Is it hard to learn? And can you make up your own scratches?
--jodi
Scratching with records on a turntable is basically as hard or easy to learn as any other musical instrument. If you play another instrument already and understand rhythm and music, etc., then it may be a little easier for you to understand the techniques of scratching. And YES, you can do anything you want with your scratches (and should), whether it's imitating what's already been done before, or making up new scratches. My advice would be to learn the basics and then improvise as much as possible, creating your own personal scratches and combining them with what's already out there, because that's how you find your own personal style.
I believe that in order to be one of the best scratching DJs, it's not how difficult or technical your scratches are, but rather how ORIGINAL & FUNKY the scratches are. Just play around and experiment with scratches on a turntable; go with the flow and try all sorts of different ways of using the mixer, needles and records. DJ Flare created the world-renowned scratch called "THE FLARE" simply by making a MISTAKE!
The turntable is such a new instrument that there are so many things that have not even been discovered yet. As a turntablist, you should try to leave YOUR mark in turntable history. All it takes is for one person to say "WOAH that's DOPE!! Show me how you did that?!" and pretty soon everyone adapts your newly invented scratch in their routines. It's ever-evolving.
Scratching with records on a turntable is basically as hard or easy to learn as any other musical instrument. If you play another instrument already and understand rhythm and music, etc., then it may be a little easier for you to understand the techniques of scratching. And YES, you can do anything you want with your scratches (and should), whether it's imitating what's already been done before, or making up new scratches. My advice would be to learn the basics and then improvise as much as possible, creating your own personal scratches and combining them with what's already out there, because that's how you find your own personal style.
