Turntables are rotating platforms that refer to either music or technology devices. In the music scene, a turntable is a type of gramophone or phonograph driven by a motor at a constant speed. They are also referred to as a musical instrument of the modern era used in “turntablism.” Turntablism is the art of playing the turntables.

There are also other references in the music scene such as the song from a popular girl group from the nineties called TLC and the so-called “turntable hit,” a hit vinyl single commonly triumphant in the airplay tables than in sales.

In terms of technology, the word turntable is the rail, motor vehicle, display, Lazy Susan, and a pottery wheel. A turntable rail is a device for railroad facilities in order to turn rolling stocks or automotives onto or around the radial arranged tracks. This type is also called a “rotary transfer table.” The motor is a manual or motorized device installed in a garage floor or a driveway. This device rotates motor vehicles to facilitate a safer or an easier outlet of the vehicle.

Those used for display are usually motorized tables solely for displaying various kinds of items. A pottery wheel or a potter’s wheel is also called a turntable for it uses a rotating table to shape the spinning clay. Lazy Susans are also a form of turntable placed at the top of tables so that items particularly food is easily reached even if the person is at a sitting position.

Selecting a Turntable (Musical Instrument)

A lot of people believe that traditional vinyl records give a richer and warmer sound for music. Numerous disc jockeys or DJs are experts in playing turntables for it allows them easy control and operation so as to what music is played. Although our technology is somehow out of date, you can still see turntables in various places.

You must first take note on the kinds and number of outputs you want or need to have in your turntable. There are some recently manufactured that come with USB connectors. This makes transferring of music from LP to the computer as easy as snapping your fingers. Make sure that the product you are going to buy properly connects with your mixing board, computer, and speakers.

Turntables not vibrating too much are more preferable. Look for those that appear to be durable. If possible, ask for warranties. Those made of plastic are not advisable for they are not durable. It also tends to vibrate more. Vibrations may disrupt the sound and adversely affect the audio quality.

Bend over to the belt-drive type of turntables meaning the motor inside that turns a belt and makes records spin. Direct-drives spin records automatically though they also disrupt the music because of vibrations. On the other hand, belt-drive turntables reduce the vibrations thus giving you a clearer sound. If you are into DJ scratching, select the direct-drive type to allow better control.

Make sure that your turntable has a very good seclusion from the stylus. Check this by playing a vinyl record and slightly tapping the turntable’s base. Thumps or clicks indicate that it is made of less solid construction and therefore less durable also.

Sometimes it is also advisable to look for a certain brand trusted to produce quality products. You could gather reviews from different media and personal testimonials from current users to get an idea.



By: David Urmann

As I already have a turntable is it possible to purchase software and leads for this purpose.I bought a Magix software system for this purpose a few years ago but found it impossible to follow as it was couched in the most technical of terms.
Found excellent software on internet.Polderbits.com.free 2 weeks trial.Dead easy to use.

I get the calls all the time, “Buster I’m building a studio… what should I buy.”

Well truth be told my buddies in the manufacturing industry might not like what I suggest, because I am going to steer you away from normal choices. Ill give you the same advice I give them and that is to get nose out of the Musicians Friend catalog. Once that is done we can then find a great solution that will work for your unique purposes and get you the biggest bang for the buck.

New Shiny Gear!!

Ok, the allure of unpacking a piece of new gear from its bubble wrap may be exciting but if you really want to get the biggest bang for your buck you are going to have to piss off those big-box retailers like Guitar Mart, and start scouring Ebay and Craigslist.

There are some great pieces of gear that have tons of life that won’t break the bank.

The end use must be kept in mind. For instance if you are going to run a commercial multi-tracking facility then you will want something completely different than if you are simply composing your own songs.

Consider your requirements honestly and see if a used 002 may work for you . People are unloading them all the time as they upgrade. It has practically the same features as the new rigs with much less cost. Save the money and use it to buy a better microphone, which is really what you need anyway.

