Scratching & Beat Juggling

SCRATCHING |
A scratch is the sound created when you move a record back and forth.

This technique was created by Grand Wizard Theodore back in the mid-'70s. Learning how to scratch will allow you to enhance the music your audience is listening to. It's like adding vocals to a funky beat. But instead of speaking with your lips, you're using your hands. Believe it or not, you can teach yourself a lot of different scratches, but you need a good ear. Hopefully, you've developed that ear during the mixing stage. It helps to understand the type of music you're scratching to. Listen to songs from all genres, Hip Hop, Electronic, etc. It's important to learn how to perform scratches that compliment the type of music you decide to play. With enough dedication and practice, you'll eventually develop your own unique style. Completion of this level means your worthy of another pat on the back. You just went from crawling to walking. The next stage is Beat Juggling, otherwise known as "The Funk".

You're about to start running now!

 BEAT JUGGLING aka THE FUNK
Created by Steve Dee in the late '80s, beat juggling is accomplished by manipulating the drums sounds from two copies of the same (or different) record to form a new beat in real-time, using only vinyl, your mixer and your hands. It takes a keen ear, a sharp sense of timing and bar structure awareness.

Think of it as the ability to simultaneously mix and scratch. It's the most intense skill out of the three (mixing, scratching and beat juggling) because it requires constant manipulation of the mixer and turntables. When you're beat juggling, a second doesn't go by where your hands aren't busy.

Once you learn how to beat juggle, you can consider yourself a well-rounded turntablist.