Finally, the Korg Handytraxx helped me learn how to scratch

About 20 years ago, I bought a turntable with the idea that it would be a staple in my music setup. I dreamed of learning to scratch and dig through dollar bin vinyl to get samples. Instead, it was connected to a stereo. But a few months ago, I got my hands on it Korg Handy Trax Play. Although it’s been collecting dust for longer than I’d like to admit, it’s finally helped me achieve a goal I’ve had for over two decades — that is, I started learning to scratch.

the Handy Tracks Completely self-sufficient. It’s a battery-powered turntable in a suitcase with a built-in speaker and fader. It folds up neatly like a piece of luggage, so it’s easy to put out of the way and forget about. But that’s what makes it great. When I want to sample something to… SP-404 Or practice scratching (I’m still pretty bad at it), I can take it out, put it on my desk, and get to work. I wish I had the time to take proper lessons, but I really enjoy doing routines on YouTube.

When I need to free up space to get some writing done or test another piece of equipment, it closes and slides neatly between the couch in my office and the wall. I live in New York City, so spaces are still tight. My office is also my wife’s office, my recording studio, and my guest bedroom.

Handytraxx had a lot of unique features, some of which were better than others. First, the entire control panel comes out and can be reversed to accommodate left- or right-handed scratchers. The fader can also be reversed depending on your preference. I’m left-handed, but this still allowed me to try out a few different layouts until I figured out what was most comfortable for me.

Most interesting are the built-in loops and effects. A DJ style filter is something that sounds great on paper, but is less useful in practice. You can use it to jump between a loop captured from one record to a new, but old, record. There is also a dubbing-style delay. It sounds really cool, although it would be better if you could tap to the beat, rather than just cranking a knob and hoping for the best. At least its power button is within easy reach of the fader, so you can create some echo on your scratch, but just be warned that it also affects any recorded loops.

Although portability is part of the offer, there are some somewhat annoying things to keep in mind if you’re planning to Check out Handytraxx Play to access the record stores to start digging the chests. First, the latches are terrible. Maybe it’s my loneliness, but they keep getting stuck. (Korg hasn’t gotten back to me about this.) I’ve had them come completely off when opened, and the lid won’t close unless they’re perfectly aligned (which is a pain). There is also a small gap at the bottom between the lid and the base of the unit. It may not seem like a big deal until you pick up the Handytraxx, and pop the slip mat through that hole.

I won’t be digging boxes with the Handytraxx. These are minor issues for something that comes with me around the house and needs to be out of the way when not in use. The fact that it can run with six AAs for up to 11 hours is useful for practicing in my office, kitchen or living room. Or, if for some reason I have a sudden urge to listen to vinyl music in my backyard. The built-in speakers are nothing to write home about, so you probably won’t be using them to listen to music anyway. There’s a headphone jack and RCA outputs, but even so, as a record player, the Handytraxx is mediocre — especially for $500.

I was expecting the PIR to be the killer feature. It seemed perfect for grabbing a drum break or a quick instrumental clip to practice. In fact, it’s one of the worst-designed loops I’ve ever used. There are two logical ways to start and stop looping. Either you press the button, and the recording starts the moment you press it; Then press it again to stop recording. Or you can press and hold the button, and it stops recording when you release it.

I have never in my life come across a loop that you can arm by holding down a button, and it only starts recording once you let go, needing to be pressed again to stop. Once you understand this strange feature, it won’t be difficult to catch a smooth loop. But it took me days To find out why everything was a little delayed, and why each episode started just a fraction of a second later than I expected.

All of these minor issues go away when I play a loop in Ableton and start scratching. The fuss-free design of its basic features makes it easy to dive into, and the fader feels great. The needle has a tendency to jump every now and then if I’m too rough with it, but as a beginner, that doesn’t hinder me too much.

I ended up purchasing a Practice yo! Sale 7 inch, which helped a lot. (And I recommend using the 7-inch over the Handytraxx. It can play standard 12-inch vinyl, but the smaller platter can result in some unevenness.) Finding a suitable record for scratching turned out to be harder than I expected. And even though I have a large collection of $45 dollar boxes, I really didn’t want to ruin my old copy of “McDonald’s menu song“By scratching it.

I definitely made a mistake all those years ago when I bought a regular turntable to learn scratching. It was rooted in place and I still needed to buy a mixer – there were too many hurdles to overcome. As a beginner, I think a standalone portable unit is the perfect solution if you’re just starting out.

The Handytraxx Play turned out to be perfect for my needs, but I’m not suggesting everyone should run out and buy one. It’s expensive at $499.99, and has a lot of quirks. If I were buying something to learn to scratch with, I would choose something cheaper. the Recycling It is $349.99 Stanton STX It is $249, and Nomark PT01 It is $169. They all lack some of the more advanced features of the Handytraxx, they’re not very nice, and I can’t vouch for their build quality. But it seems more suitable for someone just looking to test the waters. The Handytraxx will be more appealing to someone looking for something a little more upscale Portability Experience that has already mastered the basics.

Photography by Terence O’Brien/The Verge