Turntable Music

by Kjetil Falkenberg Hansen

NTNU, Norway / KTH, Sweden – 2000

Copyright Kjetil Falkenberg Hansen / NTNU

Chapters

[02] Introduction
[04] The early hip-hop
[06] More than hip-hop
[09] Turntablism after the Recognition
[13] Conditions for turntable music
[17] Shaking the unshakable?
[19] Suggested reading and listening
[20] Conclusive words
Introduction different kinds of music, and where we may
expect to find the instrument. To begin the
Sometimes sounds pass by without us hardly introduction, I recapitulate the short history
noticing. A band may use a vintage of the phonograph and the early attempts of
synthesizer with this most extraordinary using it as means for composing and playing
sound that we do not even know how to music. The essay is an abstract of my major
describe – so we refrain from it. We accept it studies at the Musical Institute at the
is there, but we seldom mention it. Some of University of Technology and Science in
these sounds are more impressive than Trondheim (NTNU) in the fall of 1999,
others, in that they stir our listening more written in Norwegian. Entitled
deeply (still we cannot decipher the source "Turntablisme – His Master’s voice: The art
clearly). A certain sound that has re-emerged of the record player", it tried to delve into
lately, and spread across all potential top-of- the many aspects of this new instrument.
the-pops recordings, is the voice vocoder, One chapter, concerning royalties, sampling
remade popular by Cher in 1999 with the hit and legal issues, and two chapters
single "Believe". Another sound is the concerning notation and specific techniques
mouth organ: Once intended as an are for the most part omitted here. As the far
educational tool, the melodica is now in use larger essay stresses, this research is dealing
from new progressive rock to trip -hoppy with a musical development deeply
jazz. But still, one sound, or a set of sounds, concerned with its own evolution, and it si
by far overshadows most ins trumental not necessarily exact nor rightly predicted,
innovations since the synthesizer. In its most but it is a movement too significant to
distinguished state, this new sound often is bypass. The movement is now widely
referred to as scratching. Scratching is just accepted as turntablism – playing (with) the
one of many colorings the manipulation of turntable, and the actors in the movement
vinyl on a gramophone player provide. may rightly address themselves as
turntablist.
This essay will try to point out different
sounds we should look for when music is [These are terms coined by the American DJ Babu,
made by re-using vinyl on a turntable. I but there are other interpretations than his. Some
further hope I can give an overview on the think that a turntablist is a hip-hop DJ, some think a
turntablist must scratch, while others have a more
conditions the turntable-made music meet in
open definition of the concept. More can be read on warm, analogue (non-digital) sound. So the
the Internet turntablism-devoted sites listed at the end
story can be said to begin with Berliner in
of this essay.]
1894, or Edison in 1877, or even John Cage
in 1939. But what really makes this history
Where do the story begin? Normally this is
worthwhile is what happened in the Bronx in
rather easy to historically pinpoint;
the mid-seventies.
Christofori invented the piano, Schoenberg
the twelve -tone -technique and Cab Calloway
the rap. Of course we must object and rise
questions to such statements (in fact, those
three names may be replaced by respectively
Schroeter, Charles Ives and Sugarhill Gang),
but they more or less mark a beginning. This
is not the case with using the turntable as a
musical instrument. The record player has
passed its hundredth birthday. In 1894,
Emile Berliner formed the story of recorded
music as flat, 7-inch plates. The gramophone
was twenty-five years old when musicians
first tried it out for its instrumental qualities,
and it was in its forties an important part of
the musique concrète. Then it was used for
what it was meant for in private homes and
radio until it turned eighty. After discovering
its values as instrument, the hip-hop culture
used ten years to popularize it, and a
hundred years after Berliners 7-inch, the 10-
and 12-inches has regained the territory,
which the Compact Disc tried to undertake.
Without the DJs, and the hip-hop DJs in
particular, the vinyl playing-device would
only be cherished by those extolling the
The early hip-hop different patterns and rhythms, and it was
this discovery Theodore did when he wanted
Three men usually get the credit for to keep the record on a particular spot whilst
developing DJ technique into naturally talking to his mother. Because of the strong
employing two turntables, an audio mixer motor in the preferred turntables (Technics
and pairs of identical records playing the SL1200), the spinning speed is quickly
same segments over and over. This picked up after being stopped, which again
technique is known as mixing, and is the makes it easier to move the vinyl in both
foundation for understanding what a DJ of directions. The first scratch, normally done
today does. DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster in eight-notes or triplets in time with the
Flash and Afrika Bambaataa all did this in music, is called the baby-scratch. It is the
their own fashion at the same time. In the fundamental turntable -technique, even
seventies, Grandmaster Flash brought the though it doesn’t involve the crossfader on
new style of DJing further than the rest, but the audio mixer.
they share the early development. Flash also
made some changes on the audio mixer that A big part of scratching takes advantage of
thoroughly revolutionized the new art form: the fruit of Grandmaster Flash’s engineering
He made a crossfader that could easily abilities; the crossfader. Instead of using it in
switch between the two turntables. Instead of his fashion to smoothly move between the
having to use two separate volume controls, sources, it is normally used to abruptly cut
the crossfader liberated one hand. If the the sound on and off. There are two ways of
knob is positioned far left on the fader, the cutting the sound on/off or in/out: You either
crossfader isolates the sound from the left start with sound or you start with silence.
turntable, and if positioned right it isolates The crossfader allows the turntablist to have
the right turntable. When the knob is in one record playing while cutting the sound
middle position, both sources are played on the other. With the left turntable playing
equally loud. backing rhythm and the crossfader placed to
the left, all that can be heard is the rhythm.
The characteristic sound of scratching was By moving the crossfader to the middle,
’innovated’ by Grandwizard Theodore in sounds from the right turntable will be cut
1977. Scratching is basically rubbing the
vinyl back and forth against the stylus in
in, and this is the method used for
scratching.

