How to record scratches?

[Karol]

What's up people! I know that this seems to be a ridiculous question but, how can I record my scratches? I'm not a real DJ, don't do gigs and I don't juggle. Scratching is my only cup of tea. I don't have Tractor or serato. Do I have to buy an external sound card? so the sound from my mixer goes directly into my computer not through the speakers instead.

 

 

[Guest Symatic]

there's lots of ways to do it, but if your computer has a line in you could at least get started like that.
maybe list what kit you have so we can figure out what you can and cant do with it

[Karol]

I'd rather listen to the recorded audio while recording. How can I scratch without any sound. I can record with my headphones on as well.

Symatic. Here's my equipment:

Reloop 7000

Hak 360

Vestax pmc 06

Laptop with in buit microphone and only one 3.5mm input.

Edited July 18, 2018 by Karol

[Jam Burglar]

You don't need a soundcard but it will usually help a lot with the sound quality of your recordings. Send one of the outs from your mixer to your computer/soundcard, and a seperate out from your mixer to your amp/speakers.

 

If you have second mixer here's an easy trick for record monitoring (listening while you record). Use your main mixer to scratch: this mixer plays the scratching only (no beats going through this mixer). Run one output from this mixer directly to your computer, which is playing your beat. Run the other output from your first mixer to channel 1 on your second mixer. Then run your computer's audio out to channel 2 on your second mixer. Then use your second mixer to play the audio out from your computer AND the audio of your first mixer (which is playing the scratching only) at the same time and listen through that second mixer so that you can hear everything as you are recording. The amount of lag should be inconsequential.

 

If you don't have a second mixer, you may be able to record monitor with your 360 using the effects loop. I did this on my Rane 56 on occasion. You set up your effects loop so only your scratching deck is using the effects loop, then you run your effects send to a y cable, one goes to the computer to record the scratching, the other goes back into the effects loop return.

 

These are all relatively simple hardware solutions that don't require a soundcard but you will need some sort of recording software that will let you multitrack. I believe better soundcards will let you record monitor from the computer's audio out but I've never had a one.

[d00ban]

It's such a ball ache with a laptop sometimes. When I was recording a lot I found it much more simple to use my Zoom H4

[Guest Symatic]

Karol, with your setup I would do this:

 

Option 1:

Connect your Ecler 360 Effects Send (labelled "EFF" on the back of the mixer) to your Laptop input.

Connect laptop headphone output to Ecler mixer, to the channel you want your beat playing on. (assuming your beat is gona play on the laptop)

On the channel you use for skratching, engage the Effects button for that channel.

 

Now you should be sending only the skratches to the laptop, but not the beat.

In your recoerding software, mute the channel you are recording to whilst you are recording otherwise you will hear feedback.

 

 

 

Option 2:

if that doesnt work for some reason, you could use your 2nd mixer.

So set up the Ecler with your turntable going to one of the channels as normal, and the MIX output going to your Vestax channel 1.

Plug the SESSION output of your Ecler into your Laptop input, so you record only skratches.

Now plug the beat into channel 2 of the Vestax, and the master output of the Vestax going to the speakers, and set the crossfader to the middle position.

[Flexinoodle]

1 Check your manufacturers details for your laptop, their is a possibility that that mic input can actually be switched to line input in software.

2 If that is the case, switch it to line input and use the record out on the hak 360 to go straight in to that 3.5mm, that will allow you to record on the computer but the sound will still be coming out of your speakers from the mixer.

3 If you can not switch to line input in software panel for the laptops built in audio, you will need a cheap USB audio interface (your mic input will be distorted if not switchable to line) pretty much all cheap ass interfaces will do what you want if you just want to record your cut sessions and not make some beats or use DVS (trust me, this is not the case, but you will find that out later hahaha) so any old £10 usb line input interface will do, again send the record out of the Hak 360 to the line input and away you go

[Jam Burglar]

1 Check your manufacturers details for your laptop, their is a possibility that that mic input can actually be switched to line input in software.

2 If that is the case, switch it to line input and use the record out on the hak 360 to go straight in to that 3.5mm, that will allow you to record on the computer but the sound will still be coming out of your speakers from the mixer.

3 If you can not switch to line input in software panel for the laptops built in audio, you will need a cheap USB audio interface (your mic input will be distorted if not switchable to line) pretty much all cheap ass interfaces will do what you want if you just want to record your cut sessions and not make some beats or use DVS (trust me, this is not the case, but you will find that out later hahaha) so any old £10 usb line input interface will do, again send the record out of the Hak 360 to the line input and away you go

 

Sure I read all this, but what I'm hearing you say is "buy an RME".

[Flexinoodle]

I have one for sale if you want one

[kutabare]

Probably not the method you're after but I use a Roland VS880 EX hooked up the mixer.

 

 

It can record 64+ tracks of audio (8 at time) to an SD or CF card which can easily be imported in to a DAW. No computer needed, adds zero latency and boots in a couple of seconds.

 

They can be had for cheap on eBay. The EX model is backlit (with extra effects) which is beneficial over the original unit.

[Efhutton]

I wont get into a sound quality debate, cause i guess its subjective

 

But the difference in recording into the laptop versus into this tascam portastudio ive had for 15 years is obvious to me. I wouldnt hesitate to buy a new one. Its like $250 and worth it.(unless the new ones are crap compared to old ones)

[TBearOne8III]

all of the above comments are legit. i used to have a y plug on the back of my main outs on the mixer. one set went to a rca to line in plug which went into the line in/mic on the laptop. the other went to my amp or speakers. i personally have a few sets of basic computer speakers laying around the house. so if i only wanted to record the cuts, i would plug the computer speakers into the headphone jack of the mixer. drop out the line fader on the side thats just playing music. my mixers are capable of hearing both channels on a cue so even though that one line fader is dropped out, i could still hear the music. but seriously, you can get a cheap behringer sound card on amazon for $60.

 

Behringer umc22

 

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC22-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00FFIGZF6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=behringer+umc22&qid=1553970130&s=gateway&sr=8-3