Ability to physically manipulate audio playback with turntables
Vinyl emulation
allows a user to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer using the turntables as an interface, thus preserving the hands-on control and feel of DJing with
vinyl
. This has the added advantage of using turntables to play back audio recordings not available in
phonograph
form. This method allows
DJs
to
scratch
,
beatmatch
, and perform other
turntablism
that would be impossible with a conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interface or less tactile control devices.
A
digital vinyl system
(DVS) may include a special time-coded vinyl record or be purely software.
Characteristics
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Vinyl
emulation
normally uses special
vinyl records
which are played on conventional
turntables
. The vinyl is a recording of analog audio signals often referred to as
timecode
. The turntables' audio output - the timecode recording - is routed into an
analog-to-digital converter
, or ADC. This ADC may be a
multi-channel
soundcard
or a dedicated external
USB
or
FireWire
audio interface box,
DJ controller device
or compatible mixer (usually distributed with the software). The ADC sends digital time code information to the software, which then translates the signal into corresponding changes in the playback speed, direction and position of a digital audio file. The audio file will react as if were pressed directly onto the record. The manipulated audio output of the program is then sent back through the
DAC
or the computer's sound card, and can be routed into an audio mixer where it can be mixed like any other analog audio signal.
The result is digital audio playback that sounds like music manipulated by an analog vinyl recording. However, there is always a short delay between the needle's reading of the time code and the software's playback of the audio. The delay time is treated as a
figure of merit
for vinyl emulation products. A shorter delay allows the DJ to have better response and control of the music and is usually not noticeable by the user or listener.
In some countries, for example
Finland
, a
digital DJ license
is required to legally play copyrighted music publicly with vinyl emulation software.
Software packages
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Final Scratch
was the first vinyl emulation software sold publicly. Since its release in 2001, many similar software and hardware packages have been developed and marketed.
Notable applications licensed under the terms of the
GNU General Public License
:
Notable
proprietary software
applications include:
Some vinyl emulation software products are marketed with specific
time coded
vinyl
, while others are software-only products.
The following table lists all existing DVS packages which come with specific time-coded vinyl:
This table presents all software-only DVS packages (Note that software products presented here are these which are "controllable" through a time-coded vinyl):
See also
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External links
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