Since 1977 there has always surfaced new

scratches and new ways to manipulate
records, most of them increasing the speed.
Today a turntablist needs to master these
techniques just as a violinist needs to master
scales. To a trained ear, the different
techniques and patterns degenerates almost
as tones from a traditional instrument, but
for those inexperienced with turntablism it
might well all sound the same. The extreme
speed of the scratches makes it hard to
distinguish one scratch from another when
they appear in continuity. It may not be
significant to know techniques as listeners,
but it will make the listening a bit easier.
Most important Internet sites devoted to
turntablism offers an array of techniques
explained and demonstrated with aid of
streaming media; sound and video.
More than hip-hop Almost every new dance hit or hit single has
the wicka-wicka sound.
So far I have concerned with hip -hop DJing.
This is done because of several reasons: It Turntablism not rooted in hip-hop DJing
was hip-hop that made turntablism possible, doesn’t follow the rather strict rules of
it is hip-hop that has procreated all the mastering and employing certain techniques
various techniques, in hip-hop all the and canonized samples. The history of using
techniques have been so entwined that they the turntables for making new music dates
form a language, and most of all; hip-hop back to Paul Hindemith, Ernest Toch, Percy
DJing is the only kind of turntablism that is Grainger, Edgar Varèse and Darius Milhaud
discussed and reflected upon at all. Hip-hop, in the twenties, but the first important
though, should be understood as more than attempt was John Cage’s Imaginary
rapping, breakdancing and graffiti. It is also Landscapes #1 from 1939. His means of
a way of thinking music, an aesthetic in its manipulating was adjusting the rotation
own right. Further do many turntablists have speed when playing monophonic tones
their background in hip-hop, without really (RCA test tones). The next step, musique
living or practicing hip-hop when we think concrète, introduced the ‘father’ of vinyl
of baggy pants, skateboards and a fetish for manipulation, Pierre Schaeffer. He claimed
gold necklaces. New turntable-bands are to have found the music of the future and
born every day, and more people involve foresaw an ensemble of turntables. Because
themselves in theorizing (both consciously the record player is able to produce any
and accidentally) the concept of desired sound, the turntable represented the
manipulating and re-using old recordings. ultimate musician. After the first few pieces
But there can be found turntablism outside made on turntables – most known is his
the hip-hop tradition. As mentioned earlier, Etude aux Chemins de Fer from 1948 – the
the turntable is about to manifest itself as the recording studio itself became the most
most influential new instrument, and it interesting instrument. Pierre Henry,
spreads to all kinds of music. To name one Schaeffer’s associate and student, sums up
example of that, synthesizers are now the idea of musique concrète:
shipped with readymade "scratch sounds".
There are two stages to musique concrète:
first, isolating sounds, giving a new
beginning and a new end to something that and then sold. Thus Marclay reminds us of
already exists; and secondly, expanding, the tertiary quality of a secondary
transforming and transposing them in the representation of music.
recording studio. (Khazam: The Wire Magazine
#160, 1997, page 38.) Christian Marclay is no virtuoso compared
to the turntablist standard, but he has
After believing the studio could realize their
definitely developed skills in cutting and
musical and compositional ambitions to a
pasting music, making it a real-time, audible
higher degree, Henry and Schaeffer did not
collage. Many have been influenced by this
pay the turntable as much attention as
experimentalist, and today numerous
before, and as it turned out; no one did. Until
turntablists not playing in the hip-hop kind
Christian Marclay, Schaeffer’s endeavors
of way also gains recognition. Alongside
went unnoticed. Christian Marclay is the
Marclay in the eighties were Japanese
most influential figure outside hip-hop, but
Otomo Yoshihide, Canadian Martin
