This lesson introduces a scratch technique called the Cut. The Cut removes the sound of the backward stroke by closing the crossfader before the pullback. The examples combine Cuts with quarter-note Baby Scratches.
Below is the original transcript from the video.
Hey, what’s up? In this video, we are going to go over the cut. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out our baby scratch series because it covers the basics of how to count music. That way, you will be familiar with what we’re about to cover. In our last series, we covered the drop, which is similar to the cut. Like the drop, we are going to start by releasing the record, but this time we are going to close the crossfader just before we pull back to the start of the sample. Closing the fader before the pullback eliminates the sound of the backward stroke. Now that I’ve explained that, let’s get started!
We are going to release on beat one, close the fader, and pull back on beat two; release on beat three, close the fader, and pull back on beat four. Then, in the second measure, we are going to baby scratch four quarter notes. Let me do that one more time. I’m going to release on beat one, close the fader, then pull back on beat two; release on beat three, close the fader, and pull back on beat four. Then I’m going to baby scratch four quarter notes. The tempo is at 85 beats per minute. Here we go!
Rhythm 1
Let’s play that rhythm again, but this time we are going to play it two times for a total of four measures. Those that have been here from the start, I’m pretty sure already know this, but I’m going to be on the safe side and say it anyway. It may take a little bit of time to execute clean cuts, but like with everything else we’ve covered thus far, with practice it will work itself out over time. Let’s go!
Rhythm 2
Let’s take a look at the third example. But before we start, let’s break it down so you can have an idea as to how the example is to be played. In the first measure, we are going to baby scratch four quarter notes. In the second measure, we are going to release on beat one and cut on beat two, then baby scratch beat three and beat four. We are going to play this two times for a total of four measures. Alright, here we go!
Rhythm 3
Let’s move onto the fourth example. Before we start, let’s break it down again so you know how the example is to be played. In the first measure, we are going to baby scratch four quarter notes. In the second measure, we are going to release on beat one and cut on beat two, then baby scratch beat three and beat four. We are going to play this four times for a total of eight measures. Alright, here we go!
Rhythm 4
Thanks for watching! I hope that you were able to get a lot out of this lesson. For extended lessons, be sure to check out our premium content at scratchingmadeeasy.com. If you have any comments, please leave them in the comment section below. Hit that subscribe button! See you next time! Peace!
FAQs
1. Why can it take time to execute clean Cuts?
Clean Cuts can take time to execute because the technique requires practice to become cleaner over time.
About the Authors
Jason E. Bullock and M. Dwayne Bullock (DjRoninTokyo) are the creators of Scratching Made Easy and the authors of Scratching Made Easy Turntable Method Book 1: A Guide to Scratching. They created a scratch notation system that uses standard musical notation to apply fundamental music concepts to scratching.
Pt. 1 → Pt. 2
Continue to: How I Learned to Cut with the Cross Fader | Cutting Scratches (Part 2)
