Tips and Tricks - Little Tips of Considering Equipments

Hi all, this post is dedicated for you who wants to buy Equipments, but doesn't know which one is good enough for your budget. Well, here i give you the fundamental features of each DJing hardwares that it must have. Just for remainder, i have chosen hardwares and softwares which i consider as good for all range budget, and can be seen in our store

For Turntables: Proper DJ turntables need a strong motor, a pitch control to adjust the speed the record plays at, a good needle, and sturdy enough construction to handle the vibrations and abuse that DJing dishes out. Otherwise, you'll get a problem playing live, and more money as you will change to better turntables eventually.

For Mixers: Mixers ideally have 3-band EQs (equalisers) for each input channel, a cross-fader, headphone cue controls, and a good display to show you the level at which the music is sent out of the mixer so you don’t blow any speakers accidentally. Make sure you have all of these features as these are fundamentals people. I forgot, if you can try the knobs, sliders, etc with your OWN hand to feel how they works. This will prevent you going to online stores or eBay to find replacements:p

For CD Decks: CD decks need to be sturdy enough that they won’t skip every time the
bass drum booms over the speakers (If this happen, just prepare yourself for a bottle or more hit your head). The controls on a CD deck are more important than on a turntable because you can’t physically speed up and slow down the CD with your hands. Jog wheels, easy-to-navigate time and track displays, and a pitch bend along with the pitch control are all important core features of a CD turntable.


For Headphones: Headphones need to be comfortable, sound clear when played at high
volume, and cut out a lot of external noise so that you don’t have to play them too loud (you want to keep your ears to be able to hear sounds for the rest of your life, keep the sound "just enough")

For amplifiers: Volume and sound control are the watchwords for amplification. You
don’t need a huge amplifier and bass-bins for your bedroom, but similarly, a home hi-fi isn’t going to be much use in a town hall (but it'll help you to safe budgets).

That's all i got, i hope it helps. Enjoy:)

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Tips and Tricks - Samples Search Engine

Hi all, in DJing sometimes you want to throw sounds, samples, and effects to your sets as maybe just for fun, or transitions (especially with transitions of drastic BPM, throwing samples and/or effects will help a lot), or to diversify your sets. For that, you need to see the www.findsounds.com. I found it across a forum, and it's not perfect but will help all of us. Enjoy:)

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DJ Basic(s) - Online Stores for Songs

Hi all, some of you might wonder where could DJs got so many tracks everytime they play a set. Well, here are lists of online tracks store that you can visit. Enjoy:)

www.DancetracksDigital.com

www.masterbeat.com

www.audiojelly.com

www.beatport.com

www.digibag.com

www.djdownload.com

www.perfectbeat.com

www.playittonight.com

www.traxsource.com

www.stompy.com


Bolds are the famous sites. Go Check them out!

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DJ Basic(S) - Beatmatching With Pitch Slider "Pitch Bending"

Hi all, yesterday i posted the in-depth of how to beatmatch. I did mention about "pitch Bending", beatmatching using the pitch slider. This post will give you more knowledge of how to beatmatch with the pitch slider only. This method involves and requires the ability to identify whether a track is too fast, or too slow, and then making fluid adjustments of the track. By that statement, i encourage you all to understand and able to do beatmatch in general, like what i posted before. It will be hard to understand this post before you understand the general beatmatching.

First thing you need is to have the records playing. I heard so many people that told me use simple and identical songs (or even same songs on both decks) to learn beatmatching, and it is true, i recommend this method, while gradually moving to more complex songs. Put one song on, set the pitch slider at 0%. when you are ready to play the other record, monitor the beats with your headphone. (if you are using the same record as the first one, just put the slider other than 0%, faster or slower does not matter.)

Next, use your ears, does the other record you about to drop is too fast or too slow. Track too fast, decrease the pitch settings (-1, -2, -3, -4, etc), and if the track is too slow, increase the pitch settings (+1, +2, +3, +4, etc).

After you adjust the pitch slider, identify if it begins to play on or moving the correct tempo. Now the part that you won't like, you have to wait until the beats play in the same time, rather than trying to correct it immediately. Now you zip that pitch-adjust 3/4 of the way back up towards where you started out. Generally speaking, this will be too fast, but not AS fast as it was before, and you’ll hear the beats go from being too slow to being matched to being too fast. Again, push the fader down 3/4 of the way from where you were at LAST time you adjusted, and listen to see if it’s too slow or too fast. If it’s too fast, just repeat the process as listed above. If it’s too slow, go ahead and slow it down further, but remember that there’s no need to go as slow as you did the previous time, since we know that’s too slow to be properly matched (Sweet! you will be happy at this point).

Now, just keep adjusting in small intervals until it really beatmached/harmonized/whatever the word is (you know what i mean), to maintain the beats, because sometimes, there is a very little gap like 0.04% between the BPM. You won't notice it at the first place, but later it will start to make this weird, disastrous beats, as it gradually unmatched (i dont know if it's a correct word). Just simply move the slider back and forth very - very tiny (imagine a ping-pong game, badminton game, tennis, just see the movement of the ball), to prevent the disaster.

This is the image of what i am talking above:

-8%……………………|……………………+8% FAST (forward +6)
-8%……|……………………………………+8% SLOW (Back -6)
-8%…………………|………………………+8% FAST (Keep reducing the gaps +4)
-8%………|…………………………………+8% SLOW (-4)
-8%………………|…………………………+8% FAST (And it keeps going on and on until it matched)
-8%…………|………………………………+8% SLOW
-8%……………..|………………………….+8% FAST
-8%…………..|…………………………….+8% SLOW
-8%…………….|…………………………..+8% FAST
-8%……………|……………………………+8% MATCHED

Notice how the adjustments being made get smaller and smaller as you approach the point of having it perfectly beatmatched. Now your tracks are beatmatched. Woo! Once you get the hang of this method, and what you need to be listening for to use it successfully, you’ll find that this process gets faster and faster until you get to where you can have a new track beatmatched in 32 beats (or less!) with very little effort. From this point on, it’s just a matter of KEEPING the tracks beatmatched, but you should have an accurate enough match to start out with, now, that you can do very minor (1mm) corrections and never really need to do them more than a couple of times during a nice, long mix. I hope this helps, any comment will be very appreciated, Enjoy:)

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DJ Basic(s) - How to Find the Key of Your Songs

Hi all, this time i will talk about how to find a key of a song. You can use free piano software from djprince.no in its download page, or if you have a budget get the Mixed in Key software (this is the best and you won't need to read further of the post).

You’ll want to start playing the song loud enough so that you can hear both the piano and the song at relatively equal volumes. The goal is to find the “root” key (the single key that blends in the most with the song at all times). This can be harder than it initially appears since the root key can actually turn out to be just part of the chord for the key of the song, or just not the right one at all so be sure to double check. It also helps to play keys both higher up in the register as well as the lower.

After you have found what you think is the best candidate for the root key, your next goal is to find the chord that best fits with the song. This for me, was much much harder than finding the root key. If you are using the piano program from DJ Prince’s site, all you need to do is select either major or minor from the auto-chord button on the bottom right. If you’re using a normal piano or something similar, you’ll want to play the 4th and 7th keys up for a major chord (i.e. a C major chord would be C - E - G) and the 3rd and 7th keys up for a minor chord (i.e. a C minor chord would be C - D# / Eb - G). What you will need to do is play both the major and minor chords for the root key to see which best blends with the song. Now here’s the kicker… if you’re like me you may have screwed up when you found the root key… to make sure you get the right key of the song you’ll also need to play the major and minor chords for the notes 5 steps up and 7 steps up (the perfect fourth and perfect fifth keys). To find these you would count each key as 1 step moving up the scale.

For example if you were using G as your root key, the key five steps up would be C (the perfect fourth) and the key seven steps up would be D (the perfect fifth).

At this stage you should be checking a total of 6 chords for the key of your song. The first 3 are your major chords. One is the major chord for you root key, one is the major chord for the key five steps up (the perfect fourth), and one is the major chord for the key seven steps up (the perfect fifth). The other 3 are your minor chords. One is the minor chord for you root key, one is the minor chord for the key five steps up (the perfect fourth), and one is the minor chord for the key seven steps up (the perfect fifth). The chords for the perfect fourth and fifths may or may not sound better than your initial idea of the root key. If they do sound better than go with it - it most likely means the root key was wrong. Once again, I find that it is extremely useful to play a variety of low and high chords for the same note when looking for the key of a song. For example the low G minor chord may not sound quite right to you, but a high G minor chord may fit perfectly. Play around on the keyboard to find out if it’s easier to hear higher or lowers chords.

After you have found the keys of your records you will want to label them to be able to mix harmonically. Fortunately there is quite a bit of info on how to mix harmonically at both the site above, and at harmonic-mixing.com which will tell you everything you need to know about mixing with keys. My last bits of advice are that you write the keys of your records in pencil, because you most likely will have screwed up on a few and it’s a pain to re label records. Second bit of advice is to double check the first records you key ‘d once you have gotten through a lot of them. This is because you most likely will have gotten better at it over time and thus much more accurate.

* This is another tips you need to remember, there is major, and minor keys right? The major usually gives you this "happy", "uplifting" feeling while you hear the song. The minor keys gives u this "sorrow", "chill", etc (i dont know what else to describe it, but i believe you know what i meant). I hope this post is helpful, enjoy:)

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Equipment Reviews - Sonic Producer

Hi all, anyone of you interested in producing music, but don't have enough budget for Live, Cubase, Reaktor, etc (More than $100 softwares)? I got a good news for you. Get the Sonic Producer. For about $30, it is worth it. you can control the beats, make sounds (it is a producing software, obvious), Export to Mp3, etc. They actually got loops and samples, good enough huh? And for the bonus, all of its beats are royalty free, in easy words: you can make a great beat, sell it to the public and keep all the profits. The beats that you create can be used in any way that you want, and the entire database of beats is very big in size. Well, i think it is worth it just to learn before taking it to the next level, Enjoy people, i hope it is useful:)

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DJ Basic(s) - Beginner Part 4

Hi all, Here we go again with the beginner DJ Articles set Part 4. This time we'l talk about mixers. Mixers come in a great variety of shapes and styles, and the specific functionality (fancy features i can say) can vary widely. These fancy features can be confusing to a new DJ, as will, quite possibly, some of the more basic features. We'll that is the purpose of this post, let's eliminate those confusions:)

As you can see on mixers specifications, most of them range from either two to four channels. This means you can either attach two, three, or four sources (turntables, CD players, mp3 players, etc.). Many models also allow multiple (usually two) sources to be connected per channel, with a selector switch on the face (the top of the mixer, where the faders, switches, and knobs are located). On a four-channel mixer, this multiplies the four sources into eight. If it's still confusing, just hang on.

