Scratching, or scrubbing, has been an art form all its own since its origins in the 1970s. While the skill takes diligent practice and patience, learning the following basic scratching techniques for beginners will put any aspiring turntablist on their way to mastery.
Scratching was developed by early DJs like Grand Wizard Theodore and DJ Kool Herc. Grand Wizard Theodore if often considered the inventor of scratching and his renowned needle drops. The Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc also had a great influence on the early developments of scratching. His technique of break-beat DJing, where the breaks of funk songs were isolated and repeated, has become a standard in turntablism.
The most basic techniques of scratching are done by moving a vinyl record back and forth with the hand while playing on a turntable. This creates a distinctive scratching sound that has become one of the most recognizable features of hip-hop music. Other sounds that are frequently scratched include drumbeats, horn stabs, vocal samples from songs or other vocal recordings and instrumental recordings.
A baby scratch is considered the simplest scratching technique. It is performed as a single hand continuously moves the record back and forth while the crossfader is left in the open position.
A forward scratch, also referred to as cutting, is another style of baby scratching where the crossfader is left closed while the record moves backwards. If the record is let go instead of being pushed forward it is called a release scratch. And if the forward movement of the record is cut out, the technique is called a backward scratch.
A scribble scratch is an introductory level scratching technique where the record is moved back and forth rapidly without the use of the crossfader. Hydoponic scratching is another baby scratch. The turntabilist’s thumb runs in the opposite direction as their scratch fingers. The rubbing of the thumb adds a vibrating noise similar to reverberation to forward movements on the turntable.
DJ QBert popularized the crab scratch technique where the record is moved quickly while the crassfader is tapped open with each finger of the crossfader hand. The result is a sound that fades and increases and a finger formation that looks similar to a crab’s legs.
Scratching is difficult but learning a foundation of basic techniques make creating and mastering new and more advanced scratches much easier.
Below is an old school video that demonstrates some of these basic scratch techniques for beginners.
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