If you are considering laying out the bones for a big HD system first consider if you could get by with a 003 expanded. You could buy a nice firewire interface for under a grand to expand your real time tracking capability to a full 18 tracks at a time. And the real bonus, you will be thousands ahead in budget. With a beefy enough computer you can run all the same plugins as the HTDM system but, you will be able to afford more of them.

The Plugin Game

Ok, if you are going to take a project from recording to mixdown in your studio then you are going to need some quality plugins – bottom line. Plugins give you the pallet to create polished and produced sounding mixes. So spend your money wisely. This is also an area where you can pick up some used gems as well. Many of the best plugs are for sale used on Ebay for fractions of their retail price. Purchasing is simply a matter of transferring the iLok asset from the seller to you. It does involve a transfer fee but for the savings on the plugin it is well worth the effort.

The Other Stuff

For all the other gear – you know the boring stuff like mics, stands and headphones – look for used gear as well. But when it comes to critical chain items such as microphones, buy names.

I see way too many people make the amateur mistake of buying no-name gear which is touted to be the same as say a Neumann [ it looks like one after all]. This is a rookie mistake.

You picked Protools because it is what the pros use right? Why shouldn’t you make your critical chain (mics, pres compressors) purchase decisions based on the same information. Spend wisely and you will have a piece of gear that serves you well for decades. Spend foolishly and you will waste money by having to upgrade to what you should have purchased the first time.



By: Buster McAlister

Not sure what’s happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Gambling With The Devil gets. Gambling With The Devil put simply is one of their best CDs to date.

The CD launches with a great track, Crack The Riddle, that I suspect will be heard on radio stations everywhere, and deservedly so. It’s a really nice track.

Gambling With The Devil is a nicely varied, mix of 12 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly talented musicians. Most of the songs display a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Seemingly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own personal experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, and the pain of failed relationships can certainly be heard.

I’m of the opinion that Gambling With The Devil is certainly some of this groups best work in a few years. A totally enjoyable CD and an outstanding release. What I call must have music. I give it two thumbs up because it’s a collection that even the casual Heavy Metal fan can appreciate and enjoy.

While this entire CD is really very good the truly standout tunes are track 2 – Kill It, track 7 – The Bells Of The 7 Hells, and track 12 – Heaven Tells No Lies.

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 10 – Can Do It. It’s a great track!

Gambling With The Devil Release Notes:

Helloween originally released Gambling With The Devil on October 23, 2007 on the Steamhammer Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Crack The Riddle (Intro)

2. Kill It

3. Saints, The

4. As Long As I Fall

5. Paint A New World

6. Final Fortune

7. Bells Of The 7 Hells, The

8. Fallen To Pieces

9. I.M.E.

10. Can Do It

11. Dreambound

12. Heaven Tells No Lies



By: Clyde Lee Dennis

i also would like any reccommendations on software where i can make my own instrumentals and beats.

Are you into music? If so, then perhaps its time to take music to the next level. Buying turntables allows you to make that happen, and this article will help you in finding out more about turntables and what is next! So join me as we look deeper into buying turntables.

It is one thing to listen to music, it is a far different reality to be able to mix music. Suddenly compilations don’t quite do it. You have a new edge, and when you listen to music, you might know certain tracks would be better together.

So the desire for DJ’ing is born! It is the most fascinating way to make progress! And this is an immense hobby which one day could pay for itself, and further catapult you to stardom!

So what is required? The DJ has a few pieces of equipment that are essential. The first is turntables. And when buying turntables you will be presented with 2 types. One is direct drive and the other is belt drive. But, if you really are serious about DJ’ing, then it is a wise idea to invest into direct drive turntables.

When buying turntables, you will need to remember to buy two! One turntable is no way to be able to mix, and there is a need for 2!

Next you need a mixer, and these sometimes can be found as part of turntables. Often you will want to buy this separate, and it enables you to switch between the turntables, as well as do some amazing stuff on higher end versions like add special effects!

The most important aspect is the music. And a good DJ will have lots of records or CD’s. I have seen DJ’s with several room full of records! So once you buy turntables, you will want to stock up and invest in music. More you have the better.

Remember practice makes perfect, and practice each day, and you could find that you could become the next Carl Cox!



