Djing

Posted on 03.29.2005

Djing
hip hop element
Turntablism

DJing (turntablism) in hip hop refers to the art of using turntables as a musical instrument. Records/albums are used as tools to create many different styles of music. Some of the techniques used include cutting, scratching, body tricks, needle drops, and blends or mixes.

Traditionally, a DJ will use two turntables simultaneously. These are hooked to a receiver, an amplifier, speakers, a mixer (or fader) and various other pieces of electronic music equipment. The DJ will then perform various tricks between the two albums currently in rotation using the above listed methods. The result is a unique sound created by the seemingly combined sound of two separate songs into one song. A DJ should not be confused with a producer of a music track (though there is considerable overlap between the two roles).

Some famous DJs are Grandmaster Flash, Mr. Magic, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Scratch from EPMD, DJ Premier from Gang Starr, DJ Miz, DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill, Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC, Eric B., Tony Touch, DJ Clue, DJ Shadow, DJ Q-Bert, DJ D-Styles and DJ Spooky.

Before coming into their own as music makers, an MC’s role was to get the crowd into the DJ’s mix. Hip hop used to be, above all, about getting your audience to dance. In Europe this attitude has been more enduring than in the U.S., where MCs quickly became hip hop’s central focus. Disillusioned with this new culture, some DJs further explored the art of spinning records, creating the turntablist scene.

A DJ needs turntables, a good sound system, and scratch fodder, which typically comes in the form of vinyl records. Some early recorded rap music does not contain any sampling or DJing, however ; for example, none of the members of the Sugarhill Gang were actually involved in the DJing scene in the Bronx and thus couldn’t have done any, which explains the session player remake of "Good Times".

Turntablism is a subgenre of pop music which emerged from hip hop. One who engages in turntablism is a turntablist, a term coined by DJ Babu whose mix-tapes bore the name "Babu the turntablist". Turntablists are DJs who use vinyl disc records, and turntable techniques like scratching or beat juggling in the composition of original musical works. Turntablism is generally focused more on turntable technique and less on mixing, rapping or vocal delivery. Some turntablists seek to have themselves recognized as a legitimate musician capable of interacting and improvising with other performers.

DJ Grand Mixer DXT is credited with inventing turntablism, the rhythmic scratching of a record on a turntable, then using different velocities to alter the pitch of the note or sound on the recording, making the turntable a fully performable and improvisational instrument (Alberts 2002).

Turntablists like Roc Raida, Q-Bert, A-Trak, and Kid Koala owe a distinct debt to old school DJs like DJ Kool Herc, Grand Wizard Theodore, Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and DJs of the "Golden Era of Hip-Hop" such as Eric B, who originally developed many of the concepts and techniques that evolved into modern turntablism. There are also more experimental turntablists such as Christian Marclay, Otomo Yoshihide, Philip Jeck and Janek Schaefer. Within the realm of hip hop, notable modern turntablists are the cinematic DJ Shadow, whose influences stretch to both Diplo and RJD2, among others, and the experimental DJ Spooky, whose Optometry albums showed that the turntablist can perfectly fit within the classic jazz setting. Cut Chemist and Nu-mark, members of old school hip hop collective Jurassic 5, and Mixmaster Mike, who collaborated with the Beastie Boys on 1998’s Hello Nasty, are also known as virtuosos of the turntables.

Turntables were actually first used as musical instruments in the 1940’s and 1950’s by musique concrète and other experimental composers, such as John Cage and Pierre Schaeffer, who used them in a manner similar to digital sampling. Hip hop DJs developed independently of the earlier techniques.

The International Turntablist Federation is an organisation which aims to promote turntablism, it also organises a turntablist world championship on a yearly basis (1997 - Present). Another prominent turntablist world championship organiser is the DMC Technics World Dj Championship (1986 - Present). The selection of a champion comes from the culmination of the battles between turntablists. Battling involves each turntablist performing a routine (a combination of tricks) within a limited time period, after which, the routine is judged by a panel of expert judges. The winner is selected based upon score.

Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique originated by Grand Wizard Theodore, an early hip hop DJ from New York (AMG). The technique is designed to accentuate the work of the DJ by creating an assortment of sounds through the rhythmical manipulation of a vinyl record, and has spread from hip hop culture to a number of other musical forms. Within hip hop culture, scratching is still of great importance in determining the skill of a DJ, and a number of competitions are held across the globe in which DJs battle one another in displays of great virtuosity.

Notable Hip hop DJs
Afrika Bambaataa
DJ Babu (Beat Junkies)
Eric B.
Funkmaster Flex
DJ Grandmaster Flash
Jam Master Jay
DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Kay Slay
Kid Capri
Kool DJ Herc
DJ Mike T (CMW)
Mix Master Mike (ISP)
DJ Muggs
DJ Premier
DJ Q Bert (ISP)
DJ Scratch
DJ Spinderella
Terminator X