Mixers are usually set up around the different channels. If you look close, a majority of the features are divided up into the number channels the mixer has. Usually, all the controls of a channel are in a column spanning the vertical axis of the mixer. I hope that is an enough explanation on the "channels". Do you see all of those buttons, and knobs on the mixer? They really do play important roles for you.

I'm going to explain in a 2 channel mixer now, since it is the most basic type of mixers. If the features of your mixer are not listed here, check out the owners manual that came with it and it will probably give you a good idea of what it is there for once you have the very basics down. If all else fails, just post your put your questions in the chat box or comments.

1. Crossfader - When you see a DJ "scratching", you will notice that one of their hand will be placed on a slider, and the other on the turntable. That slider is what we called as a "Crossfader". It is usually located at the bottom of the face of the mixer. This slider allows the transition of sound from channel 1 to channel 2 (left deck to right deck), and vice versa. A lot of mixers have a crossfader slope selector of some kind. This simply changes the crossfader slope, altering how the channels come in and out when the crossfader is used. There are usually two settings, “Cut” and “Fade”. When set to cut, when the fader is moved, the channel will go from silent, to full volume very quickly. When set to “Fade”, the channel will go from silent, to full volume gradually.

2. Crossfader Assignment - With this function, you can assign how do you want the crossfader to work. Some mixers use knobs on each side of the crossfader, while others may have a switch on the face, or front panel. Other mixers may have what’s called a “hamster switch.” This simply reverses the channels. So if full left on the crossfader selects channel 1, with the hamster switch on, full left would instead select channel 2. Just as in all other features, specifics vary between brand and even in between models within brands.

3. Up/Channel Fader - These are the volume control of the each channel. You can see these faders are in vertical columns (it's very apparent, don't worry). All the way up is full blast, and all the way down is no sound at all.

4. EQs (Equalizers) - You got a radio, home theater or anything that is a sound output? they have the knobs written "high", "mids", and "low" (or treble, bass, etc) right? DJ mixers also have them. Some of the cheaper mixers just have two (High and Low), and some of the higher end mixers have four (High, Midhi, Mid lo, Low). EQs are used to cut, attenuate, or accentuate certain frequencies out of a track. They are sometimes accompanied by a “kill switch,” which, when activated, will completely remove the desired frequencies. The EQs are a very useful tool for mixing, and it's fun as you can change how a record may sound.

5. Gain/Trim - The Gain or Trim is like the “master” volume of the each channel. Usually located directly above the Eqs, above the channel fader. the gain/trim can be used to reduce, or increase the volume of a track that is louder or softer than the track currently playing.

6. Headphones - Headphones are used to monitor music that is not playing “live” but “queued”. in other words, one deck will be heard by the crowd, and the other one can only be heard by you through the headphones, which you will mixed later on. Usually, there will be some sort of method to select what channel you want to monitor in the headphones, usually buttons or a switch located on the face. Also worth mentioning is features on many mixers which allows you to monitor the live channel as well as the queued channel. This allows you to “premix” as I like to call it. You can listen to the live channel and any other channels at the same time, and fade between what is live and what is queued using a knob, or fader. Use this one for beatmatching, so when the crowd hear the next songs, they already matched.

This is what you need to know before choosing a mixer: Cheaper brands use cheaper, inferior parts. Other brands use quality parts, which drive up the price, yet gives the consumer a superior product. Also, the more expensive mixers, of course, will have more channels and more fancy features. If you are a starter bedroom DJ, there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting your hands on a mixer that costs no more than a hundred and fifty bucks. My personal feeling is it is actually better to do this, than go all out and buy a twelve hundred dollar mixer. A simplistic layout will be more conducive to learning, and usually a simple, cheap mixer will be all new DJ really needs. When it is time to move up to a bigger mixer, make sure what you are getting is really what you need. There may be some features you will never use and will simply be wasting money on.

Scratch mixers are more conducive to a scratch DJ. They are prepared to be abused. A good crossfader for a scratch DJ will also feel “loose,” and will easily slide from one side to the other. This makes it easier for the DJ to manipulate the crossfader quickly. Scratch mixers are usually simple two channel mixers, as a scratch DJ usually needs no more. There are, of course, many scratch mixers out there with multiple channels and more features. Once again, features vary a great deal between all the stuff out there.

Getting a good mixer is definitely a big part of your mixing. Just because a mixer is big, fancy, and expensive doesn’t necessarily mean you need it. Do some research, fine which is the most suitable with your condition and budget. i prefer personally to give more budget to the turntables or CD Decks, since they are the ones that will play the songs. I just don't want the songs suddenly skip to the other part of it while playing to the crowd, it is not good for business. Enjoy:)

http://www.bidvertiser.com/bidvertiser/images/blank.gif?bdv_ver_code=BDV-714392-BDV

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DJ Basic(s) - Beginner Part 3

Hi people, In part 2 of this article sets, we talked about how to begin DJing with turntables, and now it is the time for me, to introduce you to CD Decks (or i guess most of you know about it already).

a CD (short for Compact Disc) is a digital storage device, for you who somehow doesn't know what a cd is, or just get out from a cave for 20 years or so. A CD can store up to 700MB of data, or 80 minutes of high quality music, all in a package about 5″ in diameter.

CD decks will have a number of features that will allow you to treat the CD (in some shape or form) like a record. Here are the features:


1. Pitch Control- Just like on a turntable, the pitch control allows you to crank up or slow down the speed of the music. CD players usually have a much greater range of adjustment when compared to turntables.

2. Jog Dial/Wheel- This feature can be the tricky part of getting the hang of a CD deck. You can’t physically put your hands on the CD, or platter (because there usually isn’t one), so this is the feature that the “early” CD decks implement. Find any older CD deck, and take a look at the jog dial. It’s a big round dial, usually situated directly in the middle of the unit. As the music plays, you spin it clockwise to speed up, or counter-clockwise to slow down the music. This has the same effect as using your hand on a record to speed it up or slow it down. The pitch changes from using the Jog Dial are temporary, and the pitch will return to the setting of the pitch control when the wheel is stopped. So be sure to use the pitch control to finalize your adjustments.

3. Platters- This feature even newer, more “high end” CD players (like Pioneer CDJ series) now feature a physical platter on the deck itself. This platter is meant to give a more unique vinyl feel, one that was not as genuine on a deck equipped with a jog dial. Variations on the exact functions of the platters appear in brand to brand (for instance, the Denon S5000’s platter rotates, like a turntable, while the Pioneer SDJ-1000’s platter remains stationary). Just give the features a good read before you choose the one you are going to purchase.

4. Cue Point- Here is a feature you can’t find on a conventional turntable. Cue points (also known on some brands as “hot cue”) let you “save” a point, or multiple points, on any given CD into temporary memory on the deck itself, a compact flash card or removable media. Simply pick your cue point, hit play, and viola; your CD starts at the exact point you set in memory.

5. CD-Start- Yet another feature not available with most conventional turntables (there are remote start tables, and a modification is available for the Technic SL1200 tables). This feature is usually only available when you couple your CD deck to a mixer of the same brand. Either side of the cross fader on the mixer can be assigned to automatically start the CD deck. Have your CD cued up, hit the cross fader over, and the CD starts playing.

6. Standard CD features- Just like any other CD players (in your car, home theater, wherever)you can find these mighty features: Play, pause, stop, seek, and search. All these features you see on your car or home CD player show up on virtually any DJ specific CD deck.

You play the CD Decks just like you would a record on a turntable. Cue up your track, start it at the appropriate time, keep it beat-matched, and then mix however your style allows you.

There are two basic “setups” when you’re looking at CD decks.

1. Tabletop- Tabletop decks do just what their name says, they sit flat. The newer, “vinyl emulating” decks are mostly all tabletop, yet some of the older decks that employ a jog dial may be considered tabletop as well. These units are all in one, meaning the entire system consists of only one piece.

2. Rack mount- Rack mount simply means they are built with a rack in mind. This in no way means they have to be rack mounted. These units usually employ a jog dial, but a few of the newer models employ some vinyl emulation with the jog dial. These systems may be setup to use one or two CDs at the same time. Systems that allow usage of two CDs simply look identical on the left as the right. Rack mount units also come in one and two-piece setups. On one-piece models, everything is in one large unit. Two-piece models have the slots for the CDs on one piece, and the controls are on a separate piece, joined together by a data cable.

That gives a basic look at the CD decks out on the market. CD v. Vinyl has been a big debate between DJs. Both have their advantages and disadvantages when compared to one another. This debate will be addressed in an upcoming article, Enjoy and keep updating:)

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DJ Basic(s) - Choosing a DJ Equipment Package

Hi all, you know that one thing about buying a DJ equipment package is that it generally includes essential components that all DJ’s must have to pull off a successful event. If you play vinyl, of course you will use turntables, right?

Well, In most packages online stores or what ever stores that sells DJ equipment, theturn tables are included, generally two of them. Maybe there are some packages that gives you useful accessories like "slipmats" and "Dust-cover", packages that include cartridges, or some packages that also includes a mixer(interesting huh?).

If you are a turntablist, you actually can found lots of packages, and some of them come from the "big names", like Stanton. they have a packages that even includes a headphone (other than the rest we discussed above), in an exciting price too. However, please clear out your mind from those "price and # of equipments listed", and just find one that suitable for you (practice, live, mixing, etc), and it will be worth it. Just one more information for you, get the direct - driven turntable rather than the belt - driven if you want to DJ with turntables, it has more torque, which means more power when you are scratching. Enjoy:)

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Tips and Tricks - How to Pick Your Mixer

Hi all, i found this helpful article and this is how to pick your mixer. Enjoy:)

The DJ mixer is a key piece of DJ equipment. Choosing a DJ mixer can be a little confusing at first.

I have aimed this buyers guide at the novice DJ who is doesn't have a strong grasp of what features are important in their DJ mixer.

