Turntablism involves manipulating sounds from vinyl records using turntables and a mixer. It requires two record players, records, a mixer, and speakers. The turntablist plays sounds from one record normally, slowed down, or sped up, and scratches or mixes it with sounds from another record to create music and beats. Some turntablists place stickers on records to help remember sample locations.

1. I make music with
turntables, that’s called
turntablism.
Hello! What are
you doing?

2. All you need is two record
players, a few records, a mixer
and loudspeakers.

3. Put a record on a record
player and listen to it. If you
find an interesting
sound, play with it...
That’s all? How
does it work?

4. Play it normally, slow down the
record, or speed it up. Scratch it (in
pulling it backwards very quickly) or
play it along with another sound, for
example a beat on the other record
player.

5. Some turntablists
put stickers on the
record...
I’d never remember where
the samples are on the
record…

6. Others imagine the record as a clock, and
by putting just one sticker on top to mark
“12” and using this as a landmark, they
memorise on “which time” the samples
can be found.

7. I’ve recorded for you different
techniques demonstrated on a
speech sample.
Click on the players underneath the
comic.