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... e a little problem as it basically means scratching hamster but on the upfader's). You begin by cutting the sample in and with the updater at full volume, cut the updater out completely at the end of the sample and quickly bring it back to the beginning of the sample. Next bring the updater to slightly below full volume and at the same time let the sample play (rather like a forward). repeat this a few times, gradually placing the updater at a quieter and quieter position so that it fades out like an echo. Another way to do this is to gradually cut a little part of the sample off at the start so that it has a more realistic sound to it.
A similar effect can also be done by using a long sample and a transform scratch. While transforming, move the record hand to the updater and gradually fade out the sound. If the sample is long enough it will produce the same sort of effect. Top DRUMMING A very useful and practically compulsory technique if you want to have a crew or enter team battles is drumming.
You will need to find a record that has single breaks on it where there is a kick and a snare or bass kick combinations. What you need to do next is to mark where each of these are on your record. This does not have to be done, but a lot of DJs find it useful. Generally people use round stickers placed on the run out groove of the record (the part of the record in the middle with no music on) so that when the sticker is at 12 o'clock on the record (right at the top) the sample starts playing. Place one sticker for each different drum sample you are going to use so that you can easily see where each kick or snare is. Now using these samples, try to make a beat with it using all the techniques above.
The main techniques to use though are stabs and forwards. E. g. do a forward using a bass sample, the do the same with the next sample (a snare in this example) and then repeat. This would give you a very simple Bass Snare Bass Snare Bass Snare beat. You can then change the order you play the beats in, repeating certain samples a few times to give more complex combinations.
You can also play some samples backwards, using baby scratches, chirps and flares to make more and more complex patterns. Top BANANA A very uncommon scratch invented by the Invisible Scratch Pills. This is similar to the tweak scratch but VERY easy to skip the record with due to it's unorthodox nature. Place a record onto the turntable and grab the edge of the record on one side (not either edge but actually either side, between your fingers) and bend it upwards slightly. Now move the record back and forth.
The advantage of this scratch is that you can get very weird sounds with it, but the main reason is as a body trick. Top HAMSTER This is a style of scratching that was invented by The Bullet Proof Scratch Hamsters (now known as the Space Travellers) that involves having the record decks wired the wrong way around - so that the left hand record deck is selected or cut by pushing the fader in the direction that would normally cut in the opposite record deck (basically pushing it away from the record deck instead of towards). This involves connecting the left deck to the right phono input on your mixer and the right deck to the left phono input, thus swapping them around. Most scratch mixers nowadays come with a switch that does this for you so that you don't have to mess around with the wires although some don't (notably the world championship mixer, the Technics).
Nowadays there are also small devices called 'Hamster Boxes' or something similar that will allow you to plug your decks in to a small box and the box into the mixer. This can then be switched at will, allowing you to add a hamster switch to a mixer that does not normally have one. The reason for doing this is basically one of personal choice. Some DJs scratch like this because they find it easier to do flares, and they prefer the sound that you get from hampered crabs.
If you try this and find it easier, then use it. Remember though that the techniques described here are for normal style and will need to be changed a little to be of use. Top MARKING A useful tip for beginners is to mark your records. The reason for doing this is so that you know where the beginning of a sample is, or just as a general reference point in case the label is plain. There are a number of ways to do this but the most common way is to place a small round sticker on either the label the record or the part next to the label where there is no sound recorded on the record you are scratching with.
The place to position the sticker is so that when the sample begins to play, the sticker reaches 12 o'clock (imagine a clock). Another common version though is to mark the record so that the sticker lines up with where the needle touches the record. Some people also place the sticker on the edge of the record, since this can give greater accuracy when back spinning or finding the start of a short sample. Top TAPE DROPS Something that you will see world class battle DJs doing is using tape drops. This can be quite a difficult idea to get to grips with at first but needs to be thought of ONLY in the arena of battling where every second counts. The basic premise is to be able to mark the record so that you know EXACTLY where to place the needle without the need for headphones.
