Poll: Turntables, an instrument?!

[Tipsy Giant]

A lot of people wince when I mention I am learning how to play the turntables. They act as though it is easy or not really an instrument. So I thought i'd find out what the escapists thought

EDIT: I feel as though I should have provided an example of turntablism so...

 

[Aris Khandr]

That would be a no. Not everything that produces sound is an instrument.

 

[Tipsy Giant]

That would be a no. Not everything that produces sound is an instrument.

Could you delve into more detail for a discussion?

 

[Zyst]

A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument?it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument.
[link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_instrument[/link]

Of course it is. Just because it might be easier does not make it any less of an instrument.

 

[Aris Khandr]

If you can't write music for it, it isn't an instrument. Simply a method of making noises that might sound pleasurable. There are no notes, there is no tuning. Your range of sounds is limited to whatever you happen to have put into it at the time.

 

[Mister Benoit]

Sure it is, my old roommate had 2 1200's and did phenomenal things with them.

It's incredibly difficult to learn and do anything that sounds good like just about every other instrument.

 

[Archereus]

No turntables aren't an instrument...really all it is are record players mixed with noise makers, at no point are you trying to play a note or a tone, your just making the SONG that those records are playing skip jump move backwards and adding on a few beeps and boops, sure you need to be creative but I in my bias opinion not talented.

 

[LadyMint]

In my humble opinion, they're a musical instrument in the same way an electric keyboard is. Both require some pre-programming or pre-recording in order to produce an instrument's sound. But, they can be used to create some amazing compilations, so it's a valid form of musical production.

 

[Qitz]

I would say no. To me, an instrument means something which the person behind it creates the music themselves. A turn table is simply someone playing records while screwing around with them.

I don't consider "DJ"'s to be musicians either. Same reason I wouldn't consider someone who cuts Mona Lisa and Scream in half and pastes them together an Artist / Painter.

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Technically it is an instrument for the creation of music. It's generally not considered a "true" musical instrument as it's essentially a record player with some added settings for changing the music played and mixing 2 (or more) songs. To quote Henry Rollins "You're a record player player".

Though, that's not to say some nice remixes can't come from turntables.

 

[Dimitriov]

If you can't write music for it, it isn't an instrument. Simply a method of making noises that might sound pleasurable. There are no notes, there is no tuning. Your range of sounds is limited to whatever you happen to have put into it at the time.

This. I can't say it any better.

I could set up say thirty speakers to start playing different songs all at once, which would make a very unique blend of sound depending on which songs I selected. But that would not make me a musician. Don't delude yourself that just because you are moving your hands around you are the one making the music.

 

[The Rockerfly]

Yes it is, you can make a tune or rhythm out of it therefore it is an instrument. I hear it's a very difficult instrument to be good at and even though most of it is covers, it's still pretty damn good

 

[Tipsy Giant]

If you can't write music for it, it isn't an instrument. Simply a method of making noises that might sound pleasurable. There are no notes, there is no tuning. Your range of sounds is limited to whatever you happen to have put into it at the time.

There is Turntablism Notation

for example

 

[royohz]

If you can't write music for it, it isn't an instrument. Simply a method of making noises that might sound pleasurable. There are no notes, there is no tuning. Your range of sounds is limited to whatever you happen to have put into it at the time.

This. I can't say it any better.

Yup, I have to agree with that.
Also, the poll is tied between absolute no and absolute yes at the moment of writing.

 

[Nietz]

I can't really say, I can't really say that I care either. Don't get me wrong, I love electronic music, I used to love going to raves and all that jazz. But if it's an instrument or not, I don't know and I don't care. I like it though.

Subjective question though, the sound of a good engine is music to my ears, the same goes for the sound of birds.

 

[Zyst]

If you can't write music for it, it isn't an instrument. Simply a method of making noises that might sound pleasurable. There are no notes, there is no tuning. Your range of sounds is limited to whatever you happen to have put into it at the time.

That is absolutely wrong. "Making noises that might sound pleasurable." Isn't that what most musical instruments do? Your range of sounds is limited to what you put in it is the same as saying guitars suck because their range of sounds is limited to notes. Turn tables ARE an instrument.

 

[EllEzDee]

Jesus that's a ridiculous poll, no wonder there're so many voting for the last option.

It's an instrument in the same way an electric guitar, electric keyboard, synthesizer, monome, blah blah etc etc can be considered instruments, even though the sound they produce doesn't come from the instrument itself but the speakers attached to it.

 

[bdcjacko]

in the way golf is a sport.

 

[Aris Khandr]

If you can't write music for it, it isn't an instrument. Simply a method of making noises that might sound pleasurable. There are no notes, there is no tuning. Your range of sounds is limited to whatever you happen to have put into it at the time.

There is Turntablism Notation

for example

Notation is not notes.

If you can't write music for it, it isn't an instrument. Simply a method of making noises that might sound pleasurable. There are no notes, there is no tuning. Your range of sounds is limited to whatever you happen to have put into it at the time.

That is absolutely wrong. "Making noises that might sound pleasurable." Isn't that what most musical instruments do? Your range of sounds is limited to what you put in it is the same as saying guitars suck because their range of sounds is limited to notes. Turn tables ARE an instrument.

No, they aren't. Hand me a musical instrument, and I can play any song you name with some practice. It might sound a little strange to hear "Bohemian Rhapsody" on a Flute, but the G will be a G, the F will be an F, and the A will be an A. With a turntable, you are completely incapable of playing any song other than the one you have sitting on it at the moment.

EDIT: Wow, this thing really breaks if you try to quote two people at once.