There is a huge variety of DJ equipment out there so I have boiled it down to three mixers that I have used and rate highly. Use these DJ mixer tips to save your wallet!

I'll take you through the best features and I have also recommended what I think are the best DJ mixers at 3 different price ranges.

If you don't like the selection, there are more selections in our web store:)

DJ Mixer Tips #1 - Budget Mixer

I think for your first mixer you should spend around $100. At this price I recommend the Numark DM1050 which is on special at the moment only $79!.

This mixer is fine for practicing on and playing out at parties. But I found cheaper mixers often have a buzzing noize coming out of the mixer over really powerful sound systems. This is why you pay for a better mixer if you will be playing over big systems.



As you can see it is also compact for easy transportation. This is quite good value even though it is a 2 channel mixer. It has a mic input as well so you can mix two turntables/CD players and a MC on a mic together all at once and adjust all three levels so it sounds good.

If you've got a mate that fancies themselves as an MC then you can have some fun practicing your mixing while they practice their rhymes.

Another important feature is that this mixer has 3-band Eqs. This is a requirement for DJing. You must be able to cut the bass separately in the mix so that it sounds smooth.

This mixer also lets you listen to each channel in the headphones independently of the main output so that you can beat mix properly (get the next track in time).

The problem with this type of cheap mixer is that the crossfaders are of low quality. After a few months you may get some clicking noises from the crossfader and of course this mixer is not high enough quality to use with a big sound system.

DJ Mixer Tips #2 - Middle Price DJ Mixer

If you want to get a DJ mixer that will let you do a lot more live stuff in your sets then I recommend you get the Vestax VMC-180 3-Channel House / Techno Mixer. This mixer retails for less than $400. This is another compact 3 channel mixer. But also lets you adjust the level of 4 mics.



Having more features in one mixer is a good idea. You can always chain mixers together but you will quickly degrade the sound quality and increase the complexity of your setup.

This would be great if you wanted lives drums MC and vocals. The channels can also be sent to an effects unit for even more interesting sounds.

It has 3 channel Eqs and kill switches on each Eq. Kill switches let you kill the bass, middle or trebles instantly and are fun to play with and can create some interesting effects.

I have used one of these and they have amazingly quiet and smooth crossfaders. This mixer would be perfect for playing over a big sound system in a club.

DJ Mixer Tips #3 - Top of The Line

If you can afford a little over a grand, then get the Pioneer DJM-600 Pro. I have used this mixer a few times and love it. This is a four channel mixer plus 2 mic levels. One thing it has is the ability to mix the signal running into the headphones.



The fantastic thing is the built in effects and BPM counter. I have used some cheap mixers with beat counters and they were completely worthless. I have used this mixer and the DJM-500 beat counters are good enough to mix with.

So if you can't beat mix (don't know how or are too smashed) then this DJ mixer will calculate the BPM of each track to you can get them in time with no effort.

The other fantastic thing is that the built in effects can be synchronized with the BPM of your tracks so that you get delays in time. This is really effective for vocals.

This mixer has all the other required features for DJing. 3 band Eqs high quality faders and LED level indicators. It is also a great DJ mixer for using CD players.

You can also assign the crossfader to any of the 4 channels so that you can effortlessly change from mixing off CD or vinyl. It has a Fader Start Play function that overrides the pause control to start the music when the fader is increased.

Of course if you want what I think is the best mixer for reasonable money then take at look at the Pioneer DJM-800. This is a serious piece of DJ equipment.



Well, there are some of my Mixer tips, so pick one suitable for your pocket, and what you want to play, Enjoy:)

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Laptop Jockey - Part 2

Hi all, this is the 2nd part for Laptop Jockey articles. Enjoy:)



HOLLA IF YOU HEAR ME

Your laptop needs at least two separate stereo audio outputs. With an internal mixer, or mixer inside the software, one stereo signal will be the cue and the other will be master out. With an external mixer, or hardware mixer at the club, there will be a separate stereo signal for both tracks. Some software packages allow more than two tracks to play at once. As few laptops come with a multi-channel soundcard, an external soundcard is essential. There are several USB soundcards for less than $200, such as the M-Audio Fast Track Pro and Numark DJ I/O. FireWire soundcards can offer higher sound quality at a higher price; Presonus and Echo make excellent FireWire options, and if your laptop has a PC Card slot, the Echo Indigo DJ is another great option. There are also controllers equipped with soundcards, such as the DJ Console Rmx, Omni Control, VCM-100 and M-Audio Xponent.

CAPACITY CROWD

With large laptop internal hard drives, you can store thousands of 320-bit MP3s (though many DJs use only larger-size CD-quality WAV or AIFF files). Video files take up much more space (normally 50 MB per minute for usable quality), so an external hard drive is essential. Sending video signals also takes more bandwidth than audio, so while a USB 2.0 drive is good for audio, FireWire 400 or FireWire 800 are better connections for video. Some people like eSata drives for quicker connection speeds; my tests showed little improvement over FW800 to justify the complicated setups and quirks of eSata. For video drives, pay attention to drive speed (7200 RPM is essential), chip set (Oxford allows for quick read/write and multistreams) and buffer (bigger is better — go for 16 MB or 32 MB). The 500 GB external drives have fallen to low prices now, and terabyte drives are coming down in price. My LaCie Big Disk Extreme and the ultraportable Newer Technology Ministack quadInterface 1 TB drives have performed well.

SIGHT FOR THE SOUND

Every club has a different video system, so having multiple video-output options is important. DVI can be converted to HDMI for a solid digital signal. VGA is the best of the analog video signals, looks fine on most systems and can easily be down-converted to S-Video or composite video for older setups. It's a good idea to have all conversion plugs on hand — DVI, VGA, S-Video and composite — so you're ready for whatever the club has.

If you're VJing for the first time, the important topic of content always comes up. This is a question of style, as well as availability. While some VJs use music videos, others prefer to play visualizations to accompany their track. You can find video content anywhere, and there are legal issues with usage and re-editing that I don't have the room to go into here. Finding music videos is often a challenge, especially for current releases. The best place to start is with video pool subscription services — most notably Promo Only, although ScreenPlay and RockAmerica are worth researching. Check back on those message boards for the many different ways to rip files for use on a computer system.

Regarding video content, the primary concern should be quality, not quantity. Yes, YouTube has lots of great videos, but the FLV compression looks (and sounds) horrible on club systems. A good standard for club video quality is 50 MB per minute, whether it be an MPG, a VOB or other file. Some VJs have had success with MP4, MOV, WMV and other formats, so it can be a question of preference. VJs also talk about pushing things to the HD level, as well. While that's definitely the future, I don't see many clubs jumping on the HD bandwagon right away, due not only to expense but also to lack of content and usable equipment.

Lastly, keep in mind the brightness of videos. Videos that are excessively bright or set on a white background might make the club too bright and upset the lighting technician.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Before buying a laptop, think about the external hardware you'll use. External ports can be a deciding factor; the correct amount and type of connectivity may affect which laptop you purchase. You will need a USB 2.0 port for the controller, a USB 2.0 or an FW400 port for the soundcard, an FW400 or FW800 port for the external hard drive and possibly additional ports for powering other external devices or simply for a travel mouse. Whatever minimum memory and storage specifications are given for the software you choose, double it — especially if you plan to mix music videos.

You should use your performance laptop only for performance because once you've got it running and stabilized, there is no need to mess things up with outside programs, new untested configurations and so on. Programs don't always play nicely together, and spinning at a club isn't the best time to discover that.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ACCESSORIES

The right accessories will ensure that your laptop setup runs flawlessly. A solid surge-protector strip should be in your bag because many DJ booths don't have enough free outlets. Ground-lift adapters (outlet converters) are also necessary to have on hand in case a mysterious power hum appears — you never know how a club is wired. And carry gaffer tape to secure your cables that could be knocked out during an absentminded moment or by an overenthusiastic fan.

The right laptop stand will save space and your back from continuous hunching-over. The Stanton Uberstand ($100; www.stantondj.com) folds up to the size of a record and flips into a three-tier stand to either slide over unmovable turntables or provide three levels (controller, soundcard, laptop) to make efficient use of space. A padded laptop bag big enough to hold everything is also essential. Manufacturers are tailoring bags to hardware/software setups (see “Grab a Fat Sack,“ page 12). If you fly, double-check the size restrictions for carry-ons; you surely do not want to check your laptop. When flying, be prepared to take out the laptop, controller and hard drive for separate scanning. Large electronic devices often trigger TSA scrutiny.

TESTING…ONE…TWO

After you've ripped your content, you should spend some time testing and practicing. Time is always an issue, so first make sure to time yourself putting together and tearing down the system. Run it live at home and practice using it live. Make some mix CDs to hear how it sounds. Are there glitches and skips? Refer back to message boards for optimal settings (especially for latency).

Like the first time you used CDs, it will take time to get used to and feel comfortable spinning in this new way. Laptop DJing offers many additional options and features, so take the time to dive deep into it. Get to know your controller intimately — it's your connection to the crowd because it will allow you to perform all the tricks and techniques that make you unique.

If you are spinning music videos, you need to master mixing not only the music but also the video. Alternating between different transitions/wipes will keep your performance fresh; don't use the same one each time. Another consideration is whether or not the software automatically triggers visuals for songs that don't have videos. Will you handle that by switching to a separate visual source?

While you are testing, set up a playlist to run for several hours; if you are going to spin a six-hour set, then have the system run to ensure its stability. See what happens if a piece of gear gets unplugged. Test if or for how long the system can run without power. Get to know your entire system like a single piece of gear; there will always be some unique things that happen that you'll have to figure out on the fly. Also, other DJs, club staff and interested spectators will ask all kinds of questions about your setup.

Going live

When it's time to finally gig, arrive early for a complete soundcheck. The first time you set up, you'll run into some hitches, so allow a lot of time to work through them. Carry a list of all the gear in the bag to ensure that what comes out also goes back in.

For backup, cue up an emergency CD or iPod to go at a second's notice. Scotty B from Promo Only uses an iPod with a preprogrammed set in case of emergencies. The fear of dead air scares many DJs from going laptop, and after six years of laptop DJing I still carry a backup CD. There have been three times when the power cables came out or the power went down.

