Have you ever played a turntable? You can now via the web! That’s right, every time this website is loaded from September 21st through November 25th TurntablePC, an interactive art project, will be triggered to manipulate an LP via the web in an art museum in Denmark. TurntablistPC was developed by Mogens Jacobsen.
Every since I ordered a pair of Technic 1200 turntables and a mixer (under the district instrumental budget) for the general music program I used to teach, I’ve been interested in various ways turntables can be used in the music classroom. While it may still take some time for the majority of music educators to consider turntables musical instruments we’re probably at a point where you could purchase them through your budget if you desired. At the end of this past school year, during a visit to the school at which I used to teach, one of my former general music students excitedly told me that his parents had purchased him one of the newer models of CD “turntables” and that he practices his “scratching” and DJ skills all the time. His final project for the class had been an improvised scratch performance over a track he had created in FLstudio.
I still think potential exists for hybrid school music programs and perhaps a collaboration between student turntablists and the more traditional school ensembles. After all, now there is not only a concerto for turntable and orchestra (I was present at the premiere performance in Carnegie Hall back in 2005) but a concerto for turntables and orchestra.Why not have a group of students work collaboratively on their own original turntable and acoustic instrument composition or maybe commission a piece for your school.
Concerto for Turntable & Orchestra
Concerto for Turntables & Orchestra
Confused about the difference between a turntablist and a DJ? The movie Scratch can help you become more familiar with this particular hip hop subculture. Be warned that while there are some great excerpts that can be shown in secondary music classes, much of the material is not appropriate for school. You can also start working on your own cueing, scratching and crossfader skills with some of the free online lessons offered by the Berkley School of Music.
Perhaps this year during “lessons” there will be new sounds coming from the music department…
(youtube video clip from a hip hop academy showcase)
Nice videos! Thanks.