his background is not music, he was a
Tétreault and American David Shea. These
sculptor and a performance artist, with clear
four had not much in common except for
references to the Fluxus movement. His
getting the attention from John Zorn. On
turntablistic career began in 1979 in a duo
several occasions, Zorn has collaborated
with guitarist Kurt Henry. This is probably
with them all, and he has arranged musical
also the first time a turntable interacts with
meetings between hip-hop DJs and these
other instruments. Marclay grounded upon
non-hip-hop ones. Roughly said, there were
Cage and Schaeffer, but focused even
two directions of turntablism during the
stronger on the concept of noise. As
eighties and early nineties, one rooted in hip-
sculptor, the wearing (both natural and
hop and one rooted in perfomance-
arranged) of vinyl still remains a basis for
electroacoustic-avantgardistic-
presenting and representing music. He cuts
improvisation-based art.
up records and glues them back together,
and he lets people walk on the records [Disco-DJs, remixers and dance-DJs are not taken
before he uses them. Footsteps is a ‘record’ account for here, they have a totally different
of his, but not in the normal sense: 3500 approach to the turntables.]
vinyl records were used as flooring at an art-
exhibition for six weeks, packed in covers
The hip-hop branch can be said to evolve
without interference from the other branch,
while the other must have been inflected
strongly by the hip-hop DJs in that hip-hop
earned massive public attention through
media. In the last few years, the struggle for
promoting the hip -hop turntablism has made
the paths cross, and it is no longer a
sensation when a hip -hop turntablist play
with a rock band or at an art exhibition.
Furthermore newcomers dive right into the
former gray-zone between hip-hop and the
experimental music. This is a new
phenomenon, and the trend is still in its first
phase.
Turntablism after the Recognition battling jeopardized the seriousness of
turntablism. When the instrumentalists were
We may say that turntablism was born with able to compose and play music never before
Grandwizard Theodore in 1977 or the 1982 imagined, the situation improved.
single The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash
on the Wheels of Steel. However it is more The status concerning instrumental abilities
often thought of as a term of the nineties. before the new millennium can be said to be
The first sign of musical interest from excellent. Both those DJs derived from hip-
‘outside’ was Herbie Hancocks collaboration hop and those not involved in the proclaimed
with Grandmixer D.ST. on the single Rockit standard-techniques have made themselves a
from 1983. After that, turntablism has been a firm grounding as musicians. The hip -hop
musical secret loved by few; even the techniques are the plainest ones to describe,
rappers abandoned the DJs in the mid- although maybe hardest to put into practice.
eighties. The last five or maybe ten years They can be divided into two groups:
have made all the difference, and it is readily Scratching and beatjuggling. In addition, odd
seen in the variety of contexts where the techniques that cannot be categorized are to
turntable can be found, and in the advanced be found, and these often bear the most
arsenal of techniques. The new generation of explicit resemblance to the techniques
turntablists had all the way a scene on which preferred by non-hip-hop turntablists. In
they grew, and that stage is called battling. discussions among turntablists, or on
To battle means to compete man-to-man in Internet sites devoted to turntablism, the
mixing skills; who makes the best music subject tends to be the scratching part. This
using the two turntables and the mixer. The is the group of techniques that is easiest to
‘best music’ has at some point in time been abstract; both beatjuggling and most of the
translated as ‘the fastest techniques’, but the odd techniques are difficult to grasp without
result from competing for world titles in sound examples and visualizations.
many competitions for 15 years are Therefore the scratches are far better
priceless. In these 15 years turntablists have mapped theoretically. In the following I will
