'd meet him and Dub7 once a week for a few hour scratch session. Now I'd say I turn my decks on maybe once a month, and not for very long. I haven't played a gig for about 3 years. I doubt I'll ever sell my gear, but I'm just not into DJing any more.

 

I dunno if it's me that's changed or what. I got into hip hop in 1982 and I started messing about with scratching in about 1985 (If I ever get a working tape deck, I'll post some of my scratching from that era, lol). I remember listening to the top 3 1986 DMC sets on the Robbie Vincent show and that got me into buying the DMC videos and stuff. Nowadays if I download a hip hop album to check it out, there's probably a 90+% chance that I will never listen to it again, DJ battles do nothing for me, and only very occasionally do I hear some scratching that gives me an urge to get on my decks and have a cut.

 

I used to say "I can respect the skills but I just don't like listening to it" to Dee when he'd play me some guitar tunes, but now I love the guitar tunes and I'm saying "I can respect the skills......." about a lot of the stuff I used to think was great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^For me it's just time. I'd never sell my gear but I just am so busy with work, family and everything else I try and do in a day... never enuf time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i scratch lots still. mainly just for relaxation though. But I only really find it relaxing if i'm learning something new and at least feel im progessing. I'd like to have peeps to cut with but where I live at the min this is pretty impossible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i still cut every couples days generally.

im not really trying to learn anything new, sometimes im just chilling out doing it, other times i put abit more effort in and try and get creative.

but i still do it alot to keep me sharp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I practice every day but not for as long as I was a couple of years ago when i was cutting for 3-4 hours a day, mainly due to university and djing commitments. I'm still trying to push myself when I practice, I'm still in the mindset that I want to keep getting better and contribute. At the moment, because my course is finished for summer and I work part time and have the days free because I dj at night, I'm back to 5-8 hours a day of music a day (juggling, scratching, routines, mixtapes,production).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i find if i work that many hours or i concentrate on it too much i lose interest and overload myself.

so now i balance it between music and my bike.

 

EDIT: i like to do either little and often. just like revision bitesize taught me at school

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to cut daily but gradually producing's taken over and i barely ever scratch now. It was bpm the other year that put me off scratching, just hearing 5 hours a day of cutting ahh with nothing to make me really excited - not that people weren't good, it just wasn't very musical. It kind of killed the enjoyment of scratching in some way, thought its in part coincidental timing i think.

 

Back when this version of DV started I was cutting almost every day. I was also playing gigs from time to time. Then there was 2ndHand's "scratch loft" where I'd meet him and Dub7 once a week for a few hour scratch session. Now I'd say I turn my decks on maybe once a month, and not for very long. I haven't played a gig for about 3 years. I doubt I'll ever sell my gear, but I'm just not into DJing any more.

 

you should spend some time doing more on your UBB mix!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't really like scratching per se and I'm only learning it to jazz up my mixes. Jimmy taught me how to hold the crossfader properly at the weekend so now my cuts are 40% sharper and my Peter Piper juggle is pretty hot. Once I can do about three kinds of scratch I think I'll give up learning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I cut on average about once a week for about 10mins, often less, sometimes more. Actually had a cut with a mate on Saturday night (I rarely get to cut with and one), I was having a bit of an argument with Jack Daniels at the time though so it was pretty shit. Thing is whenever I get fired up to start cutting again and start to go all out it's only a matter of time before the RSI starts to resurface.

 

Mixing on the other hand is a whole different thing, I can't even remember the last time I had a mix (other than 5mins the other day when showing someone how serato works), when I play out it's all ableton & the apc at the moment, I wanna incorporate scratching into it but thats more equipment to lug around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I scratch occasionally. I can go a couple of weeks without doing it, only to spend a couple of hours a day for a week at other times. I'm pretty sure I hit a peak and let it slip a while ago, but I think I've just about pulled back a timing issue I got into. I disappoint myself when I scratch usually, which puts me in a crappy mood. I never mix anymore, I deleted most of my pirate mp3s and never got any more and I've got piles of wax I don't listen to any more. It's sort of a shame, I miss it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I scratch as often as being away from home 3 or 4 nights a week and having a girlfriend allows.

 

I do it because it relaxes me mentally and physically and I like the sound of it, but I also like learning techniques because it's engaging enough to stop me thinking about work stuff but still gives by head a break!

 

It's just a hobby at the end of the day

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i still scratch, i don't know why tho. it's pointless, i hate it, scratch music is dead and so on and so on..

i think i mainly use it to procrastinate and it has become sort of a tic such as chewing fingernails or whatnot..

sometimes it can be fun tho..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i still scratch, i don't know why tho. it's pointless, i hate it, scratch music is dead and so on and so on..

i think i mainly use it to procrastinate and it has become sort of a tic such as chewing fingernails or whatnot..

sometimes it can be fun tho..

 

You sound like a heroin addict!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i haven;t scratched for longer than a few mins in about a year or 2..

workin fulltime, college in the evenings, girlfriend, now gym & jujitsu, i spend any time alone i have just chillin. don't see my scratch mates as much these days as were all busy.

really want to get back into it, but haven't made a big push.

no routines have impressed me in years, that has made me hate the scene a bit, but also made me wanna make somethin creative that i'd enjoy if i ever get back into it.

 

i work in a record shop for christs sake, but we haven't got a mixer and deck setup at the minute coz we rennovated the shop... i used to practice a bit when we did

but we're now gonna do cut sessions in the shop once a month, coz we have a new counter that can accommodate about 8 decks...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...