SL 4 Manual for Serato Scratch Live 2.2.2 - Juno Records

SL 4 SpecificationsComputer interfaceUSB Power RequirementUSB Audio ChannelsExternal Power SupplyConverters.....DAC Dynamic Range.....ADC Dynamic Range.....Dynamic RangeTHD+NFrequency ResponseInputs…...Aux Input…...Gain…...Maximum Input / Output…...Switched Phono Input MaximumSL 4 Unit SizeShipping Size……Weight(all specs typical)USB 2.0 High Speed500 mA, 5.0 VoltsTen Record and Ten Playback7.5 Volts (included)24-bit / 48 kHz or 96 kHz (rear panel switch)104.5 dB, A-weighted103 dB, A-weighted101 dB A-weighted analog in to analog out0.007% at 1 kHz, 20 Hz to 20 kHz BW-0.6 dB @ 20 Hz, -0.03 dB @ 20 kHzInputs 1-4 individually Phono / Line switchableLine Level onlyUnity3 Vrms @ 1 kHz70 mV rms @ 1 kHz7.25˝ x 5˝ x 1.7˝ (18.4 x 12.6 x 4.3 cm)14˝ x 14˝ x 4˝ (36 x 36 x 10 cm)6 pounds (3 kg)2RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Important Safety InstructionsFor the continued safety of yourself and otherswe recommend that you read the following safetyand installation instructions. Keep this documentin a safe location for future reference. Pleaseheed all warnings and follow all instructions.Do not use this equipment in a location whereit might become wet. Clean only with a dampcloth. This equipment may be used as a tabletop device, although stacking of the equipmentis dangerous and not recommended.Equipment may be located directly above orbelow this unit, but note that some equipment(like large power amplifiers) may cause anunacceptable amount of hum or may generatetoo much heat and degrade the performanceof this equipment. Only use attachmentsand accessories specified by Rane. Referall servicing to qualified service personnel.Servicing is required when the apparatus hasbeen damaged in any way, such as spilled liquid,fallen objects into an opened chassis, exposureto rain or moisture, a dropped unit, or abnormaloperation.IntroductionRefer to the separate Quick Start guide thatwas included in the box. If you lose yours, anew copy (along with this manual and all otherdocumentation) may be downloaded at rane.com/sl4.html. To keep up with the latest tips,and to check for Scratch Live software updates,visit the Official Scratch Live Forum at serato.com.Copyright Notices© 2011 Rane Corporation. All rights reserved.Scratch Live and the Scratch Live logoare trademarks of Serato Audio Research.Trademarked in the U.S. and other countries.Licensed exclusively to Rane Corporation. Thissoftware is based in part on the work of theIndependent JPEG Group, and uses libpng code,copyright © 2000-2002 Glenn Randers-Pehrson.The Scratch Live Control Tone, the audio pressedon Scratch Live Control Vinyl and Control CDs, iscopyright © 2004-2011 Serato Audio Research.The Control Vinyl and Control CDs are licensedfor personal use only. The creation of personalbackups of the Control CD is allowed, howeverduplicating Control CDs for commercial benefitis strictly prohibited. For avoidance of doubt theduplication or creation of Control Vinyl for anyuse is strictly prohibited. Please respect ourcopyright.© 2004-2011 Serato Audio Research. WindowsXP, Vista and 7 is either a registered trademarkor a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in theUnited States and/or other countries. Apple,Mac, Macintosh and iTunes are trademarks ofApple Computer, Inc., registered in the US and/or other countries.Wear PartsThe SL 4 interface contains no wear parts.The vinyl records and CDs are wear parts asdescribed in “Limited U.S.A. Warranty” on page42.Minimum System Requirements• Available USB 2.0 port.• 1024 x 768 screen resolution or higher.• 2 GB RAM, more for a large library.• Hard drive space for music: 5400RPMminimum, 7200RPM recommended forhigh resolution audio playback.PC• 2.2 GHz Intel Core Duo.• Windows XP with Service Pack 3 orhigher, or Vista with Service Pack 2 orhigher, or Windows 7. We recommendWindows 7 over Vista.Mac• 2 GHz Intel Core Duo.• OSX 10.5.8 or higher.PLEASE NOTE: These are the minimumrequirements to run Serato ScratchLive without optional plugins. For bestperformance or when using optional pluginswe recommend you use a higher speccomputer. For more information please visitwww.serato.com/scratchlive#minspecs.Check ListThese items are included in the box:1 SL 4 interface.1 soft carry case.1 Serato Scratch Live software install disc.1 external universal power supply with countryadaptors.2 USB cables.6 stereo RCA cables.4 control CDs.4 control vinyl records.4 rubber feet for the SL 4.1 Quick Start Guide.1 warranty card.1 this manual.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 3

ContentsSpecifications 2Important Safety Instructions 3Introduction 3Copyright Notices 3Wear Parts 3Minimum System Requirements 3Check List 3Getting Started 6System Overview 6Connecting the SL 4 6Turntable Setup 6CD Player Setup 7Kensington Security Slot 7Playing Regular Vinyl and CDs 7Power Switching 7Power Supply 7USB Drivers 7ASIO (Windows) 7Core Audio (Macintosh) 8Control Panel 8Installing Scratch Live 8Mac 8Windows 8Additional Windows Drivers 8Starting Scratch Live 8Using the Tool Tips 9Virtual Deck Setup 9Calibrating Scratch Live 9The Noise Threshold 9How to Calibrate Scratch Live 9The Scopes 9Importing and Playing Music 10Importing Your Music 10Supported File Types 10Calibration Troubleshooting 10Playing Music 11Track Display 11Whitelabel.net 11Preparing Your Files 11Analyzing Files 11How to Analyze Files 11About Corrupt Files 11Playback Control 12The Control Record 12The Control CD 12Vinyl Scroll 12Set Auto BPM 12The Offline Player 12Main Screen Overview 13Virtual Deck 13USB Sources & Analog Inputs 13Visual Aids 13Tempo Matching Display 13Track Overview Display 13Main Waveform Display 13Beat Matching Display 14Master Gain 1433 / 45 Speeds 14Tracking Indicator 14Tap Tempo 14Key Lock 14Repeat 14Censor 14Eject 14Autoplay 14Track Gain 15USB Dropout Indicator 15Display Modes 15Library Views 15Scratch Live Modes 16Thru Mode 16Absolute Mode 16Relative Mode 16Internal Mode 17Temporary Cue 17More Controls 17Cue Points 18Setting Cue Points 18Enable Hot Cues 18Triggering Cue Points 18Editing Cue Points 18Customizing Cue Points 18Looping 18Auto-Looping 19The A-Slot 19Loop Roll 19Loop Roll with MIDI 194RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

noisy and the tracking of the record positionwill be erratic.3. Ensure the SL 4 is set to receive a phono levelsignal – See step 2 of connecting the SL 4.CD Player SetupDisable all built-in effects on the CD player,including keylock/master tempo.Ensure the SL 4 is set to receive a line-levelsignal – See step 2 of connecting the SL 4.Kensington Security SlotYou can use a Kensington securitycable to attach the SL 4 to animmovable object. Each side of theSL 4 has a Kensington Security Slot.Refer to the instructions provided with yourKensington Lock.Playing Regular Vinyl and CDsNOTE: the SL 4 must be powered by eitherUSB port or the supplied external powersupply for the DECK THRUs to work.While Scratch Live is not running, and theSL 4 is powered by the external supply, the DeckThrus on the SL 4 will always be on, allowingyou to play regular CDs and vinyl with your CDplayers or turntables.When the SL 4 is powered by the universalpower supply, and then Scratch Live is launched,the Deck Thrus are still on. This allows a laptopto be connected during a set (when using theDeck Thrus) with no audio interruption.If the SL 4 is not powered by the universalpower supply when Scratch Live is launched(USB connected), the Deck Thrus will be off, butcan be turned on in Scratch Live.To turn the Thrus off and on in Scratch Live,click on the THRU button just above each VirtualDeck for the respective channel. This will changethe state of the channels to Thru Mode, sendingaudio direct from the SL 4 inputs to your mixer.SEE “Thru Mode” on page 16.Turning the individual Thrus off and on whenScratch Live is not running is accomplished withthe Rane SL 4 Control Panel. See “ControlPanel” on page 8.Power SwitchingIf external power is connected, the device is selfpoweredand power is not used from either USBport.If external power is not connected, the SL 4draws power from USB A port if available andthen from the USB B port if there is no powerfrom USB A. Power switching is automatic andthe SL 4 operates uninterrupted as long as oneof the three possible power sources is available.If computers are added and removed from thetwo USB ports for DJ hand-over, it is best to haveexternal power connected to cover the casewhen both USB ports are briefly disconnected.External power is not required if users ensurethat at least one computer is left connected at alltimes. See “Two Computer Connection” onPAGE 30.Power SupplyConnect the barrel connector of the powersupply to the 7.5 VDC jack on the SL 4. Plug thepower supply into an AC outlet.The universal power supply includes differentinput plugs for the USA, Europe, UK andAustralia. The USA plug is attached at the factory—you may need to replace it in your country.To remove a plug,PUSH the button whileturning the outer rimcounterclockwise.To attach a plug,rotate it to fit intothe supply and turnclockwise until it locksin place.PUSHThe power supply is regulated 7.5 voltsDC, 1 amp, using a P6 type barrel plug. Anysubstitute must meet these specifications.-(5.5mm)+(2.5mm)OPENOPENLOCKLOCKUSB DriversThe SL 4 is a dual personality device. Whenusing Serato Scratch Live, proprietary SeratoAudio Research drivers are used in place ofRane ASIO (Windows) and Core Audio (Mac)drivers. The included Rane drivers are usedwhen Scratch Live is not running.The SL 4 has two USB ports, allowingsimultaneous connection of two computers.Each port is completely independent. It ispossible to run Scratch Live using proprietarydrivers on one port while running third partysoftware using ASIO or Core Audio on the other,in any combination.Rane ASIO and Core Audio drivers allowthe SL 4 to act as a 10-in 10-out external USBsound card for use with multiple third-partysoftware applications supporting Core Audio orASIO. These drivers are multi-client, meaningthey allow multiple applications on a computerto share the device at the same time.ASIO and Core Audio drivers are not availableon a machine while Scratch Live is running. Touse multi-client ASIO or Core Audio drivers with athird-party application while using Scratch Live,you can connect two computers to the SL 4 withone running Scratch Live and the other runningASIO or Core Audio application(s). Connectingboth USB ports to the same machine is notrecommended.The ASIO and Core Audio drivers are includedin the Scratch Live installer as an option. Theoption to install them is checked by default.ASIO (Windows)The SL 4 uses a low-latency, multi-client,ASIO device driver to interface with softwareapplications other than Scratch Live onWindows operating systems. Multi-client ASIOallows different audio software applications tosimultaneously stream audio to and from theSL 4. If the same playback channel is selectedin more than one application, the driver mixesthe audio from the different applications beforestreaming it to the device.The driver Control Panel may be launchedfrom the Windows Control Panel. Select Start >Control Panel > Rane SL4.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 7