By: Sarah Reddingworth

It’s All About The Scales

If you want to be able to play great guitar solos you have to absolutely master scales. By master I mean you have to really internalize the scales. You have to be able to hear them in your ears and visualize them (on the fretboard) with your eyes.

Learn A Variety Of Scales

If you want your guitar solos to avoid the boredom factor then you will definitely want to learn more than just the basic pentatonic scale. It’s a good idea to learn all kinds of scales from blues scales to jazz scales to more exotic “ethnic” scales.

The Blues Scale

A great scale to start off with is the blues scale as it’s so often used in rock n roll music. The blues scale is a 6 tone minor scale. It’s just like the minor pentatonic scale except a flatted 5th is added to it.

An Example Of A Blues Scale

In the key of E, a blues scale includes the following notes: E, G, A, Bb, B, & D. It’s a good idea to not just learn the “boxes” but to learn what notes you are playing too. This will allow you to have a better idea of what you are doing so that you can make your scales more musical sounding.

Be Musical

In order to really have a great guitar soloing technique by mastering guitar scales you need to approach them from a musical stand point. That means not just playing scales up and down but only using them as a foundation for your melodic expressions. In order to do this well you will need to be thinking in terms of notes, not in terms of patterns.



By: Johnny Moon

If you have been looking for DJ equipment, you may be wondering where to go to find the best deals. It can be hard finding DJ equipment, let alone finding the best deals! This article, however will show you several options and sources which can allow you to find the best deals.

DJ equipment is not readily available, though it is popular, it is not as popular as televisions or computers, so finding DJ equipment won’t be something you will find on every street corner with stores!

So what are you to do? Some consumer electronic stores will have DJ products, and you may find turntables. However, often these equipment are the less needed belt drive versions. So basically you have a limited range of choice.

So what are the other options? One of them is direct mail. Many magazines dedicated to music and musicians have advertisements for DJ products.

The problem with this option is that you don’t see much information on the product. Though prices are great, often delivery for these items takes a while. So you could find yourself waiting as long as 14 days or longer for delivery.

Another solution is to go online, where you can find a great amount of stores selling DJ equipment. This is a great option due to the huge number of options.

Often online stores will have much better prices than retail equivalents. The saving the stores make by not needing expensive retail space, as well as, as many sales staff getting commissions, then they pass savings onto you!

The result is immense, and prices which are totally amazing, when compared with specialist stores. These online companies deliver, which is a bonus, and what’s more they generally can have a wider range of products.



By: Sarah Reddingworth

I’m trying to buy my boyfriend a turntable for his birthday. He’s very musical, plays multiple instruments and records his own music. He’s interested in sampling and has started collecting vinyl. I want to get him the best quality I can afford (max price range about $250) but I have no idea what to buy. I know he is currently using the Ableton Live 7 program for some of his other projects.

iPod is the latest sensation in the market and it has completely replaced the old portable devices for listening music. Transferring the latest songs to iPod is easy, you can just download the song and sync the iPod through iTunes and do the transfer. What happens when you want to Convert LPs to iPod?

Believe me, It is a great amount of work and in fact, very tedious. First you need to get all sort of cables to connect your turntable to your computer and since the most turntables don’t have an in-built amplifier, you might just end up getting a poor quality recording. No Joy. If you are not an expert in recording, you may buy sound card to get the quality recordings and It might not work as well.

You need to record from your turntable to your computer and then edit the recordings to save them in mp3 format. Then sync the iPod and transfer songs from your compute to iPod. This process takes really long time.

Now your don’t need to go through all this, there is a hardware device called LP to iPod Converter which does the job really easy. All you need to do is, play the LP and put your iPod on the dock of this LP to iPod Converter. By using this device, you can easily Convert LPs to iPod and save lots of time and hassle. This device automatically save the music to iPod in mp3 format and you are ready to listen it as soon as you finish the recording from turntable.

Apart from this, you can use this LP to iPod Converter to play your precious records and convert them to iPod If you want. This device also acts as a USB sound card. It means that you can connect this turntable to USB port of your computer and It will act as a sound card! What else you need?



By: R. K. Jain