DIGITAL NATION 69
WORDS | John Murray Hill
PHOTOGRAPHY | Juan Luis Garcia for AnalogousPhoto.com
music theory. We both play the turntable as a percussive/ up on turntables. Afterwards, things can be effected, vibe going strong amidst the chaos. Unfortunately there
melodic instrument. When scratching we can improvise filtered, distorted and edited to blend with a song. There are no drum & bass parties at the Mansion; mainly top-
like with any instrument, except we aren’t limited to just are many tracks that have elements scratched in and 40 hip hop because that’s what the playmates want [Hef
one sound and can control everything from pitch and most people don’t even know it.” actually prefers techno and house, go figure]. Regardless,
direction to cutoff, simultaneously. We use the turntable there’s only one Playboy Mansion, so if you put a bunch
as a controller. A great scratcher can blend rhythmic and So, where does the rookie scratcher start? “Not of half naked people together and add some booze, the
tonal manipulation of a sound with musical finesse.” every mixer is suitable for scratching; it has to have infamous grotto always lives up to it’s name!”
a crossfader with a sharp cutoff,” Faust & Shortee
The technicality behind the art of scratching (and advise. “We use the Rane TTM 57SL, it has Penny and “We are launching the digital download portion of
the process of recording it) is extensive. “The biggest Giles faders with ultra sharp curves plus an effects our two labels Heavy Artillery and 5 Star Records this
misconception about scratching is that it’s limited, send/return. We also use Serato, so anything is fair summer,” Shortee concludes. “We have numerous
but that’s not true at all,” Faust & Shortee reveal. “Its game; we can take a part of the song we played or projects dropping this year including original D&B
technical range is very broad and can be adapted as programmed and scratch it in, such as vocals, synths, and breaks tracks and beat libraries. I have joined
a percussive and tonal musical instrument with ease, drums or tops of the bassline.” forces with Reid Speed and MC Tali and together
but it takes a lot of practice to build up your chops. we have a group called Queens Of The Jungle. The
When we first started making records our knowledge Kmag is based in rainy London, so Faust & Shortee direction of the collaboration is focused on original
and methods of recording were limited and we only told us about the opportunities for urban music production and performance.”
used EQ while bouncing down to an 8-Track cassette. DJs/producers in their hometown of sunny Hollywood.
Nowadays we treat scratching like vocals – a limiter “Every major label and television network has a base “Shortee just finished up a mix for Easy Records
and soft knee compression at around 2:1 helps tame here, so when it comes to licensing for TV, movies and – ‘Jungle Story’ – which drops May 26,” Faust bigs up his
the peaks and bring up the valleys. In Sonar, we can games this is the place to be,” they reveal. “The DJ partner. “It’s a 2-CD set which includes the album, plus
loop a piece of the beat and record multiple takes market is more commercial, but there are plenty of Shortee’s mix of all the tracks, which she juggled, cut up
one after another on separate tracks grouped in a weeklies, raves and festivals dedicated to electronic and blended with some exclusive originals. Our remix
folder. We can listen to each separately and discard music. The weather is just an added bonus.” of DC Breaks’ ‘Do You Believe’ for Restless Natives has
parts we don’t want using non-destructive editing just come out, and have a 12” following that entitled
techniques. The style and amount of scratching is What about Playboy parties? Is the saying true, “What ‘Gotta Have It’ on Restless in September / October.
based on the type of song we are working on. Every happens in the grotto, stays in the grotto”? “Playboy Shortee and Step 1 are working on a follow up to their
track is different; if it’s an intro or turntablist song, was planning a 50-city tour and asked me to audition,” ‘Bikini Wax’ record, which we released on our label 5
then scratching is a key component. If it’s an electronic Shortee recalls. “To their credit Playboy place a lot of Star. Shortee has three new workshop DVDs (mixing,
track, we use scratching as a new musical element.” importance on skill and were looking for an actual scratching, juggling) coming later this year in relation to
DJ instead of just a hot chick behind the decks. I her instructional series.”
Scratching is a live aspect that can’t be manufactured competed against hundreds of female DJs for the job.
using a computer. “There are some things that would be Doing the Playboy Mansion is insane; it’s like playing a And before the guys start getting any ideas, Shortee is
near impossible to reproduce with editing and gating,” huge catered backyard party except there are tons of happily married to Faust. “I’ll be back on tour in the UK
Faust & Shortee agree. “It would take forever when you celebrities, playmates and Hugh Hefner in the mix. Most and Europe during May and June,” jests Faust’s wife.
think of the swing and variation of techniques that are of the girls aren’t wearing much and you will definitely “Peep the websites and MySpace for more info!”
happening while improvising to the music and cutting see some crazy things, but as the DJ I have to keep the
K68-69_FaustandShortee.indd 69 23/4/08 14:28:46
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