Core Audio (Macintosh)The SL 4 uses a low-latency Core Audio devicedriver to interface with software applicationsother than Scratch Live on Macintosh operatingsystems. Core Audio allows different audiosoftware applications to simultaneously streamaudio to and from the SL 4.To launch the SL 4 driver Control Panel, openthe System Preferences window. Locate SL 4 inthe “Other” section and click the SL 4 icon.Control PanelInstallingScratch Live2. Insert the Software Installation CD-ROM.Make sure your SL 4 is connected first. If awindow doesn’t open automatically, browse tothe CD drive. Run setup.exe.orLaunch the installer you just downloaded fromserato.com.3. Follow the on-screen instructions. Once theinstallation is complete, Scratch Live appearsin the Start Menu under All Programs > Serato> Scratch Live.SL 4 Audio Driver Control Panel –SL 4 Audio Driver Version: 2.0Analog Feed Thru Sample Rate USB Port StatusBuffer50Channel 1 Thru4548 kHz A40Channel 2 Thru35Channel 3 Thru96 kHz B3025Channel 4 Thru201510Update device firmware5Device firmware version: 1.21Update firmware14 msThe Driver Control Panel supports:• Analog Feed Thru check boxes allow stereooutputs 1-4 to select USB playback (computer)or analog input (vinyl or CD) as their source. Ifa button is on, USB playback is disabled andthe SL 4 input is fed to the output.• Sample Rate indicators are read-only, showingthe sample rate selected on the SL 4.• USB Port Status indicators are read-onlyand on when a USB port is connected andcommunicating with the SL 4.• Buffer increases or decreases the USB driverbuffer size. The SL 4 drivers run very reliablyat latencies below 8 milliseconds. However,computer performance and available resources(number of apps running) may adversely affectstreaming audio. If pops and clicks are heardin USB audio, try increasing the buffer size. InASIO, total round-trip latency = buffer size +device latency. In Core Audio, total round-triplatency = buffer size + software applicationlatency + device latency. SL 4 latency is 1.3ms at 48 kHz and 0.8 ms at 96 kHz.• If the SL 4 firmware on your computer is newerthan installed in your SL 4, the Update DeviceFirmware panel is enabled. Pressing theUpdate Firmware button updates the SL 4firmware to the newer version installed withyour driver.Check for the latest download version of ScratchLive software at serato.com. If it is newer thanwhat is on your CD-ROM, we recommendinstalling it instead.Mac1. Insert the Software Installation CD-ROM anddouble-click the installer icon.orLaunch the installer you just downloaded fromserato.com.2. Follow the on-screen instructions. Once theinstallation is complete, Scratch Live will appearin your applications list. You may like to dragthe Scratch Live icon to your dock for quicklaunching.3. Plug in your SL 4. No extra hardware or driverinstallation is required.WindowsIt is important that Windows users install theSL 4 drivers as well as the Scratch Live software.The easiest way to do this is to allow the ScratchLive installer to do all the work.1. Connect your SL 4 before you insert yourinstallation CD. When you first connect it,Windows will attempt to install the drivers viathe hardware wizard. Cancel and close thehardware wizard.Because the SL 4 was connected prior toinstalling Scratch Live, no extra hardwareinstallation is required.NOTE: Select the custom install option if youwish to change the installation location ofScratch Live.Additional Windows DriversThe driver updater can install drivers for differenttypes of Scratch Live hardware, not just theSL 4. For example, if you play at a club that usesa TTM 57SL mixer, you can add its driver to yourcomputer.Connect the new Scratch Live hardware toyour computer’s USB port. Cancel and close thehardware wizard when it appears.With your hardware still connected, run theScratch Live driver updater. This is usuallylocated in:C: > Program Files > Serato > driver_updater32.exeor for 64-bit systems:C: > Program Files (x86) > Serato > driver_updater64.exe.Starting Scratch LiveClose all other programs on your Mac or PC.When you load Scratch Live for the first time,you willsee thisscreen.8RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Using the Tool TipsClick on the ? icon to enable tool tips. Tool tipsprovide a handy way to learn the various featuresof Scratch Live. Move the mouse over a sectionto bring up a context-sensitive tool tip. Holdingthe mouse over the ? button with tool tips turnedon will show you a list of all keyboard shortcuts.Tool tips are available in several languages.Scratch Live displays tool tips in the languageyour computer is set to. If your language is notavailable, the tool tips are displayed in English.Virtual Deck SetupIt’s important to understand how your turntablesand CD players are connected to each VirtualDeck in Scratch Live before calibrating or playingtracks. These options allow you to customize thelayout of your DJ setup. We recommend learningScratch Live with just two decks.Starting with two turntables or CD players,select these as your “Primary Decks.” In a multidecksetup, this defines the sources you will playthe majority of your tracks from. Select PrimaryDecks in the Hardware tab of the Setup screen.See “Select Primary Decks” on page 32.To set a USB Source in Scratch Live, click theUSB Source dropdown box above each VirtualDeck. See “USB Sources & Analog Inputs”on page 13.Change your Display Mode toClassic Vertical mode if you don’t seethe dropdown above the Deck. See “DisplayModes” on page 15.Start with the Left Deck, select “Channel 1.”This Deck is now controlled by the turntable / CDplayer plugged into Input 1 on the SL 4, and theaudio from Scratch Live will be sent to Output 1.On the Right Deck select “Channel 2.” ThisDeck is now controlled by the turntable / CDJplugged into Input 2 on the SL 4, and the audiofrom Scratch Live will be sent to Output 2.Changing the Display to 4-Deck StackMode will allow you to see and assign allfour Decks at once. Your Primary Decks will havea white border around them. Repeat the abovesteps for the remaining two Decks.CalibratingScratch LiveSince Scratch Live is controlled by an analogsignal, there is no guarantee of what state thatsignal will be in by the time the software gets tointerpret it. Therefore, Scratch Live needs to beable to handle a wide range of signals, and beconfigurable to use them optimally. Calibratingis just configuring the software to your situation.Calibration is equally important for both vinyland CD users of Scratch Live.There are two parts to the Scratch Live controlsignal: The directional tone, and the noise map.Listening to the control vinyl, the directional toneis the 1 kHz tone. The noise map sounds likerandom noise over the top of the tone.The directional tone provides the currentspeed and direction of the record, while thenoise map tells the software precisely where onthe record the needle is currently.The Noise ThresholdA threshold is a lower limit, below which aprocess will not occur. In the case of ScratchLive, the noise threshold is the limit below whichthe input signal will not be interpreted as controlsignal; in other words if it’s below the threshold,it is considered noise and ignored.This setting is necessary because a stylus isvery sensitive, and will inevitably pick up noisefrom the environment as well as the signal on therecord, especially in the noisy environment of alive show.How to Calibrate Scratch LiveSwitch between calibrating the Primary andSecondary Decks by clicking the Primary andSecondary buttons above the scopes.With music playing in the background (fromany source), put your needle on the record withthe turntable stopped. If you are using CDplayers, the same rules apply. Have the CD deckpaused or stopped while calibrating. Ensure thePhono / CD switch on the SL 4 is set correctly.Click and hold the Estimate button until theslider stops moving. Moving the threshold sliderto the left will make Scratch Live more sensitiveto slow record movement, but also moresensitive to background noise.Repeat the process for each deck.Things to remember:• Your needle must be on the record.• Your turntable (or CD player) must bestationary.• The background music playing must be at asimilar level to which you will play your set at.• Calibrate Scratch Live every time you play.TIP: If the slider jumps to the far right,then you have a problem with noise in yourturntables/CD players/mixer. Check all yourconnections and make sure your equipmentis well-grounded. In some situations you willnot be able to improve the signal quality, andyou will have to play on regardless. In thissituation, stick to REL mode. See “CalibrationTroubleshooting” on page 10.The ScopesThe scopes on the Setup screen in Scratch Livedisplay the input signal as a phase diagram. Thekey factors to look at on the scope display arecrisp clean lines, round shape, and the trackingpercentage in the lower right corner.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 9

Start both turntables or CD players. You willsee green rings appear in the scope view asshown above.For optimal performance the inner ring shouldbe as close to circular as possible. Use thescope zoom slider (1x to 16x) to zoom in or outas necessary. Use the scope L/R Balance andP/A Balance controls to adjust the shape of theinner ring.The number in the top left corner of the scopeview gives the current absolute position withinthe control record or CD. The number in thetop right corner is the current speed in RPM. Inthe bottom left is the current threshold setting,and the number in the bottom right shows thepercentage of readable signal – this numbershould be close to 85% when your system iscalibrated properly.Calibration TroubleshootingAfter calibration, the number in the upper rightcorner of the scope view should say 0.0 whilethe needle is on the record and the turntable isstopped.If that number is fluctuating then manuallymove the Estimate slider to the right until thatnumber is stable at 0.0. If you’ve moved theslider all the way to -24 and its still fluctuatingthen you have a grounding or interferenceproblem somewhere in the chain.If so, the first thing to check is that thegrounding wire coming from your turntable isconnected to either the SL 4’s or your mixer’sgrounding posts.Next, make sure that the SL 4 isn’t sittingnext to a power source such as a power strip orpower box and that the RCA cables connectedto the SL 4 aren’t laying across other powerconducting cables.If you are still experiencing issues, you mighthave to adjust the placement of your setup. Forexample, make sure bass bins aren’t directlyunder the turntables. for more CALIBRATIONtroubleshooting help SEE “Scope Readingand Fixes” on page 38.Importing andPlaying MusicImporting Your MusicThe easiest way to load music into your library isby using the Files button:1. Click on the Files button to open the filespanel. The left side of this window displaysvarious locations on your computer hard drive(and external drives if you have one). Click onthese locations to navigate your computer andfind your music. By default, your music willusually be found in either “Music” (Mac) or “MyMusic” (Windows).2. Once you have located your music, drag thefolder or files you want to import onto thepurple “ All...” icon. This is located to theleft of your screen at the top of the crates andplaylist window. If you wish to import all ofyour music, just drag your whole music folderonto this icon.TIP: You can also import by dragging filesand folders directly from Windows Explorer(PC version) or Finder (Mac version) into theScratch Live library.TIP: Adjust the sizeof the Files windowby clicking anddragging near the three dots up or down. Thevertical crates window adjusts left and right.Supported File TypesScratch Live supports fixed and variable bit rate.MP3, Ogg Vorbis, .AAC, .AIFF, .ALAC, .WAVand Whitelabel (wl.mp3) file types. M3U playlistsare also supported. For more on Whitelabel.netaudio files, see “Whitelabel.net” on PAGE11.10RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

NOTE: Older iTunes Music Store DRM filescannot be played back by Scratch Live.iTunes Plus files are DRM-free.Playing MusicClick on the “ All...” icon to show all the tracksin your library. Use the keyboard shortcut Shift- Left Arrow to load the highlighted track on tothe Left Deck, and Shift - Right Arrow to load thehighlighted track on to the Right Deck.Whitelabel.netPreparing YourFilesTIP: You can also load tracks to Decks usingthe mouse. Click and drag a track from thetrack list area on to either Virtual Deck.To start playing a track, simply put the needle onthe record and start the turntable. The track willstart playing as soon as it detects the signal fromthe control vinyl (or CD).In ABS mode, the track will play from theposition dictated by the placement of theneedle on the record. If you place the needle atthe beginning of the record, the track will startplaying from the beginning. You can skip throughthe track by picking up the needle and placingit further into the record, just as with regularrecords (This is known as needle dropping). See“Scratch Live Modes” on page 16.Track DisplayWhen a track is loaded, the track name, artistand length are displayed in the track title bar,and the Virtual Deck shows a solid black line.If the track has BPM or key information writtenin the tag this will also be displayed. See ”SetAuto BPM” on page 12.The Serato Whitelabel Delivery Network is aunique system that allows record labels todigitally deliver promotional releases directly toDJs.To download Whitelabel audio files and signup to receive updates on the latest promotionalreleases, visit whitelabel.net.Whitelabel Audio FilesWhitelabel.net audio files are a unique format(file extension wl.mp3) developed by Serato.They are specially prepared for use in ScratchLive; pre-analyzed, tagged with song and artistinfo, BPM and album art where possible.Whitelabel audio files play as high quality 320kbps stereo audio in Scratch Live when RaneScratch Live hardware is connected. WithoutScratch Live hardware connected, or whenplaying these files through other mp3 softwareand devices, they will play as low quality 32 kbpsmono audio.Whitelabel audio files are promotional releasesfrom records labels available to Scratch Live DJsfor free from Whitelabel.net.Analyzing FilesBefore you play your music in Scratch Live, It isimportant to first analyze your files.The analyze files function processes thesongs in your library to detect file corruption,saves the waveform overview to an ID3 tag*, andcalculates auto-gain and BPM values.How to Analyze FilesTo analyze files run Scratch Live with the SL 4disconnected. On the left side of the main screen,click the Analyze Files button to automaticallybuild overviews for all the tracks in your library.TIP: You can drag and drop individual folders,crates or files onto the Analyze Files buttonto force the building of overviews at any time.About Corrupt FilesIf Scratch Live detects a corrupt file itwill tag it with a corrupt file icon:It is very important that you deleteANY corrupt files from your library as they cancause Scratch Live to crash regardless if youplay the file or not. See “Status Icons” on page27 and “Corrupt File Descriptions andDiagnoses” on page 40.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 11

Set Auto BPMIf this option is checked while analyzing files,Scratch Live will calculate the estimated temposof your files. If Scratch Live is confident that theAuto BPM estimate for a file is accurate, it will bewritten to an ID3 tag* in the file. The Auto BPMfunction will not be applied if the track alreadycontains BPM information. To re-analyze thesefiles and use Auto BPM or auto gain on them,drag them onto the Analyze Files button. If youknow your file’s BPM will fall within a certainrange, use the range drop down to avoid doubleor half value BPMs being calculated.*NOTE: ID3 tags contain data about yourtracks and are saved inside the filesthemselves. Genre, track name and artist areexamples of common tag information. See“Editing ID3 tags” on page 27.The Offline PlayerThe offline player is a useful tool for preparingcrates, auditioning tracks, and setting cue andloop points. The offline player is available whenScratch Live hardware is not connected, andoutputs through the current default audio device.Load a track to the offline player by dragging anddropping onto the Deck, or pressing shift+leftarrow. If the end of the loaded track is reached,the next track in the current playlist is playedautomatically. Click the Offline Player Controlsbutton (outlined below) to expand and hide theoffline player controls.Playback ControlThe Control RecordThe control record has two sides. The first sideis 10 minutes long and contains the Vinyl Scrollsection. The second side is 15 minutes long.Scratch Live can be configured to work withrecords playing at either 33 RPM or 45 RPM,depending on your preference. The record hasthin marks every minute, and a thicker markevery 5 minutes (when playing at 33 RPM).These marks are to assist you when using needledropping to move through the track. Thesemarks do not affect the playback of the track.The mode will switch when it reaches theend of the record so your track won’t stop. See“Absolute Mode” on page 16.The Control CDThe control CD hastwo tracks. The firsttrack is 15 minuteslong and controlsplayback. The secondtrack is 40 secondslong and controls vinylscroll.Vinyl ScrollVinyl Scroll allows you to select and load tracksusing only your turntables (or CD player) – nocontact with the computer necessary! To useVinyl Scroll with turntables, lift the needle offthe record and drop it into special “bonus track”section at the end of the record’s A side. Themovement of the control disk now controls theselected track within your library. Lift the needleout of the Vinyl Scroll section of the record andinto the lead out (between the Vinyl Scroll areaand the end of the record) to change crates oriTunes playlists. Go back to the Vinyl Scroll areaof the record to choose a track within the crate orplaylist. Once you have found the track you wishto play, put the needle back at the beginning ofthe record and it will load automatically.This feature is available to CD users. Go totrack 2 on the control CD to access Vinyl Scroll.Find the track you want to load, and go back totrack 1. The track you selected will be loadedand ready to play. You can reverse the directionof Vinyl Scroll and set the sensitivity in the Setupscreen.TIP: You can also use Vinyl Scroll in thePrepare window. See the options for “VinylControl” on page 33.For information on rescanning, moving, copying,deleting and backing up your files, see “FileManagement” on page 28.12RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Main ScreenOverviewVirtual DeckThe Virtual Deckshows everythingabout the speed andposition of a track.As the vinyl rotates,so does the line onthe label. The circularprogress bar aroundthe edge is a visual representation of the positionwithin the song, and can be set to flash to warnyou that the track is nearing its end. The timeand remaining time are displayed in minutesand seconds. The pitched BPM (BPM with pitchadjustment multiplier added) is shown on the leftof the Virtual Deck, and the turntable speed asa percentage pitch shift is shown on the rightof the Virtual Deck. If the track has no BPMinformation, pitched BPM will not be shown.If you are playing regular vinyl, notice theVirtual Deck behaving strangely as Scratch Liveattempts to decode the incoming signal. Thiswill not cause any problems, but you may find itdistracting. You can unload the currently loadedtrack using the Virtual Deck eject button.TIP: Use the keyboard shortcut shift-altarrowto unload a track from the Virtual Deck.USB Sources & Analog InputsEach Virtual Deck inScratch Live has aunique input / outputsource, which youcan change to suitthe layout of your DJsetup.To set a USBSource in ScratchLive, click the USB Source dropdown box abovethe Virtual Deck.E.g: If a Virtual Deck has “Channel 1” selected,this means it is controlled by the turntable / CDJplugged into Input 1 on the SL 4, and the audiofrom Scratch Live will be sent to Output 1. Thesame applies to the other channels: 2, 3, and 4.You may want to change your display to4-Deck Stack Mode to assign all the Decks atonce. See “Display Modes” on page 15.Visual AidsWhen the track is playing several waveforms aredisplayed. Each shows a different aspect of thetrack being played.Tempo Matching DisplayThe Tempo Matching display area provides ahelpful tool for beat matching. Scratch Livedetects the beats within the track, and placesa row of orange peaks (for the track on the leftside) above a row of blue peaks (for the trackon the right side) in the Tempo Matching displayarea. When the two tracks are matched to thesame tempo, the peaks will line up. The tempodisplay is aligned with the beginning of the bar,so the peaks keep their relative position as thetrack plays. This display does not show therelative timing of the beats, only the tempos ofthe tracks. The peaks will still line up when thetracks are playing at the same tempo, but areout of sync.Track Overview DisplayThis view provides a complete overviewof the track waveform, and includesa marker to show the current positionwithin the track. This view is useful forfinding transitions within the track. Thewaveform is colored according to thesound spectrum – red representinglow frequency bass sounds, greenrepresenting mid frequency sounds andblue representing high frequency treblesounds.You can jump to different positionswithin the track by clicking on the TrackOverview display (disabled in ABSMode). Grey lines behind the overview showthe length of the track – a thin grey line everyminute, and a thick grey line every 5 minutes.The overview will be filled when you load thetrack onto a Virtual Deck. On slower computers,you should disable Autofill overviews in theLibrary tab of the Setup screen. See “PreparingYour Files” on PAGE 11 and “AutoFillOverviews” on page 34.Main WAVEFORM DisplayThis view provides a close-upof the track, including colorcoding to show the frequencyof the sound; red representinglow frequency bass, greenrepresenting mid-frequenciesand blue representing highfrequencytreble sounds.You can also switch to athree-band spectrum viewby holding the ctrl key andclicking on the waveform. Clickon the waveform to ‘scrub’ ormake fine adjustments to yourposition within the track. This applies to INTMode only, and may be useful if you wish to setcue points in your tracks without your turntablesor CD players connected. The Main Waveform iszoomed around the current position in the track.See “Cue Points” on PAGE 18 and “ScratchLive Modes” on page 16.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 13

