By Tom Mulhern
Turntablism: The art of manipulating/restructuring previously existing phonograph recordings to produce new, musically creative combinations of sounds using turntables and a mixer.
–from Scratchdj.com
Turn ta bl ist\ 'tern-ta-belest \n(ca.1995)
1a one who has the ability to improvise on a phonograph turntable
1b "one who uses the turntable in the spirit of a musical instrument" (DJ Babu)
1c a musician; a hip-hop disc jockey who in a live/spontaneous situation can manipulate or restructure an existing phonograph recording (in combination with an audio mixer) to produce or express a new composition that is unrecognizable from its original ingredients.
–Battle Sounds (upcoming documentary on turntablism)
Controversy has always been a part of music, and in some instances it can lead people to rash behavior, arguments, and all sorts of unmusical (and unmusician-like) behavior. We’re on the threshold of something new shaping the face of rock, and it’s sure to cause some really big rifts because it’s loud and it’s like nothing we’ve ever experienced: Onstage, along with the squealing guitars, bombastic synths, pounding drums, and gut-wrenching basses are . . . people playing phonograph turntables. Playing the heck out of ’em, by the way.
If you’re up on your popular musical genres, your reaction might be, "Did someone take a wrong turn out of hip-hop?" No wrong turn. It’s evolution right under our noses (or ears): The turntable is just now gaining a foothold in rock, and in fact is coming on strong. You don’t see turntables everywhere yet, but if the popularity of bands like Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Portishead, and Moby is any indication, then we’re on the threshold of a new chapter in rock. And this means a new chapter in what musicians will want to buy to outfit their band. It’s already having an effect on what manufacturers have to do to fill the turntablists’ needs, and it will certainly influence what retailers will have to do to profitably address an emerging market.
The turntable has been a vital part of rap and hip-hop since the dawn of the 1980s, and is just now migrating into other types of music. If you’re unfamiliar with hip-hop or any of its related styles, you can easily be forgiven for saying, "I didn’t know they even made turntables anymore." Well, you’re sort of right. Twenty years ago, the longest run by any recording medium abruptly flat-lined. We’re talking about deader than dead. Kaput. History. After more than 70 years, the phonograph was unceremoniously kicked out of the living room to make space for the sexy new compact disc player. And almost overnight, the 12" and 7" black vinyl platters that had been sold everywhere from tiny corner drugstores to the gargantuan Sam Goodys and Towers lost shelf space faster than you could shout, "Milli Vanilli." The new CD audio medium administered much-needed CPR to the cashflow of the record industry, nearly bankrupt following the collapse of disco. At the same time, though, companies making phonographs, phono cartridges, and styluses, not to mention the pads for cleaning records and the liquids for lubricating them, quietly sputtered off to oblivion, ostensibly to join the makers of buggy-whips and the butter churns.
Despite the CD’s popularity, turntables and vinyl weren’t quite dead yet. In fact, they were still used extensively by disc jockeys (or DJs) for clubs, weddings, and so forth, while turntables were also being transformed into a musical instruments in a movement we now call turntablism.
Where does turntablism come from? What was its "big bang?" According to Kembrew McLeod’s detailed "History of Turntablism" article in Addicted To Noise’s June 2000 issue (read the whole tome at http://www.atn.addict.com), "Sometime in the late-'70s at a housing project in the Bronx, a teen-ager was in his room playing records a bit too loudly. As most parents are wont to do, his mom started banging on his door, telling him to turn his music down. When she walked in, he stopped the record with his fingers, listening partially to what she was telling him while unconsciously moving the record back and forth over the same drumbeat. A few years down the line, that teenager morphed into Grand Wizard Theodore."
