Turntables

S

sped420

Member
turntablism. scratching. what do you guys know about it. ive always been interested in getting some but i have no idea where to start or what i need or how much its going to cost? where could i find some begginners information?
 
Ive got a stanton table in one channel of a gemini mixer with an auxhillary input from my computer off which i play instrumentals. decent tables you should spend about 200-300 for a new, entry-level table, and mixers spend around 100 for a good one with all the necessary features. Loud, full-sounding speakers are a must, as well as good headphones. start looking for some vinyl, either some instrumental/acapella or some break records. I recommend the Roulette breaks, volume one or two, they both have all you need for scratching samples.
 
First off, never buy a DJ in a box set. ever. You'll hate it within a few weeks or 2 or 3 months tops. If you want to get into it, get on ebay and craigslist, and find some technics 1200 mk2s or mk5s. Don't get anything else because I'll bet you that in the end you'll end up buying these anyway in the long run, so might as well start out right. you can get a pair with a mixer used in good condition for under 700 or 800 usually. If you really take your time and look hard you can find used mk5s for 200 a table. once you get those, upgrade the cartridges to fit your needs, do some research/find a shop around you and ask for a recommendation. expect to spend around 50 dollars for one. The mixer you will want will vary depending on if you want to scratch and such, in which case listen to the guy above because I don't know much, except you want a "battle mixer" which basically means it has a loose crossfade that you can flick back and forth rapidly. also note that while more expensive mixers have more features, you probably will never need alot of those features so you can save alot of money there. as for sound, you'll need either some active speakers or an amp with some passive cabs, which can cost you almost nothing or alot, but I wouldn't worry about great sound until you are set with everything else and know more about what you want/need.. I'm in class so I probably screwed up alot of what I just wrote but if you want more info or questions I can answer stuff later, but I play mostly electronic sets, or just match hip-hop, I don't really scratch so I can't really help you with that. Another idea to consider which I just thought of, since you are just getting into it, I'm assuming you don't own any LPs. Vinyl is expensive. It doesn't seem so at first, but shit ads up really fast. You might want to consider purchasing a hardware/software interface such as Serato, which I love and has been around for a while. I haven't tried it yet, but Traktor Scratch from NI is apparently very comparable and more affordable. These allow you to control the music you have stored on your computer through your turntables or cdjs. anyway, if you want to know more, just ask, its really fun and you can make alot of friends/money if you are in college, just DJ some house parties and you'll make some extra change on the side eventually, plus its a great conversation starter.
 
if you are on a budget which i assume you are since who on NS is rich, spend your money mostly on the turntables, not the mixer. A decent mixer is good to have but one with a ton of adjustments will probably not be useful since you will find that you won't even touch most of them. I always break diamonds too cause i'm clumsy and drunk so maybe buying some extra would be good so you don't have to go buy a new one every time you break one.
 
NEVER take advice from mothaeast about turntables. he has no idea what he is even saying! trust me on this, guys.
 
im all about pioneer and denon, but then again i'm more into electro, house, etc. and not scratching

but def. get a decent pair of headphones, makes a world of a difference, like night and day. craigslist and theres a forum i used to go on called world dj something or other they had really good reviews and gear swap stuff, i'll find it and post it in a sec
 
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