TIP: Use the + and – keys to zoom in and out.TIP: Waveform can be either vertical or horizontal.See “Display Modes” on page 15.kick DrumIn this example, the red part of thewave represents a kick drum, whilethe purple part represents a snaredrum.Snare DrumBeat Matching DisplayThis view shows the position of beatswithin the track. When beat matching,this view helps align the downbeatsof the two tracks. The markers arematched up when the two tracks arebeat matched.Example: The following is ademonstration of using the visual aidsto help beat match. In this example,the track that is playing is on the LeftDeck, and the track to be mixed in is on theRight Deck.1. Start the track playing on the Right Deck.After a few seconds, blue peaks appear in theTempo Matching display.2. Adjust the pitch of the right turntable untilthe blue peaks sit under the orange peaks inthe Tempo Matching display. Once they arealigned, the two tracks have the same tempo.3. Next align the markers in the Beat Matchingdisplay. Watch the color of the items passingby in the Main Waveform display. Rememberthat a kick or bass drum will be red in color,and a snare drum will be green or blue. Thistechnique will by no means guarantee perfectmixes, but may help to speed up the processof beat matching.Master GainThe master output of Scratch Live canbe controlled using the master gaincontrol. This adjusts the output volume of alltracks played.NOTE: For best results, set the master gainto the 12 o’clock position, and adjust thevolume of individual tracks using the trackgain adjustment.33 / 45 SpeedsSet this to match the speed of yourturntable for normal playback.Tracking IndicatorThe tracking indicatorson the main screen show the quality of the signalcoming from the control record or CD. The lengthof the bar indicates the speed of the record orCD. The color indicates the amount of positioninformation Scratch Live is receiving. Whenyou are playing the record at normal speed, thetracking indicator should be grey. If it is mostlyred there is a problem reading the control signal.Make sure your needles are clean, and check thecalibration in the setup screen.NOTE: It is normal for the tracking indicatorto be red when cueing or scratching.Tap TempoFor tracks with no BPM information,there is a tap tempo button displayedwhere the BPM usually is, in the song info area.Pressing alt-space bar activates the tempotapper (press alt-space bar a second time toactivate the tempo tapper on the Right VirtualDeck). Tap the space bar along with the beat.After you’ve tapped the first beat, you can switchto double time tapping, half time, start of eachbar etc. The range is set by the first two taps,after that you can switch to any steady rhythmyou feel comfortable with – quarter notes, halfnote, whole notes. Esc resets the BPM, Entersaves the BPM to the track. You can use themouse if you prefer. Your CD player or turntable’spitch slider doesn’t need to be at zero, we do themath for you. You can also use the tempo tapperwhen no song is loaded, for finding the BPM ofregular records, for example.Key LockWhen Key Lock is on, the key or pitch ofthe song stays locked at what it wouldbe if the track was playing at normal speed,regardless of the platter speed of the turntableor CD player. Key Lock has scratch detection, sothat it automatically turns off when scratching fora natural scratching sound. Turn Key Lock on oroff by clicking the button to the top right of theVirtual Deck.TIP: F5 and F10 will turn Key Lock on and offfor the Left and Right Decks respectively.RepeatUse the Repeat function to repeat thesong across the entire length of thecontrol record.TIP: Short “loop” samples can be turned intoa continuous track using the Repeat function.The loops must be less than 10 seconds long,and cut at the start and end of a bar.CensorUse the censor button to “mask” partsof a song, or use as a special effect.When you press the censor button, the trackstarts playing backwards from that point. Whenyou release the censor button, the track playsforward from the point you would have been,had you not pressed the censor button. Censoris available only in REL and INT Modes.EjectThis ejects the track playing or loadedfrom it’s Virtual Deck.AutoplayClick the Auto button to enableautoplay. With this setting turned on,when one track finishes playing, the next trackstarts automatically. Load from a crate to playthrough the songs in that crate, or from your14RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

library to play through your library. Autoplayworks in both REL and INT modes. Play fromstart must be checked in the Playback tab of theSetup screen for autoplay to work correctly. See“Play From Start” on page 33.Display ModesLibrary ViewsTrack GainUse the track gain knob to balance thevolume of the tracks in your library. Anyadjustment made to the gain of a track issaved with the file, and will be reappliedto the entire track when it is loadedagain. The level meter shows the levelsent to the hardware interface after bothindividual track gain and master gainadjustment.NOTE: For automatic gain setting of yourtracks, see “Use Auto Gain” on page 33.USB Dropout IndicatorThe USB dropout indicatoron the main screen is auseful trouble shootingtool if you have problems with audio dropouts.Such dropouts are caused by an interruption inpassing the audio to the Scratch Live hardwareinterface. If such an interruption (or dropout)occurs, a red light will appear briefly, just to theleft of the Scratch Live logo at the top of thescreen. The light will be red for one second, andthen orange for four seconds.If you experience USB drop outs:• Increase the USB Buffer Size. See “USBBuffer Size (Latency)” on page 32.• Try closing other applications that are runningat the same time as Scratch Live.• Try turning off background tasks, for example,wireless networking.• If your CPU load is very high, try decreasingthe Maximum Screen Updates setting inthe Display tab of the Setup screen. See“Maximum Screen Updates” on page 35.Scratch Live gives you the option of four differentdisplay modes to suit your style of performance.The Display Mode buttons are located in the topleft of the Main Screen. The display modes are:Library Mode: Maximizes your libraryspace by minimizing the Virtual Deckinformation displayed. In Library Mode onlythe track information, Virtual Deck, mode, trackoverview display and meter are displayed.TIP: Use the space bar to toggle betweenLibrary Mode and your current display mode.Classic Vertical Mode: The two PrimaryDecks are displayed on the left and rightsides of the screen with vertical waveforms inthe middle.Classic Horizontal Mode: The twoPrimary Decks are displayed on theleft and right sides of the screen with horizontalwaveforms in the middle.2-Deck Stack Mode: The PrimaryDecks are stacked on top of eachother in a horizontal fashion. Stack Mode alignsthe waveforms on top of each other, whilemaximizing waveform space. The controls for allDecks can be shown or hidden by pressing theShow Deck Controls Button on any Deck.4-Deck Stack Mode: Like 2-DeckStack Mode, showing all four decks.See ““Select Primary Decks” on page 32.You can choose between four different libraryviews which allow for visual browsing using textand album art. Select your Library View by usingthe buttons in the bottom left area of the mainscreen. The available Library Views are:Simple List: Displays the trackinformation in a text list.Album Art List: Adds an album artcolumn to the Simple List mode.Album Art Grid 1: Displays the albumart as a grid with the track informationtext to the right.Album Art Grid 2: Displays the albumart as a grid with the track informationtext below.NOTE: Your files must have album art addedfor it to be displayed. See “Adding AlbumArt” on page 27.TIP: For all views you can adjust the font sizeby using the Font Size slider in the Library tabon the Setup screen. For all Album Art viewsyou can adjust the album art size using theAlbum Art Size slider in the same area.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 15

Absolute ModeRelative ModeScratch LiveModesScratch Live has three different modes ofoperation. You can switch between these modesby clicking the mode buttons near each VirtualDeck.Thru ModeClick on the THRU button to switchbetween Scratch Live and regular vinylor CDs. Click the THRU button for the respectiveDeck in Scratch Live. (The THRU button on theleft Virtual Deck for the left channel, and viceversa.)This will change the state of the channels toTHRU mode, sending audio direct from the SL 4inputs to your mixer. SEE “Playing RegularVinyl and CDs” on page 7.ABS mode is the default mode, and most closelyresembles the properties of normal vinyl. Thebeginning of the track is mapped to the start ofthe record, and by picking up the tone arm andmoving the needle to another part of the record(needle dropping) you can move to a differentposition within the track.ABS mode faithfully reproduces the movementof vinyl control records, including stops, starts,scratching, needle dropping, rubbing and otherturntablist techniques.When you reach the end of the recordusing either REL or ABS modes, Scratch Liveautomatically switches to INT mode. Thisis known as Emergency Internal mode, andprevents long tracks from stopping when you runout of record. You can switch from EmergencyInternal mode to ABS mode by lifting the needleand placing it in the lead-in of the control record.Emergency Internal mode will activate after 1second. Use the keyboard shortcut F1 (left deck)or F6 (right deck) to switch to ABS mode.REL mode observes the relative forward andbackward movement of the record, but does nottake into account the position within the record.REL mode disables needle dropping, but allowsskip-free scratching.See: “Drop To Absolute Position (RelativeMode)” on page 33.REL mode adds additional speed controls:Previous track – Go to the previous trackin the list.Rewind - The rewind function speeds upthe longer you press the button.Fast forward – The fast forward functionspeeds up the longer you hold the button.Next track – Jump to the next track inthe list.NOTE: Be careful when scratching near theend of the record not to accidentally go pastthis point and into internal mode, or the trackwill no longer respond to record movement!TIP: Use the keyboard shortcut F2 (left deck)or F7 (right deck) to switch to REL mode.16RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Internal ModeINT mode allows playing tracks without externalvinyl (or CD) control. INT mode has a start /stop function and a virtual pitch slider. Holdingdown the shift key moves the pitch slider slowly.Holding the ctrl key and clicking on the pitchslider resets the pitch to zero.Scratch Live automatically switches to INTmode when the end of the control record isreached; you can switch back to REL mode byplacing the needle in the first five minutes ofthe control record. If you switch from ABS orREL into INT mode, Scratch Live automaticallyadjusts pitch to maintain playback speed asset by the turntable. Use the keyboard shortcutF3 (left deck) or F8 (right deck) to switch to INTmode.INT mode adds these additional controls:Play / pause reverse - Press to play,press again to stop playback. You canadjust the braking knob in the setup screento range from an immediate stop to a slowturntable-style ‘power down’. See “Braking(Internal Mode)” on page 33.Play / pause forward – Press to play,press again to stop playback. Uses thesame braking as described above.Pitch Slider - Use the pitch slider tomake pitch adjustments while usingINT mode. Drag the pitch slider with themouse to make large pitch movements,or hold the shift key and drag the pitchslider to make fine adjustments.Clicking the RANGE button above theslider changes the slider range to ±8%,±10%, ±16%, ±50% or ±100%.Temporary CueThere is a temporary cue point that can be usedlike the cue button on many DJ CD players.Press ctrl-I to set this temporary cue point onthe Left Deck, and ctrl-K to set it on the RightDeck. This temp cue point is shown in the mainwaveform as a white marker. This cue point isnot saved with the track, and by default is set tothe beginning of the track. Press I to jump to thistemporary cue point on the Left Deck, and K forthe Right Deck. If you hold down the I or K keywhile the track is stopped, it will play from thetemporary cue point. As soon as you release thekey, it will jump back to the temporary cue point.Note that you can use this shortcut to jump tothe beginning of the track if the temporary cuepoint has not been set. See “Cue Points” onPAGE 18.More ControlsYou can also control playback using thecomputer keyboard shortcuts—turn Caps Lockon to enable. See “Playback Keys Use Shift”on page 32.LeftDeckFunctionRightDeckQ play / pause reverse AW play / pause forward SE pitch down DR pitch up FT bend down GY bend up HAlt-Q load previous track Alt-AAlt-W load next track Alt-SAlt-E rewind Alt-DAlt-R fast forward Alt-FCtrl-I set temporary cue point Ctrl-KClick on the waveform to ‘scrub’ or make fineadjustments to your position within the track.This may be useful if you wish to set cue pointsin your tracks, and don’t have your turntables orCD players connected.NOTE: If you play a track in INT mode, andthen switch to ABS or REL mode, the pitchadjustment will be dictated by the turntable,so there will be a jump in pitch unless they arealready perfectly matched.TIP: If you are in ABS or REL mode and youget a build up of dust on the needle that isbreaking up the audio, hold down ctrl andpress the INT button. This will take you to INTmode and reset the pitch to zero.Bend down - Create a temporarydecrease in the playback speed. Usebend down if the two tracks are in time, but thistrack is slightly ahead of the other track.Bend up – Create a temporary increasein the playback speed. Use bend up if thetwo tracks are in time, but this track is slightlybehind the other track.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 17