By the end of the ’70s, hip-hop had emerged from the Bronx, and by the mid-’80s rap, hip-hop, and all the other music that centered around this raw, urban approach had firmly entrenched itself in the musical mainstream, with the scratching of turntables as ubiquitous as the electric guitar is in rock and roll or the accordion is in polka. A seminal moment in the early days of turntablism was Herbie Hancock’s 1983 collaboration with Grandmaster DST on "Rockit," which featured Hancock’s halting electro beat mixed with turntable scratching. A few years later, the Beastie Boys scored big with a reworking of Aerosmith’s "Walk This Way."
Although its popularity as an instrument has had its ups and downs, even in the areas where it has made its greatest breakthroughs (rap, hip-hop, etc.), the turntable has been on a steady ascent and has been making inroads into most pop music. But until recently there was always one place where the scritch of a scratcher was almost never heard: It was almost entirely shut out of rock music.
To some, this transformation of the turntable from an audio reproducer into a bonafide musical instrument is almost as unfathomable as a barbecue grill becoming a means of interpretation for Mozart or Beethoven. But some people have always seen its potential, if not for a role as an instrument, then as a role as a musician’s tool. For example, more than 60 years ago, John Cage was messing with phonographs, and later another avant-gardeist, Pierre Schaeffer, tried his hand at some phono experimentation. Before magnetic tape, Les Paul used to dub from phonograph to phonograph.
In its eyebrow-raising capacity, the turntable is not unique. Every musical instrument that has ever been invented was born into a world of skepticism, misunderstanding, outrage, and even rancor. And the evolution of instruments from one format to another, or from one role to another, has never been without its bumpy stretches of highway. Looking back on the 20th Century alone, we can point to some now-established instruments that caused uproars and even spawned lawsuits and polarized musicians and listeners alike. Quickly coming to mind are the Hammond organ, the synthesizer, the electric bass, the electric guitar, the Mellotron, the Theremin, the vibraphone, the drum machine, and recently the phonograph turntable. George Crumb placing things inside a piano to alter the sound, Harry Partch cutting glass bottles to hang and hit with mallets, and the RCA engineers coaxing sounds out of gigantic vacuum-tube-powered computers in the 1950s–there’s been a long tradition of experimentalism and not quite using things in a predictable way. And there’s been acceptance of it, and in fact it would be hard to imagine a musical landscape without such things as synthesizers, washboards, jaw-harps, musical saws, or gongs.
For a generation that has grown up with the compact disc, computers, and mp3, a turntable is a multi-faceted instrument that’s as confounding to today’s older generation as the Moog synthesizer was to moms and dads during the Nixon years. Because today’s listeners accept a cornucopia of sounds, rhythms, and cultural influences, the scritches and scratches of the turntable are as legitimate to their ears as the crash of any cymbal, plunk on a bass, or chord strummed on a guitar. In fact, to those born after the turntable’s fall from grace and the CD’s rise, they may have no other context for the turntable except as a musical instrument.
Although the technology and technique of turntablism seems to be more akin to the synthesizers of yesteryear, when constant knob-twiddling and repatching were required to change sounds, the "instrument" (meaning turntables, mixers, etc.) needs constant care and feeding, and often requires replacement parts at fairly short intervals. Like guitar strings, turntable styluses and cartridges take the biggest beating and require replacement soonest. Although they don’t have to be replaced in pairs, cartridges are often sold that way.
Fast-forward to the late 1990s, and the influence of hip-hop has finally infiltrated rock music. Armed with a turntable or two, a mixer, and perhaps an amp and some signal processors, turntablists are storming the stage and studio, bringing acceptance to their ilk and propagating a new sonic element that rock hasn’t heard since the sampler debuted two decades ago.
The musicians are certainly conscious of the change occurring. The Onion’s Stephen Thompson was told by X-ecutioners’ Rob Swift, "I think it'll help people, in that people will be able to get a real understanding about turntablism, which is what we do a lot of on the album, manipulating turntables as if they were musical instruments. It'll help people in that way: It'll educate them to the fact that the turntable is a musical instrument, and some people don't see that or realize that. They're not aware of that, and we're showing that on our album."
