Vinyl Emulation Software
Encyclopedia
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
form. This allows DJs to scratch
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
, beatmatch
Beatmatching
Beatmatching is a disc jockey technique of pitch shifting or timestretching a track to match its tempo to that of the currently playing track e.g. the kicks and snares in two house records hit at the same time when both records are played simultaneously...
, and perform other turntablism
Turntablism
Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer.The word 'turntablist' was coined in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records, and one who performs by touching and moving the records, stylus and mixer...
that would be impossible with a conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interface. The technology is also referred to as DVS for either Digital Vinyl System or Digital Vinyl Software.
Overview
Vinyl emulationEmulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
normally uses special vinyl records which are played on conventional turntable
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
s. The turntables' audio output - the timecode recording - is routed into an analog-to-digital converter
Analog-to-digital converter
An analog-to-digital converter is a device that converts a continuous quantity to a discrete time digital representation. An ADC may also provide an isolated measurement...
, or ADC. This ADC may be a multi-channel
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
ASIO
Audio stream input output
Audio Stream Input/Output is a computer sound card driver protocol for digital audio specified by Steinberg, providing a low-latency and high fidelity interface between a software application and a computer's sound card...
soundcard
Sound card
A sound card is an internal computer expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to and from a computer under control of computer programs. The term sound card is also applied to external audio interfaces that use software to generate sound, as opposed to using hardware...
or a dedicated external USB or firewire audio interface box (usually distributed with the software). The ADC sends digital time code information to the software, which then translates the signal into corresponding changes in the playback speed and position of a digital audio file. The manipulated audio output of the program is then sent back through the DAC or the computer's sound card, and into an audio mixer where it can be mixed like any other analog audio signal.
The result is digital audio playback that feels like it can be manipulated like a vinyl record. However, there is always a short delay between the needle's reading of the time code and the software's playback of the audio. This delay is usually between 6 and 30 millisecond
Millisecond
A millisecond is a thousandth of a second.10 milliseconds are called a centisecond....
s. The delay is treated as a figure of merit
Figure of merit
A figure of merit is a quantity used to characterize the performance of a device, system or method, relative to its alternatives. In engineering, figures of merit are often defined for particular materials or devices in order to determine their relative utility for an application...
for vinyl emulation products. A shorter delay allows the DJ to have better response and control of the music.
In some countries, for example Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, a digital DJ license is required to legally play copyrighted music with vinyl emulation software.
Software packages
Final ScratchFinal Scratch
Final Scratch is a DJ tool created by the Dutch company N2IT with input from Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva that allows manipulation and playback of digital audio sources using traditional vinyl and turntables...
was the first vinyl emulation software sold publicly. Since its release in 2001, many similar software and hardware packages have been developed and marketed.
The following applications are licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
:
- xwaxXwaxxwax is open source vinyl emulation software. It was initially developed in 2006 as proprietary software. In May 2007 xwax was licensed under the GNU General Public License, making it the first open source software of this kind....
- MixxxMixxxMixxx is open source digital DJ'ing software that allows an individual to mix music using a personal computer, as a DJ would with a pair of physical turntables. It is specifically suited to the style of mixing known as beatmatching. - Overview :...
Proprietary software
Proprietary software
Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary...
applications include:
- Final ScratchFinal ScratchFinal Scratch is a DJ tool created by the Dutch company N2IT with input from Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva that allows manipulation and playback of digital audio sources using traditional vinyl and turntables...
- Traktor Scratch Pro
- Serato Scratch Live
- DeckadanceDeckadanceDeckadance is a DJ console and mixing tool developed by Image-Line software. Initially released in May of 2007, it operates on Windows and Mac OS X, and comes in a House Edition and Club Edition...
- VirtualDJVirtualDJVirtualDJ is a range of audio/video mixing software developed by Atomix Productions Inc. for use by mobile and club DJs. The software is also exclusively repackaged for Numark, called Numark CUE....
- Numark CUE
- MixVibes DVS
- MS Pinky
- Reflex PCDJ
- Torq
- Touch DVS
- DjDecks
External links
- Technical Information and Tips on Torq's Vinyl Control System by Chad Carrier, a technical abstract on Torq Control Vinyl time-code.
http://who-invented-digital-vinyl.co.uk/
http://bauerindustries.com/projects/?p=229