obtained instrumental mastery comparative look at the three groups and try to explain
to any traditional instrumentalist. At some which qualities they have gained after the
point (the fast-is-the-answer-point) the recognition in the early nineties.
Scratching is, as told, the widely known Since the needle moves along the groove on
sound to connect turntablism to. Basically it the record, each scratch is by definition just
is divided into three kinds of movements: a playback of the original sound in any
One movement is the hand on the vinyl, desired tempo. This fact opens up a wasp
which can spin the record back and forth in nest of legal issues – luckily so far no
different tempos, lengths and rhythms. The turntablists have been convicted of stealing
second movement is the hand controlling the because of scratching. To ease this potential
crossfader [or other volume controls such as the problem, and also to ease the hunt for good
upfader – a normal volume control – or the samples to use, special designed sample
line/phono switch.] to turn the sound on or off collections are being manufactured. These
in different rhythms and tempos as well. The collections, made by the DJs themselves,
last movement is not controllable to the consist of hundreds of samples lasting up to
same degree; the motor in the turntable. The a few seconds each, gathered from old (soul)
platter spins at either 33 1/3 or 45 RPM records, films of any genre and TV-
[revolutions per minute] and those numbers commercials. One concept, arguably related
can be adjusted up to eight percent in each to scratching, aims at throwing words from
direction. On the modern direct drive different sources into a coherence, re-
turntables, the speed is picked up in one shaping sounds and scatter sentences into
quarter of a revolution after the platter has new meanings. It is hard to determine
been stopped. Scratching involves all these whether to classify "m-m-make m-making
three movements simultaneously, and is me itch-tch-tch" as scratching or word-play
classified from the interaction between the (that example is perhaps the most commonly
hand on the record (scratch-hand) and the used phrase, and the way it is written
one on the crossfader (fader-hand). A large represents the actual sounds properly).
number of scratches have been described – I
explained almost twenty, all of which also Beatjuggling is far more difficult to describe
have variations and inversions – and still and discuss than scratching.
new scratches appear in the discussion Morphologically ‘beatjuggling’ is the
forums. The scratching can be done on any appropriate word for this set of techniques;
musical or non-musical sample; normally the the DJ juggles beats, which he (or she) has
samples are approximately one second long. isolated from a bigger context. The juggling
can be done with only one turntable (all and fours come from Slayer. Just like
scratching is done with one turntable), but in scratching, the tempo of the techniques has
most cases both turntables are in activity at risen enormously, and beatjuggling has gone
the same time. To be able to juggle between so fast that it is hard to grasp the details in
two sound-sources the DJ may either the samples. As a whole, beatjuggling is
subsequently stop one record and let the more demanding than scratching, and it is a
other go, or he takes advantage of the lot easier for everyone to hear when
crossfader. Both concepts are used someone lacks the ability to provide
extensively. To isolate sounds and fragments requisite rhythmical flow. The building of
of rhythm, developed skills are a necessity. sentences, earlier described as a scratching
The DJ must see the music on the record and technique, also involves beatjuggling to
he has to know just how long one beat and some extent. Running parallel to beats and
one measure is on the record in proportion to words, new melodies can be assembled from
one revolution. To aid him in that, he applies two different recordings using beatjuggling.
tape and color markings on the record and
read the vinyl like a watch. Once able to Odd techniques incorporate everything
isolate and manipulate rhythm, there are possible with the equipment used. The vinyl

