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Wednesday 7 November 2012

A Quick Guide On Popular DJ Terms

By Tameka Ware


Most people view disc jockeying as a hobby. However, there are those who make a living from it. They take their craft seriously and they do whatever it takes to improve their skill. Since it has become a profession, DJs have developed special language schemes that would easily describe their point. These DJ terms makes it easier to communicate with fellow turntable masters and individuals who are still learning the ropes.

To connect with their audience, the disc jockey world also has words that are used for the same meaning in other aspects. An amp still refers to an amplifier while bass is the term used to describe the music that emanates from the kick drum and bass instruments. Aside from the words with common meaning, there are common terms that DJ's use to mean something else.

Outside the DJ world, the word "stutter" is connected to a speaking condition wherein syllables are mentioned repeatedly before a word is stated. However, DJs universally refer to the term as the repetitive beat of a drum or a vocal pattern that is triggered either by scratching or a mixer's cue button. This creates the effect of a person who is having difficulty in speaking.

In contrast, disc jockeys know that stutter is the repetition of a voice or a drum beat through the cue button or the scratch manuever on CD decks. Then, there is the word "tears" which often comes out of a person's eye in times of grief or sadness. Yet, turntable artists reserve this term for a scratch technique that renders the pull or push effect in a sound.

Outside the terms with double meaning, there are parts of the DJ jargon which are exclusive to the industry. These glossary entries sound so cool that it practically mirrors the cool profession that disc jockeys have. Terms like these often refer to turntable parts and related machines which are enabled to perform tricks that create different beats.

One of these odd-sounding words is Hamster Switch which sounds like a device used by scientists during laboratory experiments. Yet, this pertains to the reverse crossfader of a mixer which is often used when the music is on crescendo mode. Another fascinating terminology is Kill Switch which can be mistaken for a hard rock group.

However, the term pertains to the power buttons for bass, mid and treble channels. Then, there is direct drive. There might be people who would equate this to non-stop travel routes on land. Yet, this is the name of the motor that makes the turntables spin. Another interesting term is battle record which sounds like the professional record of boxers and mixed martial arts combatants.

In DJ terms, the battle record is a collection of sample mixes and loops that are compiled in a 12-inch vinyl disc. The glossary of disc jockeys is an extensive list and what's written here is just the tip of the iceberg. To know more about DJ terminology, you can ask a turntablism professional or learn the skill of scratches, screeches and sound through self-study or through an established school.




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