Ableton Live Scratch Techniques: In the Studio with Mad Zach

The free Ableton template is available for download on this page: www.djtechtools.com/2012/07/23...
In this episode of "In the Studio," our resident sound design guru, Mad Zach, walks us through three incredibly fun scratch-style macros for Ableton Live. Turn white noise into an expressive scratch sound, move seamlessly through scratch-able cue points on an acapella, or turn a basic sine wave into an engaging variable tone that can be scratched for hours.

[@n_phaneuf]

I'm here in the Future, it's 2024 and I remembered seeing this video at the time it was made. Now I suddenly needed the skill and knowledge for a gig. So grateful it was made and that the video and the free pack were still available. wherever you are Mad Zach, respect and well wishes!

[@ComidaIndia-ce2wy]

x2

[@moroco1013]

x3@@ComidaIndia-ce2wy

[@froggoboom]

mad zachs packs and his midifighter crab techniques have been a staple in my playing for 10+ years now ❤

[@StanleyKubick1]

I had the same exact experience. Greetings from Iceland

[@franciscoaltaparroambort3711]

x3

[@walleelakiri3000]

People like you make this world a better place

[@RoyClaessen]

This guy is a genius

[@DuziBooms]

Jsut. Wowwwwwww.

[@FlagshipPirate]

Right?!

[@windsurf17]

It took me 8 years to find this, but I'm super happy I finally did

[@scoffer7533]

same !!

[@tylrbass]

i love the water droplet sound you can get with the sine scratch

[@0x12d3]

Thanks for the great tutorial and all the awesome sample packs Zach. Keep 'em commin' man!

[@harrisonrae1660]

Its the white midi fighter pro, I just looked it up if anyone was curious! Awesome video by the way.

[@eerereps]

Zach! always has those "omg i didn't know you could do that!" kind of tutorials! big up!!!

[@TigerMendozaBeats]

Thank you so much for this video! As a complete "non-purist" I've been looking for a good way to create these kinds of sounds for years!

[@Schippeaux]

thank you so much ! I've been playing with this for two hours now and it's loads of fun hey.

[@StanleyKubick1]

I've enjoyed playing around with this, and if anyone's still checking back here, I suggest adding an arpeggiator to the mix

[@AudioJunkie79]

Thank you for the great tutorial. Your time in making this is appreciated.

[@pezz8944]

im fr watching this almost 10 years later and my mind is blown. well said man, thank you sm

[@NikhilBhat]

This is the coolest thing ever! Gonna practice the hell out of this... so excited, thank you!!

[@ahmetcangokceer]

3:40 The sine wave-scratch is also doable with the Operator; where you actually play the note on a keyboard-controller and you can mess around with the pitch (transposition parameter), as well as the volume of other oscillators, waveforms, filterings etc. And since it's not a sample you get to play whatever note you wish on the keyboard hand which allows you to make big jumps. Worth checking out as an alternative I'd say.

[@StanleyKubick1]

SURE, BUT THAT DEFEATS THE POINT OF HAVING THE SCRATCH EFFECT.

[@michaeljacques491]

Dude, thank you so much! Your tutorials are gold!

[@ixior84]

Beautiful midi controller! And great video! Thanks!

[@breezybranches]

Dude I can't believe you gave this away for free. So sick.

[@zeeeOgre]

Just what I was looking for. Great post!

[@CalicoKittencat]

Thank you so much still having this download out. Thank sine scratch got me.

[@kontact6750]

Hey that was a great tutorial man. Got right to the point and I learned a lot. Thanks!

[@viavsaragov]

It's the the most useful tip for scratching in Ableton! Thanks

[@HashGray]

Thanks for this simple but awesome tutorial.

[@Ephortless]

Love the ableton tricks man keep them poppin! Thanks

[@darkthief90]

Awesome!! Thanks for sharing this with us

[@koshizmusic]

Good God this is genius. And no plugins needed!! 🙌🙌🙌

[@unclebiz8976]

You learn something new everyday. Good shit my guy.

[@pairmike]

Mad Zach is ridiculous! I'm a real DJ, but I can appreciate how technology is changing what is possible.

[@TheDaveSkinz]

Great video... thanks DJ TT & Mad Zach!

[@outofscenes]

best tut on Live I've ever seen!! thanx

[@magnificus23]

The best vid about scratching in daw, awesome!

[@shredthespud698]

every week you should have a video just jammin with the sound packs. everything in this video sounded so sick cant wait for another!

[@raiven7thson]

Thanks for this video man. Informative, well presented and edited :)

[@DjInfernoo]

Thanks for the info. Crazy keep sick techniques coming !!

[@hamburgerhands]

This is by far the most realistic sounding digital scratching I've ever heard! Consider me interested!! Thanks mang, these will be filling up a trap mix of mine shortly haha.

[@KodaTeddyBear]

Dude!!! You are my savior!!! Thank you for this vid!

[@justinmoon6629]

Great Tutorial, Zach! P.S. I loved the spotlight effect you had on all the settings changes.

[@duaxcore]

you are so good in sampling and music....tnks bro...you are the best :)

[@cyclebolton]

yes! been looking for this solution! I have some ideas I can now do in live. You rule

[@mattblackninja]

superb technique, thanks for sharing!

[@TheArmadacorer]

OMG dude WTF this is GENIUS!!!!

[@TheMikednb]

Nice video and tutorial, great tool to record scratches in your songs without a vinyl or a timecode... BIG UP MAN!

[@SlamAcademy]

Great techniques!

[@dianagales5453]

I love that trick looks awesome

[@TerenceKearns]

This, I like. Mad Zach is a clever man.

