Scratch Editor
The Scratch Editor lets you record or draw vinyl-style scratch patterns, then save them as reusable audio in the Library. It works with a supported MIDI controller or its on-screen controls.
WARNING
The Scratch Editor was primarily designed for supported MIDI DJ decks. The on-screen virtual deck, including its trackpad and keyboard controls, is an experimental, less expressive fallback when no deck is available.
Open a scratch session
Right-click a timeline clip or a Library item and choose Open in Scratch Editor. This opens a separate scratch session; it does not change the clip you opened.
In Backing deck, choose the material to play under the scratch:
- Select one or more Tracks.
- Choose From: Start begins at the start of the project, while Playhead begins at the current playhead.
- Choose a Length of 60s, 120s, or Full.
- Click Build.
On a supported MIDI deck with a mapped Cue control, press Cue to run the same Build action with the current Tracks, From, and Length settings.
Use the backing controls to play or stop the prepared backing. The Backing and Monitor level controls balance the backing and scratch sound while you work.
Record a scratch
Click Record to arm recording. Nothing is recorded until you first touch or move the platter. Click Cancel before that first touch to disarm it. Once recording begins, click Stop to finish the take.
With a supported MIDI deck, use its platter and crossfader to perform the scratch. If the controller has a mapped Headphone Cue / PFL control, press the button for the physical deck you want to use for the scratch session.
Experimental virtual-deck controls
Use these controls only when you do not have a supported MIDI deck:
- Trackpad: use a two-finger pan over the virtual platter. Moving right or down scratches forward; moving left or up scratches backward. The platter releases shortly after movement stops.
- Tap: use Tap to toggle platter hold to hold the platter, then tap again to release it.
- Mouse: click and drag around the platter to scratch while dragging.
- Crossfader cut: press the configured Scratch crossfader cut key to close the crossfader, then press it again to reopen it. Set this to Z or M in Edit ▸ Preferences… ▸ Effects.
Edit a pattern
Click Play to hear the recorded pattern, or Clear to remove it and start again. The platter and crossfader lanes show the recorded movements. You can add, drag, delete, or nudge their points to refine the pattern, and use undo or redo while editing.
Scratch realism
Choose Scratch realism in Edit ▸ Preferences… ▸ Effects to control the character of held-platter scratching. It softens the sound while the platter is held and adds a little groove texture; it does not affect regular timeline clips. Off is the clean, direct response, while Medium and High add progressively more vinyl character.
Save your scratch
Click Save in the Scratch Editor footer to keep the editable pattern and bake the recorded scratch actions into a new (or updated) reusable Scratch sample in the Library. Drag that sample onto the timeline and edit the resulting clip like any other clip. Saving closes the editor; it does not replace the timeline clip that opened the session.
If you close with unsaved changes, Unsaved Scratch Pattern offers Don't Save or Save. Saving keeps the pattern so you can continue editing it; use the footer Save when you are ready to create or update its Library item.
Scratch shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Play or pause the backing | Space |
| Build the backing | B |
| Arm, cancel, or stop recording | R |
| Play or stop the scratch pattern | P |
| Clear the pattern | C |
| Close the editor | Esc |