Ableton Forum

What?

A turntablist with the minimum aptitude to perform in public (and not embarrass him/herself) has ten times the talent of the best mix DJs on the planet.

I consider them musicians, not DJs. To associate turntablism in the same category as mix DJs is a disservice to turntablists.

I consider the master turntablists (at the level of mix master mike, Q-Bert, etc) to be on par with virtuso musicians like Yngwie Malmsteen, Itzhak Perlman, Arturo Sandoval, and Carlos Santana.

As composers, I consider many of them (for instance Kid Koala) visionaries, on the level of Dave Brubeck or Charlie Parker.

Some of them have attitude. Admitted. But unlike mix DJs with attitude, turntablists have earned the right to have that attitude.

I hate the music they play, but I stand in sheer awe of the physical talent and dexterity to do what they do.


So.... I respect their ability. But you couldn't make me listen to them for anything.

Even if you don't like the genre of music, it is very impressive and clever when done well. It is worse than listening to a beginner drummer trying to hold a beat when done poorly, though.

I like the sounds and the rhythmic cuts produced by scratching, which of course form the basis for what is otherwise synthetically done with computer-based beat slicers/cutters, I use samples (licensed) of them in some of my tracks.

These sounds and techniques are firmly embedded in modern popular music.

turntablism is an artform whther u like it or not, but it must be done proper like drumming.

Well, they must be very accomplished masturbators.

Apart from that, I like the good ones - those who can beat juggle and KEEP THE RHYTHM. Lots of turntablists think they can do this, but fuck up all the time thinking they're hot.

They're not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B3EGIzB_oQ

That video is everything I have to say on the subject

I can listen to a turntablist for about thirty seconds before it all starts sounding the same. I don't deny that is is skillful, sometimes musical, and possibly even talented, but IMO they're one-trick ponies, and more visual masturbation that music. It's show business. Kinda like spinning plates on sticks to me.

It's not just turntablists, though. Electronic musicians with their full-body-motion filter sweeps and head bobbing, rock guitarists pulling faces as they slam a simple power chord, DJs punching the air...it's all the same to me. Hollywood show business.

I'd much rather listen to quality musicianship and songwriting than watch a 21st-century Spinal Tap.

That's just me, though...

mono tight video,
but this speaks better for the form,
when mix master mike was still a jitterbug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnAF8ehFRiE

hambone i think that last video battle between the x-men and invisible scratch pickles shows exactly how different turntablist are from each other and how they really don't sound the same.
thats my take on it n e way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5HVBhx8VwY
all of you watch this....
that's some next level shizness....
a vitalic abesses remix

stale bread wrote:hambone i think that last video battle between the x-men and invisible scratch pickles shows exactly how different turntablist are from each other and how they really don't sound the same.
thats my take on it n e way

BAM!!!!!

nailed it on point

X-Men are great at beat juggling and doing visual flare with their juggling....
Skratch Piklz are more into strait up scratchingand making weird ass sounds on the spot and thats before Ableton's Sampler came out, how's that for sound design?

deckme(N)tal wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5HVBhx8VwY
all of you watch this....
that's some next level shizness....
a vitalic abesses remix

tight crew, where they from?
whats that song they doing?
sounds like some shit out of ninja gaiden....

they are from france:
www.birdynamnam.com
the song is a cover of a vitalic song...

BIRDY NAM NAM!

Wow, I'm glad I saw that... I'll drop a load in my gitch if they ever come to Canada!