The most cutting-edge technology will not make you a great performer, but the power of computer DJing gives you more tools to put on a great show. If you just stand there pressing the Sync key between loading tracks, that's not really a show. Practice your skills, read the audience, program the best content and have fun. Remember, as the entertainer, it's your responsibility to bring the party.

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Tips and Tricks - Turntablism Techniques Part 10

Hi all, this is the 10th and also the last part of Turntablist Technique Articles set. This one is about setting up the tonearm of your turntable. Enjoy:)



NEW NEEDLES

Before I get into the specifics of tonearm tweaking, you should be aware that worn-out needles are one of the biggest and most often overlooked causes of skipping. One of the best improvements you can make to your setup is to install a new set of needles, particularly if you have been using the same needles for months or have dropped and abused them. You don't need to replace the cartridges (unless they are damaged), just the needles, which are usually available at one-third to half the cost of a cartridge — or less. A new needle might be just what the scratch doctor ordered.

TONEARMS

The tonearm is probably the turntable's most finely engineered feature. Sure, the platter has to spin at a constant speed and the pitch fader's performance should be precise, but you can usually get by if those features aren't exactly up to snuff. However, if your tonearm is unstable or poorly designed, you are going to have a difficult time performing even the most basic scratch technique.

First, give your tonearm a quick once-over, making sure that it has no loose screws and that its hinged and rotating parts move freely without a rough, gritty feel. If your tonearm fails any of those rudimentary tests, you should have it serviced by a professional. It may be tempting to try to fix the tonearm yourself, but you could damage the tonearm even more and be forced to replace it, which is an expensive proposition. If you're not sure what you're doing, take your turntable to a pro. Once you're sure that your tonearm is in normal operating condition, you can begin to tweak the user-adjustable settings for maximum skip-free performance.

TONEARM TWEAKS

Most tonearms feature at least two adjustable settings, such as a tracking-weight adjustment, which is typically located at the tonearm's back end. In addition, many feature a height-adjustment setting that lets you change the height of the tonearm's pivot point (see Fig. 1). Most turntables with S-shaped tonearms also feature an antiskate setting that allows you to control the force with which the needle pulls toward the center spindle (see Fig. 2). You will probably need to adjust all settings if you want to obtain optimal scratch performance.

TRACKING WEIGHT

Tracking weight is the downward force the cartridge applies to the needle and, consequently, the force the needle applies to the record. Your tracking-weight setting is one of the most important adjustments you can make, because it greatly determines your needle's tendency to skip — or not to skip. Generally, you adjust the tracking weight by turning a cylindrical weight at the tonearm's back end, moving the weight closer to or farther from the tonearm's pivot point.

The rule is to track with as little weight as possible while still minimizing skipping. Although other factors are involved in selecting your optimum tracking weight (such as needle design, personal style, and the scratch type you are performing), the bottom line is that decreasing the tracking weight will increase the likelihood of skipping. However, the less weight you track with, the longer your records will last, as heavier settings tend to increase the rapidity of record burn (the crackling noise heard on frequently scratched sections of vinyl). The key is to strike a balance between reducing record burn and increasing skip resistance.

The first considerations in determining the prime tracking weight are needle design and performance. Selecting the right needle is essential to extending the life of your records and to reducing skips while scratching. The Stanton 500AL, an old-school favorite, allows tracking weight settings of a maximum 5.0 grams. As a scratch needle, it performs best at the 4.5- to 5.0-gram setting. Contrast that with the current turntablist fave, the Shure M44-7, which tracks between 1.5 and 3.0 grams. In my experience, the Shure outperforms the 500AL and causes less record burn. That's mainly because its ideal tracking setting in the range of 2.5 to 3.0 grams is almost half the weight of the 500AL's. If you have been using the same cartridge and needle combo for years, take a look at the new models — you'll probably find something you like a lot better.

SCRATCH TECHNIQUE

Obviously, cartridge and needle selection are important to any discussion of tracking weight. However, if your goal is to track with as little weight as possible, it is equally important to improve your technique so that you can minimize skipping.

One big factor is the fluidity of your movements. Scratching with a lighter hand will let you track at a lighter weight. Watch a turntablist perform, and you may get the impression that he or she is beating on the records and throwing the needle around. Although many scratch techniques appear aggressive, the best DJs actually have a light but precise hand. The turntablist's skill combines speed and precision with fluidity and gentleness, allowing for the creation of amazing scratch sound bites without needle skips.

REVERSING THE WEIGHT

Turntablists often reverse the tonearm weight because doing so allows them to track at a heavier weight. On the Technics SL-1200MK2 (the most imitated turntable design), the weight forms a bullet shape that, when mounted properly, has more weight at the back than at the front. When mounted in reverse, the weight's heaviest end is closest to the pivot, which reduces the weight at the back of the tonearm and therefore increases the tracking weight.

That technique is popular, but I have found that it isn't necessary; I prefer scratching with the weight mounted properly. However, if you have maxed out the weight available on your turntable and are still skipping, that trick can increase your turntable's tracking-weight range.

TONING OUT

Next month, I will focus on height adjustment and antiskate issues. Until then, why not treat your cartridges to a new set of needles (or treat yourself to a new set of cartridges — try the Shure M44-7 if you are looking for a change) and test some of the adjustments. Remember, no one can tell you what the “correct” setting for your equipment is. Only through experimentation and practice can you find the setting that is best for you.

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Laptop Jockey - Part 1

DJ Ron Slomowicz wrote this great article about Laptop Jockey. It might be useful for you guys who are DJing or VJing with softwares on laptop. or maybe you just want to know a bit just for fun, you decide. This is a very useful article i'm telling you guys. Enjoy the 1st Part



From vinyl to CD to laptop, with every evolution of DJ technology, purists have claimed that technology amounted to cheating and have sparked the “real DJs use vinyl” argument. I counter that the new technology opens new realms of creativity for live, unrehearsed musical expression, and superstar DJs using laptops (Paul Van Dyk, BT, Sasha, etc.) back that argument. Vinyl and CD DJs may add samplers and instruments to enhance their live performance, and with laptops there are effects, processors, samplers and loops — both audio and visual — to be triggered in real time. Laptop technology also eliminates the limits of physical media.

THIS IS HOW I DO

Here I'll examine designing a portable laptop solution for DJing (beatmixing music) and VJing (beatmixing video) in a way that best suits your individual needs.

When I started laptop DJing in 2003, I used Native Instruments Traktor on an Apple PowerBook G4 with an external Western Digital FireWire 400 hard drive, Echo Indigo DJ soundcard and a Contour ShuttlePro controller. For the move to laptop VJing in 2007, I moved up to a MacBook Pro with Numark Cue/Virtual DJ software on Windows XP running through Bootcamp with an external FW800 Western Digital drive, M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB soundcard and the Numark Total Control controller. I've since upgraded to a LaCie 1 TB external drive and then to a smaller-size Newer Technologies 1 TB drive. I also added a Vestax VCI-100 controller, and I am currently testing the Stanton DaScratch and Numark Omni Control. Recently, I added a second MacBook Pro laptop with Arkaos Grand VJ software and a Novation ReMote 25 SL MIDI keyboard for additional effects and visuals.

GET WITH THE PROGRAM

Most software today is available for both Mac and Windows, and loyalists to either platform will want to stay with what they know. Mac enthusiasts boast the stability and power that one-manufacturer uniformity brings, while PC enthusiasts have the largest market share, which breeds more end-users, as well as more hardware configurations at differing price points.

For mixing music there are many excellent programs — Traktor Pro, Virtual DJ, PCDJ, Serato Scratch, Ableton Live and Mixmeister Fusion all immediately come to mind. The options for mixing music videos are more limited, with Virtual DJ, Serato Scratch and Fidelity Megaseg being primary options. Choosing your personal favorite is like choosing a car; each one has strong features and functions that are great for different people. Go online to the different manufacturer Websites and download the free demos to try out. Think about how you will use and configure them. Do they restrict your hardware setup? Do you prefer using timecode vinyl/CDs over a MIDI controller?

While trying the demos, look through the message boards/user groups. The more people talking means the more people using and therefore purchasing and supporting the software. More support means more updates and the likelihood of long-term support. Message boards will also give you a better idea of how strong and stable the software is. There is a lot of hype and marketing out there, but power users cut through that quickly.

For software, check with the people you know and your DJ idols. Superstar DJs may take a check to endorse a product, but if it doesn't work right, they won't rock it onstage. Those around you can also be quick and reliable sounding boards as you face setup issues and questions.

CONTROLLED EXPLOSION

Choosing the right controller is just as important as software, and I have to say: You must have a controller. As a DJ, you are a performer, and typing on a keyboard does not make a great performance. People watching aren't going to be entertained and will think the computer is mixing for you. Embracing this new technology forces you to prove your skills.

There are two kinds of controllers: timecode media and MIDI-based controllers. Timecode media — vinyl and CDs — play on standard turntables/CD players and send a digital timecode signal that interprets the movements to the software. Speed the timecode record up, and the audio file speeds up. If vinyl is in your blood, this might be the best option. Many clubs even have Serato Scratch boxes installed into their permanent setups. Timecode CD setups have the option to incorporate standard audio CDs — another great option.

MIDI controllers send a MIDI signal or control code to the software. Each button, knob and slider is mapped to have a function. Controllers often come with preset templates for software packages that you can customize within the software. DJ MIDI controllers often mimic the layout of a CD player, DJ mixer or both. Several recent controllers include the Vestax VCI-100, VCM-100 and VCI-300; Numark Total Control and OmniControl; Hercules DJ Console Rmx; and Stanton DaScratch, SCS.1d and SCS.1m, to name a few. It's impossible to get the feel of a controller online, so go to your local DJ or music store and check them out. See how they look and feel to you. Do they seem solid and rugged enough for your needs?

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Tips and Tricks - Turntablist Techniques Part 9

Hi all, this is the 9th part of Turntablist Techniques Articles set. This one is about Setting up your turntable (generally). Enjoy:)


One of the most confusing issues for aspiring turntablists is figuring out the best way to set up a turntable for scratching. The problem is that no standard configuration exists for scratch DJs. Ask five different DJs how they arrange their cartridges, tonearms, and headshells, and chances are you'll get five different answers. To help you figure out the configuration that works best for you, this month's column looks at tonearm, headshell, and cartridge setup.

