The iScratch is a homegrown software that takes advantage of the the job wheel present on most iPods, the iPod by Apple runs on its own software made specifically for the iPod, however, both Apple and iPod software is Linux based so with a little computer wizardry, you can put linux on your iPod and that when the iScratch application becomes possible. It’s possible to install linux on an iPod because the iPod is essentially a hard drive, and this is even more possible with larger iPods where the storage campacity of the iPod is comparable with your average desktop.
So what does the iScratch iPod Djing program do? and how does a DJ take advantage of the iScratch?
Essentially the iScratch iPod DJing program is a native linux program designed to work on the iPod, and use the job wheel of the iPod to scratch music playing out, this gives iPod DJs the chance to perform turntablism on the iPod directly. You can check out the iScratch iPod Djing program here.
DJing on an iPod can be very different for a DJ compared to DJing on conventional DJ equipment. An iPod doesn’t react in the same way to a normal DJ Deck or DJ CD players, and the controls on the iPod are different, as such there are different ways to handle the iPod in a DJing context.
The iPod has a jog wheel, that is sensitive to pressure on rotation, this controls, the volume, and position in the track (and I’m confident some day will control pitch as well), pressing the iPod Job wheel north, gives you the menu and back button, east is fast forwards, wast is rewind and south is play and pause. the Center button on the iPod acts as the select or enter button.
Now that we have a clear idea of the iPod controls, lets look at cuing up a track.
Select playlist >> select the BPM playlist >> Select the track >> the track will automatically play so you want to hit pause on the iPod straight away >> assuming you have a fixed cue point, you’ll need to have noted down the time stamp of the cue point, click the center of the iPod jog wheel this brings up the time line, rotating clockwise or anticlock wise on the iPod jog wheel get to the cue point. The latancy of the iPod in this regards (latancy being the reaction of the controls of the iPod) is pretty good with virtually no delay.
Using the same technique above, you can also create loops although this takes lots of pratice on the iPod, as the controls are not as forgiving as that of a DJ turntable, this being said, if your loop is a few seconds long you can use the same technique as above as follows:
Follow the instructions above, once you play out the cue track, the screen will revert back to the static timeline>> hit the center iPod button, the editable time line will reappear>> rotating on the jog wheel, rotate back to the time stamp of the beginning of the loop>> the iPod will automatically restart the track from that point.
With a bit more refinement you can also create ’scratch-like’ effects as follows:
on the iPod with the track playing, click on the center iPod button to bring up the editable time line, rotate back to the cue time stamp, keep your finger on the iPod jog wheel, gently rock it in time with the rhythm/ beat, you’ll notice that as long as they iPod job wheel responses the track will rock back to that time stamp, making a stuttering type effect on the track. This is nowhere near as effective as true scratching, however, it can be a very effective sound effect in a DJ mix.
Other effects include rapidly presseing the play/pause button, pressing the pause button, pressing the centerl iPod control, rotating back to the cue time stamp, pressing play; and pressing the center iPod control whilst the track is playing, rotating back to the time stamp and letting the track playout.
Whilst these iPod techniques greatly enhance how you can control the music on an iPod when DJing, they do need loads of pratice and getting used to, but they will greatly make the effects and the experience of DJing with an iPod more fun and interesting.
Hopefully in the near future, there will be more functionality added to the iPod that will allow a DJ to control the iPod in a way more similar to DJ turntables or CD decks.