Cue PointsTIP: Zoom in on the waveform using the – and+ keys and ‘scrub’ to the desired position forgreater accuracy when setting cue points.Enable Hot CuesTo turn on hot cues, check Enable Hot Cues inthe Playback tab on the Setup screen. When HotCues are enabled, you can set cue points simplyby pressing the number keys 1 through 0 (no ctrlmodifier required). Note that you can only addcues this way if the cue point slots are empty.See “Enable Hot Cues” on page 32.LoopingUse cue points in Scratch Live to mark andtrigger different parts of your tracks. The cuepoint markers are saved with the file in thetrack’s ID3 tag. This means they will be presenteach time you load the track.Setting Cue PointsYou can set up to five cue points for each track.Click on the + button to place a cue point, oruse the keyboard shortcuts below. A cue pointwill be set at the current playhead position of thetrack and can occupy any of the 5 slots.Use the keyboard shortcuts: ctrl-comma (forleft) and ctrl-period (for right) to place cue pointsin chronological order. Alternatively, use ctrl-1through 0 to set a specific cue point, i.e., to set acue point on the Left Deck in slot 2, press ctrl-2.Notice the stripe on the Virtual Deck jumps tothe 12 o’clock position and changes color whenyou set a cue point – you are at the cue pointwhen the stripe is one solid color and at the 12o’clock position. As the track plays on beyondthe position of the cue point, the colored barshortens by a fifth for each rotation. Likewise, asyou approach the cue point, the color will growby a fifth each rotation. For example, the picturebelow shows the track just before the end of the5th rotation before the cue point.Triggering Cue PointsClick the arrow to the left of each cue pointto jump to it (REL and INT modes only). Youcan also jump to cue points using keyboardshortcuts: 1 through 5 for the cue points on theLeft Deck, and 6 through 0 for the Right Deckcue points.Editing Cue PointsTo remove a cue point, use the x button on theright side of the cue point panel. You can alsooverwrite cue points by using the shortcut keysctrl-1 through 0.Customizing Cue PointsThe colors of cue points can be changed at anytime. To change the color of a cue point, click onthe colored square and choose a new color fromthe drop down menu.You can also drag and drop cue points tochange their order in the list. If you wish to havethe cue points sorted chronologically, checkSort cues chronologically in the Playbacktab on the Setup screen. If you load the sametrack onto both Decks, you will be able to add ormodify cue points from either Deck.When you jump to a cue point in INT modewhile paused, the track will play from the cuepoint for as long as the key or mouse buttonis pressed, after which the playhead returns tothe cue point. If this is done using the keyboardwhile the track is playing in either INT or RELmode, the cue point will be repeatedly triggered,producing a stuttering effect.You can save up to 9 loopsper track. These loops aresaved in the file, and will bepresent when you reload the track. To make aloop, set the in-point by clicking the IN button,and the out-point by clicking the OUT button. Toturn the loop on or off, click the LOOP button. Ifyou want the playhead to jump to the start of theloop when you enable the loop, hold the controlkey and press the LOOP button.To adjust the in-point of the loop, click the INbutton. You can use the arrow keys: left arrowto move the in-point towards the start of thetrack, right arrow to move the in-point towardsthe end of the track. Hold down the shift keywhile pressing the arrow key to make coarseadjustments. Click the IN button again to savethe in-point. The same applies to adjusting theout-point.You can also use the control vinyl (or CD) toadjust the in- and out-point. Click the IN button,then move the control vinyl. Moving the vinyl willadjust the in-point. Once you are happy with thenew in-point, click the IN button again to save,and release the control vinyl.The control vinyl will go back to controllingplayback once the record is back up to normalspeed. Using the control vinyl to adjust loopend points is optional—to turn this feature off,disable Adjust loops with vinyl under the VinylControl tab in the Setup screen.There are 9 available loop slots per track.If a loop is set in a given slot, the background(behind the loop number) will be green. Pressthe x button to clear the loop. If you click on the18RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

locked loop symbol, a red border will appear.This indicates the loop is locked, and you willnot be able to adjust the end points or deletethe loop until you unlock it, by clicking on thenumber again.NOTE: Looping applies to REL and INTmodes.Auto-LoopingAuto-loopingallows you tocreate loopsinstantly. If thetrack has a BPM value simply click the numberof beats you wish to loop and Scratch Live willcreate the loop for you. The loop is snapped tothe beats in the song detected by Scratch Liveso even if you press the button slightly out oftime Scratch Live will still create a perfect loopfor you.Five auto-loop buttons are available on screenat any one time. They range from 1/32 to 32beats. The user can select the auto-loop rangewith the and buttons.Pressing an auto-loop button will create a loopstart point from the nearest beat to the playhead(within reason), and set a loop endpoint in thefuture. Pressing auto-loop 1 while auto-loop1 is active will deactivate the loop. Pressing adifferent auto-loop button while looping is activewill extend the endpoint of the current loop tothe appropriate new auto-loop length.You can also save an auto-loop to the nextavailable slot. When using an auto-loop, a save button is visible where the lock loop buttonnormally is.NOTE: Auto-looping requires the track BPMto be set. SEE “Set Auto BPM” on page 12.The A-SlotA special loop slot ‘A’ exists for auto-looping. Theact of using the auto-loop buttons sets a loop inthe ‘A’ slot, following the rules above. Turninga loop off using the auto-loop buttons returnsyou to the loop slot that you were previously inat the time you started auto-looping. Turningthe loop off using the LOOP button leaves youin the ‘A’ slot. The ‘A’ slot is not saved to diskautomatically, pressing ‘save’ saves the loop tothe first empty slot in 1-9.Auto-looping shortcut keys are alt-1 to 5 forthe Left Deck, and alt-6 to 0 for the Right Deck.They correspond to the looping buttons as laidout on screen. ie. if the onscreen buttons display1 2 4 8 16 beat loops, alt-1 triggers a 1 beat loop,and alt-5 triggers a 16 beat loop.Loop RollLoop roll performs a standard auto-loop, butwhen the loop is turned off, the playback positionis returned to the position where it would be if ithad not entered the loop (much like censor).The other difference between loop rolland standard auto-loop is the ‘‘roll’’ button ismomentary. The loop is engaged when thebutton is pressed down, and disengaged whenthe button is released. Use short loop lengths tocreate “stutter” type effects.To activate loop roll, hold control + alt whileclicking on the desired autoloop increment, oruse the keyboard shortcuts: control + alt + 1through 5 for the left deck and control + alt + 6through 0 for the right deck. (ie. the same as theauto-loop controls with the additional ‘alt’ key asa modifier).The range of values available for loop roll are1/32 through to 32 beats. The shortcut keyswill activate whichever loop lengths are visibleon screen, i.e., if you have lengths of a 1/4 beatthrough to 4 beats visible for the Left Deck,control + alt + 1 will activate a 1/4 beat loop roll,control + alt + 2 will activate a 1/8 beat loop rolland so on.Use the and buttons to toggle throughthe range of possible lengths visible onscreen.Loop Roll with MIDIYou can assign loop roll to MIDI in several ways:After pressing the MIDI assign button in ScratchLive, press the control + alt keys, click on anauto-loop value, then click on the button/slideryou want it mapped to on your MIDI controller.Alternatively, you can assign the singular looproll button to MIDI, then assign a MIDI knob orslider on your controller to the autoloop selectknob (visible in the MIDI assign panel area whenin MIDI assign mode) to change the values onthe fly.TIP: When you have the “Autoloop Select”knob assigned to MIDI, you have all of theloop roll lengths at your disposal. This allowsyou to roll up and down the loop length scale,to create interesting stutter and build-upeffects.NOTE: Like auto-loop, loop roll requires aBPM value written to the ID3 tag in orderto work. Build overviews with the “Set AutoBPM” box checked and the proper range foryour music selected to ensure an accurateBPM value. See “Set Auto BPM” on page 12RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 19

SP-6 Sample PlayerThe SP-6 Sample Player allows you to play upto six sources of audio, in addition to the tracksplaying on the Virtual Decks. Any audio file inyour Scratch Live library can be loaded to anyone of the six slots, allowing playback of shortsamples, sound effects, or full length tracks.The SP-6 is enabled when the SL 4 is pluggedin, but not operational in the offline player mode.Click on the SP-6 button to access the sampleplayer window. In the topright corner of the SP-6there is a button whichopens the Display Menu.Clicking on this drops downa menu with the list ofavailable controls:• Mode: Chooses the play mode: Trigger / On-Off / Hold / Repeat modes.• Output Select: Assigns individual slot outputsto the left, mix, aux, right or to the masteroutput selector.• Pitch: Pitch Slider / Bend / Nudge / Keylockcontrols.• Play from: Choose which cue point / loop touse for the loaded track.• Overview: Displays the overview of each track.• Level: Individual sample slot level and Gaincontrols.• Level meter: Displays the volume level for thesample slot.Loading the SP-6To load a track to the SP-6, drag and drop thedesired file from your library into one of thesample slots. To eject a track, click the ejectbutton to the right of the title display.TIP: You can load tracks to the SP-6 with thekeyboard shortcuts: ctrl + alt + z to n.TIP: Select and drag six tracks from yourlibrary onto the first sample player slot tosimultaneously load six tracks across all sixslots.Playing SamplesPressing the play button on each slot willplay the loaded audio.TIP: Use the shortcut keysz (slot 1) x (slot 2) c (slot 3)v (slot 4) b (slot 5) n (slot 6)to trigger each sample respectively.SP-6 Instant DoublesYou can instant double from the Virtual Decksdown to the SP-6, from the SP-6 up to theVirtual Decks and also between the sample slotsthemselves. This means the position, track gainand speed will match when you drag a track tofrom one location into another. This allows youto beat match tracks with your turntables/CDplayers on the Virtual Decks, and then “instantdouble” the track down to a slot, freeing up theVirtual Decks to continue your mix with othertracks. Click and drag an already playing trackfrom a Virtual Deck or sample slot and drop it onanother sample slot to begin instant doubling.SP-6 Play ModesEach sample slot has three different play modes:Trigger mode - When play is pressed,the audio plays through until the end ofthe track. Pressing repetitively will trigger theaudio from the beginning of the track. To stopthe audio, hold the alt key while either clickingthe play button, or pressing the correspondingshortcut key (e.g., alt - z for slot one).Hold Mode - The sample will only playwhile you press and hold the play buttonor the corresponding shortcut key. Upon releaseof the play button, the audio stops immediately.This mode most closely resembles the functionof the “note off” mode found on many samplers.On / Off Mode - When play is pressed,the audio plays through until the end ofthe track. Pressing play again stops the audio.Repeat Mode - Each slot has a repeatbutton. When activated, this will repeatthe loaded audio file from beginning to end, orwill turn on the loop selected in the “play from”field.TIP: Short “loop” samples can be turned intoa continuous track using the repeat function.Ensure there is a clean cut at the start andend of a bar.TIP: If you don’t wish to use the SP-6, youcan disable it in the Plugins tab on the Setupscreen.This enables you to set up the sample player withthe appropriate controls that suit your workflow.20RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

SP-6 Pitch ControlsThere areindividualPitch Slider,Bend, Nudge, and Keylock controls for eachsample slot. The BPM is also displayed next tothe pitch slider. If no BPM is present in the tracksID3 tag, the pitch of the track is displayed as apercentage.Click and drag the pitch slider to make regularpitch adjustments. Hold the shift key and movethe pitch slider to make fine pitch adjustments.Click on the + and – buttons to nudge thetrack into time. (temporary pitch adjustment)Hold the ctrl key and click the + and – buttons tomake ultra-fine pitch adjustments to nudge thetrack, adjusting the pitch permanently.SP-6 ‘Play From’ SelectorUse the“Play From”selector to choose where the track will play from.You can choose to play a track from the start ofthe file, any one of the cue points, or any one ofthe loop in points.When this is set to play from start, or play froma cue point, the track will play right through untilstopped. When a loop is selected, the track willplay until the loop out point, unless you have“track repeat” on, in which case the track will loopusing the in and out points of the selected loop.The number of options will be dependent onthe number of cue points and loops already setin your track. i.e if the track loaded has no cuepoints and loops set, then only “start” will beavailable as a “Play From” option.TIP: To set or adjust cue and loop informationfor a track, load it to a Virtual Deck, makeyour adjustments, then load it back into thesample slot.SP-6 Track OverviewsDisplays anoverview of thetrack loaded to each sample slot. The waveform,play head position, cue points and selectedloops will all be visible.SP-6 Slot VolumesE a c hindividualsample slothas a separate volume slider and gain control.Volume Sliders - Use the volume slider to mixand make temporary adjustments to the volumeof the sample you are playing. You can use thesesliders like you use the line faders or up faderson your DJ mixer, fading from full volume rightthrough to completely silent.Gain Knobs - In addition to the volume sliderthere is an additional gain knob for each slot.These allow you to fine tune the maximumgain volume of the loaded sample. The gainadjustment will also be written to the track’s ID3tag, meaning that it will be the same everytimeyou load it.SP-6 Output SelectorUse the master outputselector button to choosewhere you wish to have theSP-6 output to.1 outputs through channel 12 outputs through channel 23 outputs through channel 34 outputs through channel 4A outputs through the Aux outputThe master sample player Gain knob adjusts theoverall SP-6 volume.Individual Output SelectorsBy defaulteach sampleslot will be set to Master, mirroring the SP-6master output setting. You can however, use theindividual output selector buttons to override themaster output setting.To send an individual slot to a differentoutput from the master, deselect the masteroption by clicking the MASTER button for thecorresponding slot.This will unlink the sample slot from the mastersample player output selection, allowing you tochoose the 1, 2, 3, 4 or Aux output for each slot.These output routings will be saved when youclose down Scratch Live, so the next time youlaunch Scratch Live, your preferred settings willremain the same.SP-6 Mute ButtonsUse the mute buttons to mute the audiooutput for each of the SP-6’s sampleslots. Click the mute button to silence the audiooutput, click the mute button again to turn theaudio back on.You can also ctrl-click on the mute buttons tomute the outputs momentarily, meaning that theaudio will only be muted for as long as you holdyour mouse click.SP-6 Sample BanksThe SP-6 has four separatesample banks, labeled A, B, Cand D. To switch between thedifferent banks click on the A, B, C or D buttons.Each bank will save the individual sample andsample slot settings you last used, allowing youto prepare banks for easy recall at a later stage.Sample Bank A will load as the default.TIP: You can MIDI assign these buttons,allowing you to create a virtual kill switch forthe sample slot. To MIDI assign momentarymute, hold ctrl and click on the mute buttonbefore tapping your MIDI controller.SP-6 MIDIAll features of the SP-6 are MIDI assignable.The SP-6 window must be opened first beforeenabling MIDI assign mode. SEE “MIDI Control”on page 23.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 21