many ways to mix new rhythms – which is can be altered to make the needle skip, the
also the goal of beatjuggling. By using two vinyl can be cut to pieces and re-glued, it
records (they may be identical copies or can be bent and played, or the vinyl can be
have the same BPM [beats per minute] and totally excluded. Some drag objects across
time signature, but that is not absolute the vinyl and the stylus, amplified thorough

necessary) and letting them go off with a wah and fuzz pedals, and some replace the
slight displacement in time, i.e. one vinyl with Swedish crispbread. A tendency
sixteenth-note, the DJ can add elements of among non-hip-hop turntablists was once to
one record into the other by shifting quickly go for the extremes, today they seem to
between the sources with the crossfader. settle for making sensible sounds (not

When two beats are set off in time, the meaning ‘gone soft’). Odd techniques
turntablist can easily build a new rhythm includes manipulating tone -color (called
from both sources, making the ones and equalizing or EQ-ing) as well as playing
threes come from James Brown and the twos rusty plates of steel, and making simple
melodies with the pitch-control as well as
fiercely rubbing the needle with a coin.

The most interesting aspect of all

manipulation is of course the interaction and
combinations of these techniques, made into
music. Control of the multitude of methods
to reshape recorded music – mostly acquired
in the nineties – made the turntablist an
attractive musician, and now the pioneering
work has been done. Every day shows a new
way of employing the turntable.
Conditions for turnt able music Software and hardware emulating turntables
and a mixer is sold for less than a tenth of
First, in the twenties, and especially in the what the real equipment cost, and hi-fi
late forties, the turntable resembled a manufacturer Pioneer do whatever they can
synthesizer in usage. Then later, in the to make their CDJ-line of compact disc
seventies and eighties, hip-hop DJs laid players sound like and operate as turntables
backing tracks for dancers and rappers, and vinyl. The width of artists that wants to
while at the same time experimental artists take advantage of the popularity of the new
explored the ‘physical’ qualities of the sounds is amazing. There might be several
tangible vinyl and the ‘secondarynism’ of re- reasons for this interest, many of which
using art. Towards the nineties, very few indulges the dollar sign, but overall
recordings were made which included musicians and producers seem intrigued by
someone credited playing the turntable. John the possibilities. Besides, it is too obvious
Zorn had on many occasions turntable, but what the motives are behind hiring a
especially his 1983 live recording Locus turntablist if the result is one lousy wicky-
Solus made use of the newborn instrument wicky-di-wick in the last chorus.
(played by Christian Marclay and The Whiz
Kid). Scratching popularized it the same Who manages to represent the turntable in a
year in the electro-hip-hop-jazz of Herbie good fashion, and who manages to provide
Hancock and Grandmixer D.ST. The bands sufficient musical space for the manipulator?
Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, By asking those questions I imply that some
Aerosmith and Anthrax all let the paths of names must be mentioned. These names
rock and hip-hop cross, and so they also represent both sides of the development of a
contributed for the fiery openness the new musical instrument and way of thinking
turntable met the next ten years. music, but they share their success with
others, of course. Accountable for both the
There seem to be no limitations to where to greater numbers of techniques as well as
embrace the turntable in the orchestration. starting a discussion around the issues of
Lately DJ Olive participated on a klezmer turntablism, the turntable band Invisibl
recording of a Mahler symphony, and Skratch Piklz is the most important
Norwegian radio-channel P1 used scratching compound of artists. In that band we find Q-
as a vignette to a classical music series.
Bert, Mix Master Mike, Shortkut, DJ Disk A few well known artists who have thought
and Apollo, all situated among the most the turntable fit for their recordings include
prolific and admired turntablists. Each of Tom Waits, David Byrne, Beck, Bill
these turntablists have collaborated with Laswell, Portishead, Limp Bizkit, Korn,
other artists; Mix Master Mike with Beastie Primus, William Hooker, The Jon Spencer
Boys, Q-Bert with Buckethead, DJ Disk Blues Explosion, Mr. Bungle and already
with Primus and Jack DeJohnette, and mentioned Branford Marsalis, John Zorn and
Apollo with Branford Marsalis. Bill Laswell Herbie Hancock. Some of these use the
on one occasion engaged the whole band turntablist for adding a hip-hop flavor to the
(Invisibl Skratch Piklz then counted four sound, but more often these days, the
members) for a concert with his band Praxis turntablist seem to be more liberated. Tom
– even though Praxis already had Waits and Mark ‘Ill Media’ Reitman only
Grandmixer D.ST. as permanent scratcher. vaguely let us hear the scratchy, squeaky
Other all-turntable bands with large sound of old vinyl being played. In Limp
followings are The Beat Junkies and X- Bizkit, turntablist DJ Lethal aggressively
ecutioners, both having members playing in wears down records in alternately metal rock
different projects. DJ Olive, already guitar -bass-drum manner. Jamming with
mentioned, has come from a more techno- William Hooker and Glen Spearman, DJ
kind of thinking, but has surpassed Otomo Olive shrieks with the tenor saxophone,
Yoshihide in making the most interesting making strange electronic -sounding noises
work alongside improvisers and and bleeps.
experimental musicians. Christian Marclay
has not done much lately, but still he and So far, four different roles have been
Martin Tétreault appear as imaginative manifested, regardless of musical genre. The
representatives for the new instrument. turntable may either act as another
These are but a few names, and each day the instrument or the turntable may be played in
world is introduced to another. The level of its own fashion, as an independent

