What is "turntablism"

n. (context music English) The art of using one or more turntables and mixers to create an original musical piece.

Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using turntables and a DJ mixer. Turntablists generally prefer direct-drive turntables over belt-driven or other types. The word turntablist was originated / developed by Luis "DJ Disk" Quintanilla (Primus, Herbie Hancock, Invisibl Skratch Piklz). And after a phone conversation with Disk, it was later "coined" and used in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who simply plays records and one who performs by physically manipulating the records, stylus, and mixer to produce sounds. The new term coincided with the resurgence of hip-hop DJing in the 1990s.

John Oswald described the art: "A phonograph in the hands of a 'hiphop/scratch' artist who plays a record like an electronic washboard with a phonographic needle as a plectrum, produces sounds which are unique and not reproduced—the record player becomes a musical instrument."

Some turntablists use turntable techniques like beat mixing/matching, scratching, and beat juggling. Some turntablists seek to have themselves recognized as traditional musicians capable of interacting and improvising with other performers.