[@DEADDICKASS]

Yeah ! thank you for sharing this guy very cool and very well explained !

[@DJJUICERMX]

great video dude..... thanks for the tutorial, I'm lovin' it

[@therealrussellsmyth]

You make the world better dude Kudos

[@LOLO3000]

This technique made my life achieved.

[@BeatBastardMusic]

great tutorial, really usefull. thanks a lot. i'm really having a lot of fun!

[@reacherstudio]

Still watchin 10 years later, great idea Mad Zach, I'm building this out in Bitwig currently!! Where is Mad Zach these days?

[@tommyestrada9648]

Thank you, bro! You're a genius.

[@marchellesamson8306]

truly remarkable dude

[@milesprowler2]

MAD ZACK! YOUR THE MAN!

[@Greenblastify]

This tutorial is awesome. Giving a new life to one of my controller i can use in a similar way. Also, I read quite a few comments down below. All I can say, is that the only reason why most people do not care about the way music is made or performed is because at the end of the day it does not make a difference. All that matter is making people listen to good music. So please, can you djs, musicians and producer stop this useless war for the sake of music.

[@OfficialDjReloaded]

pretty impressive technique, thx 4 the tutorial!

[@aliensalvation9284]

Absolutely awesome

[@theGiantAngryRobot]

props Mad Zach! This is a really cool tut, got me fiending again for a midi fighter! oh and Ean.. always a pleasure ;D

[@bdubflow]

Love it! Thanks man!

[@jacobhansenkettlebell]

Thanks for sharing. Great tutorial.

[@brandonarriaga657]

Awesome tutorial 👏🏽 👏🏽 👏🏽 👏🏽 👏🏽

[@0biWanJacobi]

making heat in 2024 with this 🔥

[@axelitodeejay]

Mad Zach Great tutorial thanks.

[@ling6701]

That's going to save me a ton of money, thank you so much.

[@KevinStCroix]

Dopest tutorial ever!

[@sebastianzborowski9499]

love it! big thanks !

[@radiumXnl]

Thanks David Hasselhoff..! Very cool stuff..! subscribed

[@DiegoRRL]

Old but GOLD

[@BOOTLEGPIRATEVIDEO]

very kool! nice progress

[@scottydrumbass]

this is wicked, defo getting this on the g

[@Kyu1LL]

so easy and simple! wow...

[@eerrrrrrfolks]

i love this guy.

[@gurudeclan]

Great teacher

[@Hannibaul]

Big thumbs up Zach this is coool

[@keespalancasteur1065]

wow man this is realy cool thanks alot works great on my trigger finger

[@kingpishful]

Massive thanks. Added an extra cool level to some sample firing on a track I was doing. Only thing I cant seem too manage (Akai MPK49) is also having a momentary button too, like a transform. Got round it with using a slider but I think a button would be more seemless.

[@zepplondon]

You rock dude!

[@zedster911]

hey... you live in san fran and looking like you do and with your talent... the ultimate lifestyle!

[@TexasDJ67]

Awesome sir....

[@nickyhelmut]

muy muy bueno, gracias hombre, lo maximo

[@gratian2577]

Man you the greatest !

[@hamburgerhands]

DJ TeeOh: Back in MY DAY us DJ's would have to beat match our gramophones without the aid of headphones to find our cue points. Now technology has made it possible to flow from one track to another easily. Why fight the future? Don't stress about the methods of this video. Keep scratching your way. People like you. You are valid.

[@maverickstout215]

you are my midi-hero

[@vidamate09]

oh i did like this with my kaossilator pro before. Though since it was all hardware based there was alot to set up but it definitely was fun!

[@franeklubi]

Love you man

[@icedancelife]

oh yeah, simple and Genius! keep it right Bro )

[@PatrickSugarfix]

Dude! Just wanna say that I'm super glad people are still scratching even though they're using Ableton. Props! One more person reminding me to fix my midi controller and start playing my instruments again!

[@tvd-theremedy2515]

You're a beast dude

[@PaulLennar]

fantastic!

[@jsebouvi]

Thank you !

[@AKurbel]

cool & useful trick!!!!

[@djSpinege]

i don't fully agree with your opinion but i see what your saying. i will be impressed when someone finds a way to make this more technical and entertaining.

[@rio.prasetio]

GENIUS!

[@BIG_PASTA]

thanks dude!

[@RobertParenton]

Thank You!

[@SkullCrusher666666]

Man, very interesting video

[@kulastrio]

THANK YOU

[@polarnj]

Thank god for Zack...I was getting really bummed at the lack of innovation and somewhat obvious potential of Ableton especially with Midi mapping w multiple controllers but once I finally got all my routing working right and still having some issues trying to use my iPad as a mid fx processor which i unfortunately haven’t found any of this Guys advice on yet (integrating tablet into live setup). It’d be great to be able to use Turnado Effectrix or Audio Damage stuff in Audiobus or AUM and save all that cpu on my Mac not to mention have it all mapped to a controller as well since u can sorta macro in AB. Anyway, these tuts by MZ are the most helpful and inspirational I can find by far. He really opened my thinking process to what can be done regarding mapping and combo controls. I don’t even make the same type of music so his ideas have lit a fire 🔥 under my ass and I use my guitar as midi controller as well as my voice and a Midi pedal, I have plenty of controllers but the I can’t believe how much I can pull off w the pedal and using after touch and single guitar string as a mod for the other strings how Zack uses two controls to effect each other. It’s fuckin fun as hell!

[@reo4680]

Rob is the project still working

[@BuckBowen]

Thank you.

[@HaltdeinMaul1.1.]

awesome!