Your turntable-component setup should minimize skipping while providing the highest possible audio fidelity. Typically, turntablists favor a skip-free setup over one that offers the best audio quality. However, with some careful adjustments and attention to specific settings, you probably can achieve a good balance between the two.

Three main distinguishing factors will help you choose the setup that works best for you:

* Your cartridge
* Your favored scratching style (beat juggling, beat mixing, crab)
* Your technique (how heavy- or light-handed your touch is and so on)

CARTRIDGE TYPES

Ortofon, Shure, and Stanton, the three main players in the turntablist cartridge world, manufacture a variety of cartridges designed for scratch DJs. Each model offers different features, so you may have to try a few different cartridges before you find the perfect one.

Most of the cartridges designed for turntablists require a separate headshell. Those cartridges must be attached to the headshell with screws; the headshell is then mounted to your turntable's tonearm. Some models feature an integrated quickmount design that eliminates the need for a separate headshell. Cartridges in Ortofon's Concorde line feature that design, as do some cartridges from several other manufacturers, including Stanton. Ortofon's Concorde Scratch is a particularly good performer for turntablist applications. All-in-one combos are definitely easier to set up, but they don't offer as many options for tweaking. If setting up quickly is important to you, the integrated models are worth exploring.

HEADSHELL TWEAKS

Cartridges requiring a separate headshell offer two main options for making custom setup adjustments:

* Use of the optional headshell weight
* Cartridge alignment

Before making any adjustments, you should be aware of the difference between the terms total weight and tracking weight. Total weight refers to the actual weight of the headshell-and-cartridge combo; it's a fixed value. Tracking weight is the force exerted by the needle on the record; it's a variable value. You can adjust tracking weight by rotating the tracking-weight dial and counterbalance weight (usually located at the back end of the tonearm). It's important to know that a headshell setup with a greater total weight requires a heavier counterbalance-weight setting to achieve a desirable tracking weight.

HEADSHELL WEIGHT

In the early days of scratch DJing, turntablists often taped a penny to the headshell, providing additional tracking weight by increasing the headshell's total weight. Old-school cartridges were not designed for tracking applications, so the additional weight was necessary to prevent the needle from skipping out of the record's groove. DJs often selected the cartridge that gave them the heaviest tracking, because that reduced the likelihood of skipping.

Current cartridge models track much better while being scratched — some are even custom-designed for turntablist applications — and they typically outperform older models while requiring less tracking weight. Even though the extra weight often isn't necessary, many turntablists still use the extra weight plate provided with headshell-mounted cartridges.

Cartridges are designed to perform within a range of tracking weights, usually 2 to 4 grams. The reason many companies include an extra headshell weight is to ensure that all turntable tonearms can be adjusted to the desired weight setting. If you can adjust your tonearm to the desired setting without using the headshell weight, I recommend leaving it off.

Your objective is to reduce the total combined weight of the cartridge and headshell as much as possible and still maintain the target tracking weight. That will reduce skip-inducing wobbles during heavy scratch sessions. Wobble is caused by the needle's tendency to skate toward the center spindle. The needle counters the skate by moving in the opposite direction, and the cycle continues, causing the side-to-side wobble that leads to skipping. The lighter the cartridge's total weight, the less severe the wobble's effect.

HEADSHELL ALIGNMENT

In the '80s, several manufacturers produced what is known as a linear tonearm. Those tonearms were placed on a motorized sliding bar that kept the tonearm parallel with the groove across the entire record as it played. The design was an attempt to fix the main drawback of most traditional tonearms, which remain parallel with the groove through only a limited range on a 12-inch record.

With regular tonearms, the closer the needle is to the center spindle, the more it's misaligned in the groove. For normal music reproduction, increased misalignment typically leads to a reduction in audio fidelity as the needle approaches the center of a record. Scratch DJs also know that misalignment can result in an increase in side-to-side wobble.

Turntables with S-shaped tonearms (such as the Technics SL-1200MK2) are particularly susceptible to wobble. Several new turntables designed for scratch performance offer a newly developed straight tonearm design (the ASTS Tonearm System introduced by Vestax). The straight tonearms eliminate the wobble effect almost completely by reducing misalignment of the needle and groove.

If you have a turntable with the more traditional S-shaped tonearm, you can try to toe in the cartridge. If you angle the back end of the cartridge toward the center spindle, the needle's alignment is nearly parallel to the groove and the wobble effect is reduced — but not eliminated. The trade-off is that this adjustment increases record burn, and it will wear out the grooves on your records much more quickly than a standard setup.

When playing with that option, do not adjust the headshell more than 20 degrees. The best course of action is to experiment with small changes, checking after each adjustment to see if skipping is reduced. I recommend doing the modification only if you experience frequent skipping while scratching and none of the other tweaks outlined here seem to help.

The best way to reduce skipping is to develop a smooth, fluid scratching technique. Although radical setup adjustments can improve your cartridge's tracking abilities, adjustments are counterproductive if they reduce the life of your records.

SKIPPING OUT

These headshell tweaks should help you prevent the needle from skipping out of the groove and allow you to concentrate on improving your scratching technique. In next month's column, I will continue exploring tonearm, headshell, and cartridge tweaks by taking a detailed look at some adjustable tonearm settings.

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Tips and Tricks - Turntablist Techniques Part 8

Hi all, this is the 8th part of Turntablist Technique Article sets. Enjoy:)


ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR

As you learn how to beat-mix, you will start to listen to music differently. Analyzing music as groups of bars helps you recognize common patterns in all music. Recognizing those patterns can help you better mix two songs together, because you will have a clearer idea about how to match the patterns.

Hip-hop and dance-music tracks typically consist of 4-beat bars, with 4, 8, or 16 bars forming series of logical, almost mathematical, groupings. A song's sounds will usually change predictably after that established number of bars. For example, new musical elements such as a busy hi-hat pattern may be introduced, whereas others, like a guitar riff, may disappear. You probably already understand that rhythmic structure on an unconscious level. Think about it: when listening to a mixed CD, don't you know when the kick will come in or when the bass will disappear for the breakdown? Listen to a variety of songs while counting beats and bars. Concentrate as you nod your head to the beats, and you should begin to grasp those mathematical patterns.

Proper beat mixing, however, requires more than just beat and pattern matching. Beyond a song's tempo and structure are other melodic elements, including, most importantly, song key — a more musical than rhythmic quality. Explaining the concept of correct and incorrect keys is beyond the scope of this lesson; suffice it to say that if the keys don't match or complement each other, you will probably know. Even if the beats are matched as perfectly as a new pair of sneakers, your mix still won't sound right if the musical notes clash.

PRACTICING BEAT MATCHING

You should already know how to release a second record in time with the first during a beat mix using two copies of the same record with the pitch set to zero. Using those same records, you can also practice other beat-matching techniques. Play the first record but randomly adjust its pitch to something other than zero. Without noting exactly where the setting is, cover the pitch fader so that you can't see the setting. Adjust the second record's pitch setting by ear until the records match again. Repeat that exercise, mixing the two copies of the song back and forth until you can quickly determine the rough zone in which to place the pitch fader.

One quality of a good beat mixer is the ability to adjust the incoming record manually to get it back on beat if the mix drifts off. No song — or any beat mix — is perfect. Frequently, a perfectly matched pair of songs will go off beat suddenly or drift off beat gradually. That happens for a variety of reasons: a song's tempo may change slightly, or your mix may have been somewhat off beat to begin with — a discrepancy not noticeable at first that grows more significant as the records play on. It's important to be able to quickly and precisely adjust the records to get them back in sync by making adjustments to the pitch fader.

To practice, set the two copies of the record to the same pitch setting and play them simultaneously. Hopefully, they will stay on beat with each other. Adjust one of the record's pitch faders up or down and count to five. The mix should begin to drift off beat. Gently put your hand on the outer edge of the vinyl and practice pushing the slow record or dragging the fast record so that you bring them back into sync for a beat or two. Then quickly adjust the pitch settings so that the records continue to play at the same tempo.

Being able to save potentially embarrassing mixes on the fly helps you mix more quickly and improve your ability to read beat-mixed records. No one wants to be a train wrecker.

SPECIAL EFFECTS

As the saying goes, once you know the rules, you can break them. The same applies to beat mixing. Once you have the concept down, you can experiment to perform some pretty cool audio effects. Here are a couple to try.

Flanging. Beat-match two identical records so they play perfectly in sync at precisely the same spot on both records; then adjust one very slightly so it drifts a tiny bit out of sync. The adjustment required is minimal, and you can achieve it simply by pinching the platter spindle with your fingers for a moment. If you do it right, you will hear a natural flanging effect. Adjusting the amount of drift can vary that effect, sometimes to the point of cutting out the bass tones of the song you are playing.

That concept may be difficult to grasp on paper, but if you have been trying to match beats with two copies of a song, you have probably already heard that effect. Use it to add variety to your scratch performances.

Echo. The basic echo effect is also achieved by using two copies of the same record. Instead of matching them to play simultaneously, match them so they are off by a half or whole beat. The best setting varies from song to song, so experiment. By playing only the leading record and alternately opening and closing the crossfader, you can create an echo effect on the beats or vocal parts of the song. When pulled off correctly, the aptly named echo effect could make the phrase “That stuff is really fresh!” sound like “That that stuff stuff is is really really fresh fresh!”

That is also one of the most basic concepts behind beat juggling, a technique involving vinyl manipulation and speed in which you play alternating parts from two different records. By understanding and being able to perform the basic echo, you will be on your way to understanding the basic skills of beat juggling.

Practicing the beat-mixing skills and techniques outlined here and in last month's column will help you not only master the art of beat mixing but also better understand music composition and become a better DJ and remixer.

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Tips and Tricks - Turntablist Techniques Part 7

Hi all, this is the 7th part of Turntablist Techniques Article sets. This one is about beat mixing, so this is useful for every dj in every genre(s). Enjoy:)


While scratching may be the flashiest skill, the art of beat mixing can immeasurably improve your turntablist technique. Mastering the beat-mixing basics will help you understand song structure while also improving your timing and rhythm — two important ingredients of a successful scratch performance.

WHAT IS BEAT MIXING?

