Best Buy DJ Turntables

DJ turntables were never designed to scratch, until one day when a certain DJ going by the name of ‘Grand Wizard Theodore’ tried to stop a vinyl record when his mom came calling. The result is the scratch that we know and love today, which was popularized by Theodore’s mentor Flash.

As time passed, however, technology has come to emulate the distinct sound of a scratch as the art has become more and more popular. Most digital turntables nowadays have a built-in vinyl emulation software to come up with the scratching sound. So what, exactly, does all of this have to do with what materials on DJ turntables to scratch?

If you want to go for the traditional analog turntables, then you may want to get professional scratch cartridges for protecting your records. These cartridges are used to spray a thin layer of protective material on records, which definitely helps to prevent wear out on the long run. The quality of your scratch cartridge will determine the longevity of your vinyl records on DJ turntables, which is why you should spare no expense when it comes to cartridge quality. Stick with high-quality brands brought from DJ and turntablist supply stores, and you’??ll make sure your records last a couple of years even with hard use.

On the other hand, digital DJ turntables already have plates designed to emulate scratching. If you use digital turntables, your music will come in digital format as well. The plates then serve as ‘controllers’ that can be spun and scratched at will, even without the presence of a record to scratch in the first place. This option is definitely useful for the DJ who does not want to collect a couple of identical vinyl records to keep in stock.

Of course, the DJ turntables themselves are your primary tool in scratching. Each DJ has a particular preference for the scratch produced by a turntable, and both analog and digital turntables definitely have their own unique ups and downs when it comes to scratching. This is a purely subjective experience, and each aspiring turntablist is just going to have to get used to one type of turntable or another

photo credit: Pernell

Turntables for DJs are the main tools of a DJ that the crowd can spot at first glance. What they don’??t see, however, is the variety of little things that a DJ or turntablist has lying in and around their work area.

Which is why a good DJ or turntablist needs these other extra thingamajigs with them to make the most out of their performance:

Sound card

These little puppies are essential, as they manage the flow of sounds between the turntable and the PC. Get one with at least two stereo-in and two stereo-out plugs and outlets for high quality performance.

Mixers

Mixers are responsible for mixing audio signals to come up with a unique sound, which is then processed and released by the sound card. These are usually levers or dials that fine tune certain sounds.

Laptop with DJ software

Most turntables for DJs are digital in nature, which is why you will need a laptop with DJ software like Virtual DJ to manage sound production. This software works with the sounds to receive, analyze and refine them in digital format.

Time coded vinyls or CDs

Time coded vinyls or CDs are specially-designed disks that contain both the music and the time codes necessary for the music to be interpreted and manipulated by the turntable.

Headphones

Headphones are essential, as the DJ may not be able to hear the finer notes and distortions of music when the club or party is getting really lively.

Needles

If you have analog turntables for DJs, then you will need strong and reliable needles to prevent any breaking, skipping or jumping. Just make sure your turntable has straight tone arms to help prevent jumping on the turntable’??s end.

Cables

Cables are specially important for digital turntables. USB cables, RCA cables and other such cables usually come packaged with the hardware, but you need to make sure you have the right cables plugged in the right ports and outlets.

Extra turntable

Two turntables for DJs, one on the left and one on the right, can produce some really wicked sounds. Just make sure you are ambidextrous if you want to try this out.

So with these things, DJs can make the most out of their performance.

photo credit: connorsallee