Scratching is at the heart of rapcore, a style of metal that could just as easily use another grinding guitar as it could withstand the infusion of turntablism. This summer’s Ozz Fest, headlined by Ozzy Osbourne, features some of the front line of rapcore with turntablists standing front and center: Slipknot, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, and Crazy Town.
Is the "rap element" of turntablism watering down metal in any tangible way? Not a chance. Slipknot, with its nine-man lineup, is typical for the turntable-infused metal bands hitting the world like a ton of bricks. Putting it bluntly, they’re like a mountain of sound, with not only DJ Sid on turntable, but with sampler jockey Craig, bringing non-traditional elements to metal. They’ve been described as a sound patched from the best parts of metal, hip hop, violent L.A.-style "new metal," and armed with a multidimensional percussive onslaught." Their self-titled debut album is in the rarified realm of platinum, and the turntable is as vital as any other instrument. Their percussionist, Shawn, says, "Our music is so reliant on each other that if one guy is gone, it just wouldn't be our songs. Without one person, something is really, really missing. Everybody has to be present. Even the littlest things make our songs magical."
Another turntablized metal band, Crazy Town also has a big lineup (seven players), and puts DJ AM at the sonic forefront both onstage and on their top-100 disc The Gift Of Game, which spawned the hit "Butterfly." Leader Shifty Shellshock explains their simple goal: "I wanted to incorporate rap and rock like it had never been done before. No matter what kind of music you liked, I wanted you to enjoy something about it." They’ve been monumentally successful at the fusion, and the scratching that propels their music is a perfect complement to the controlled chaos.
Tony Neto, Sales Manager for Gemini, describes the changing sonic landscape eloquently: "The barriers between dance, rock, hip hop, and rap have been blurred, thanks to the art of the remix and the open-mindedness of the DJ and the audience. The connection between rock and rap, more than any, has been solidified with great success, as evidenced by the cross-over of rap icons like Method Man and Ice-T, and extreme commercial success by rock bands like Limp Bizkit."
More Than Just Accessories
Turntables and mixers are worked pretty hard in performance, making them more akin to drums than keyboards or guitars, if you’re looking for a benchmark. And like any instrument, a turntable needs to be practiced. If you have two turntables and a mixer, and you’re practicing a few hours a day, you subject your gear to a lot of wear and tear. The old rule of thumb for turntables in a listening setting was to replace the stylus each year. A scratcher may need to replace a stylus every two months–more often if the style is hyper-aggressive or if the performer is doing a lot of gigs.
What kinds of equipment do turntablists need? More than you might expect. Here’s a list that covers most of it, depending, of course, on whether the turntable is going to be played in a club, a studio, or a concert hall:
Turntables
Cartridges
Styluses
Mixers
Patch cords
Stylus cleaner
Vinyl cleaner
Slipmats
Hard cases for turntables and mixers
Hard cases for vinyl records
Cases for CDs
Headphones
Beat Counters
Stands
Racks
Power amplifiers
Crossovers
Speakers
Equalizers
Filters
Signal Processors (delays, pitch shifters, etc.)
Samplers
Microphones
In addition, turntablists constantly need spare parts, including replacement switches and slide controls, as well as treatments for spraying into the electronics to ensure smooth operation. And with the most vulnerable parts–the styluses and cartridges–costing anywhere from $15.00 to as much as $150.00, repeat sales can be quite lucrative. Add in the next most-vulnerable parts, such as the switches and faders for the mixers, as well as a never-ending stream of scratch disks (records made with samples that sound particularly good when they’re scratched), and you can see the potential.
Manufacturers have done a fine job of responding to the needs of DJs, and they’ve also been receptive to the requirements of the turntablists. They’ve not only introduced beefier turntables and cartridges, but they’ve also put a lot of effort into expanding the functionality of the products, introducing ever more versatile gear. Some, such as Vestax, Shure, and others, are actively involved in DJ showcases and competitions.
