Poll: Turntables, an instrument?!

[Ham_authority95]

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...

Most dictionaries classify an instrument as:

Noun 1. musical instrument - any of various devices or contrivances that can be used to produce musical tones or sounds

So a turntable would be an instrument.

 

[Tipsy Giant]

I don't think that example he provided was especially good though.

Edited!

Better?

:O Much better. Love me some Beastie Boys. Bit gray in the hair now, but still awesome!

Yeah man, BB rule and MMM trained QBert, what an amazing hip hop group!

 

[Ham_authority95]

Eric B and Rakim (which ever one of them used turntables) shows a deftness of touch and ability to utilise turntables to produce beautiful sounds/music.

It was Eric B, and god was he awesome.

 

[jonyboy13]

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.

You miss, are awesome.

I doubt Bach will approve of this as an instrument.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Listen to Tom Waits here:

<youtube=Zo4Y0TxW41g&feature>

I find the man's singing awful, though fans would argue that's the point, that he's doing something so completely different and creative then the rest. But, regardless of my personal preferences, I don't think to declare that what he creates isn't music.

Better pitch than me, that's for damn sure. XD

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I think they are IF you can make your own music with it, if not then I don't really consider it as one, at that point all you are doing is creating your personal take on a song. At that point it doesn't become an instrument but a medium to showcase it, kinda like a laptop and using editing software, it's the same thing.

 

[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.

You miss, are awesome.

I doubt Bach will approve of this as an instrument.

I doubt cave men would have approved of the piano

 

[Aris Khandr]

I find the man's singing awful, though fans would argue that's the point, that he's doing something so completely different and creative then the rest. But, regardless of my personal preferences, I don't think to declare that what he creates isn't music.

That's rather the point. A turntable does not create anything. At best, it chews up the music that others have created, and regurgitates it on demand. You may call that cuisine if you desire, but there are still a lot of people who won't put it in their mouths.

 

[EHKOS]

Ok which eight of you do I have to kill?
Joking aside, I have to say no. They are more like aftertouches. They cannot make music on their own. Though it does take a considerable amount of skill to use them properly.

 

[Tipsy Giant]

I find the man's singing awful, though fans would argue that's the point, that he's doing something so completely different and creative then the rest. But, regardless of my personal preferences, I don't think to declare that what he creates isn't music.

That's rather the point. A turntable does not create anything. At best, it chews up the music that others have created, and regurgitates it on demand. You may call that cuisine if you desire, but there are still a lot of people who won't put it in their mouths.

Me thinks you have a narrow view of the genre, if you can't figure out where the sample is from then surely there is no difference from it being original as far as you hearing it goes.

What about DJs who press their own vinyls with self recorded samples on? what then smarty pants? sorry about the smarty pants, smarty pants

 

[jonyboy13]

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.

You miss, are awesome.

I doubt Bach will approve of this as an instrument.

I doubt cave men would have approved of the piano

Well, thank you for letting me know that you're not worth the discussion.

^
On account that it relies completly on diffrent instruments making music I doubt turntables could be.

 

[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.

You miss, are awesome.

I doubt Bach will approve of this as an instrument.

I doubt cave men would have approved of the piano

Well, thank you for letting me know that you're not worth the discussion.

^
On account that it relies completly on diffrent instruments making music I doubt turntables could be.

that is the equivalent, of bach's opinion on turntables, pointless! If turntables can't be counted as a musical instrument, what do you think future instruments will be like? more like the piano or more like the decks? get with the times slowpoke

it doesn't rely on other instruments, you can create synth samples on a laptop, burn them to vinyl then scratch away, who needs traditional instruments?

 

[rokkolpo]

Yes it is.
In the same way that a collage is a real work of art.

It's an instrument that takes sounds from other instruments in order to make it's own.

 

[Alex Cowan]

I doubt Bach will approve of this as an instrument.

I doubt Bach would have approved of Mozart. Music is relative to its time.

 

[DarkRyter]

It is a tool for the creation of music.

Thus, it is a musical instrument.

 

[Aris Khandr]

Me thinks you have a narrow view of the genre, if you can't figure out where the sample is from then surely there is no difference from it being original as far as you hearing it goes.

What about DJs who press their own vinyls with self recorded samples on? what then smarty pants? sorry about the smarty pants, smarty pants

Juvenile flaming attempts aside, yes, there is a difference. A turntable is still completely incapable of producing original content. "Musical tool" seems like the perfect fit.

 

[Tipsy Giant]

Me thinks you have a narrow view of the genre, if you can't figure out where the sample is from then surely there is no difference from it being original as far as you hearing it goes.

What about DJs who press their own vinyls with self recorded samples on? what then smarty pants? sorry about the smarty pants, smarty pants

Juvenile flaming attempts aside, yes, there is a difference. A turntable is still completely incapable of producing original content. "Musical tool" seems like the perfect fit.

can you name an "instrument" that can make the same sounds as this musical "Tool"?

 

[DarkRyter]

Me thinks you have a narrow view of the genre, if you can't figure out where the sample is from then surely there is no difference from it being original as far as you hearing it goes.

What about DJs who press their own vinyls with self recorded samples on? what then smarty pants? sorry about the smarty pants, smarty pants

Juvenile flaming attempts aside, yes, there is a difference. A turntable is still completely incapable of producing original content. "Musical tool" seems like the perfect fit.

"Tool" and "Instrument" synonymous.

And what, about, say an entire song based upon scratching?

Like, this dog. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQhHHMmPKc4

 

[tigermilk]

Eric B and Rakim (which ever one of them used turntables) shows a deftness of touch and ability to utilise turntables to produce beautiful sounds/music.

It was Eric B, and god was he awesome.

It dawned on me that I was listening to 'Paid in Full' on the way to work today savouring a few last moments of pleasure listening to the line "The R to the A to the K I aM" meaning I should have been able to work it out. But yes they he was awesome.

 

[johnzaku]

I feel if it takes skill to produce music with it, then yes it's an instrument.

A trash can can be an instrument =]

EDIT: see the post below for info on my image =D