musical proficiency and technical mastery instrument. Acting as another instrument it

newcomers must accommodate to grow with can either be playing the drums and making
the same impressive speed. rhythm, or imitate and parody another
traditional instrument. On a stage, the
turntablist meet the ever present choice knowledge or suppositions. That means
performing musicians must take into listening to three turntablists with
consideration, whether to ‘show feelings’ or resembling approaches, take Otomo
play cool. Two turntables and a mixer Yoshihide, Christian Marclay and Martin
requires fast and extensive body movements, Tétreault, not necessarily will give any
much like a percussionist operating a dozen insight in how the turntables actually works
items at once. On top of the necessary as musical instruments. One of the reasons
movements, many turntablists exercises why this is so, I think best can be explained
acrobatic moves, throwing arms around their by looking at the source material and
necks and controlling the vinyl with their equipment at hand. Hip-hop turntablism, the
feet. These body tricks can also be found formal turntablism, find new ways of
also outside hip-hop, but in general it is a manipulating samples of the same nature;
thing that belongs to the competitions. The well defined sounds lasting no more than a
physical work understates the likeness of few seconds. This is done on the same two
any imitated instrument; playing solo-guitar decks and more or less the same mixer that
parts on turntables makes some use guitar everybody uses. Again, the turntablists not
effect-pedals and so on. On a tour with obliged to follow the tendencies of hip -hop
Primus, DJ Disk of Invisibl Skratch Piklz seem to choose a different approach to the
amazed the audience by copying Les art form, and they customize old
Claypools bass riffs – almost unimaginable phonographs, uses vinyl with objects glued
on turntables. to it, and obscure samples for longer periods
of time. It is easy to see that Marclay,
As independent instrument, the hip-hop Tétreault and Yoshihide uses the same
playing style is the most sensational, having technique on several pieces; all three mixes
made for itself intricate rules without two or more recordings, letting them play for
limiting the creative possibilities. Apart from maybe a minute while slightly holding their
hip-hop, the turntable functions much after hands on the platter, making it all shake and
the principals of musique concrète. There is wave. Yoshihide might do this with
no actual connective notion making us able electronic bleeps pressed on vinyl, Tétreault
to interpret how different turntablists are plays two identical copies of Maria Callas
playing, after the same sets of pre- albums, extending her long notes into
infinity, Marclay more likely pulls out an old finished (writing January 2000), but it may
Strauss-waltz, combining it with a sampled well revolutionize and shape the whole
segment from a porn movie. So even though future for this instrument since it still
the techniques are similar, it is difficult to requires and benefits from the established
compare the musical core of such pieces. equipment.