DJ-FX PluginThe DJ-FX Plugin gives you control of two FXunits, each with three chained effects slots perunit. Each FX unit has two control modes: UltraKnob Mode and Super Knob Mode, both ofwhich can be fully customized. The DJ-FX pluginopens in Ultra Knob Mode by default.To enable the DJ-FX Plugin, go to the Plugins tabin the Setup screen, choose DJ-FX and checkEnable DJ-FX Plugin. Once enabled, the DJ-FXpanel button appears in the panels area on themain screen.NOTE: The DJ-FX plugin is not visible if yourRane hardware is not connected.Ultra Knob ModeClick the Ultra Knob Mode button toselect Ultra Knob Mode. This allowsyou to control up to three effects slots in one FXunit using the one Ultra Knob.Click on the drop down menu to load an UltraKnob effect. (This is “empty” before settings aresaved in Macro Edit Mode.)Click the ON button to enable the effect, anduse the Ultra Knob to control the wet and dryamount of all effects.Super Knob ModeSuper Knob Mode allows youindividual control of each effect in theFX unit. Each effect slot has a Super Knob whichcontrols the wet and dry amount for the effect.Click the Effects drop down box to select aneffect for the effect slot. You can leave a slotempty by selecting “empty.”Click the ON button by the Super Knobs totoggle turning the effect(s) on and off.The effects chain works in series going fromeffects slots 1 to 3, meaning that the effectedaudio from slot 1 passes through slot 2, which isthen passed through slot 3.Effects BPM MultiplierThe Effects BPMMultiplier is used toadjust the effect time. The effect time is setusing the track’s BPM value, but by applyingthe Effects BPM Multiplier you can increase ordecrease the effect time.Deck AssignYou can select which Deck the FX unit appliesto by clicking the Deck buttons. Each Deck canonly pass through one FX unit at a time.Show ParametersPress the Show Parameters button toexpose the individual parameters foreach effect. You can then control the individualparameters by adjusting their respective knobs.In Ultra Knob Mode, use this to select whicheffects are loaded and controlled by the UltraKnob.In Ultra and Super Knob Mode, you can linkor unlink a parameter to the Super Knob bypressing the Link Button, allowing one mastercontrol of some parameters and individualcontrol of others.Macro Edit ModeMacro Edit Mode is an advancedoption that allows you to createmacro mappings for each effect and to save anyeffects edits made in Ultra or Super Knob Mode.Open Macro Edit Mode by clicking the MacroEdit Button while Show Parameters is open.Once opened, more controls appear which allowyou to create and change parameter mappings.To map a parameter to the Ultra or Super Knob:1. Unlink the parameter that you wantto map to the knob. The Macro Minand Max buttons for this parameter are nowdisplayed.2. Move the Ultra or Super Knob to theposition that you want the parameterto start mapping from.3. Move the Parameter Knob to theposition that you want the to be thelowest value of the parameter.4. Press the Macro Min button to set theminimum position.Click the Show Parameters button toshow the effects and parameters that arecontrolled by the loaded Ultra Knob preset.Macro Edit Mode22RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

5. Move the Ultra or Super Knob to theposition that you want the parameterto end being controlled from.6. Move the Parameter Knob to theposition that you want the to be thehighest value of the parameter.7. Press the Macro Max button to set themaximum.8. Link the parameter to the Ultra or SuperKnob by pressing the Link button.Now when you adjust the Ultra or Super Knobyou will see the parameter knob move within therange that you just specified. Any parametersnot customized but linked to the Super or UltraKnob will behave as normal.You can save any macro mappingsyou have made to an effect by clickingthe Save button by the Super Knob, and saveeffects combinations made in Ultra Knob Modeby clicking the Save button by the Ultra Knob.MIDI ControlThe MIDI Control feature in Scratch Live providesthe ability to map MIDI controls to Scratch Livecontrols, and thus control the functions of ScratchLive using MIDI controllers such as keyboards,triggers, sliders, and knobs. Integrating MIDIcontrollers into your Scratch Live setup canimprove live performance usability, such ashitting pads on a MIDI controller to trigger loopsand cue points.MIDI Controller SetupThe process of setting up a MIDI controller foruse with Scratch Live will vary depending onthe hardware in question. Many devices canconnect to a computer using MIDI over USB,and will either be supported directly by youroperating system, or require installation ofdrivers and configuration utility software. Followthe manufacturers instructions for installation.Other controllers may solely use a MIDI outconnector to send control messages, andwill require a separate MIDI interface unit tocommunicate to software. Generally the MIDIinterface will come with drivers and configurationtools which pass your controller’s output onto anavailable MIDI channel, which can be used byScratch Live.Once your controller is installed andfunctioning correctly, use these directions forassigning controls.Assigning ControlsTo enable MIDI assign mode, clickthe MIDI button. Hovering themouse pointer over a control will bring up theMIDI assignment box, showing the currentassignment status.To assign a MIDI control, click on the controlin Scratch Live, then move the MIDI control. TheMIDI assignment box should update to show ithas mapped the controls to one-another.To un-assign a MIDI control, click on thecontrol in Scratch Live, and press return on yourcomputer keyboard.While in MIDI assign mode, controls whichhave MIDI inputs assigned show a green boxindicator around them.NOTE: Once in MIDI assign mode, ScratchLive controls will no longer respond directlyto the mouse. If you need to change a controlusing the mouse, disable MIDI assign mode.MIDI PlattersThe Scratch Live Virtual Decks are not userassignable to MIDI control. MIDI devices withplatters on them all send different data so usermapping is not possible. To control the platteruse a natively supported controller.Assigning MIDI to Other ControlsControls which arenot normally visibleare available for assignment when in MIDIassign mode by clicking on the Show MIDIPanel button. This will open up a panel allowingMIDI assignment for controls including librarynavigation as well as additional Deck functionssuch as fine pitch control and extended cue andlooping features.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 23

Ctrl-Click FunctionalitySome Scratch Live controls on the GUI haveadditional functionality assigned to ctrl-click.You can assign ctrl-click functionality to a MIDIcontrol, alongside the normal functionality. Forexample, ctrl-click on the INT mode pitch sliderreturns pitch to zero. To assign this to MIDIcontrol, enter MIDI assign mode, ctrl-click onthe slider, and then assign one of the pads to it.When you press the pad, pitch goes to 0.PresetsMIDI presets are accessible in the MIDI panel ofthe Setup screen. By default, the current MIDIassignments in Scratch Live are automaticallyremembered and loaded next time you start theprogram. The Preset panel allows you to saveand recall several different MIDI setups. Thisis useful if you are using several MIDI devicesor want to quickly switch MIDI setups withouthaving to reassign all your controls.Native Controller SupportThis Scratch Live version currently has nativesupport for the following 3rd party controllers:• Denon DN-HC4500• Denon DN-HD2500• Denon DN-HC1000S• Novation Dicer• Numark DMC2• Numark iCDX• Pioneer CDJ-400• Pioneer CDJ-900• Pioneer CDJ-2000• Pioneer MEP-7000 / SEP-C1• Vestax VFX-1These controllers are plug and play, and canautomatically control Scratch Live with noMIDI assigment necessary. Visit serato.com fordetailed documentation on how to use thesecontrollers.MIDI DevicesAny connected MIDI device will be listed withinthe MIDI Device List in the MIDI panel of theSetup screen. You are able to enable or disableany of these devices using the “Enable MIDIDevice” checkbox.Technical InformationScratch Live MIDI Control only supports:• Note On/Off• Standard 7-bit CC (Control Change)• 14-bit CC• RPN/NRPN (14-bit)Organizing YourMusicScratch Live can support an unlimited number oftracks – the only limitation is the size of the harddrive of your computer. A number of featuresare included to help you to keep your musicorganized and find songs quickly and easily.Grouping Tracks Into CratesScratch Live supports several ways of organizingand sorting your file library. iTunes users willnotice that Scratch Live can incorporate yourexisting iTunes library and playlists.Scratch Live uses digital “crates” for quickaccess to your favorite collections. There is nolimit to the number of crates you can create, andany given track can be placed in multiple crates.For example, you could organize your files intothe following crates, where any one track wouldbe filed in more than one crate:• Hip Hop• UK Hip Hop• French Hip Hop• Inst Hip Hop• Old Hip Hop• Hip Hop LPsTo make a new crate, click the Add New Cratebutton in the bottom left corner of the mainscreen (brown crate icon). To rename acrate, double click the crate name.You can change the order of tracks within acrate by sorting by the “#” column and draggingthem up or down.24RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

TIP: Check the ‘Protect library’ option in theLibrary tab of the Setup screen to preventchanges to your crates. If you do delete acrate by accident, you can get it back fromthe recycle bin / trash. Crate files have theextension .crate.SubcratesYou can drag and drop crates into other cratesto make subcrates. If you drag a crate to the veryleft of the crate panel, it will stay in the top levelof the crate structure. If you drag the crate a littleto the right, onto the name of another crate, itwill make the crate you are dragging a sub crateof the first crate.Smart CratesSmart crates are crates which update theircontents by using keywords which are matchedwith selected tags of your music library tracks.Smart crates can be updated automatically or atyour discretion.To create a smart crate, click the Add SmartCrate button in the bottom left corner of themain screen (blue crate icon). A popupwindow will open which allows you to add therules to fill your smart crate. Press Add Rule toadd a rule for the smart crate to match with. Foreach rule you can choose a field to match onfrom the drop down menu:• Added (date)• Album• Artist• BPM• Comment• Composer• Filename• Genre• Grouping• Key• Label• Remixer• Song• Whitelabel• YearYou can then choose the following inclusion /exclusion criteria:• Contains• Is• Does not contain• Is notCheck the Match all of the following Rulesoption so that tracks must match all the set rulesto be added to the crate. If this option is notchecked, any track which matches any of therules will be added to the crate.Check the Live update option to have thesmart crate update when any tags are edited inyour music library. With this option unchecked,the crate contents will be updated only whenyou click the refresh crate icon, which is notvisible whenLive update ischecked.Click Save to save your crate or Cancel toexit without saving.Click the Edit button (next to the Add SmartCrate button) to edit the rules of an existingSmart Crate.Sorting Your FilesThe track information display area can becustomized to display the columns listed below:• Added• Album• Artist• Bitrate• BPM• Comment• Composer• Filename• Genre• Grouping• Key• Label• Length• Location• Remixer• Sampling• Size• Track• Video Track• YearThe column button is located at the top of thelibrary pane in the right hand corner. Click onthe column button to select which columns youwant to display. To sort your library by a column,click the column header so it highlights. Forexample, clicking on the album column headerwill sort your library alphabetically by album title.To move a column, drag the header to the leftor right. To resize a column, click on the columnboundary and drag it to the left or right.Using the Song BrowserThe song browser allows you to filter your songlist by Genre, BPM, Artist and Album. To turn thesong browser on or off, click the Browse button.SearchingScratch Live includes asearch function to helpyou find files quickly andeasily. Enter text into thesearch box and ScratchLive will automaticallyfind as you type. To selectwhich fields the searchfunction will look through,click on the left handside of the search box.The drop down menu shows which fields arecurrently being used. Press esc or the x buttonon the right of the search box to clear the search.TIP: Use the keyboard shortcut ‘ctrl-f’ to jumpto the search box. This keyboard shortcut willalso take you out of any crate or playlist thatyou might be in and into your main library,so you can find any track in your collection.If you then click on a crate or playlist, thesearch query will be cleared.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 25

Prepare WindowThe Prepare window is a holding area for tracks,much like preparing a set by lifting records partway out of your record bag. You can drag tracks(or whole crates) from the main track list into thePrepare window, or simply drag them onto thePrepare button. These tracks will be removedfrom the Prepare window once they have beenplayed. All tracks in the Prepare window will bediscarded when you exit Scratch Live.TIP: Use the keyboard shortcut ctrl-p to addtracks to the Prepare window.TIP: Select the contents of the Preparewindow and drag them onto the new cratebutton (+) to save your selection as a crate.HistoryThe History button opens acomplete log of all the tracks youhave played and allows exporting Scratch Livesession information as a data file.Each session is catalogued by date and time.Using the drop down arrow, you can navigate toand view detailed information of any previoussessions. There are columns for the period (i.e.,date of session), name of track and artist name.In addition, these other categories listed belowwill give you more detailed information aboutyour sessions:Start Time: When viewing a song row, the starttime of the song is displayed. When viewinga session row, the start time of the session isdisplayed with the date (in real time value).End Time: When viewing a song row, the endtime of the song is displayed. When viewinga session row, the end time of the session isdisplayed with the date (in real time value).Playtime: When viewing a song row, the totalplayed time of the song is displayed (i.e.,00:03:00). When viewing a session row, the totalelapsed time of the session is displayed withdate (i.e., 10/09/08 01:38:16).Deck: The Virtual Deck that the song was playedon will be displayed under the deck column. Inthe song row, either left or right is displayed. Theoffline player will be listed as offline.Notes: Use this field to list particular informationabout your songs and each session (i.e., notehow you transitioned from one track to another).Start Session / End Session: To start or enda session, click the corresponding button.Insert Track: If you wish to add informationfor tracks not played in Scratch Live into yoursession (e.g., if you played one of your favoritevinyl or CDs), select the song you want to insertafter and click the Insert Track button. Doubleclick the inserted track fields and edit yourinformation accordingly. When exporting an m3uplaylist [see exporting below] “Inserted Tracks”will not be present.Export: You can export each session as a datafile using the Export button. Select a session,then choose your preferred file Format, and clickExport. There are three possible export formats:• text: to create a simple text file with yoursession information contained within.• csv: to create a file for use in spreadsheetsoftware.• m3u: to create a playlist file, which can beimported into media players. Note that an m3udoes not contain audio itself, it only points tothe location of your audio files. (Inserted trackswithin sessions will not be included in an m3uplaylist.)• Serato Playlists: see “Serato Playlists” onpage 26.Delete: To delete a history session, highlight thesession, then press ctrl + del.TIP: To make a new Scratch Live cratecontaining your session information, select asession and drag it to the + new crate icon.The crate will automatically use the sessiondate as the crate name.Listing Behavior: Only the tracks you actuallyplay are listed in history. When you change oreject a track from any virtual deck, the last trackthat was loaded to a Virtual Deck is listed.You can choose to show tracks which youhave auditioned, but not actually played, bychecking the Show unplayed tracks box. Thesession will then also list these tracks in grey,along with actual played tracks.Alternatively, you can mark or unmark tracksas played manually. Select a track (or a group oftracks) and click the Mark as played or Mark asunplayed button. This may be useful if you playa track off regular vinyl or CD—breaking the A-Balgorithm).Songs that you have played are marked asgreen in your library. Click on the button markedClear to reset the list of recently played tracksand turn the color of your library back to white.Serato PlaylistsThe Serato Playlists plugin allows you to uploadyour history sessions to your serato.com profilefor viewing, sharing and editing. You can uploadyour playlist once your session is complete, orby using the Live Playlists feature to update yourplaylists online in real time!To enable this plugin, go to the Plugins tab onthe Setup screen and check the Enable SeratoPlaylists Plugin option. Open the History paneland you will now have access to the SeratoPlaylists options.26RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Uploading Serato PlaylistsOnce you have finished your session, or toupload a previous history session, select thedesired session in the History panel. Click theFormat dropdown box, select Serato Playlistsand click the Export button. You will receive thefollowing warning:Warning: This feature will submit play datafrom your History to your online SeratoPlaylists and may affect sound cardperformance while sending.Do you wish to continue?If you choose “Yes” you will then be taken towww.serato.com where you can review yourplaylist before choosing to post it online. Onceposted, you have the option to edit the playlistand track information.NOTE: We recommend that you turn off anywireless networking devices when usingScratch Live. If you export your playlist onlinewhilst playing you may experience USBdropouts. If so, you may wish to avoid usingthis function.Live PlaylistsSerato Playlists has the Live Playlists option toallow you to display what you are playing onlinein realtime on your serato.com profile.To enable the Live Playlists feature go to thePlugins tab on the Setup screen and check theEnable Live Playlists option. Once enabled, theStart Live Playlist button is now displayed in theHistory panel. Click this to start and stop yourLive Playlist session.NOTE: Live Playlists requires you to beconnected to the internet while playing,which may result in USB dropouts. If so, youmay wish to avoid using this function.Editing ID3 tagsMuch of the information associated with each filecan be edited from within Scratch Live. Doubleclick on the attribute within the main library toedit the attribute. Filename, length, size, bit rateand sampling cannot be edited. This informationis saved in the file itself. Note that the protectlibrary option in setup must be unchecked toallow edits. for DETAILS on auto-BPM See“Preparing Your Files” on page 11.TIP: Use the keyboard shortcut ctrl-e to edittext. Hold down the ctrl key and move withthe arrow keys to change to a different fieldwhile staying in edit mode. When you havemore than one file selected, editing tagschanges all the files in your selection.TIP: The second column in the library is thelabel color for that file. Click it to bring up acolor palette, and customize the Virtual Deckfor that file.Library ZoomYou can change the size of your library text byusing the shortcuts ctrl + and ctrl –.Display Album ArtMP3 files can containalbum art information.Click the Album Artbutton at the verybottom left of thescreen to open a smallwindow. This windowdisplays the album art of the track currentlyselected in the library.Album art can also be shown next to the thetrack information display on each Virtual Deck.Click on the Display tab in the Setup screento find this option. See “Show Album Art OnDeck” on page 35.Adding Album ArtYou can add album art to a file by dragging anddropping a jpeg or png file onto the track in anyof the album art views, or onto the Album Artwindow.Status IconsThe leftmost column shows the status of eachtrack. The image to the left shows five trackswith differing statuses.• Scratch Live has detected somecorruption in the MP3 file. If possible,re-encode the MP3.• The track has been imported from theiTunes library.• The track has been imported from theiTunes library, and Scratch Live hasdetected some corruption in the MP3file. Solution: If possible, re-encode the MP3.• The track cannot be found. Most likelythe file has been renamed or moved.• Tracks that are read-only have alocked icon.More Info on Corrupt FilesIf you have a corrupt file in your library, hoveryour mouse over the status icon for informationon what type of corruption was found. SEE“Corrupt File Descriptions and Diagnoses”on page 40.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 27

