Scratching - why do we (turntablists) do it?

[manoaboi]

- The public generally doesn't understand it. From my understanding, to most people its just noise. I've heard many say its annoying, and they don't want to hear it.
- Pretty much only turntablists or anyone that's tried scratching understands and appreciates the difficulty of certain techniques.
- There's rarely any times when it sounds good in a mix.
- Unless you're at least sort of good at it, it usually sounds like shit

So besides learning basic techniques that can be useful in quick mixing (baby scratches, fades, etc.), the fact that its fun, or if you're going to the DMC, why bother? Could someone please help me rationalize the hours of time spent practicing??

Posted in General cause I wanna get non-turntablists feedback on this.

[Guest One]

Scratching is pretty much from and for the hip hop culture. Most aren't hip hop cultured so they wouldn't understand it. But it's like any instrument that musicians jam to, like a guitarist. Many don't understand a jammin' guitarist and call it noise as well.

[manoaboi]

Scratching is pretty much from and for the hip hop culture. Most aren't hip hop cultured so they wouldn't understand it.

True, but I've heard DJs scratching at clubs plenty. Why even do it if the crowd won't get it?

But it's like any instrument that musicians jam to, like a guitarist. Many don't understand a jammin' guitarist and call it noise as well.

This I disagree with. You only need to look at the popularity of Pink Floyd or the Eagles, or any group with constant extended guitar solos.

[Finnish_Fox]

True, but I've heard DJs scratching at clubs plenty. Why even do it if the crowd won't get it?

9 of 10 times, when a non-turntablist club DJ scratches, its absolute crap in my experience.

[DJ_kHeaven]

But it's like any instrument that musicians jam to, like a guitarist. Many don't understand a jammin' guitarist and call it noise as well.

I def agree. I'm also a guitarist, and soloing is basically putting a bunch of individual notes together to create a musical tangent that accompanies the original melody. I've always seen scratching in this way; each scratch is a note being played to a beat.. I love scratching, i've been a fan since i first heard [I]Step in the Arena[I] by Gangstarr, and i finally attempted it about a year ago... since then, it's literally my fave way of expressing myself musically

[Finnish_Fox]

I def agree. I'm also a guitarist, and soloing is basically putting a bunch of individual notes together to create a musical tangent that accompanies the original melody. I've always seen scratching in this way; each scratch is a note being played to a beat.. I love scratching, i've been a fan since i first heard [I]Step in the Arena[I] by Gangstarr, and i finally attempted it about a year ago... since then, it's literally my fave way of expressing myself musically

Besides, you can talk with scratching and Peter Frampton is the only one that can do that with a guiter...

[Marc S]

because its fun thats why. and ive seen it get great reactions from crowds of all sorts, even deep house crowds (when done right and not just bashing ahhh fresh over everything)

[Nies One]

I do it because it's fun , challenging and sounds good to me. Different strokes for different folks... oh and Brussel Sprouts bishes

[Guest One]

Not talking bout me. I was making an example. Just saying, I wouldn't understand the art of yodeling music because it's not my thing or my culture. I love me some old school guitar solos to make my skin crawl.

[Original]

Because it's fun?

Are you seriously sitting there wondering why people do things that they enjoy?