Beat mixing, also known as blending or performing a running mix, is the technique of transitioning from one song to another with no noticeable gap in the audio signal. You achieve this transition by matching the tempo of the incoming record with that of the current record, then playing the songs simultaneously as you fade the new song up and the old song out. Think of it as a segue.

BEATS PER MINUTE

Understanding the concept of bpm (beats per minute) is essential to successful beat mixing. DJs describe and classify a song's tempo by calculating its bpm, just as most people would classify a song more generally as fast, medium, or slow.

To better understand tempo or bpm, tap your foot in time to a song and count the number of taps your foot makes in a 60-second period. The resulting number is the song's bpm. To calculate a song's bpm faster, try counting the beats that play in 15 seconds and then multiply the resulting number by four. You don't need a precise number, just a ballpark figure so you know whether you can potentially match the beats of two songs.

For example, hip-hop tracks typically range between 85 and 120 bpm, while most house-based dance music clocks in between 110 and 140 bpm. Trying to beat mix a 90 bpm hip-hop track with a 125 bpm house track will not work very well because both tracks will require a wild adjustment in pitch that takes the songs beyond a tempo range that is acceptable.

LEARNING TO LISTEN

Once you know the tempo of your song, you can synchronize it with another record. First, listen to its basic structure. Songs are usually composed of multiple bars, each containing four beats, and typically group the bars in fours.

To practice, find two tracks that are similar (but not identical) in tempo and place them on your turntables. Start playing one of the songs and listen closely to its structure. Pay attention to the repetitive elements and start counting them. Look for a cycle of beats and bars; a single beat is usually composed of a snare or a kick. A four-on-the-floor “kick, snare, kick, snare” pattern is an example of a simple four-beat bar. Next, stop the first record and listen just as closely to the second one, trying to catch the pattern that makes up this song.

IN THE MIX

Your goal is to synchronize both records so you can release the kick drum of the second record at exactly the same time as the kick drum of the record you're already playing. With practice, you will figure out precisely when to release the second record so it starts playing in sync with the first.

To begin your beat mix, pause the second record at the start of one of the logical groups of bars and cue it up as if you were going to scratch the opening kick drum. Begin playing the first record again and listen for the starting kick drum of a bar. With the mixer's fader closed and the headphones on cue, perform a rhythmic baby scratch of the second record in time with each beat on the first record. When you hear the start of the next bar on the first record, open the fader and release the second record, giving it a push to get it up to speed quickly.

PITCH ADJUSTMENTS

What happened? Even if you released both records in perfect sync with each other, they probably drifted out of sync relatively quickly. This is where pitch control comes into play.

Manipulating the turntable's pitch control adjusts the record's tempo. Most DJ turntables come with a pitch control in one of two configurations: analog, featuring a sliding fader-style control, or digital, which is usually more precise and features a numeric readout of the current setting.

Listen to the records carefully to determine which one is slower. Quickly making this determination takes a bit of practice but gets easier with time. Adjust the incoming record's pitch fader in small increments (no more than 1 percent at a time is a good rule of thumb), and pay attention to the effect of the adjustment.

You also need to push or drag the incoming record to rerelease it at the correct moment and hear whether your pitch adjustment is having the desired effect. As you correct the pitch, the two records should stay in sync for a longer period of time. If they continue to drift apart, adjust the pitch control until the records closely match and can play together for quite a few bars without drifting. Fade out the first record and continue playing the second one. You have just beat mixed your first pair of records!

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Although beat mixing may not be as technically impressive as busting a two-click Flare Laser Orbit combination, it is not an easy skill to master.

To practice, buy two copies of the same record. Since they are identical and have the same bpm, you can concentrate on locking down your release timing without worrying about pitch adjustments. Play the first record, then scratch in the kick drum of the second one and release it on the beat of the same kick drum in the first record. If you time it correctly, the two records should be in perfect sync.

Still train wrecking? Tune in next month to learn even more techniques that will improve your mixing skills. We will also explore some interesting beat-mixing effects to incorporate into your scratch sets. Remember that practice makes perfect, and you will be well on your way to mastering the art of beat mixing.

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Tips and Tricks - Turntablist Techniquest Part 6

Good Day/Noon/Evening people, This is the 6th part of Turntablist Techniques Article sets. This one is about how to modificate your Technics SL-1200MK2 for better scratching. Enjoy:)


Many turntablists consider the Technics SL-1200MK2 nearly perfect, but a few simple do-it-yourself modifications can make it even better. Out of the box, the SL-1200MK2 is a robust piece of high-end, professional audio equipment. Although it is very well suited to scratching (especially when used with the right cartridge-and-needle combo), by making a few tweaks you can significantly improve its scratch performance.

The steps described here involve modifying your Technics turntable's settings. Bear in mind that these modifications will void any warranty and could permanently damage your turntable if you're not careful. Should you choose to make them, do so with extreme caution. These modifications are very easy to make, but some of them will require a multimeter. If you don't know how to use a multimeter, consult a professional repair shop. The three modifications we will examine are pitch fader range adjustment, pitch fader center adjustment, and braking adjustment.

CIRCUIT BOARD ACCESS

You will need access to the turntable's circuit board to do any of the three modifications. Remove the top of your turntable as follows:

1. Unplug the turntable.
2. Secure the tonearm with the unit's arm clamp.
3. Remove any slip mats or rubber pads from the platter. You should now be looking at the bare metal of the turntable platter, which has two holes approximately 1 inch in diameter directly opposite each other (see Fig. 1).
4. Place your fingers in these holes and firmly pull straight up. The platter should feel as if it is resisting your pull at first and then suddenly release. This is due to the strong magnets (part of the direct-drive motor system) that both spin the platter and hold it in place.
5. You should now see a black plastic cover with five screws and some vents, through which you can glimpse the turntable's circuit board (see Fig. 2).
6. Remove the five screws and lift off the cover. Set all of these pieces aside and do not lose them! The main circuit board and turntable motor should now be exposed and accessible (see Fig. 3).

PITCH FADER RANGE ADJUSTMENT

The default pitch range of a Technics SL-1200MK2 is approximately ±8 percent. However, the actual range varies slightly from turntable to turntable. If you have a pair of SL-1200MK2 turntables, you will probably want their performance to match exactly so that sliding the pitch fader to the same setting on each turntable results in the same pitch adjustment. With the following modification, not only can you dial in your pair of turntables to match more closely, but you can also actually increase the pitch fader's range on each unit.

To adjust this setting, locate the blue pot (an adjustable cylindrical element soldered to the circuit board) in the circuit board's upper right corner, next to the pitch label. You can adjust this control by turning it left or right with a flathead screwdriver. Turning to the right will increase the pitch, and turning to the left will decrease it. The setting is very touchy — even a tiny adjustment can result in a massive change in pitch. With that in mind, take care and do a test after each little adjustment.

One advantage of this modification is that you can calibrate the pitch fader to better match the actual pitch adjustment. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Move your pitch fader to what looks like +3.3 on the markings.
2. Replace the platter temporarily and put on a record.
3. Observe the +3.3 percent dots on the side of the platter (second row from the top, directly above the large row of dots — see Fig. 4) where the red strobe, to the left near the power switch, illuminates them. If the dots move slowly to the right, your turntables are faster than +3.3 percent. If they move slowly to the left, your turntables are slower than +3.3 percent.
4. Remove the platter, adjust the pitch pot by a small amount (no more than a quarter turn), and continue testing until the +3.3 percent dots hold still. This indicates that the platter is rotating at +3.3 percent. Double-check this setting by moving the pitch fader to -3.3 percent and verifying that the corresponding platter dots are also stationary. If they are not, you may need to adjust the pitch fader center as described below.

If you make the same adjustment on your second turntable, both units should now accurately match each other and the pitch fader markings.

PITCH FADER CENTER ADJUSTMENT

The Technics SL-1200MK2 features a quartz-locked pitch setting. This means that when the green light beside your pitch fader is on, the decks are running at exactly the speed indicated (33 rpm or 45 rpm). This setting is not adjustable.

However, some SL-1200MK2 turntables have pitch problems when you move the pitch fader slightly off center (when the light just goes out). On some units the pitch will actually change slightly in the opposite direction from that corresponding to the fader setting. In other words, the turntable may actually slow down just after you pull the fader out of the zero setting while you're speeding up the pitch. As you continue to move the fader, it will pass through a second zero setting (not the quartz-locked one) and then begin changing the pitch in the correct direction. When this happens, you actually have zero in two places.

The following modification allows you to calibrate your turntable so that it has a true center, the one found when the quartz lock is on. Once calibrated, the pitch fader will make the appropriate plus or minus speed adjustments.

Locate the blue pitch pot (see the previous pitch range adjustment example). Beside it you'll see a hole about 3 to 5 mm in diameter. Inside this hole is a small Phillips-head screw and a pot.

Hook up a multimeter to the pot (connect it to the center lead and the one nearest the edge of the board) and use a small screwdriver to adjust the pot so that the meter reads 2.7 kW. (If you don't have a multimeter, you will have to rely on trial and error. Adjust the setting, hook everything back up, and try out the new setting. Then readjust until you have calibrated the pot accurately.)

Note that to allow accurate pitch range calibration, you may need to adjust this pitch fader center setting before adjusting the pitch fader range.

BRAKING ADJUSTMENT

On most SL-1200MK2s, pressing the Stop/Start button makes the record slow down to a somewhat abrupt stop. By adjusting the braking, you can set your turntable to brake harder — fast enough so that it will spin the record backward ever so slightly when you press Start/Stop. With the turntable adjusted to this setting, you can create a nice effect — one similar to a very slow reversed chirp scratch that occurs when you stop a record as it is playing a heavy drum sound or constant tone.

To make this modification, look on the turntable's circuit board for the pot numbered VR201 (shown in Fig. 3). It should be located to the right of the blue pitch pot described earlier, with the brake label on the circuit board next to it.

Turning the pot to the right increases the braking abruptness. Don't turn it too far, however, as it is fairly sensitive. Start with a quarter turn, then replace the platter and plug in your turntable to test the setting. Note that stopping a platter with a record on it takes slightly more force than stopping an empty one, so test this setting with a record and slip mat on the platter.

MILLER TIME

With the modifications outlined in this month's column, you can tweak your Technics SL-1200MK2 to suit your specific scratch style. Have fun experimenting with the various settings, and remember to adjust each one in small increments and test as you go along. Happy tweaking!

