How to use turntables?

Learning how to use turntables can be a daunting task, When you watch professional DJ battles or when mixing the speed and skill is enough to make you think about starting, you are actually wondering to start. How do you learn the basics that allow you to compete or even just entertain friends? The article below acts as a guide to using turntables.

Basics

There are a lot of different types of music turntables available and buying the right equipment will affect the type of mixing that you are able to do. If you want to mix electronically, you can get USB turntables that will allow you to convert vinyl into electronic mixing tools. An online search will result in hundreds of pages to look at, so if you’re lucky enough to have a friend who mixes you’d be better off asking them for advice. If you don’t have any such contacts, then you can look them up online on YouTube. It is likely that Veoh will have DJ sets and even tutorials that can take you through the basics until you are ready to experiment on your own.

Mixing

When you are ready to start mixing properly, you could do worse than look up the art of turntableism. The term was coined in 1995 to mark the difference between DJs who simply played the tracks and those who manipulated them into a performance. By learning about this art form, new mixers will discover techniques and experiments in a similar way to a more traditional musician. Another good form of practice is to perform whenever you have the chance, whether it's for friends. You can even record yourself on video so that you will be able to hear and see what works and what are the problem areas that you need to improve on.

Conclusion

The best way to learn how to use turntables is simply to use them. Buying a cheap set and some records from a charity shop to begin with and practicing regularly, as well as checking websites and learning from the videos posted, can all help. Feel free to experiment - turntables are similar to all music genres and they represent a form of expression that each performer will learn to use and perfect in their own way. In the beginning, you will want to follow what others have done but bear in mind that is the not only option available to you.