Scratching DJ in dubstep...?? POLL ADDED!

[mizz]

As long it's performed well, and in the right situations, 'scratching' can adapted to any type of scenario.

Just because somethings done well, doesn't mean you should put it on everything you listen to.

I like marmite. Do I put marmite on everything I eat? No, cause it would taste shit.

I'm sure if opera singing is done well, it sounds terrific. Why not layer that over the top as well? And an accordian? Where do you stop???

Problem is, scratching has the same limp connotations as stuff like breakdancing. I'm sure the people who do it do it very well, but it all seems a *tad* contrived from where I'm standing.

get some imagination...

[muffcrew]

CORRECT mizzz...

[laurent]

ha ha i cant believe this subject came up...

if anyone wants to have an idea of what scratching as the general public knows it has become then check my regular podcasts and sites:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/turntableradio - I recommend the Japan special mix, the january, may and july ones too.
you can subscribe and d/l thru itunes too or just right click and save as all casts with the above link.

http://www.turntableradio.com

http://www.spinscience.org.uk - peep downloads section there and interview/feature archives

As you might see there's stuff being done worldwide which frankly isn't about scratching anymore it's about music. which it should be - there's only so much cutting records will do, but when it comes to making music, like everything else the possibilities are endless.
the majority of 'scratchers' are producers, studio heads and music lovers. The days of cutting up break record samples over hip hop beats have gone tho loads of people still do that.

It's just there's a wealth of music and talent out there today, around the world, which don't get a lot of shine or attention cos tablism, like other hip hop practices as someone mentioned, is still viewed thru a certain lens.

As for cutting and dubstep - i dont feel the need to hear cuts on dubstep tunes, but i agree with rich and diss (we spoke about it at length at DMZ back in march) that there's potential for some stuff to be done which unless it was said 90% of people wouldnt know there was 'cutting' used in the track. It's definitely about more than just scratching fresh - you could add to something live or even help recreate something live. or simply, like most people do use it in the studio as another tool, like a sampler, synth, etc...
It's funny someone mentioning the juggles thing. I saw Joe Nice do it at DMZ and it made me laugh (in a good way), and i've heard it on other sets but personally im not mad about it. Doublin electronic music tracks at certain bpms just doesnt do it for me... tho if done well it can be a nice addition to the mix styles... it's just weird how people seem to like the doubling up in dubstep, or dnb or whatever, but actually in tablist circles doubling and juggling is really a thing of the past for most... it's scratching that got really concentrated on for the last 5+ years. Tho there's cats like Kentaro and izoh in japan who can pull juggles which will leave your jaw open - i've seen izoh make a beat by juggling drum records and you shut your eyes you'd be hard pressed to tell if the beat wasnt actually programmed.

anyways i'd be happy to see some people experiment with it production wise... i fucked around in the studio with 2tall the other day and we made something at 135/140bpm entirely from scratched sounds with added programmed drums and deep bass - it was fun and im sure there's room for people experimenting. boxcutter and vexd have dropped scratching sounds in their tunes from what i can remember.

And i know the NozL boys are on some shit too - im sure they'd have something nice to bring to the table if they did for a laugh

Oh and as a funny side note, a lot of grime and dubstep actually sounds (to some people anyways) not too disimillar to late 90s and early 00s scratch practice beats. Without the fat bass in the case of dubstep tho...

Seriously tho if you're interested i suggest you check the Turntable Radio podcasts - there's some sick shit being done worldwide, in all styles and flavours.

One last plug - The Cuts of Culture compilation we put out last year, there's a new volume coming up in a few months CD/DVD package. It was started with the purpose of just exposing the music being made and showing there's more to it then just funky fresh cuts. Maybe you'll want to peep it

http://www.turntablelab.com/cds/184/350/10950.html

This CD proves turntablism isn't dead, but is alive and well! Cuts of Culture is a cross section of recent turntable music fom around the world compiled and mixed together by UK's 2tall. Amazing stuff throughout from the more known (D-Styles(1), A-Trak(2), Ricci(3)) to lesser known producers like Kypski & Lah, Morse,(4) and Lamont. The diversity of styles on here is pretty mind blowing - from the jazzy, funky compositions of C2C (who absolutely kill it live - check the '05 DMC World Team Battles), the Aphex Twin sounding Morse, downtempo from Excess, to the straight thuggin vibe of A-Trak with Dipset (yes, Dipset!). 2tall(6) himself contributes a killer production as well, with some of the sharpest cuts i've heard in long time.

oh and sorry for hte long assss post. lol

[joseph-j]

As for cutting and dubstep - i dont feel the need to hear cuts on dubstep tunes

Thanks. Thats what i was getting at. Just cause you can, doesn't mean you should. Innit.

[a_k47]

save it.
dubstep and scratching dont mix !!!

that doesnt mean you couldnt have a varying set.