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Tips and Tricks - Turntablist Techniques Part 5

Hi all, this is part 5 of Turtablist Techniques Articles sets. Enjoy:)


Hands on deck, fingers on the fader.

There's a lot more to scratching than just manipulating a vinyl record. To become a good turntablist, it's equally important to learn how to “play” the mixer. Most scratching techniques involve both hands, with one hand moving the vinyl while the other controls faders or switches on the mixer. Once you master the ability to manipulate the fader and tweak vinyl simultaneously, you'll be well on your way to becoming an expert turntablist.

FADE IN

Before learning any specific techniques, you need to understand the variety of faders you'll find on currently available mixers. Though you can't reasonably blame your equipment if you're unable to perform a certain scratch, some advanced techniques are next to impossible to do on generic mixers. Older mixers, or those designed specifically for club DJs, typically do not have friction-reduced faders, so they're not the best choice if you want to do fast scratching.

In addition to friction-reduced faders, the current crop of battle mixers marketed toward turntablists (such as those available from Gemini, Numark, Rane, Stanton, and Vestax) typically feature such scratch-friendly attributes as the following:

*

Variable crossfader and main fader cut-in — the point and rapidity with which the fader reaches full volume for a selected sound source. This feature is essential for performing crab-style scratch techniques.
*

Short-throw crossfaders (45 mm of travel is typical) for speedy cutting and scratching.
*

Hamster switches that reverse the direction of either the crossfader or the main fader. Normally, moving the crossfader to the left brings up the level of the left turntable. When you activate a crossfader hamster switch, this motion brings up the level of the right turntable instead. Activate a main fader's hamster switch, and the sound turns off when the fader is all the way up, and turns on when the fader is all the way down.

To varying degrees, all of these features are important and can make it much easier to perform many popular scratch techniques.

The fader-based techniques outlined in this month's column are fairly basic, and you should be able to perform them on almost any DJ mixer. As your skills advance and you begin experimenting with more-complex scratch techniques, you'll have a greater desire and need for some of the advanced fader features listed previously.

FADER MANIPULATION VERSUS MIXER LOCATION

When learning any scratch technique that involves both mixer and turntable, you must be aware of the mixer's location. Turntablist-style DJs usually place the mixer between the two turntables. This is the most effective placement, but it also means that you need to practice mixer-manipulation techniques with both hands. When your left hand manipulates vinyl, your right hand works the fader. When your right hand does the vinyl manipulation, your left hand controls the fader.

Initially, using both hands might feel awkward, and you may be tempted to locate the mixer on the left or right side of both turntables. However, doing this will limit your creative options. It is much better to work on perfecting an ambidextrous scratch technique — and the earlier you begin practicing, the better.

FORWARD SCRATCH

The forward scratch is the most basic of all fader-based scratch styles. A good way to start learning the forward scratch is by performing a baby scratch — a back-and-forth regular-speed scratch with the fader fully open (see last month's column for more details). As you scratch your selected sample, begin opening and closing the turntable's main fader in time with the record's forward and backward movement. The goal is to coordinate the sounds and movements so that the fader is open (playing the record) only during the forward part of the vinyl movement.

Here's a breakdown of this technique: Cue up a sample, then open the main fader. Let the sample play forward at regular speed. When the sample has played, turn the fader off and bring the record back to the sample's start. Open the fader and play the sample forward again. Repeat this process multiple times — you are performing a forward scratch, which sounds particularly good when you're scratching a word or phrase.

Here's an example of what you should hear when performing both a baby scratch and a forward scratch of the famous James Brown “Hit me!” sample (see Fig. 1): A baby scratch of the sample sounds like “hit-tih-hit-tih-hit-tih-hit me.” A forward scratch of the same sample sounds like “hit-___-hit-___-hit-___-hit me,” where the underscore represents silence (this occurs when the fader is closed).

BACKWARD SCRATCH

A backward scratch uses the same concept as the forward scratch, except that the fader is open only when you pull the record back. When you're pulling back, you should try to move the record at roughly the same speed as if it were playing forward.

Using the previous example, the backward scratch sounds like “tih-___-tih-___-tih-___-hit me.” Again the underscore represents silence (when the fader is closed).

You can do forward and backward scratches using either the main fader or the crossfader, but you may find it easier to use the main fader while you're learning these techniques. Once you have perfected the sound of the scratch using the main fader, practice with the crossfader, with the goal of making the scratch sound the same on either fader.

CHOP AND REVERSE CHOP

Chops are forward scratches pushed at varying tempos (usually faster than normal speed) to create a rhythmic pattern. For example, with the “Hit me” sample, a chop might sound more like “hi-h-h-hi-hi-hit me.”

Pushing the selected sample forward at a variety of speeds allows you to create melodies to accompany the scratch beat. Mastering the basic concept of the chop benefits any scratch performance. With this fairly simple technique, you can create a variety of interesting sounds.

Focus on varying the speed at which you push the record, and the length of the sample section you play. You can achieve further variations by experimenting with different samples, such as drums, vocals, or horns.

As a final variation, try opening the fader during the vinyl pullback. This action will result in a reverse chop, an interesting alternative that will provide you with a different set of sounds and melodies.

STAB AND REVERSE STAB

One final variation of basic fader technique is the stab, an even faster version of the chop. This technique focuses on the speed at which you repeatedly play the forward part of the sample. The stab — a very short and fast scratch, almost like a double-time chop — works best if the sample you are scratching begins immediately and at a fairly loud volume (instead of fading up); drum and snare samples are ideal.

Stabs are typically, and most easily, performed using the main fader. Regular crossfader stabs are not impossible, but they're easier to do if you set up your crossfader hamster-style. You can perform this scratch fastest and most easily when you move the hand that's on the vinyl and the hand that's on the fader in the same direction. When you use the master fader or a hamster-style setting on the crossfader, the forward motion of the fader is in sync with the forward motion of your hand on the vinyl as it plays the selected sample.

As you may have already guessed, the reverse stab uses the same technique as the stab, only you perform it as you pull back the record. One easy way to do a reverse stab is to place your hand on the platter exactly opposite where you would put it for most scratches. In this position, forward hand motion actually pushes the record backward.

SOME VINYL THOUGHTS

By experimenting with the crossfader and main fader, you'll discover the variety of noises and effects you can create through the combination of vinyl and mixer manipulation.

Don't discard or forget last month's faderless techniques — you can combine them with the basic fader techniques outlined above for a more varied and creative performance. By experimenting with different combinations of scratch techniques, not only will you make your performances sound fresher and more varied, you'll also open up your creative potential and further hone your skills.

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Tips and Tricks - Turtablist Techniques Part 4

Hi all, this is the Turntablist Techniques compilation Part 4. I hope you guys can gain lots of knowledge from this set of Articles, Enjoy:)


Maybe you have the right DJ equipment. Maybe you even have your turntables and mixer dialed in for optimal performance. That's great, but no matter how good your equipment setup is, you might as well play Mantovani records on it if you don't have the skills to use it.

In this column, I will turn my attention to some basic scratch techniques. Learning these methods may not be as impressive as mastering today's advanced techniques, but it will provide you with skills that lay the foundation for more complicated moves. After all, you have to learn how to crawl before you can run.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Before explaining any specific scratch techniques, I'd like to say a little about practice. Practice — and lots of it — is absolutely essential if you want to become a skilled turntablist. Without practice, chances are that even though you may be able to perform basic techniques, you won't perform them very well.

When you're learning to scratch, you should always record and listen to your practice sessions. Listening to yourself with a critical ear is one of the best things you can do to improve your skills. Try to picture what you were doing when you created a particular sound or scratch, and then imagine what you can do to improve it. By analyzing your performance you will better understand your weak areas, and that will in turn help you improve.

One thing that often frustrates budding turntablists is that the pros make it look extremely simple. The uninitiated see someone scratching a record and say, “It's just wiggling the record back and forth!” If you have already tried scratching a record yourself, you've probably discovered that it's not all that easy. Scratching requires a lot of skill and experience, and learning to scratch can be as complicated as learning to play the guitar or piano. Just as with those instruments, you need to develop a basic understanding of musical structure before you can scratch.

THE RHYTHM METHOD

The most valuable skill a DJ can develop is a sense of rhythm. All scratch techniques require the ability to flow with the rhythm of the beat. Whether you are performing basic baby scratches or advanced crab-style scratches, if you lack rhythm it will be glaringly and gratingly obvious in your sound's flow. Listen to the structure of songs and try to understand the elements that make up the rhythm.

For turntablists, the most important rhythmic elements to grasp are beats and bars. In their simplest form, hip-hop songs are typically constructed of repeating bars, each containing four beats. Most basic hip-hop beats consist of some variation of “kick-snare-kick-snare.” If you were to number each kick and snare as elements of a bar, you would typically get 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on — the odd numbers being kick or bass drum sounds, and the even numbers being snare drum sounds. Each group of four beats is a distinct rhythmic element, referred to as a bar or measure.

Although this is an oversimplified way of looking at music, the beginning DJ needs at least a rudimentary comprehension of rhythmic structure. Understanding fundamental song divisions is essential because the timing involved in almost any scratch technique works in unison with the flow of the beats and bars of the music you're using.

BASIC FADERLESS TECHNIQUES

We can make two simple divisions when categorizing scratches: those that involve a combination of vinyl and fader manipulation, and those that require only vinyl manipulation (aka faderless scratches). Although not all of them are simple, faderless scratches are somewhat less complex and are therefore a good place to start. They allow you to concentrate on perfecting only the vinyl-manipulation aspect of scratching. For that reason, in this month's column we will look at two basic faderless techniques: the baby scratch and the scribble.

BABY SCRATCH

The most basic technique (and the grandfather of all scratches) is known as the baby scratch. Invented by Grand Wizard Theodore in the late ’70s, the baby scratch involves simply moving the record back and forth rhythmically. Perfecting this scratch is vital because it forms the basis of all other scratch techniques.

A baby scratch is a slow, steady scratch, usually consisting of one back-and-forth cycle per beat. To perform it, locate the start of the sound you want to scratch and hold the record so the needle is positioned just before the point where the sound begins. Play a basic beat on the other turntable and start to push forward on the scratch sample at the start of each beat. Pull back at the same speed at which you pushed forward, and be ready to push forward again at the start of the next beat. Leave the fader open. Continue this rhythmic motion in time with the beat, and you're doing a baby scratch!

