Week 51: Scratch Drumming

Scratch Overview

Scratch drumming is when a DJ scratches 2 or more sounds in a rhythm similar to a drum pattern. There are no preset patterns with this scratch, it is more like actually playing the drums. Find a bass kick and snare hit that are close together (1/8 and 1/16 notes work best) and make a drum pattern out of the two sounds. This usually starts with a simple rhythm only using forward scratches and the speed of the record. Scratch drumming can evolve to any pattern you can think of.

Itching To Scratch
Week 41: Tonearm Height Adjustment
Week 41: Tonearm Height Adjustment

Having the correct height adjustment on your turntable’s tone arm can affect not only the way it plays but also the longevity of your stylus and vinyl. Check out this video to get a better idea of how you might want to setup your tonearm.

Read More →
Week 45: Anti-Skating
Week 45: Anti-Skating

Anti-skating is something most turntablists won’t use, but it’s good to know what it is and how it works. Knowing your gear inside and out can help you troubleshoot when problems arise and help you tackle whatever obstacles the Dj world has to throw at you.

Read More →
Week 47: Maintaining Your Gear
Week 47: Maintaining Your Gear

Maintaining your gear is an essential part of being a DJ. A malfunction of any kind during a set can be detrimental and sometimes hard or impossible to fix on the fly. Keeping your gear at its best will help you perform at your best.

Read More →
Week 50: Zeroing Out The Tonearm
Week 50: Zeroing Out The Tonearm

Zeroing out the tonearm is something every good DJ should know how to do. It is recommended if you're swapping needles between different (new or used) turntables, setting up at a gig, or just for calibration. Zeroing out the tonearm can prevent record burn, decrease skips, and preserve the life of your stylus.

Read More →

Josh Kerman

Cart (0)