Serato Scratch Live SL3 Quick Start Manual - Step 3:
RANE SL3 FOR SERATO SCRATCH LIVE • QUICK START
3
Calibrating Scratch Live
When setting up Scratch Live in a new
location, calibrate the software to the
background noise picked up by the
needles, cables and CD players.
1. Put one Virtual Deck in
INT mode, load
a track, press the play button, and turn
up the mixer volume and sound system
as loud as you will be playing your
session.
2. With audio playing through your
speakers:
a. When using a turntable, place the
needle on the record with the motors off
and switch to the
SETUP screen.
b. When using CD players, pause the CD
and switch to the
SETUP screen.
3. Press and hold the
Estimate button
for each side, letting go when the
threshold setting is stable (usually about
one second). In situations with lots of
background noise, the threshold will
need to be higher.
4. Start the turntables, and adjust the
L/R
balance and P/A balance next to each
calibration scope to adjust the shape
of the inner ring. Use the scope zoom
slider (
1x to 16x) to zoom in or out as
necessary. Note: If you have trouble
getting the rings circular, try cleaning
or changing your needles. If the image
appears as a line, then one channel
of the turntable is not working. See
examples of SCOPE READING AND
FIXES in the manual.
5. Check the percentage (%) in the
bottom right of each calibration scope,
indicating the percent of readable signal
— this number should be 80% to 100%
when your system is calibrated properly.
These are the basics of calibrating. If
you run into any problems or questions,
we really recommend reading the
CALIBRATING SCRATCH LIVE in the
manual. If you aren’t seeing good circles,
refer to SCOPE READING AND FIXES in
the manual.
After your setup is calibrated properly
you are ready to import music. See
IMPORTING AND PLAyING MUSIC in the
manual to get started.
Troubleshooting
If you aren’t getting any sound, disconnect
all of the cords and start fresh. For now,
let’s keep it simple and get Scratch
Live up and running. Leave the AUX
connections off for now.
• The SL3 outputs connect to a “LINE”
or “CD” input on your mixer. Set any
phono/line switches on the top or the
back of the mixer to the “LINE” position.
• The three little switches on the SL3 need
to match what is plugged in — Switch
up for “phono” (turntables), down for
“line” (CD decks).
• If you aren’t hearing audio, you should
at the very least see the waveform move
on the screen as the control vinyl or CD
is playing. The meters next to the Virtual
Deck should display sound levels. If not,
check that you are using
ABS or REL
mode above the Virtual Deck.
• If nothing is moving on the screen,
recheck connections and then see
ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING
TECHNIQUES in the manual.
• Play the control vinyl from the beginning
(outer part). When using the control CD,
play from the beginning of Track 1.
• In Setup, set the “Vinyl Start Offset”
knobs in the Vinyl Control tab to 0.
• If you hear music when in
INT mode
but not in
ABS or REL mode while
using control vinyl or CDs, see SCOPE
READING AND FIXES in the manual. A
problem is seeing a straight or diagonal
line in the Scope View, meaning you
are either getting an uneven stereo or
a mono signal. Scratch Live needs an
even stereo signal to function.
• Start by taking the needle from the
“good” turntable and put it on the “bad”
turntable. Does it now play fine? If so,
you need a new needle. If not, put the
“good” needle back on the “good”
turntable.
• If we have established good playback
from one input of the SL3, plug the
turntable giving the problem into the
“good” SL3 input. If the turntable still
gives you a line or nothing in Scope
View, the problem is somewhere in the
turntable cartridge, tonearm or its RCA
cable.
• If you are using CD players, try replacing
its RCA cable to the SL3 inputs.