Concentrate on “reading” the record so you know where your selected sample starts and ends. (See “Turntablist Techniques” in the March 2001 issue of Remix for tips on how to read a record.) Try to make your hand motions consistent, moving the record the same amount forward and backward each time. Push the record at roughly the same speed that it would normally play. You can introduce variations by changing the sample length; however, the baby scratch is almost always performed at or near the speed at which the record would normally spin.

SCRIBBLE

A scribble is basically a very fast baby scratch, consisting of the same forward-and-backward motion; the main difference is that you do it at a faster tempo. The name comes from the rapid hand movement this technique requires, similar to scribbling with a pen on paper.

The range and types of sounds you can achieve are greater with a scribble than with a baby scratch, because there are typically more variations in the speed at which you can manipulate the record. With the scribble technique, the sound created by the back-and-forth motion tends to blend, creating a fluid scratch effect. You can also vary the tone and tempo of this scratch effect to create different rhythmic accompaniments to the beat.

VARIATIONS

I have described fairly specific ways of performing each scratch, but the real beauty of these techniques is that you can vary them and throw in new ideas to come up with your own style. You should concentrate on learning each technique first, but then try experimenting with combinations of techniques (called patterns). For example, flow from a baby scratch for one bar to a fast scribble for the next bar. Follow this with a 1-beat slower scribble, a 1-beat baby scratch, and a 2-beat fast scribble. The combinations are as endless and varied as your imagination.

Even though these techniques are basic, you can use them to develop your own personal style right away. As you become familiar with additional scratch techniques, remember to work on the transition from one technique to another. A good turntablist learns every individual scratch technique; a great turntablist knows how to combine all techniques into a masterful and varied showcase of skill and creativity. Now go practice!

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Tips and Tricks - Turntablist Techniques Part 3

Hi readers, i hope you are all still want to be a turntablist, and here is the 3rd part of Turntablist techniques. Enjoy:)


For the record: a testimony to the virtues of vinyl.

Although CDs long ago surpassed vinyl as the format of choice for the music-buying mainstream, vinyl lives on thanks to DJ-driven musical styles such as hip-hop and underground dance music. Because a DJ can manipulate a record with precision and create sounds that are difficult to achieve with a CD, the 12-inch record remains an essential part of the turntablist's toolbox. Vinyl records are to a DJ what a hammer is to a carpenter: modern devices like nail guns may make the job easier, but a good carpenter still uses a hammer for tasks in which precision is essential. In this month's column we explore the most beloved tool on the turntablist's belt: the flat 12-inch black disc known as the vinyl record.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR COLLECTION

Keeping your records in good shape is important. Next to the abuse that vinyl endures from scratching, dust is a record's biggest enemy. You should handle your records with care and store them in clean paper sleeves and cardboard jackets. Buy a record-cleaning brush and use it frequently. If you have a lot of records to keep clean or you often buy stacks of dirty old used wax, you may want to invest in a record-cleaning machine like those made by VPI (available from Dusty Groove Records; tel. 773-645-0982; www.dustygroove.com). Store your records upright to avoid warping — milk crates are great for cheap storage — and keep them away from sources of heat. By following these tips, you'll greatly extend the life of your collection.

One of the bigger problems that scratch DJs face with vinyl is record burn: that nasty, hissing static noise heard when you play a frequently scratched section of vinyl. Record burn occurs when the needle wears out (burns) the record's groove. The rapidity with which record burn takes place varies greatly depending on many factors — including the vinyl's quality, the needle's tracking weight, and the configuration of the cartridge and head shell. Make sure you've set up your cartridges properly and adjust the tonearm so the needle tracks as lightly as possible without skipping. (For more tips on setup, see “Turntablist Techniques” in the February 2001 issue of Remix.)

MARKING YOUR VINYL

One of the most essential skills a scratch DJ needs to master is repeatedly — and quickly — locating a desired section of a record. Though some DJs have perfected the art of “reading” their records (locating a section by making note of the label's positioning), the majority rely on some type of marking system. Most turntablists use one of three main methods for marking their records; each technique has its advantages and disadvantages.

The simplest approach is to place a sticker or draw a line on the label (see Fig. 1). This makes it easy to know where the scratch starts by noting the position of the label mark. For example, if the start of the desired sound corresponds with the label mark at the 3 o'clock position, you can precisely and repeatedly play the same section by pulling the vinyl back until the label mark is at 3 o' clock.

The biggest drawback of this technique is that it doesn't help you locate the groove you want when you first place the needle on the record — you still need to cue up and audition the sample in advance. As a solution, many DJs have developed systems in which they mark the grooves on the record itself. One such method involves placing a small piece of tape at a precise location near the sample you wish to scratch. Typically you'd place the tape directly on a groove that's exactly one revolution behind the one you want to begin scratching. With this approach you can quickly place the needle beside the tape and be confident that it's ready to go. The drawbacks are that the pieces of tape prevent you from playing the entire record and may even damage the vinyl's surface.

Another record-marking technique involves writing on the record with a grease pencil (also called a china pencil). As in the tape method, you make a distinguishing mark directly on the vinyl, again typically placing the mark one rotation before the groove you want to locate. If you do this correctly, the grease pencil will leave enough of a mark to find easily but won't make the entire record unplayable. You can even use multiple colors to identify samples for different songs or to distinguish vocal phrases, drum breaks, bass lines, and so on. The negative aspect of this approach is that the markings often wear off over time.

When choosing the technique that best suits you, consider the specific application for the record. For example, if you are entering a DJ battle, you may prefer to mark directly on the record's grooves with tape or grease pencil, because speed and precision are important factors in winning a competition. If you're a DJ spinning records in dance clubs and want to add scratching effects to songs, you may want to use label marks or stickers because you're more concerned with playing an entire song. Bedroom turntablists who are still developing their skills and can afford a more leisurely pace should probably use marks or stickers as well, because that method doesn't damage the vinyl.

BATTLE BREAKS

As an avid vinyl collector, I can attest that the thought of scratching with many of the records I own is not very appealing. A lot of records with my favorite breaks and phrases are rare, and replacing them is often extremely expensive if not impossible. No matter how careful you are, repeatedly scratching a record will cause some damage to the grooves, such as the aforementioned record burn or even just light pops and crackles.

Also, a record may contain only one or two scratchable samples. Turntablists like to use many different samples, so you may end up frequently swapping discs and carrying around a huge collection of records you use only to play short passages.

DJs and turntablist-savvy record labels have responded to these issues by producing and releasing battle-break albums — collections of samples and breakbeats specifically chosen for turntablist applications. These records often include famous samples and breakbeats that have become an essential part of the turntablist's repertoire.

Battle-break albums frequently feature one or more of the following:

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Scratch sentences: logically laid out strings of samples that typically make up an on-beat collection of familiar phrases and sounds set to a specific tempo.
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Locked grooves: samples, drumbeats, or tones pressed into a single rotational groove that loops continuously until you lift the needle out of the groove.
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Skip-proof samples: samples pressed in such a way that when the needle accidentally skips forward or backward a groove, you can still play an on-beat scratchable sample.
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Beats and breaks: instrumental passages or drumbeats — often well-known ones — that provide a background for scratching performances.

BATTLE-BREAK RECORD RECOMMENDATIONS

The selection of battle-break albums on the market is constantly growing. The following are among my personal recommendations, with some of their most attractive features highlighted to help you determine which ones suit you.

Super Duck Breaks
(Stones Throw Records)

Probably my all-time favorite battle-break album, Super Duck Breaks includes two awesome scratch sentences containing many familiar samples laid out in a way that allows you to create some brilliant scratch routines. Additionally, it features eight medium-tempo hip-hop beats suitable for scratching over (including an instrumental version of Sway and Tech's classic “In Control”). This one is so good you'll want to own two copies!

Hamster Breaks 3 1/2
(TRC Distribution)

Hamster Breaks 3 1/2 is a 2-LP set. One side is stuffed full of classic scratch samples, including a nicely put-together series of samples from LL Cool J's “Rock the Bells,” a turntablist favorite. Two sides of this record set provide first-rate scratch beats, including an instrumental version of Original Concept's “Can U Feel It” beat and the “Live at the BBQ” instrumental by Main Source. The album's fourth side contains some great scratchable beat patterns laid out in a manner that encourages inventive beat-juggling techniques.

Toasted Marshmallow Feet Brayx
(DirtStyle Records)

Probably the most popular of the DirtStyle Records series of breakbeat albums, Toasted Marshmallow Feet Brayx features some good low- to midtempo beats for scratching. Each side ends in a locked groove tone that makes it easy to practice tone-scratching techniques. Most important, the record provides some classic and brilliant scratch sentences, including the famous “Aaaah, that stuff is really fresh” and Flavour Flav's “Yeaaaah boyeeee.” It also offers one good scratch sentence, consisting mainly of beats, that lends itself to beat juggling.

Bionic Booger Breaks
(DirtStyle Records)

Another classic from DirtStyle, Bionic Booger Breaks features one side of beats (including the Public Enemy “Miuzi Weighs a Ton” beat and the “Pump, pump, pump, pump me up” beat) and one side of scratchable samples, beat combos, and kung fu — movie samples. Some of the famous Invisibl Skratch Piklz/Rock Steady DJ routines used many samples included on this record.

Hee Haw Brayks
(DirtStyle Records)

Hee Haw Brayks is a bit different. One side features some obscure but very scratchable beats, both fast and slow. The other side is an excellently constructed masterpiece of several classic, desirable samples laid out in multiple ways. If you are looking for the classic “Aaaah” or “Fresh” sample, you will find it here in many different places following other familiar (and highly sought after) scratch samples. This record includes the start of LL Cool J's “Rock the Bells,” as well as a locked groove at the end of each side — one a continuous beat, the other a continuous tone.

Investing in one or more of these battle-break albums will provide you with a powerful arsenal of scratchable noises. Following some of the guidelines I've outlined for vinyl care should ensure that these records remain scratchable for some time to come — but just to be on the safe side, buy a few backup copies of your favorites while they're still available and relatively cheap.

So go grab some stickers or a grease pencil, mark up your vinyl, and practice, practice, practice — and in no time you will be hammering out some great turntablist sounds.

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