File ManagementLocated in the files pane are two buttons, rescanID3 tags and relocate lost files. Use these toolsfor ongoing file and library management.Rescan ID3 TagsClick this button to force Scratch Live to re-readall file tags. Alternatively, you can drag and dropfiles, folders, or drives onto the rescan id3 tagsbutton from the files pane. This will only scan thefiles that you drag and drop, resulting in muchfaster processing.TIP: Rescanning the tags is a handy way toidentify all the files that Scratch Live can’t find(for example if the files have been altered ormoved). These tracks will show up red in themain track list, with an exclamation mark inthe status column. You can sort by the statuscolumn to group all these tracks together.Relocate Lost FilesThis feature finds music and folders on yourcomputer that you have either moved or altered.1. Click the Relocate Lost Files button to searchall your drives (internal and external) for filescurrently marked as not found in your library.2. When this process is complete, your ScratchLive library will be updated with the newlocation of your files.TIP: Drag and drop files, folders, or drivesonto the Relocate Lost Files button fromthe Files pane. This is useful if you know thelocation of your files, as it only scans the dragand drop location, with faster relocation.Deleting Crates and TracksTo delete tracks from your Scratch Live library,select the track and use the keyboard shortcutctrl-delete. Make sure you have the Protectlibrary option unchecked in the Library tab ofthe Setup screen.• Deleting a track when you are in the “ All...”playlist removes it from your library and anycrates that the track may be in.• Deleting a track inside a crate removes itfrom that crate but the file will remain in your“ All...” playlist.• Deleting a track from a subcrate will remove itfrom the subcrate and the main crate but notthe “ All...” playlist.• Crates that are deleted are sent to the recyclebin/trash.NOTE: To delete any files from your libraryand your hard drive (sending them to therecycle bin) use the shortcut ctrl-shift-delete.If you are using iTunes playlists, your files cannotbe deleted this way. You will need to delete themfrom within iTunes.Copying & Moving Files & FoldersScratch Live gives you the ability to copy andmove files, folders and crates between drives orto a new location on the same drive.To copy or move your files and/or folders,open the Files panel and select, drag and dropthem in the desired new location. Scratch Livewill then prompt you with the following options:Copy: Select this to make a copy of the selectedfiles and folders in the new location. Your ScratchLive library will now contain entries for both theoriginals and copies.Move: Select this to move the selected files and/or folders to the new location. Your Scratch Livelibrary and crates will now reference the files intheir new location.Cancel: Cancel any changes.Remove original references from library:Check this option when using the copy featureto remove the original references to these files inyour Scratch Live library and replace them withthe copies in the new location. The original fileswill still be kept in their current location, but willno longer referenced in your Scratch Live library.Copying & Moving CratesYou can also copy or move your Crates andSubcrates to another drive in the same way.Open the Files panel and select, drag and dropyour Crates or Subcrates to the new drive. Youwill be presented with the same options asmentioned above.Scratch Live BackupScratch Live stores your library database andcrates information in the Scratch Live folderon your hard disk. This folder is created ona drive when files are added to Scratch Live.A copy of each Scratch Live folder calledScratchLiveBackup is created next to the folderit is backing up. This folder is created whenexiting Scratch Live. You will be prompted tobackup your Scratch Live library on exit if thereis no backup for a drive or if the last backup ismore than 1 week old.Backup will only keep ONE level backup at atime; each time backup runs, it overwrites theprevious backup.NOTE: Make sure you back up your musicseparately. This backup function only backsup the Scratch Live folder, not your musicfiles.28RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

RecordingScratch Live allows you to record one of fivestereo signals from the SL 4:• 1 in• 2 in• 3 in• 4 in• Aux inStereo recording is possible even while usingtwo stereo vinyl control inputs.1. Select the RECORD button at the left of thescreen to open the Record controls.2. Choose the Input Source by clicking on thedownward arrow (icon) to get the drop menu.3. Click the red record icon to start recording.4. The record icon flashes while recording andthe display shows the elapsed recording time.5. Click the flashing record icon again to stop therecording.6. To save the recording, type in a name for therecording and click the save icon.Recordings can be loaded onto the Decks,renamed, and managed like other files.Recordings are saved as 24-bit, 48 kHz stereoAIFF files by default.Recordings are saved in “My Documents\My Music\_Serato_\Recording” in WindowsXP, “Libraries\Music\_Serato_\Recording” inWindows 7, and “~/Music/_Serato_/RecordingTemp” on a Mac.Record Gain KnobAdjust the record level using this Gain knob. Themeter reveals the level of your audio. Ideally themeter should sit just below the red, meaning yoursignal is as loud as it can be without clipping.NOTE: If you turn the record Gain knob downand the red clip led is still illuminated, thesignal is clipping the input of the SL 4. Turndown the level at your audio source before itreaches the SL 4.TIPS• The keyboard shortcut ctrl-n turns recordingon and off.• Load a recording without saving it using theshortcut keys shift left arrow to the Left Deckor shift right arrow to the Right Deck.NOTE: Recording files are automatically splitwhen the recording exceeds 3 hours (16-bit)or 1 hour 50 minutes (24-bit).Sampling From VinylYou can use the SL 4 interface to sample fromvinyl or any other sound source. Click the triangle next to the record button to select fromthe Aux, 1, 2, 3 or 4 input.TIP: Remember that ctrl-n turns recording onand off, and you can load a recording withoutsaving it using shift + left arrow or shift + rightarrow. Drop the needle into a loud part of thetrack, record a few seconds, and then shift +left arrow or shift + right arrow to load it onto the Virtual Deck. This way you can doublecheckyour levels and adjust with the Gaincontrol.Recording Your MixTo record your DJ mix in Scratch Live:1. Connect an output (i.e., booth, session, aux or2nd master output) from your DJ mixer into theAUX input of the SL 4.2. Select AUX as the record source in ScratchLive.3. Adjust the input level to a suitable volume. Besure the red overload LED stays off.4. Begin recording. Details are the same as steps3 to 7 under RECORDING.Recording Bit DepthThere is an option for Recording Bit Depth withthe SL 4 on the Hardware tab of the Setupscreen. Choose either 16-bit (CD quality, smallerfile size) or 24-bit (high quality, larger file size).See “Recording Bit Depth” on page 32.7. The recording is automatically placed in a cratenamed “RECORDED”. If the crate does notalready exist, it will be created automatically.8. To start a new recording without saving,simply click the record button again.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 29

Using LiveFeedLiveFeedTwo ComputerConnectionLiveFeed allows you to stream any of theavailable inputs on the SL 4 to a Virtual Deck.You can then instantly play the recording backjust like a normal audio file—you can scratch it,speed it up, slow it down, set loops and set cuepoints.There are two recording options, Normal andGated. The Normal option means recording willbegin as soon as the Virtual Deck starts playing.The Gated option means recording will onlybegin once the input source exceeds the setgate level (thus avoiding periods of silence). Youcan set the gate level by clicking the dropdownmenu in the LiveFeed filename. The lower thegain setting the more sensitive the gate is.The amount of time available to record isdetermined by your audio cache setting. Thetrack overview display shows the amount ofusable audio you have to play with from therecording. Click anywhere in the track overviewdisplay to jump to your desired position in therecording. See “Audio Cache” on page 35.First locate the LiveFeed files in your library. Type“livefeed” into the search box and you will see:LiveFeed - Rane SL 4 Aux InLiveFeed - Rane SL 4 Aux In (Gated) -x dBLiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 1LiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 1 (Gated) -x dBLiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 2LiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 2 (Gated) -x dBLiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 3LiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 3 (Gated) -x dBLiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 4LiveFeed - Rane SL 4 USB Channel 4 (Gated) -x dBLoad the desired LiveFeed file to any Deck. Tobegin recording, start the Virtual Deck playing.The waveforms will start to build in the trackoverview and main waveform display as the Auxinput is being recorded, you can now use therecording as normal. Performing a needle dropon the record brings the playhead back to the“now” position in the audio stream.The SL 4 allows two computers running ScratchLive to connect to the mixer simultaneously. Thisallows two DJs to play at the same time and foreasy DJ handover.Connect both computers to the two USB portson the SL 4. In Scratch Live on each computer,select a USB Source for each Virtual Deck. Forany Virtual Decks on either computer that aren’tto be used, set the USB Source to None.NOTE: If you can’t select a particular USBsource for a Deck, make sure it is not alreadyset on another computer or Virtual Deck.Each USB Source can only be set to one VirtualDeck on one computer at a time. When twocomputers are connected, you can use up tofour USB sources in total.DJ HandoverSwapping between two DJs both using ScratchLive is now easier than ever before! With acomputer already connected to the SL 4 andplaying, do the following:1. Connect the second computer to the unusedUSB port on the SL 4.2 a. Using four control sources:Select a USB Source for a Virtual Deckthat is not already being used on the firstcomputer. If the first DJ is using all four USBsources, politely ask them to free up at leastone channel for you to take over. See “USBSources & Analog Inputs” on page 13.30RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

2 b. Using two control sources:Unassign the USB Source for the non-playingVirtual Deck on Computer A. Then haveComputer B assign that same USB Source toone of its Virtual Decks. See “USB Sources &Analog Inputs” on page 13.Mixing With OneTurntable OrCD PlayerAdditional Setup3. Play a track on this Deck and mix it in whenready—you’ll now have audio from bothcomputers in the mix.4. Fade out the audio playing from the firstcomputer to the audio playing from the secondcomputer.5. When only audio from the second computer isleft in the mix, remove the first computer.6. Assign USB sources for the remaining VirtualDecks on the second computer and continueDJing.This single turntable technique allows you to mixas if you had two turntables, using just one. Ifone of your turntables is not performing properly,or if you only have one available, you will be ableto continue to mix the way you are used to.The following is a step-by-step descriptionof how to perform a mix using only your rightturntable or CDJ with the instant doubles feature.This section covers general preferences andadjustments you can make to improve theperformance of Scratch Live. From the top of themain screen, click on SETUP to get to this area.Menu SettingsGo to the Setup menu, click on the Playbacktab. Make sure Instant doubles is checked, andLock playing deck is unchecked.1. Load a track onto the Right Deck in ScratchLive and play as usual.2. Put the Left Deck into INT mode.3. Load the same song you have playing on theRight Deck onto the Left Deck. The track onthe Left Deck will start playing from the samepoint and at the same pitch as the Right Deck.4. You can now quickly slide your mixer’scrossfader over to the Left Deck.5. Your Right Deck is now free to load up a newsong ready to mix in.6. Repeat!TIP: Instant doubles works with either Deck.See “Lock Playing Deck” on page 32.See “Instant Doubles” on page 33.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 31

