Wink explains why he has found Final Scratch something of a revelation Having been using Stanton's Final Scratch on an accelerating basis since its emerging days aboard the BeOS platform, Josh Wink recently used the current Linux V.1 version to record his latest mix CD, Profound Sounds Vol 2 for his own Ovum label. The Philadelphia DJ/producer, who originally sprang to fame in he mid-90s with chart-topping anthems Higher State of Consciousness, I'm Ready, and Don't Laugh at the peak of the electronic idiom, was introduced to Final Scratch by system pioneers, Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva in 2001. "I just held my breath and jumped right in," he remembers, "it was a very exciting time." While he still buys, receives and carries records to gigs the advantage of using Final Scratch as his playback source was self-evident. "It's all about the selection of tunes I get to carry with me - without the massive record crates in tow." Getting his rig to the gig (with sampler and FX units) is one thing - plugging in can present a separate set of challenges. Which is why DJ's like Wink are increasingly needing to accommodate venue facilities in their rider. "There are now a couple of clubs worldwide that have a Scratch Amp already hooked up - which is such a convenience," he says. "In my rider it just states that I will be using Final Scratch - and that I need three turntables and a separate clean power supply for three wall wort plugs." The sight of a DJ using Final Scratch in the freneticism of a packed club atmosphere certainly challenges audience perception, sometimes creating a physical wow factor. "But in the beginning, before the system was widely known, people were bugging out," says Wink. "Sometimes they would think I wasn't djing but just playing a mix CD and pretending I was djing, as I never changed a record." Like his earlier mix compilation, Josh Wink created Profound Sounds Vol. 2 with two CD players and three turntables, this time switching to Stanton's Final Scratch. "I did re-edits and added EFX and other extra things to the tracks in Logic Audio, and burned them to my laptop. I then mixed it live in FS while using CD's with samples from the tracks, turntables, DP/4 FX unit and Cycloops sampler. Final Scratch allowed me to perform quick mixes, being able to have an order in front of me indicating which track I play next, and seeing the wave form in front of me was of great help too." Josh Wink remains one of Stanton's premier users and test DJ's, having been on the beta list from the beginning. He has regularly fed back comments to focus groups of programmers, users and Stanton staffers, enabling them to perfect the product and place the perfect ergonomic device in the hands of the DJ. Summarising, Wink believes that Final Scratch is a really groundbreaking tool. "I still buy, and use vinyl in my sets and will continue to do so. But I look forward to the time when the Scratch Amp will be set up in clubs already, so all I need to do is show up with my computer and USB cable and plug-in."
Final Scratch is canny good, I was watching Corvin using it the last time he played Promise. I have only had a go of it once, just the same as records.