I hated scratching in d&b for ages and now som peeps r bringin it 2 dubstep it i think its sounds good in hip hop & hip hop only. no disrespect 2 any 1 but think of scratching as a bit of a gimmick id rather hear a tight mix any day of da week

[laurent]

As for cutting and dubstep - i dont feel the need to hear cuts on dubstep tunes

Thanks. Thats what i was getting at. Just cause you can, doesn't mean you should. Innit.

yeah but it goes beyond just that too - which is what rich and diss were saying and i agree with them. You could use it in the studio as part of a track and no one could be none the wiser unless they were told. because you can use it cutting as a production tool, not just a sonic artifact dumped on top of a track during a mix. Though that has its place sometimes.
Like i said i knew quite a few people, including world champions who cut to dubstep for practice... each to their own.

if i hear it done well i wouldnt mind it - less is more with cutting.

[dj phonetic]

if you are going to scratch like dj krush, and you just use soundscapes to scratch, i can imagine that it will sound very good.

you just have to know when it becomes to much. But that is the same as with an mc.

but if you will put a dj like qbert at DMZ i can imagine it will not be that good. dj's like krush and birdy nam nam but also dj woody know what they do.

[dub boy]

http://www.myspace.com/djsnafu

Innit!

One of Bristol's finest up & coming dj's.... hiphop by trade but has just got into dubstep. Mad skills & very original!!

[nozl]

NozL wrote:
As long it's performed well, and in the right situations, 'scratching' can adapted to any type of scenario.


Just because somethings done well, doesn't mean you should put it on everything you listen to.
I like marmite. Do I put marmite on everything I eat? No, cause it would taste shit.

Where in that sentence did I say it should go on everything?

What it can do however, is be "adapted to any type of scenario" & only "in the right situations".

The frequency of its application is a different matter.

[doctorkinetic]

For sure- no f***in idea how he never skipped the needle in all the sets I ever heard. Maddest attack I ever heard was over the middle of 'Sensation'. Still listen back just for that one!

DoctorKinetic wrote

All about DJ SY and his mad bastard bleep skratch attacks- pure entertainment

Dun Know...I was thinking about giving props to Sy on this thread earlier today and you beat me to it. I used to be obsessed with it.

He used to do mad scratching when there was just one record playing (but in a good way.) That 92 rave tune dance conspiracy by bass construction (i think) when the vocal dropped ("ay-yay-yaaay") he'd just reach over and casually do four bars of mental scratching with the "ay" before letting it drop. Must've taken balls as he would've been f*cked if the needle skipped - it never did though!

Anyone else on here remember this ?

[polho]

I'm sure if opera singing is done well, it sounds terrific. Why not layer that over the top as well? And an accordian? Where do you stop???.

0800 Dub? With the synths replaced by an accordion? I'll take that any day and stop just before it actually starts to sound shit, instead of leaning on phony stereotypes and going "nay nay nay".

All you people stuck with the "wicky wicky" mental image should watch the intro of AFX's "Windowlicker" video. The ("Yo, let me put my tape up in this bitch") instrumental has a wonderfully lazy, timestretched scratch at the end. Someone already mentioned other effects. Bring a third turntable to the table if you think it's gonna start interfering with the tightness of your mix.

[braiden]

anyways i'd be happy to see some people experiment with it production wise... i fucked around in the studio with 2tall the other day and we made something at 135/140bpm entirely from scratched sounds with added programmed drums and deep bass - it was fun and im sure there's room for people experimenting. boxcutter and vexd have dropped scratching sounds in their tunes from what i can remember.

2tall's excellent, i was trying to remember his name just earlier today. saw that video of him @ cargo i think it was.

[tha megatron]

I like to scratch over Grime/Dubstep/DnB/HipHop/RnB/Funk/Jazz....
I feel that why should people limit themselves with what they do with music? No matter how many rules and regulations people impose on anything there's always going to be someone who wants to break the rules. Isn't that how most music evolves anyway?

So hey, why not scratch over the sounds?

[mizz]

As for cutting and dubstep - i dont feel the need to hear cuts on dubstep tunes

Thanks. Thats what i was getting at. Just cause you can, doesn't mean you should. Innit.

Yes!
So scratch when you should, not cause you can. (but scratch )
Peace

[dynamixuk]

"it depends" so true

[joseph-j]

I'm sure if opera singing is done well, it sounds terrific. Why not layer that over the top as well? And an accordian? Where do you stop???.

0800 Dub? With the synths replaced by an accordion? I'll take that any day and stop just before it actually starts to sound shit, instead of leaning on phony stereotypes and going "nay nay nay".

All you people stuck with the "wicky wicky" mental image should watch the intro of AFX's "Windowlicker" video. The ("Yo, let me put my tape up on this bitch") instrumental has a wonderfully lazy, timestretched scratch at the end. Someone already mentioned other effects. Bring a third turntable to the table if you think it's gonna start interfering with the tightness of your mix.

Yeah I know Windowlicker. It sounds like scratching. Nothing new or revolutionary about that. Its just gets my back up. Like a cat breakdancing on a blackboard.

[darkmatter]

turntablism is fine, shit scratching isn't.

i'm gonna need to get fucking good at scratching before i'd put it on a set, just aint worth it otherwise.

[mizz]

vote!

[darkmatter]

CHECK THIS:

http://www.woodwurk.com/Media/DJ%20Woody%20Flutine.mov

now tell me something similar couldn't be adapted to fit dubstep? it would absolutely go off, there's no reason that showmanship cant be an important part of a dubstep set, stuff like this makes the crowd buzz so much.

[dj phonetic]

woody is crazy and his skills would fit perfect into a dubstep mix