HardwareUSB Buffer Size (Latency)Scratch Live processes audio in small chunks.When smaller chunks are used, the movementof the record is translated into audio more often,which results in a lower overall system latency.However, this requires more processing andtherefore a higher CPU load, so lower buffer sizesettings require a more powerful computer toproduce uninterrupted audio. If you want tightercontrol, try decreasing this setting. On the otherhand, if you experience audio dropouts, youneed to increase this setting (or use a morepowerful computer).Select Primary DecksSelect a combination of which two Decks to setas the Primary Decks.When using four decks with Scratch Live,“Primary Decks” are the default decks displayedin classic mode.TIP: When using a four-deck setup, you mightlike to choose the two turntables locatedimmediately to the left and right of your mixeras the “Primary decks.”Flashing Deck IndicatorWhen checked, displays a flashing white borderaround the Virtual Decks which currently havekeyboard focus.Recording Bit DepthChoose to record in either 16-Bit (CD quality,smaller file size) or 24-Bit (high quality, larger filesize). see “Recording” on page 29.Updating FirmwareIf a firmware update is available after installing anew Scratch Live software release, an UpdateFirmware button appears in the Hardwarescreen.The firmware upgrade takes approximately 10seconds, during which time the SL 4 will not beusable.Sample RateThe current hardware sample rate is displayedhere. You can choose between 48 kHz and 96kHz using the Sample Rate Selection switch onthe SL 4.Setting this to 96 kHz will result in betterquality audio, although you will need to play 96kHz audio files.NOTE: It is recommended on lower specmachines to use 48 kHz as using 96 kHz willput a greater strain on your CPU.Hardware ThrusSelect which channels are set to THRU on theSL 4. See “Thru Mode” on page 16.PlaybackTrack End WarningEnable this option to flash the Virtual Deck asyou approach the end of the track. The label willstart flashing 20 seconds from the end of therecord. The Track end warning does not apply toany tracks under 1 minute long.Playback Keys Use ShiftWhen this option is checked you must have theshift key pressed for the playback keys to trigger.This applies to all keyboard shortcuts, includingcue points, INT mode shortcuts, and the sampleplayer shortcuts.TIP: You can also turn on Caps Lock insteadof using Shift.Lock Playing DeckEvery DJ’s nightmare used to be lifting the needleoff the wrong turntable in the middle of a set.This setting helps to avoid the digital equivalent;loading a new track to the wrong deck. Whenthis option is checked, you can only load a trackif the target deck is stopped.Sort Cues ChronologicallyThe five cue points can be placed in any order,and can be dragged up and down if you wishto reorder them. If you prefer to lock them tochronological order, turn this option on.Enable Hot CuesWhen Hot Cues are enabled, you can set cuepoints simply by pressing the number keys 1through 0 (no ctrl modifier required) from yourkeyboard. You can only add cues this way if thecue point slots are empty. See “Cue Points” onPAGE 18.32RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Drop To Cue Points (RelativeMode)This option triggers the corresponding cue pointwhen the needle is repositioned into one of thefirst five one-minute sections on the control vinyl.For instance: needle dropping into the secondminute on the left turntable will send playbackfor Deck 1 to cuepoint 2, if that cuepoint is set.(REL mode only)Vinyl Start OffsetIf there is cue burn at the beginning of the vinyl,you will notice that the tracking will be poor atthis point. Use the two knobs to offset the startpoint, so that the track will start playing froma point further into the control record. The firstknob sets the number of whole minutes to offsetby, the second knob sets the number of wholerotations within that minute.LibraryRead iTunes LibraryCheck this option to show your iTunes libraryand playlists in Scratch Live. You can collapseyour iTunes playlists by clicking on theblue folder icon.Uncheck this option to remove iTunes playlistsand iTunes songs from your Scratch Live library.To add your iTunes music to your Scratch Livelibrary permanently, drag and drop tracks fromthe iTunes playlists onto the “ All...” icon (onthe far left hand side of the Scratch Live screen),or into individual Scratch Live crates.Any files moved to “ All...,” an existing crate,or a new crate will now remain in Scratch Liveeven when the Read iTunes library option isunchecked. Once a file has been permanentlyadded to Scratch Live, the iTunes logo willdisappear.We recommend unchecking this option afteryou have added your music into the Scratch Livelibrary.NOTES:• If your iTunes library contains a large number oftracks it may take some time for Scratch Liveto read it.• Any changes made in Scratch Live to the fileinformation of tracks in your iTunes library willnot appear in iTunes until after you play thetrack.• Scratch Live cannot play files that have beenprotected by Digital Rights Managementsystems, such as those previously soldthrough the Apple iTunes Music Store. iTunesPlus files are DRM-free.• iTunes is available for Mac and PC. To getmore information, visit www.apple.com.Protect LibraryUncheck this option to remove files and cratesfrom your library. Check this option to lockyour library and prevent accidental file or cratedeletion while using Scratch Live. Enabling thisoption will also lock all file tags and crate names,so that no text can be changed.Customize Crate ViewsCheck this option to set custom column viewsfor each crate and playlist. When the option is off(default), all crates will share the same columnconfiguration as the “ All...” crate.Center On Selected SongWith this option on, scrolling up and down in yourlibrary holds the selected track in the middle ofthe library panel.Show All File TypesEnable this option to show all files whenimporting tracks into Scratch Live. If this optionis unchecked, only files that Scratch Live canplay will be displayed.Include Subcrate TracksYou can drag crates into other crates to makesubcrates. If you have this option turned on,any crate will also display the contents of all itssubcrates. See “Organizing Your Music” onPAGE 24.AutoFill OverviewsEnable this option to automatically generate thetrack overview as soon as a track is loaded. Ifthis setting is disabled, the track overview willbe generated as the track plays. Automaticallygenerating the track overview uses more of thecomputer’s CPU power, and should be disabledon slower computers.TIP: Analyze your files before you play topre-build all your overviews. See “PreparingYour Files” on page 11.34RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Import AAC FilesTurn this option off if you do not wish to importAAC files into your library. Changing this optionwill cause your iTunes library to be reloaded ifthe Read iTunes library option is turned on.DisplayPluginsFont SizeAdjust this slider to increase and decrease thefont size for the main library and crates area.TIP: You can also use the keyboard shortcutsctrl + and ctrl – to increase and decrease thefont size.Album Art SizeAdjust this slider to set the maximum album artsize for any of the album art display modes. Theartwork will still get larger if required to fit thetrack and will still scale with the library zoomkeyboard shortcut.Maximum Screen UpdatesThis slider allows you to throttle back the screenrefresh rate. Users with slower computers mightlike to do this if they are having performanceissues. It could also be useful if you want to limitScratch Live’s processor usage, for example ifyou are running a recording program at the sametime. The default setting is 60 Hz, or refreshed60 times per second. This setting applies tothe entire screen (i.e. the Virtual Decks, theWaveforms, the Library, and the Setup screen).Audio CacheUse this slider to set the amount of audio thatis loaded into memory. A small audio cache willplace less load on your computer, and the trackswill load faster. A large audio cache will give youa bigger view of the waveform when the mainwaveform view is zoomed out. The default is 15seconds.SP-6Use the check box to enable and disable theSP-6 sample player plugin. The SP-6 is enabledby default.DJ-FXUse the check box to enable and disable theDJ-FX plugin. The DJ-FX plugin is disabled bydefault.Serato PlaylistsUse the check boxes to enable and disable theSerato Playlists plugin and the Live Playlistsfeature. These are disabled by default.Show Album Art On DeckCheck this option to show the album art for yoursong next to the track information display oneach Virtual Deck.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 35

KeyboardShortcutsThese actions can be accessed directly from thecomputer keyboard.NOTE: Playback, cue and speed controls useShift or Caps Lock. You can turn this off in theSetup screen.KEYctrl - Lctrl - Rctrl - Fctrl - Actrl - Cctrl - Ectrl - Vctrl - Xctrl - Zshift - ctrl - shift - ctrl - ctrl - Pctrl - Nctrl - OACTIONLocate the current track. This will highlight the track you most recently loaded.Pressing ctrl - L again will alternate between the tracks recently loaded on both decks.Reveal - the highlighted song is opened in a file browser.Find - moves the cursor to the search box.Select all.Copy text in edit mode.Edit text.Paste text in edit mode.Cut text in edit mode.Undo last track load.Move focus up / down through the library or crates. Note that if you have a songhighlighted in the song view, and use shift - ctrl - you will move up or down throughthe library or crates. When you release the shift or ctrl key, the focus will go back to thesong view so that you can move up and down through songs using .Add tracks to the prepare window.Start a new mic recording.Open the track in your default MP3/WAV/OGG/AIF player.- or + Zoom the main waveform display.ctrl - or +Zoom the library text size.tabAlternate focus between crates or songs.ctrl - del andctrl - backspacealt - del andalt - backspacectrl - shift - del andctrl - shift - backspacectrl - shift - /escRemove track from library., remove track from crate, delete crate (does not delete thefile).Remove track from crate and from library.Delete the file from your library and send to the recycle bin.(Note to iTunes users: files in your iTunes library cannot be deleted this way).Toggle the input reverse switchClear search string if searching, or exit Scratch Live.See “Playback Keys Use Shift” on page 32.SAMPLE PLAYER slot 1 slot 2 slot 3 slot 4 slot 5 slot 6Load to sample slot ctrl - alt - Z ctrl - alt - X ctrl - alt - C ctrl - alt - V ctrl - alt - B ctrl - alt - NPlay sample slot Z X C V B NLEFT DECK ACTION RIGHT DECKctrl - or shift - Load the highlighted song to a deck. ctrl - or shift - ctrl - shift - Load the track currently on one deck onto the other deck as well. ctrl - shift - shift - alt - Unload the track from a deck. shift - alt - ctrl - , (comma) Place a cue point. ctrl - . (period)ctrl - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Place a cue point in a slot. ctrl - 6, 7, 8, 9, 01, 2, 3, 4, 5 Jump to cue points slots. (REL and INT modes) 6, 7, 8, 9, 0F1 Switch deck to ABS mode. F6F2 Switch deck to REL mode. F7F3 Switch deck to INT mode. F8F5 Key lock on / off. F10Q Play / pause reverse. AW Play / pause forward. SE Pitch down. DR Pitch up. FT Bend down. (REL and INT modes) GY Bend up. (REL and INT modes) HU Censor. (REL and INT modes) JI Go to temporary cue point. (REL and INT modes) KO Set / adjust loop in-point. LP Set / adjust loop out-point. ;[ Loop on / off. 'ctrl - [ Jump to selected loop. ctrl - 'alt - Q Load previous track. alt - Aalt - W Load next track. alt - Salt - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Auto loop on / off. alt - 6, 7, 8, 9, 0ctrl - alt - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Loop roll. ctrl - alt - 6, 7, 8, 9, 0alt - E Rewind. (REL and INT modes) alt - Dalt - R Fast forward. (REL and INT modes) alt - Falt - O Previous loop. alt - Palt - L Next loop. alt - ;alt - space bar Activate the tempo tapper. alt - space bar (x2)ctrl - I Set temporary cue point. (REL and INT modes) ctrl - K36RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Troubleshootingand FrequentlyAsked QuestionsThe audio playback is dropping out /clicking / poppingScratch Live is not getting a clear signal from therecord, or your computer is not able to processthe information quickly enough. Go to the Setupscreen and check the scope views. When therecord is playing, the circles should be round,and the value in the bottom right corner shouldbe close to 100%. If this is not the case, youneed to calibrate. See “Calibrating ScratchLive” on page 9.Also try increasing the USB Buffer Size inHardware Setup if your computer is close to theminimum spec.Clean your needles! This is the most commoncause of audio drop-out. Because you areplaying the same record over and over, theneedles will get dirty more quickly than usual.The threshold goes to the far rightwhen I click the estimate buttonMake sure the needle is on the record and therecord is stopped when you click estimate. Ifthe slider goes hard right and stays there, youmost likely have an grounding problem with yourturntables/mixer. If you cannot eliminate thisproblem, use REL mode instead of ABS mode.Scratch Live makes a strange digitalnoise, even when no track is playingScratch Live is interpreting background noiseas record movement. Go to the Setup screenand move the threshold slider (located left ofthe Estimate button) to the right until the noisestops. See “Calibrating Scratch Live” onPAGE 9.The tracks are playing backwards!The inputs (from the turntables or CD players)are the wrong way around. Try swapping red andwhite wires at one end.I can’t get the Scope View to shownice clean circlesCheck your needles and make sure they areclean. If the circles look fuzzy, try cleaning yourcontrol record. If the Scope View shows a lineinstead of a circle, Scratch Live is only receiving asignal from one channel—check all your cables,and the connection between your cartridges andthe tone arm. You can order replacement controlrecords from your local distributor. You may alsoorder these in the online store at www.rane.comif you are in the USA.The first time I play a new track, ittakes a while to loadScratch Live has to read the entire file and createa file index (overview) the first time it is loaded.This may take a few seconds for longer files.After the first load, it should load instantly. See“Preparing Your Files” on page 11.I have a particular MP3 that won’tplay / plays badly / takes a long timeto load / crashes the program.The file may be damaged, and may need to bedeleted from your library. Please go to the forumat serato.com and notify the support team thatyou have a bad file. By reporting damaged orcorrupt files, you help the developers to improveScratch Live’s ability to play damaged MP3 filesin the future.Scratch Live freaks out when I usethe master tempo (key correction)function on my CD playerScratch Live interprets the signal coming outof the CD player, and uses this informationto control the playback of the files on yourcomputer. Any audio processing performedon the signal before it reaches the hardwareinterface, such as key correction, will scramblethe signal making it illegible to Scratch Live. Usekey correction within Scratch Live instead. See“Key Lock” on page 14.I want to backup my library andCRATES or move them to anothermachine, so where are they stored?Your database and crates are stored in thefolder Home\Music\_Serato_ on a Mac, andMy Documents\My Music\_Serato_ in WindowsXP, and Libraries\Music\_Serato_ in Windows7. If your library contains tracks that are storedon a drive other than your boot drive, a foldercalled _Serato_ will be created in the root of thatdrive, and a separate database will be made inthis folder. If it is a removable drive, the trackswill only appear in your library when the driveis connected. See “Scratch Live Backup” onPAGE 28.I have pink files which don’t playThese are files which Scratch Live thinks aremissing. You can use the Relocate Lost Filesfeature in the Offline player to re-associate thesewith their new location. To do this you can either:drag the file itself from Finder/Windows exploreronto the button to relocate an individual file,drag an entire folder onto this button, or pressthe button (this will search all connected drivesfor all the missing files in your library).I have cue burn at the beginning ofmy control record, does that meanI need to replace it?No, use the Vinyl Start Offset function (in theVinyl Control tab of the Setup screen) to movethe point at which tracks begin to a positionfurther into the vinyl. SEE “Vinyl Start Offset”on page 34.What are the best cartridges to usewith Scratch Live?We recommend the Ortofon|Serato S-120cartridges for use with Scratch Live. Theseemploy revolutionary new cantilever suspension,which delivers high output volume, unrivaledtracking ability and low record wear.NOTE: To keep up with the latest tips, visit theOfficial Scratch Live Forum online at serato.com.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 37

