What is Turntablism?
Turntablism is the practice of manipulating vinyl records, turntables, and a DJ mixer to create original musical compositions and sound effects. Unlike a traditional DJ who plays and mixes pre-recorded tracks, a turntablist treats the turntable as a performance instrument, physically moving records, controlling playback speed, and using a crossfader to produce rhythmic patterns, percussive sounds, and melodic phrases. Core techniques include scratching (moving a record back and forth under the needle), beat juggling (manipulating two copies of the same record to construct new rhythms), and cutting (rapid switching between two audio sources). The term distinguishes practitioners who approach turntables with the technical skill and creative intent of a traditional instrumentalist.
Origins & Lineage
Turntablism’s roots trace to two distinct genealogies. Experimental composers of the mid-20th century—including John Cage, whose Imaginary Landscape No. 1 (1939) used two variable-speed turntables, and Pierre Schaeffer, pioneer of musique concrète in the 1940s—explored phonographs as instruments for sound manipulation. These avant-garde experiments remained largely separate from popular music until Jamaican dub and soundsystem culture of the 1960s introduced techniques like the rewind and EQ manipulation, which Caribbean immigrants brought to New York.
Modern turntablism crystallized in the South Bronx in the 1970s. DJ Kool Herc developed the breakbeat technique around 1973, isolating and extending drum breaks using two copies of the same record. Grandmaster Flash perfected this method through his “quick-mix theory,” using headphones to cue records with precision and inventing the slipmat (felt material under the record) to enable fluid manipulation. Grand Wizzard Theodore is credited with inventing scratching circa 1975—reportedly by accident when stopping a record to hear his mother calling him. These pioneers transformed block parties and park jams into laboratories for a new sonic vocabulary.
The 1980s brought turntablism to wider audiences. Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit” (1983), featuring Grand Mixer DXT (also called GrandMixer D.ST), introduced scratching to mainstream culture; music writer Mark Katz called it “the scratch heard around the world.” As hip-hop entered the recording industry, however, turntablists were increasingly sidelined in favor of rappers and programmed beats, pushing the practice back underground.
The term “turntablism” itself emerged in 1995, popularized by DJ Babu of the Beat Junkies crew. Babu hand-wrote “Babu the Turntablist” on his mixtape Comprehension and articulated the logic: “If someone plays the piano, we call them a pianist…why don’t we call ourselves turntablists?” (Some sources note DJ Disk may have originated the term; Herbie Hancock used it as early as 1984 but it did not gain traction then.) The mid-1990s saw a resurgence—the 1995 compilation Return of the DJ, Vol. 1 was the first all-turntablism album, featuring the Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Beat Junkies, DJ Qbert, and Mix Master Mike.
How It’s Practiced
Turntablism is performed using two direct-drive turntables (typically the Technics SL-1200 series, released 1979 and adopted widely by hip-hop DJs) and a crossfader-equipped mixer. The direct-drive motor enables instant start/stop and manipulation without damaging the motor. A turntablist physically touches the record to cue, stop, or move it while simultaneously operating the mixer’s crossfader to cut sound in and out at precise rhythmic intervals.
Core techniques include:
- Scratching: Rhythmically moving a record back and forth to produce percussive or tonal sounds. Advanced scratches include the transformer (rapid crossfader flicks), the crab (using multiple fingers on the fader), and flares.
- Beat juggling: Using two copies of the same record on separate turntables to loop, re-sequence, or layer individual sounds (kicks, snares, hi-hats) into entirely new beats.
- Cutting: Switching between two audio sources to extend breaks or create call-and-response patterns.
Turntablists may perform solo, in crews, or with live bands. Performances range from accompaniment (backing an MC or rapper) to standalone instrumental compositions. Competitions emphasize technical precision, musicality, originality, and showmanship; routines are judged on clean execution, rhythmic complexity, and creative use of samples.
Turntablism Today
Turntablism persists as both a competitive discipline and a creative practice. The DMC World DJ Championships, founded in 1985, remain the premier annual competition, with regional qualifiers in over 50 countries leading to world finals. The International Turntablist Federation (ITF), active 1997–present, hosts parallel battle circuits. Notable modern champions include DJ Craze (three consecutive DMC titles 1998–2000), A-Trak (youngest DMC champion at age 15 in 1997), and DJ Qbert, widely considered among the most technically skilled practitioners.
Educational institutions now offer formal turntablism instruction: DJ Babu co-founded the Beat Junkie Institute of Sound in Los Angeles (2017) and joined Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute as a hip-hop studies faculty member in 2025. Digital Vinyl Systems (DVS) like Serato Scratch Live, introduced in the early 2000s, allow turntablists to manipulate digital audio files using traditional turntables and control vinyl, preserving tactile feel while expanding access to rare recordings.
Turntablism has influenced genres beyond hip-hop, including drum-and-bass, breakbeat hardcore, and experimental electronic music. Artists like DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, and Kid Koala integrate turntablist techniques into cinematic sample collages. Experimental figures such as Christian Marclay, Otomo Yoshihide, and Philip Jeck use turntables in sound-art and avant-garde contexts, bridging the divide between hip-hop and musique concrète traditions.
Common Misconceptions
Turntablism is not synonymous with DJing. A club or radio DJ selects, sequences, and blends tracks to maintain energy or narrative flow; a turntablist manipulates the playback of recordings to create new music. While many turntablists DJ, and many DJs incorporate scratches, the skill sets and intentions differ.
Turntablism is not purely nostalgic or analog-dogmatic. While vinyl remains the traditional medium due to its tactile response and visual cue marks, digital systems are widely accepted in contemporary practice, including at competition level (DMC permitted DVS starting 2011). The focus is on hand-skill and real-time composition, not medium purity.
It is not easy or accidental. Turntablism demands years of practice to develop hand-eye coordination, rhythmic precision, and musical creativity. Professional routines require months of rehearsal; some turntablists report spending an entire day perfecting five seconds of a performance.
How to Begin
Beginners should start with direct-drive turntables (or a controller with DVS capability), a two-channel mixer with a crossfader, and practice records designed for scratching (often featuring isolated drum sounds, vocal samples, and tone sequences). Turntable Technique: The Art of the DJ by Stephen Webber (published early 2000s) was the first instructional method book using traditional music notation to teach turntablist techniques. Online platforms offer contemporary tutorials, including instructional videos from champions.
Focus initially on the baby scratch (moving a record back and forth with the crossfader open) to build muscle memory and timing. Progress to the forward scratch (closing the fader on the back motion) and transformer scratch (multiple fader clicks). Beat-matching—synchronizing the tempo of two records—is foundational for beat juggling. Attend local DJ battles or showcases (Red Bull 3Style, DMC regional qualifiers, Skratchcon-type events) to observe advanced techniques and community norms. Practice is the only path; most professionals report training multiple hours daily in their formative years.