You know that skrrt-skrrt in hip-hop tracks, DJ transitions, or even lo-fi tracks that sound like a cat DJing on a turntable?

Yeah, that one.

I once tried scratching a real vinyl at a friend’s house and accidentally sent the needle flying into a bowl of chips. 

Pretending to be a DJ in Serum is way safer—and cheaper. These sounds aren’t just for hip-hop intros or EDM drops. They’re perfect for adding grit to transitions, glitchy textures, or even making your cat look at you like, “What the heck was that?”

Vinyl scratches aren’t just noise—they’re a chaotic ballet of pitch sweeps, gritty textures, and sudden stops. Imagine dragging a needle across a record (or your ex’s favorite playlist) while twisting the pitch wheel like you’re trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded.

Realism here means nailing that “organic mess”: crackles, wobbles, and those oh-did-I-just-break-it moments.

Let’s build one from scratch.

Step 1: OSC A—The “I Swear This Isn’t a Record Player” Setup

Open Serum and head to OSC A. Select the Analog 4088 waveform. This bad boy mimics the raw, wobbly vibe of vinyl. Set voices to 1 (we’re not building a choir here) and drop the volume to 56%—subtlety is key unless you want earholes to protest. Crank the Blend +/- knob to -76%. Now, twist the WT position to 116. Imagine this as dragging the needle juuust past the groove’s sweet spot. It’s like when your GPS says “recalculating” but in sound form.

Step 2: OSC B—The Sidekick That Brings the Chaos

Switch to OSC B and load Spectral Monster 2. Two voices here—because one would be lonely. Set FM to A so OSC B piggybacks on OSC A’s chaos. Nudge the WT position to 61 and tick the Phase button. This combo adds a metallic screech, like dragging a fork on a pan but in a good way. It’s the best equivalent of adding hot sauce to your eggs.

Step 3: Noise—Because Static Is Nostalgic

Click the Noise section and pick Aircan 2. Don’t overthink it—this is the background hiss that makes your brain go, “Ah, yes, vintage.” It’s like the fuzz on an old TV show, but without the disappointment of realizing there’s nothing good on.

Step 4: Filter—The “Don’t Blow Out the Speakers” Safety Net

In the Filter tab, choose MG Low 12. Turn on the filter for OSC A, B, and Noise. Set the cutoff to 262 Hz and resonance to 3%. This tames the highs so your scratch doesn’t sound like a seagull attacking a microphone. Think of it as putting a leash on a hyperactive dog—it’s still wild, but now you’re in control.

Step 5: Envelope—Timing Is Everything

Go to the Envelope (ENV) settings. Set attack to 15 ms (the time it takes to say “oh!”), hold to 0, decay to 1 second (like a fadeout in a dramatic movie scene), and release to 76 ms. This envelope mimics the quick stab of a scratch followed by a smooth tail. Pro tip: Mess up the decay time, and it’ll sound like a DJ who forgot their coffee.

Step 6: LFO—The Secret Sauce (It’s Not Mayo)
Draw a squiggly line in LFO 1. No rules here—channel your inner toddler with a crayon. Link this LFO to Filter Cutoff and OSC A’s WT Position. Now, every time the LFO wobbles, your scratch will morph between gritty and grittier. It’s like automating a tiny gremlin to tweak knobs for you.

Step 7: Pitch Tweaks—Because Flat Scratches Are Sad

For OSC A: Crank +1 octave, -8 semitones, and 73 cents in the fine tune. Assign an LFO 1 to these knobs and the coarse pitch (but leave the octave alone—it’s sensitive). For OSC B, drop -2 octaves and -18 coarse pitch, then slap LFO 1 on those too. This creates pitch wobbles, like a DJ nervously jiggling the record.

Boom! You’ve just made a vinyl scratch that’ll fool your aunt into thinking you’ve taken up DJing. For more presets that’ll save you time (and dignity), check out my 25 Xfer Serum Scratch Presets. They’re like cheat codes for sound design. Now go make something that’ll make your neighbors text, “Is everything okay over there?”