Scope Reading and FixesMost of the problems that occur with Scratch Live can be attributed to it not getting a good reading of the control signal from your records or CDs. These examples show what the scopes on thesetup screen can look like to help solve possible problems. Some problems cause similar looking scopes, e.g., if your scopes look like the Dusty Needle one, the cause could be a damaged needle.GOOD SIGNAL - Clean signal with 100% tracking.NO SIGNAL - Scratch Live is not receiving any controlsignal - check your connections.BAD TURNTABLE VIBRATION - Bass is reaching thestylus. Try to isolate the turntable from the speakers.CD PLAYER INTO PHONO INPUT - The SL 4 is setto receive a phono level input. Switch to the correctsetting on the SL 4.PHONO INTO LINE INPUT - The SL 4 is set to receiveline level input. Switch to the correct setting on theSL 4.DUSTY NEEDLE - Dust is preventing the stylus fromtracking the groove correctly. Clean your needle andthe control vinyl.UNEARTHED - Very susceptible to interference.Attach the turntable’s ground wire to the SL 4 or mixer.USING PIGGYBACK CABLES - Picking up hugeamounts of noise, barely tracking. Connect yourturntables directly to the SL 4.DAMAGED NEEDLE - Try re-seating, cleaning orreplacing your stylus.38RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

RECORD BURN - This section of the control vinyl hasbeen worn. Swap sides or adjust the Vinyl Start Offset.LEFT CHANNEL MISSING - The signal from the needleis not reaching the SL 4. Check the cable and cartridgeconnections.RIGHT CHANNEL MISSING - The signal from theneedle is not reaching the SL 4. Check the cable andcartridge connections.BAD RECORD BURN - Your record is very badly wornand Scratch Live is unable to track correctly. Swapsides or get new vinyl ASAP.LEFT CHANNEL IS NOISE - Left signal has been lostwith a noisy loose connection.RIGHT CHANNEL IS NOISE - Right signal has beenlost with a noisy loose connection.TONEARM IS SLIGHTLY TOO LIGHT - Susceptible todust and vibration. Adjust the tonearm.Signals are summing to mono - The left andright signals have been combined into one somewherein your signal chain.RIGHT CHANNEL IS INTERFERENCE - Right signalhas been lost with a noisy loose connection and leftchannel crosstalk.RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 39

Corrupt FileDescriptions andDiagnosesCorrupt file: This MP3 contains invalidframes.Corrupt file: This file contains corruptframes that may result in audible glitches.Corrupt file: This file has been split. Youshould check the beginning for audioglitches.Corrupt file: This file structure is incorrect.Corrupt file: This MP3 contains frameswith corrupt data.Corrupt file: This MP3 lost syncronizationbetween the frame index and the frames.Corrupt file: This MP3 is completely invalidand is not playable.Corrupt file: This file contains invalid audiodata.Corrupt file: This MP3 contains no validframes.Unsupported file: This MP3 contains multiplelayers.Unsupported file: This file is more than2 GB in size.Unsupported file: This file has data blocksgreater than 2 GB in size.Corrupt file: This WAV contains no validchunks.Unsupported file: This file's data is not inPCM format.Unsupported file: This file has a samplingrate greater than 96 kHz.Unsupported file: This file uses more than24 bits per sample.Corrupt file: This WAV is incomplete.Corrupt file: This file contains corruptblocks.Corrupt file: This song contains no audiodata.Corrupt file: This song contains invalidsamples.This MP3 contains frames which do not conform strictly to the official MP3 specification. Scratch Livecan not be certain that this file will play back 100% accurately.This file contains two or more contiguous corrupt frames. Since corrupt frames are replaced withsilence, this could result in what might sound like an audio glitch.The first MPEG audio frame in this file refers to audio that should be present before it but is not. Thisis usually the result of incorrect MP3 editing. Since a corrupt frame is replaced with silence and mostsongs start with silence, the resulting silence might not be noticeable. All the same, listen to thebeginning of the song, just to be sure.This file has caused the QuickTime metadata manager to fail.Decoding of an MPEG audio frame failed. This means that the frame contained invalid data. As usualwith corrupt frames, this frame will be played as silence.Scratch Live is reading an old overview of an MP3 that has been edited in a thrid party editingprogram. Rebuilding the overviews for the affected files usually corrects this error.Self explanatory. Possible causes are disk bad sectors, file system corruption, wrong file types, wrongfile extensions, etc.Scratch Live encountered invalid data while looking for audio in this file. This message alerts you tothe fact that the file you're trying to play contains corrupt data. This may, or may not, affect playback.No audio could be found in this file, which means it is completely unplayable as far as Scratch Live isconcerned. Please make sure this really is an audio file.While scanning this file, Scratch Live found frames belonging to multiple MPEG layers. Scratch Livedoes not support MP3s containing frames from multiple layers – some frames may output as silence.Self explanatory. At the moment, Scratch Live does not support files that are 2 GB in size (or larger).This file contains chunks of data that are larger than 2 GB. Scratch Live does not support files that aremore than 2 GB in size.This WAV file contains no recognizable WAV data. It is quite possible that this might not be a WAV file.WAV files can contain data in several formats. Scratch Live only supports WAV files that contain datain the PCM format.Scratch Live does not support sampling rates greater than 96 kHz. If you see this message, thesimplest approach is to re-sample the audio at 96 kHz and re-save the file.Scratch Live supports a maximum of 24 bits per sample of audio data.Scratch Live expected more data in the file, but found none. This could be because the file wasincorrectly truncated or because the data in the file is corrupt, causing Scratch Live to incorrectlyestimate the amount of data present in the file.This file contains blocks of data that report their size to be zero. This message was inserted to identifyfiles that might cause lockups on previous versions of Scratch Live.Scratch Live could not find any audio in this file. Please check to make sure this file contains audio ina format that Scratch Live supports.This file contains samples of audio that are too small to represent accurately and will thereforebe truncated to zero. This should not result in any audible audio artifacts, but could cause audiodropouts on earlier versions of Scratch Live.40RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Declaration of ConformityApplication ofCouncil directive:2004/108/EC2002/96/EC2002/95/ECManufacturer:Rane Corporation10802 47th Avenue WestMukilteo WA 98275-5000 USAStandard(s) to whichconformity is declared:EN55103-1:2009EN55103-2:2009ENVIRONMENT E2SERIAL NUMBERS 700000-900000CE MARK WAS FIRST AFFIXED IN: 2011This equipment has been tested and found to be in compliance with all applicable standards and regulations applying to the EU’s ElectromagneticCompatibility (EMC) directive 2004/108/EC. In order for the customer to maintain compliance with this regulation, high quality shielded cable must beused for interconnection to other equipment. Modification of the equipment, other than that expressly outlined by the manufacturer, is not allowed underthis directive. The user of this equipment shall accept full responsibility for compliance with the EMC directive in the event that the equipment is modifiedwithout written consent of the manufacturer.Type of Equipment:Professional Audio Signal ProcessingBRAND: RaneModel: SL 4Immunity Results:THD+N: 4 dBu, 400 Hz, BW = 20 Hz - 20 kHzTest Description Results ConditionsRF Electromagnetic Fields Immunity < -82 dB 80 MHz -1000 MHz, 1 kHz AM, 80% depth, 3V/mConducted RF Disturbances Immunity < -82 dB 150 kHz - 80 MHz, 1 kHz AM, 80% depth, 3V rmsMagnetic Fields Immunity < -81 dB 50 Hz - 10 kHz, 3.0 - 0.3 A/mI, the undersigned, hereby declare that the equipment specified above conformsto the Directive(s) and Standard(s) shown above.(Signature)Greg Frederick(Full Name)Compliance Engineer(Position)February 11, 2011(Date)Mukilteo WA USA(Place)RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 41

Limited U.S.A. WarrantyRANE CORPORATION WARRANTS ALL RANE PRODUCTS (EXCEPT THOSE ITEMS CLASSIFIED AS WEAR PARTS, AND LISTED ONPAGE 3 OF THIS OPERATORS MANUAL) PURCHASED IN THE U.S. AGAINST DEFECTS IN MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP FOR A PERIODOF TWO (2) YEARS. WEAR PARTS ARE LIMITED TO A PERIOD OF NINETY (90) DAYS FROM THE INITIAL DATE OF RETAIL PURCHASEFROM AN AUTHORIZED RANE DEALER—WEAR PARTS REQUIRE PROOF OF PURCHASE DATE. This limited warranty extends to allpurchasers or owners of the product during the warranty period beginning with the original retail purchase. Rane Corporation does not,however, warrant its products against any and all defects: 1) arising out of material or workmanship not provided or furnished by Rane, or2) resulting from abnormal use of the product or use in violation of instructions, or 3) in products repaired or serviced by other than theRane Factory, or 4) in products with removed or defaced serial numbers, or 5) in components or parts or products expressly warranted byanother manufacturer. Rane agrees to supply all parts and labor to repair or replace defects covered by this limited warranty with parts orproducts of original or improved design, at its option in each respect, if the defective product is shipped prior to the end of the warrantyperiod to the Rane Factory in the original packaging or a replacement supplied by Rane, with all transportation costs and full insurancepaid each way by the purchaser or owner.Limited Warranty Outside the U.S.A.RANE PRODUCTS ARE WARRANTED ONLY IN THE COUNTRY WHERE PURCHASED, THROUGH THE AUTHORIZED RANE DISTRIBUTOR IN THATCOUNTRY, AGAINST DEFECTS IN MATERIAL OR WORKMANSHIP, THE SPECIFIC PERIOD OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY SHALL BE THAT WHICH ISDESCRIBED TO THE ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASER BY THE AUTHORIZED RANE DEALER OR DISTRIBUTOR AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. RaneCorporation does not, however, warrant its products against any and all defects: 1) arising out of materials or workmanship not provided or furnished byRane, or 2) resulting from abnormal use of the product or use in violation of instructions, or 3) in products repaired or serviced by other than authorizedRane repair facilities, or 4) in products with removed or defaced serial numbers, or 5) in components or parts or products expressly warranted by anothermanufacturer. Rane agrees, through the applicable authorized distributor, to repair or replace defects covered by this limited warranty with parts orproducts of original or improved design, at its option in each respect, if the defective product is shipped prior to the end of the warranty period to thedesignated authorized Rane warranty repair facility in the country where purchased, or to the Rane factory in the U.S., in the original packaging or areplacement supplied by Rane, with all transportation costs and full insurance paid each way by the purchaser or owner.ALL REMEDIES AND THE MEASURE OF DAMAGES ARE LIMITED TO THE ABOVE SERVICES, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ECONOMIC LOSS OR INJURY TOPERSON OR PROPERTY MAY RESULT FROM THE FAILURE OF THE PRODUCT; HOWEVER, EVEN IF RANE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THIS POSSIBILITY,THIS LIMITED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER ANY SUCH CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES. SOME STATES OR COUNTRIES DO NOTALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARISING BY LAW, COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, USAGE OF TRADE, OROTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARELIMITED TO A PERIOD OF TWO (2) YEARS FROM EITHER THE DATE OF ORIGINAL RETAIL PURCHASE OR, IN THE EVENT NO PROOF OF PURCHASEDATE IS AVAILABLE, THE DATE OF MANUFACTURE, SOME STATES OR COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIEDWARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, ANDYOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM STATE TO STATE, COUNTRY TO COUNTRY.Factory Authorized ServiceYour unit may someday need to be serviced by the Rane Factory if you live in the USA. International customers should contact your dealer or distributorfor service. You must call the Rane factory before shipping. Please do not return your unit to Rane without prior authorization.Rane CorporationTo obtain service or a Return Authorization in the USA, please phone 425-355-6000or Fax 425-347-775742RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2

Warranty Procedure - Valid in U.S.A. onlyNOTICE! You must complete and return the warranty card or register your product online to extendthe Warranty from 2 years to 3 years!TO VALIDATE YOUR EXTENDED WARRANTY: Use the postcard that came in the box with your unit, or go to www.rane.com and click on New ProductRegistration. Fill out the warranty completely, being sure to include the model and serial number of the unit since this is how warranties are tracked.If your Rane product was purchased in the U.S.A., mail the completed card or register online with to Rane Corporation within 10 days from the date ofpurchase. If you purchased the product outside the U.S.A. you must file your warranty registration with the Rane Distributor in that country. It isadvised that you keep your bill of sale as proof of purchase, should any difficulties arise concerning the registration of the warranty card. NOTICE: IT ISNOT NECESSARY TO REGISTER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE RANE CORPORATION’S STANDARD TWO YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY.WARRANTY REGISTRATION is made and tracked by MODEL AND SERIAL NUMBERS ONLY, not by the purchaser’s or owner’s name. Therefore anywarranty correspondence or inquires MUST include the model and serial number of the product in question. Be sure to fill in the model and serial numberin the space provided below and keep this in a safe place for future reference.WARRANTY SERVICE MUST BE PERFORMED ONLY BY AN AUTHORIZED RANE SERVICE FACILITY LOCATED IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE UNITWAS PURCHASED, OR (if product was purchased in the U.S.) AT THE RANE FACTORY IN THE U.S.. If the product is being sent to Rane for repair, pleasecall the factory for a Return Authorization number. We recommend advance notice be given to the repair facility to avoid possible needless shipment incase the problem can be solved over the phone. UNAUTHORIZED SERVICE PERFORMED ON ANY RANE PRODUCT WILL VOID ITS EXISTING FACTORYWARRANTY.FACTORY SERVICE: If you wish your Rane product to be serviced at the factory, it must be shipped FULLY INSURED, IN THE ORIGINAL PACKING OREQUIVALENT. This warranty will NOT cover repairs on products damaged through improper packaging. If possible, avoid sending products through themail. Be sure to include in the package:1. Complete return street shipping address (P.O. Box numbers are NOT acceptable).2. A detailed description of any problems experienced, including the make and model numbers of any other system equipment.3. Remote power supply, if applicable.Repaired products purchased in the U.S. will be returned prepaid freight via the same method they were sent to Rane. Products purchased in the U.S., butsent to the factory from outside the U.S. MUST include return freight funds, and the sender is fully responsible for all customs procedures, duties, tariffsand deposits.In order to qualify for Rane’s one year extended warranty (for a total of 3 years parts and labor),the warranty must be completely filled out and sent to us immediately. Valid in USA only.We recommend you write your serial number here in your owners manualand on your sales receipt for your records.SERIAL NUMBER:______________________________________PURCHASE DATE:_____________________________RANE SL 4 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • OPERATOR’S MANUAL 2.2.2 43

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