Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating new music,
sound effects, mixes and other creative sounds and beats, typically by
using two or more turntables and a cross fader-equipped DJ mixer. The
mixer is plugged into a PA system for live events and/or broadcasting
equipment (if the DJ is performing on radio, TV or Internet radio) so
that a wider audience can hear the turntablist's music. Turntablists
manipulate records on a turntable by moving the record with their hand
to cue the stylus to exact points on a record, and by touching or
moving the platter or record to stop, slow down, speed up or, spin the
record backwards, or moving the turntable platter back and forth (the
popular rhythmic "scratching" effect which is a key part of hip hop
music), all while using a DJ mixer's crossfader control and the
mixer's gain and equalization controls to adjust the sound and level
of each turntable. Turntablists typically use two or more turntables
and headphones to cue up desired start points on different
records.Turntablists, who are often called DJs (or "deejays"),
generally prefer direct-drive turntables over belt-driven or other
types, because the belt can be stretched or damaged by "scratching"
and other turntable manipulation such as slowing down a record,
whereas a direct drive turntable can be stopped, slowed down, or spun
backwards without damaging the electric motor. The word turntablist
was originated by Luis "DJ Disk" Quintanilla (Primus, Herbie Hancock,
Invisibl Skratch Piklz). After a phone conversation with Disk, it was
later popularised in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference
between a DJ who simply plays and mixes records and one who performs
by physically manipulating the records, stylus, turntables, turntable
speed controls and mixer to produce new sounds. The new term coincided
with the resurgence of hip-hop DJing in the 1990s.John Oswald
described the art: "A phonograph in the hands of a 'hiphop/scratch'
artist who plays a record like an electronic washboard with a
phonographic needle as a plectrum, produces sounds which are unique
and not reproducedâ€"the record player becomes a musical instrument."
Some turntablists use turntable techniques like beat mixing/matching,
scratching, and beat juggling. Some turntablists seek to have
themselves recognized as traditional musicians capable of interacting
and improvising with other performers. Depending on the records and
tracks selected by the DJ and their turntablist style (e.g., hip hop
music), a turntablist can create rhythmic accompaniment, percussion
breaks, basslines or beat loops, atmospheric "pads", "stabs" of sudden
chords or interwoven melodic lines.
sound effects, mixes and other creative sounds and beats, typically by
using two or more turntables and a cross fader-equipped DJ mixer. The
mixer is plugged into a PA system for live events and/or broadcasting
equipment (if the DJ is performing on radio, TV or Internet radio) so
that a wider audience can hear the turntablist's music. Turntablists
manipulate records on a turntable by moving the record with their hand
to cue the stylus to exact points on a record, and by touching or
moving the platter or record to stop, slow down, speed up or, spin the
record backwards, or moving the turntable platter back and forth (the
popular rhythmic "scratching" effect which is a key part of hip hop
music), all while using a DJ mixer's crossfader control and the
mixer's gain and equalization controls to adjust the sound and level
of each turntable. Turntablists typically use two or more turntables
and headphones to cue up desired start points on different
records.Turntablists, who are often called DJs (or "deejays"),
generally prefer direct-drive turntables over belt-driven or other
types, because the belt can be stretched or damaged by "scratching"
and other turntable manipulation such as slowing down a record,
whereas a direct drive turntable can be stopped, slowed down, or spun
backwards without damaging the electric motor. The word turntablist
was originated by Luis "DJ Disk" Quintanilla (Primus, Herbie Hancock,
Invisibl Skratch Piklz). After a phone conversation with Disk, it was
later popularised in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference
between a DJ who simply plays and mixes records and one who performs
by physically manipulating the records, stylus, turntables, turntable
speed controls and mixer to produce new sounds. The new term coincided
with the resurgence of hip-hop DJing in the 1990s.John Oswald
described the art: "A phonograph in the hands of a 'hiphop/scratch'
artist who plays a record like an electronic washboard with a
phonographic needle as a plectrum, produces sounds which are unique
and not reproducedâ€"the record player becomes a musical instrument."
Some turntablists use turntable techniques like beat mixing/matching,
scratching, and beat juggling. Some turntablists seek to have
themselves recognized as traditional musicians capable of interacting
and improvising with other performers. Depending on the records and
tracks selected by the DJ and their turntablist style (e.g., hip hop
music), a turntablist can create rhythmic accompaniment, percussion
breaks, basslines or beat loops, atmospheric "pads", "stabs" of sudden
chords or interwoven melodic lines.
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