Skip to main content

turntablism 

The art of playing the turntable as a musical instrument. Not to be confused with DJing, which is more about providing dance music and/or mixing beats. Turntablism is more about manipulating sounds and creating rhythms or even melodies by scratching and techniques using a mixer.
Not all DJs are turntablists, but all turntablists (with a few rare exceptions) are DJs.
Words you can keep

turntablism 

a form of music, which uses turntables to manipulate the sounds of a record in a rhythmic manner to create a new musical composition.
Skratching and beatjuggling are 2 techniques used in turntablism.

turntablism 

Mixin' some good vinyls; behind the wheels of steel.
Let's go to the club and check out some phat turntablism!
turntablism by The Grammar Nazi August 18, 2002

Turntablist 

1) one who has the ability to improvise on a phonograph turntable
2) "one who uses the turntable in the spirit of a musical instrument" (Dj Babu)
3) a musician; a hip-hop disc jockey who in a live/spontaeneous situation can manipulate or restructure an existing phonograph recording (in combination with an audio mixer) to produce or express a new composition that is unrecognizable from its original ingredients.
A turntablist speaks with his hands.
Turntablist by DJ Conan December 4, 2003

turntablist 

a word coined by Dj Babu(Beat Junkies). turntablist - a person who has been dj'ing for many and multiplte years, having achieved and mastered the beginning levels of djing like mixing (matching b.p.m. and counts on any two musical records)and programming (mixing two different songs that have similar style and "match" each other so you can not notice the transition between the two). a TRUE turntablist can dissect any quantization rhythym on two records and innovate and manipulate the sound LIVE, in realtime to make their own different rhythyms, using a mixer: which switches the sound between the 2 turntables thus giving the option of switching sound from record to record, using a crossfader. when this art is done in a recognizable quantized rhythym this is known as BEAT JUGGLING. another part of turntablism is the skratch. this is when you use one record to play a song, and you use the mixer to switch on and off the sound of your fingers manipulating the other record's sound. there are hundreds of intricate patterns and combinations of record movement along with simoltaneously fader movement which gives the sound of a speedy, intricate, clean instrument (kind of like a drummer's quantization). REAL turntablists' scratches and beat juggles follow the general rules of western music quantization. a REAL tablist does not just scratch, for that is only ONE aspect to the art ... keep this art alive ... dont seel yourself short!! many years of learning and practice and persistance and discipline in this art is the only way you can be honestly called a turntablist.
dj qbert, mixmaster mike, dj craze, the X-ecutioners, dj a-trak, dj pound are all real turntablists. a real turntablist knows how to beat juggle and scratch seemlessly.
turntablist by danny elbee September 6, 2006

Turntables

"Dude, have you seen her turntables? Man, I totally want to have a spin on that set!"
Turntables by Mellynelly October 26, 2009

two turntables and microphone 

Line from a Beck song called "Where It's At". Two turntables and a microphone are supposed to represent a dick; the shaft and two balls...
Where it's at!?!? I got two turntables and microphone!
More from Urban Dictionary

Literally 1984 

Used in response for when someone promotes/advocates an event or idea that is perceived to support "too much" authority and/or government control.

Often used jokingly as a over-exaggeration in political talk.

Can also be used in response to a ban or mute in a forum site or online chat.
Steve: I think that the government should regulate businesses more
Bob: Literally 1984!

--User1 has been permantly banned--
User2: You cant ban my friend like that! Literally 1984!
Literally 1984 by ke1 July 7, 2021
Word of the Day on September 1, 2026

Back when I lived in upstate new york 

A meaningless, unimpressive, self-serving introduction. An indicator that the story about to be shared will be pointless and dumb.
Back when I lived in upstate new york, I also had to park on the street - on two occasions, we got enough snow, mixed with just the right plowing, that my car was lifted off the ground from so much snow being jammed underneath it.
Word of the Day on August 31, 2026
Acronym, meaning Too Long Didn't Understand
Similar to TLDR
Sister: This meeting was to discuss the rough draft of my essay, where we discussed the subsidiary questions I added in my rough draft. We also discussed the relationship between my main title and the real-life situations I chose to use in my essay. We discussed the structure of my essay as well, specifically the Math AOK section and how it relates to the contradiction of the title. This second meeting was particularly helpful in discussing the implications of my essay claims and how to apply the title across various areas of knowledge. There were many sections of the essay that could have been cut down in wordiness and the ways of knowing required further and more in-depth analysis.

Me: Woah! TLDU!
TLDU by L-Evans January 14, 2019
Word of the Day on August 30, 2026
the act of having anonymous sexual encounters with other men in public toilets.
Cottaging by greeef April 24, 2003
Word of the Day on August 29, 2026
Next