How to Scratch and Spin on Turntables

Rhythm is key to the demonstration of scratch and spin techniques on turntables. DJs have to listen to the beats and bars of a song to get a feel for which scratches they want to perform. Manipulate just the record itself to begin "DJing" and to develop your sound.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Place a record on each turntable. Let one record play continuously. Begin to play the record on the second turntable and think about which sound or phrase you want to scratch.

2. Find the place where the sound begins and position the needle on the record a little ahead of where the sound starts.

3. Push the record forward at the beginning of each beat for your sample. Pull the record back at the same rate you pushed it forward. Go slow and be consistent.

4. Repeat step 3 at the beginning of the next beat with the fader in the open position. Push and pull the track back and forth the same length every time.

5. Perform one scratch cycle per beat. Flow with the beat of the song, and scratch at the record's normal playing speed.

6. Try these other scratches. Quickly turn the fader on and jerk the record forward to the beat. Next, move the record forward and turn off the sound. Bring the sound back up as you pull the record back.

7. Practice repeatedly to get a better understanding of the rhythm of different songs. When you are comfortable, try scratching at a faster speed. Be creative and experiment with various tempos to develop your own scratch and spin style on the turntables.