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Tracks Seem to Change Speed
A read-only archive of old serato.com help threads.

Tracks Seem to Change Speed

Product
Scratch Live
Version
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Hardware
Ortofon | Serato S-120
Computer
-
OS
Platform
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dhardway 5:01 PM - 24 July, 2006
I have been using Serato for about a year now and have notice what is referred to drifting; could someone explain with an example of what this is? I have a problem with my tracks seemingly changing speeds. For example I can have two tracks (two tracks that I have practiced and perfected mixing with for years). I play have the tempo perfectly synced (tempo and all) yet when I commence blending, they are horribly out-of-sync; the tempo is way off. It it me or is there something that I need to understand about the software?
Rane, Support
Zach S 5:31 PM - 24 July, 2006
Quote:
Speed Stability is specified as Wow and Flutter. Wow being slow variations in speed and Flutter being fast variations. The measurement is in % and is an average or weighted value. Good numbers for a belt drive design are less than 0.1% and for a direct drive 0.05%. Inexpensive direct drive systems are more apt to have higher flutter. This can be audible as a shimmering to the sound, most noticeable in piano recordings. A good additional measurement for direct drive systems is a peak wow and flutter measurement. This can reveal the sonically audible variations that don't show in the average measurement. Hi Peak Flutter levels cause a smearing of hi frequency detail.

Recording vinyl from a turntable can cause this "wow and flutter" which is created again when you play the track through SSL again. However, this shouldn't be enough of a difference to cause what you refer to as being "horribly out-of-sync".
This may be caused because your setup isn't calibrated properly. Remember, you need to re-calibrate every time you move to a new setup.
dhardway 5:50 PM - 24 July, 2006
What steps are involved in the recalibration process? FYI I am working with two new MK1200s.
Rane, Support
Zach S 6:07 PM - 24 July, 2006
Check here>>>ssl-wiki.help.bootlegs.de
dhardway 6:16 PM - 24 July, 2006
Thank you very much; I don't need to tell you that I am a novice, which was more than apparent since I never heard of recalibrating turnables. I thought that was something you did after years of use and not something that is needed to be done, even with new MK1200s.

Thanks again!
Dj KaGeN 6:20 PM - 24 July, 2006
You are calibrating SSL, not your turntables. The audio feed of your needles pickup from the control records. If the data isn't be read 100% you'll have weird results.
dhardway 6:45 PM - 24 July, 2006
Thanks I will OK will try it!!! Again I am new to the digital format.
Dj KaGeN 6:47 PM - 24 July, 2006
I do have to feather a bit when using SSL - not not to the degree that you speak of. I think if you get your SSL setup tighter - you'll be in good shape.
dhardway 6:59 PM - 24 July, 2006
Thanks again...SSL is definitely the bomb and I am totally impressed with what Rane has done with this technology. I must admit that I have never calibrated anything (O.K. I'm a moron!). I was frankly so frustrated that I was about to give up and sell my setup (spanking new Vestax 05 Pro III, new MK1200s). In fact, I have purchased three mixers this year and thought that the system I was using was the problem...still after all of that I never attempted to calibrate SSL and thought as long as the audio sound was "good to go" that I too was "good to go".