Involvement with artists and DJs has been instrumental in shaping product design from turntables to mixers to signal processors. Rane’s Director of Sales, Dean Standing, says, "Turntablism has significantly changed the way that mixers are used. Mixers are a DJ's instrument, and are as vital to their performance as a guitar is to a guitar player."
Successful companies making gear for the DJs and turntablists have engineers that relate to, and work with, the players. Another key is having regional sales managers who understand the DJ culture and bring the concerns back to the company to help drive new developments. Engineers then have to pick up the call to build more demanding gear.
Alternatives to the turntable are now popping up, thanks in part to the digital revolution that has transformed signal processing and sampling so radically. Dual-well CD players with pads that emulate turntables are reaching the market, and instead of trying to make turntablists adapt to the standard mixer configuration (rows and rows of controls), they’ve created more ergonomic mixers with switches and knobs laid out functionally for the person who has to deftly adjust faders and controls while manipulating turntables.
Manufacturers have also been busy seeding their own markets: Most of the big names in turntables and mixing equipment offer "DJ packages." These typically consist of two turntables, cartridges, slip mats, a mixer, and perhaps powered speakers. With prices listing between a few hundred dollars and a grand, they’re attractive to the novice and competitive with the entry prices of other instruments. Numark, Gemini, and Stanton are among the high-profile companies selling these prepackaged kits, much like guitar companies sell beginner’s setups consisting of a guitar, amp, and cord. It takes some of the anxiety out of the fledgling turntablist’s shopping experience, plus it simplifies the selling that the retailer must do.
Some new ideas are being hatched that can be used not only by turntablists, but by other musicians such as synthesists. A good example is Korg’s KAOSS Mixer, which has an X/Y pad that you can run your finger over in order to do cross-fades (instead of using knobs or sliders). Some mixers include digital signal processors, phase shifters, pitch shifters, and ring modulators.
If there’s a barrier to shifting sales to a higher level, it’s this: Turntablists aren’t a large enough force yet for many music stores to cater to them as they would, say, guitarists or keyboardists. In addition, the there’s the simple reality that most turntables and related equipment are purchased by DJs, so devoting floor space to a subset of a small group of customers can be risky or fruitless. In this regard, stores catering specially to DJs have mostly had an edge, even if they do assume a lot of risk by servicing such a narrow slice of the market.
Another barrier is cultural: To some musicians, DJs are anathema, pariahs who "steal" gigs away from them, or who aren’t "legitimate players." They don’t make the distinction between a turntablist and a DJ, or at least make very little distinction. And because so many musicians work in music stores, you can see the potential for friction (or at least some serious "looking down one’s nose"). When asked about how he sells to turntablists, an anonymous salesperson replied quite negatively: "I refer to DJ'ing as ‘legal plagiarism,’ because that is basically what it is, in any genre of music."
The issues of acceptance for turntablists and how to address the market they create will certainly resolve themselves. What will bring more turntablists through the doors of retail stores? So far, the most successful retailers at bringing in turntablists are those specializing in DJ equipment. However, their bread and butter is often the disk jockey who spins records rather than the player who scratches. However, even that is changing. In addition, making the turntablist feel as if their instrument and its accessories are important, and not just afterthoughts in the inventory, will make a huge difference in their attitude and where they shop. Knowing the difference between mobile DJs and scratch DJs and performance DJs is a matter of education among store staffs.
Acceptance of turntablists into the traditional musician community will take some time, even if the barriers are starting to come down now. With no clear hero in the mainstream, the turntablist definitely needs a rallying point to lend credibility to the cause. Adam Gray-Yohn of 8th Street Music, Philadelphia, sums up the feelings of many skeptical non-turntabling players when he says, "We haven't had a DJ come along who has achieved legendary status. You don't see their names mentioned alongside John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, or Stevie Ray Vaughan. You can make what you like of that, but until someone really gives the turntables that kind of credibility, this argument will continue."