The turntable represent matchless

possibilities in making music, both because
the techniques imaginable far exceeds any
traditional instrument, synthesizer included,
and because the turntablist always has at
hand every sound produced and pressed on
vinyl. Returning to Pierre Henry, it is all a
matter of making new beginnings and ends
to existing sounds, and manipulate what is
left. Nevertheless, it is a mechanical
instrument, and history normally does not
give them too long lifetime. All kinds of
efforts are being made to emulate, simulate
and reanimate the turntables on computers
and CD or MD players. One very recent
Swedish thesis for the doctorate in physics in
Luleå use intricate mathematical calculations
based on platter-movement in proportion to
vinyl-movement and the needle’s position in
the grooves. Thus a theoretical model of the
actual scratch in real-time is created, making
it possible to replace to most unpredictable
element of turntablism – the vinyl and the
easily skipping stylus – with digitized sound
on a computer. This is a project not yet
Shaking the unshakable? effortlessly during a performance, why can’t
they as well revolutionize the whole system
Since the beginning of this century, popular of drums-bass-guitar-song that infiltrates
music has followed the standard and, arguably, limits the whole popular
instrumentation – with alterations along the music industry? In music outside the skirts
way – of drum kit, bass guitar, lead guitar of popular music it is pointless to speak of
and keyboard. This is a solid institution, and the same kind of rules and conventions. But
as Pierre Schaeffer predicted, turntable so far, it really seems that the hegemony of
bands emerged in the form of role-players. the band remains. Perhaps is it as simple as
One person plays rhythm, anothe r bass lines that the turntablist wants to play like a
and chords, one does words, and then traditional instrument, perhaps is rearranging
another plays the solos. The number of the band not even an issue. Anyway,
turntablists in each band of course varies, compared to the synthesizer, the turntable is
but several have four members. It lies in the more likely to make us rethink music and
nature of the instrument that every musician performing. The synthesizer never was much
can play any role or instrument. That way, more than a trumpet occupying black and
the whole concept of ‘band’ or ‘ensemble’ white keys or a sampled dog barking in
should be re-valued. Of course some will chords. With the aid of vinyl, one twitch of
still concentrate on solo playing – mostly the arm moves two seconds of recorded
solos are scratchbased – or one can focus on music in a moment. Even easier than on a
laying good drums, but all in all I think the synthesizer, the boundaries of tonality is
average band member ends up with a broken, opening up for endless possibilities.
broader approach to music and ensemble
playing. The ability to switch between The speed of the scratch movements makes
drumming, ‘vocalling’ and soloing was the samples go extremely high-pitched,
made possible with the synthesizer, but was almost impossible to experience as tones.
never fully utilized until the turntable bands This level of tonality I called hyper-tonality
came. Still the possibilities may be said to go in search for better terminology. It is
even further than playing roles. probably difficult to actively adjust the
scratches to chord-schemes; if an analysis
If four turntablists can take on any were done on a recording of scratching, the
instrumental part, and even switch
pitch could be determined to fit the chordal material. That is where psychoacoustics can
tones or not, but just by hearing it as listener, guide us and place the turntable-made
it is too difficult. To speak of a functional sounds in a comprehensible context.
tonality would be inappropriate, at least yet.
More or less the same goes for the small So as the new instrument reaches enough
rhythmical particulars. In a short sample of a acknowledge and independence to conquer
drum break that is being dragged back and the world – as the turntablists of hip -hop