What you are basically doing is placing some tape or stickers (something similar to masking tape is preferred as it doesn't interfere with your needles as much as a sticker) on the actual record so that the edge of the needle hits the tape and is forced into the groove with the sample you want. Like I said, it is quite difficult to grasp the concept of this. You need to place tape at an angle on the record directed from the outside groove toward the inside groove so that as the record moves forward the needle hits the edge of the tape and drags across the record until it sits in the groove that you want. One of the best ways to get the position of the tape is to place it lightly where you think it is supposed to be (it is quite important that you get the position around the record as accurate as possible, less important to get the position across the record). Then place the needle just before the tape (somewhere in the middle where it will definitely hit the tape is easiest to begin with; it does harm the record though and isn't exactly good for your needle) and slowly let the record move forward until the needle hits the tape. Keep it moving until it reaches the end of the tape and sits in a groove.
Is this where the sample starts? No? You should be able to slide the tape a little till you think it is closer to where it should be. Once you have done this repeat the process until you are satisfied with where it is.
Since this is a little long winded I'll also give you the quicker more difficult version. Make the weight on the tone arm as light as possible but heavy enough for the stylus to still touch the record. Find the start of the sample and push a bit of tape against it till it sits properly. All done, it can take quite a few goes at the beginning to get the tape positioned properly but all this will stop you looking like an idiot at battles, frantically searching for a sample. Like I said, this is basically for battling DJs. It is bad for the record and even worse for the needle, but if you are using it in a battle it is a small price to pay to buy a couple of new records compared to the time it takes to find a sample with headphones.
Top BODY TRICKS This is sort of the black sheep of the family as far as many people are concerned. Back in the day when DJs were basic and battles were often judged on crowd response, the way to win over the crowd was to use a gadget or prop to scratch with (a football or something on the record) OR to do a body trick. The general premise for a body trick is to do something that you would normally do one way in a different way. So if you normally scratch with your eyes open, closing them to scratch could be called a body trick. More commonly though they are things like scratching behind your back, using your mouth on the record or fader and even (in the case of DJ David) doing turtles (handspring) on the turntable. One of the DJs who use body tricks in their routines is Roc Raid and the X-Ecutioners as a whole.
Body tricks can be very good or very bad. Craze executes one of the best body tricks in the 1999 DMC world finals where he rolls across the record to move it. The main thing with body tricks is to keep the sound quality high. There's no use spinning around doing beat juggles if they sound sloppy, do the same thing and have them sounding clean and on beat and this shows that your skill level is high enough to be able to do techniques in even the worst conditions.
Also look out for team body tricks, such as 3 person juggles where a crew will execute a juggle on the same 2 turntables whilst swapping positions so that they all juggle in time and cleanly. You will either like body tricks or not, it is a very personal thing and some events will not judge body tricks because they feel it cheapens the art form (ITF for example). But where do you draw the line at what is a body trick though? Placing the pinky on the record and the thumb on the updater to create a stab? Is using your stomach to push the fader while you juggle a new technique to speed up juggling, or is it a body trick? My advice is if it fits with your routine use it.
If it doesn't then leave it out. Top LINE SWITCHES AND TRICKLERS If you don't know what a line switch is, take a look at your mixer. The line switch will normally be above the upfader's and will be labelled something like 'phono / line'. It is used to select which input you want to mix with, line or phono. There is another use for it though, you will notice that when you switch it, the sound from the turntable will cut out, this can then be used as a very fast cut in time fader. It can be quite difficult to learn to use and to be honest there is no need to use it as all the techniques that use is basically can be done with the fader instead.
There is a modification that can be done to this switch but it is advised that you do not use it. On a large number of mixers, these switches can be taken out and can be modified so that for each switch, it turns the sound off and on then off again. Thus giving you a VERY quick click. If you use this to do orbits you will be able to do very quick regular continuous orbits with little trouble. Beware though because Bibliography:
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