DJ Turntables

In 1954 Bill Haley recorded the first Rock n Roll record, “Rock Around the Clock.” Not to say that that Rock n Roll was not recorded before that time. What I am saying is that generally “Rock Around the Clock” is considered the first. Prior to Bill Haley’s hit song, Rock n Roll music was considered Rhythm and Blues and only making a mild impact on popular music of the day. However, by 1955 a generation of WWII baby boomers were about to become teenagers and reject the music of the preceding generations. Combining Rhythm and Blues along with Country Music, mid 1950s singers and song writers created Rock n Roll. In its new form Rock n Roll caught the imagination of young people. What Bill Haley started in April of 1954, Elvis Presley finished in August of 1954 when he recorded “That’s All Right Mama”. Rock n Roll was here to stay.

So just what did several generations of teenage baby boomers do with all the Rock n Roll 45 RPM records and 33 1/3 RPM albums they purchased in the 1950s, 1960s. No, they did not trash them! They were carefully put away when record players disappeared off the market. It’s time to dig all your old records out of hiding and bring them into the digital age.

Convert all of your old 33, 45 and 78 RPM records into amazing quality digital recordings with a USB Turntable. A USB Turntable lets you digitize your favorite music records on your PC, via the USB port. All the software and cables needed come with the turntables. Convert records into CD’s that you can play anywhere including in your car. Archive to MP3 and play on any digital media player. Several different brands are available, prices range from $99.00 to $300.00.

There was a time, decades ago, when the turntable was a staple of every household. It was where you would listen to the music of your favourite artists, while staring at the album covers and figuring out what the meaning of the album cover means. However, once tape cassettes, CDs and mp3s came along, the need to use turntables disappeared and they were sent to the junkyard.

That was, until the mid-1980s when hip hop and dance music starting to become popular. In this type of music, turntables are an essential instrument that helps to create the unique sound of the music.

Now, turntables are a popular type of musical equipment that is used by DJs all over the world in dance competitions and other types of music events. Since hip hop is so popular right now and dance/trance music is still making headway after its golden age of the 1990s, you can expect your kids may ask you for a turntable.

So, if you don’t have one in the garage collecting dust since 1972, you are going to have to go to an online store or pawn shop to get what you want because they are not made anymore, except in certain places. If you think you are going to buy it in one of the specialty online stores, think again, they are far too expensive.

So, your option is eBay or pawn shops. It is recommended you check out the pawn shops first because there will often be tonnes of turntables there as people trade them in when they are no longer useful to them. In fact, you can probably buy ten turntables for $50 there because they are an obsolete technology. While you are at it, pick up a few VCRs too, they are going to be obsolete soon enough.

There is no point in buying an expensive turntable system unless you know that your child is going to take to using the turntable and not throw it into their closet after a month because they are bored with it at that point.

This is why a used turntable is the best option because it means that your child will not be under pressure to like using the turntable because you only paid five dollars for it. Another option to finding a turntable, other than online shops, is to go to a garage sale where people will sometimes sell them for between one dollar and ten dollars. Often, for the turntable enthusiast, this is a gold mine.

When you buy a turntable, you are buying a piece of history, and you are giving it a new life as an instrument in dance or hip hop music. Children these days probably don’t even know that a turntable was once the only way to play music, thinking it is just something used by DJs.

Nonetheless, when you buy a turntable for your child, make sure it is a used one because the new ones are far too expensive and you do not want to spend money on something your child will bore of quickly.

Historically, a DJ setup has consisted of two turntables, a mixer and some speakers. But today, thanks to new technological innovations, DJs can choose from a selection of different means of playing their music. They can use turntables, CD turntables, computer software or any combination therein. Each of these categories are described more in detail in their own sections.

Turntables – While these might look like those things your parents played records on, the similarities end there. DJ turntables offer several features not found on a regular turntable. The most important of these is the ability to increase or decrease the speed that the record is moving. This lets you match the tempo of two songs so that you can blend them together.

CD Turntables – These are CD players that play regular CDs. However, they also allow you to change the tempo of a song so that you can mix it into another. Many DJs today prefer this type of turntable because it allows them to use CDs rather than vinyl.

Computer Software – Some DJs have moved beyond turntables and solely use software to mix their music. This is still a new area of DJing and lots of the older DJs look down on people who use this method. However, many of the famous DJs are now solely performing with software such as Ableton Live.

Mixer – A mixer has at least two audio channels which will be connected to whatever you are using to play your music. This allows you to control the volume of each song. The mixer also has a fader which allows you to fade from one song to the other. A DJ further controls the music by using a Mixer’s EQ. An EQ can increase or decrease certain frequencies of a song; its treble, mids or bass. A DJ can make a mix sound very smooth with proper adjustment of these levels.

Headphones – All DJs need a good pair of professional headphones. Those old walkman headphones are not going to cut it – the professional models pack increased volume and the sound separation you will need to follow a mix. DJs use headphones to listen to their mix on a separate channel of the mixer that is not playing over the speakers; this allows them to get their mix sounding good before the crowd hears it.

Cartridges (aka Needles) – If you are using turntables, you will need these. They attach to the tone arm of the turntable and slip into the groove of the vinyl records. They are what translate the vinyl into sound. If you are using needles that are too old and worn out then you will damage your records and the sound will be horrible.

Digital DJing – This is a new area of DJing that has been catching on like wildfire. Just about every club and touring DJ today is using some digital DJing tool. Unlike software only techniques, there is no stigma attached to this category. This is because the digital DJing devices hook your computer up to whatever type of turntable you are using. It merges both the old school with the new. For example, Serato’s Scratch Live is a hardware device that you plug both your turntable and laptop into. It then can map an mp3 from your laptop onto your turntable, allowing you to manipulate the mp3 in real time just like you would a vinyl record or CD.