forth whilst chopped up with the crossfader, always have dreamt of – it already stands at
there may be as much as ten attacks in one a fateful crossroads: Should it adapt to the
tenth of a second. Put together into larger predictable, confident tradition, or should it
units of rhythms and patterns, the richness of take the one step further and adhere to its
details in every beat offers a kind of tonal and rhythmical uniqueness? Of course

rhythmical complexity not yet heard of. I we will see both directions being followed,
proposed hyper-rhythmics as a term for this most probably one with great commercial
kind of hardly predictable flow of success and one falling towards obscurity.
rhythmical attacks. The main thing is not But that again seem to be the unalterable fate
whether to call it hyper - or meta- or super -. of experimental attempts inside the popular

My point here is to stress that turntablism music industry.

brings forward an overall sound that differs
from the very foundations of western music.
Maybe hyper-rhythmics should be compared
to the polyrhythmic drumming of the Asian
or African tradition, and hyper-tonality
should be compared to noise music. I believe
the psychoacoustic branch of knowledge
could offer a proper starting point for a
better understanding of the nature of
manipulating vinyl. A lot of music is said to
‘have to get used to’, and turntablism is no
exception. Not because of musical
complexity, but because of the unusual tone
Suggested reading and listening Butter Wolf (Copasetik Recordings, 1999),
The Ablist by Rob Swift (Asphodel 1999),
Since the number of books and available and the compilations Return of the DJ 1 and
recordings are considerably low yet, I wish 2 (Bomb Hip-hop, 1995/97). Strictly non-
to include this list of turntablism-related hip-hop recordings (often ‘avant-garde’) are
work. The sound recordings have a huge harder to find, but among the more popular
overweight of hip-hop, but here both are More Encores (ReR, 1988) and Records
‘disciplines’ are given equal attention. The (Atavistic, 1997), both by Christian Marclay.
Internet sites are especially interesting, both The albums which show the turntable in a
for literature, interviews, discussions, sound central position, either hip-hop or not, are
samples and tutorials. Among the best sites often as hard to come by as solo-turntablism
are Turntablism dot com CDs, but a good place to start is in jazz with
(www.turntablism.com), and the Swedish DJ Mindfulness by William Hooker (Knitting
Battle (www.djbattle.net). Factory Works, 1997) or John Zorn’s Elegy
(Tzadik, 1995). The last category of
Not much literature has been published; first recorded turntablism released on CD is the
and foremost the maga zines offer easiest to obtain in any shop; popular music
information. The Wire , X-Fade, Bomb Hip -
with turntable. Most famous are Tom Waits’
hop Magazine and dance- and rap-magazines Mule Variations (Anti/Epitaph, 1999), the
should be sought out. Some books worth two Limp Bizkit records Three Dollar Bill,
mentioning are Simon Reynold’s Blissed Y’all$ and Significant Other , both on the
Out (Serpent’s Tail, 1990) and Energy Flash Interscope label, and Acme by the Jon
(Picador, 1998), Ulf Poschardt’s DJ Culture
Spencer Blues Explosion (Mute Records,
(Quartet Books, 1998 trans.), Rickey 1998).
Vincent’s Funk (St. Martin’s Griffin, 1995)
and Tricia Rose’s Black Noise (Wesleyan
University Press, 1994). Apart from these,
there are several well-known writings on rap
and hip-hop culture.

Some essential hip-hop turntablism-related

CDs are My Vinyl Weighs a Ton by Peanut
Conclusive words

The growing market for hip-hop culture

helps clear the way for turntablism, and
turntablists respond by sharing their skills
with everyone in any possible context.
Turntablism might soon evolve into using
state-of-the-art technological instruments,
but so far the old mechanics outclass
simulators, be it software or hardware,
digital or semi-digital. This instrument
represents new ways of thinking music,
hearing music and composing music. It
seems therefore wrong to cons ider it as just a
comical retro artifact from the early days of
hip-hop, or nothing more than a real-time
sampler. It is a sound manipulator, and it is a
musical instrument in every sense.