Turntable Technique: The Art of the Dj (Paperback)

by Stephen Webber (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Learn to play the turntable like your favorite DJs and create your own style! This essential guidebook and companion 2-record set teaches you to play the turntable as a musical instrument. Using this first-ever turntable method, techniques and tricks can be mastered quickly and effectively. Includes step-by-step instructions on: setting up your equipment, scratching, beat matching, mixing, transforming, crabbing, crossfader technique, cutting and stabs.

Book includes: photographs and musical exercises, tips on how the pros set up their gear for scratch mixing, and a history of DJing and hip-hop culture, plus interviews with top DJs such as: DJ Swamp (Beck), MixMaster Mike (Beastie Boys), DJ QBert (Invisibl Skratch Picklz), DJ Kuttin Kandi (5th Platoon/Anomolies), DJ A-Trak (Teenage DMC/ITF World Champion), and DJ Craze (three-time DMC World Champion). The companion records provide scorching grooves, phat beats, and wicked scratch material for DJs/turntablists of any level.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Berklee Press Publications; Package edition (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 063401434X
• ISBN-13: 978-0634014345
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 12 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #666,482 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for new DJ's!, May 19, 2001

By A Customer

This book is an awesome reference for the new DJ. It comes with 2 albums that are exactly the same, so as you can learn to beat-match and scratch properly. It has alot of good tips and pointers, and really is a great help. My only criticism is that the info on beatmatching is a bit limited, as this book is for the budding scratcher, and it has heaps of info on scratching. Maybe in the next publication Stephen Webber will remeber to put down that the easiest way to get the beats together is to listen to the bass drum. Other than that, this book is great, and I think Stevie boy has done a good job. DJ Zanshin (Australia)

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Guide for Beginners, April 26, 2001

By A Customer

Turntable Technique is the answer to most beginners who are shy, and don't know who to go to for help, and also, is just a good textbook for any beginning DJ or Turntablist. It has interviews with several Turntablist gurus including Mixmaster Mike. It provides good insight on how to start out, and will allow many spinners (DJs) to progress from there. There really is no equvalent to this that I have seen, and I think this is a really great product. WAY TO GO!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Industry Standard, June 8, 2003

By	Bruce Robinson (Queens, NY) - See all my reviews

I began scratching two years ago using this book, and progressed faster through the basics than any of my friends who started at about the same time. Now I use this book to teach others. It breaks things down into easy to follow and clear descriptions, something that no video I own bothers to do.

The interviews are also dope; QBert, Swamp, Mixmaster Mike, Craze, Atrac, and Kuttin Kandi all have interesting stories to tell.

There is also a short history of the hip-hop DJ, which is stuff everyone should know if you're going to DJ.

The two pieces of vinyl that come with the book have some great samples for scratching and two cuts for beatmatching.

I especially enjoy teaching with this book, it makes it easy for my students to make progress between lessons. It also includes some traditional music notation, which gives me a clear vocabulary to talk to my students with.

If you're starting out this book is excellent.

It works!