Poll: Turntables, an instrument?!

[Tipsy Giant]

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.

If I hand a sitar player a guitar, can he play every note of his scale on it, or on any western instrument for that matter, I think you are a little hung up on notation.

A single drum..... only plays the one note, is that an instrument?

 

[ClassicJokester]

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

This, I can't say it any better.
I'd say that it's an instrument. It fits the definition of an instrument, so why not?

You can't really write music for it, but that's because it's so different from classical instruments that standard notation would have no meaning.

Here's an interesting question for everyone who says it isn't an instrument, and it's users aren't musicians.

Spoiler: Would you say this man is a musician?

I'm not asking if you enjoy his music (it has rhythm, it is music), but if you believe it isn't music, can you give a reason that it doesn't follow one of the 9 (or 8, depending) Elements of Music?

 

[Tipsy Giant]

Music a medium of art is subjective. One person may not find something art but another person might. Personally I love Turntablism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLrnkK2YEcE

was listening to this in the car the other day, a classic.

Dexter shouldn't have bunked school

 

[Zyst]

snip

Yes, but that's your subjective view of an instrument, the definition of a musical instrument is on my first post, and I think it qualifies quite easily as an instrument.

Also, denying Turntables like you are would be like denying electrical keyboards because the sounds are pre-programmed into it to get the sound you desire.

 

[Aris Khandr]

If I hand a sitar player a guitar, can he play every note of his scale on it, or on any western instrument for that matter, I think you are a little hung up on notation.

Yeah, and if you had a pianist a trumpet, she won't have a clue how to read the music either. But with a little practice, she'll figure it out.

But let's get off the notation, if you wish. We'll talk about how a turntable is completely incapable of making music, simply distorting music that was already made. It's the musical equivalent of calling a ransom letter made from letters cut out of a magazine "art".

 

[GothmogII]

If I hand a sitar player a guitar, can he play every note of his scale on it, or on any western instrument for that matter, I think you are a little hung up on notation.

Yeah, and if you had a pianist a trumpet, she won't have a clue how to read the music either. But with a little practice, she'll figure it out.

But let's get off the notation, if you wish. We'll talk about how a turntable is completely incapable of making music, simply distorting music that was already made. It's the musical equivalent of calling a ransom letter made from letters cut out of a magazine "art".

Which you know...you can do, the real question being is it -good- art, which actually is still a monstrously vague question in its own right.

While I get what you are digging at, the turntable not being an instrument because it does not fulfil your certain criteria, what about the human voice? Spoons? Banging two sticks together? Banging two sticks together on some animal hide?

Just seems the only word you're getting up about is 'instrument'. I think though the OP's perturbation is more that people seem to have a lesser opinion of the turntable as a musical tool. I don't think that example he provided was especially good though.

 

[Distorted Stu]

They help make the music and require talent to use them in time to the beat and music. So yes, they are.

 

[FolkLikePanda]

Meh, I don't think they're an instrument but they do take skill to use them properly. I don't seem them as skillful as trumpets or pianos or guitars etc. far from it.

 

[Tipsy Giant]

Meh, I don't think they're an instrument but they do take skill to use them properly. I don't seem them as skillful as trumpets or pianos or guitars etc. far from it.

having played guitar and piano before the decks are harder to learn if anything

 

[Tipsy Giant]

If I hand a sitar player a guitar, can he play every note of his scale on it, or on any western instrument for that matter, I think you are a little hung up on notation.

Yeah, and if you had a pianist a trumpet, she won't have a clue how to read the music either. But with a little practice, she'll figure it out.

But let's get off the notation, if you wish. We'll talk about how a turntable is completely incapable of making music, simply distorting music that was already made. It's the musical equivalent of calling a ransom letter made from letters cut out of a magazine "art".

my point was that there are more notes in eastern notation, therefor you couldn't play an eastern piece on a western instrument

 

[Aris Khandr]

Which you know...you can do, the real question being is it -good- art, which actually is still a monstrously vague question in its own right.

Actually, being good at it has nothing to do with it. I'd be rubbish at the violin, but it is still a musical instrument.

Just seems the only word you're getting up about is 'instrument'. I think though the OP's perturbation is more that people seem to have a lesser opinion of the turntable as a musical tool. I don't think that example he provided was especially good though.

"Musical tool" would be a far better descriptor.

 

[JaceArveduin]

not too sure how electric guitars and piano's work, but im pretty sure an electric guitar works basically the same way as an acoustic, it just has to have a speaker to be as loud.

 

[Alex Cowan]

According to OCR (exam board) they are. I managed to get hold of the complete syllabus for GCSE Music, and there was a good 7/8 pages devoted to the specifics of preparing and marking a turntablist in a performance exam, as well as how to facilitate their use in the composition element of the exam. "Candidates must demonstrate a variety of scratching and mixing techniques" was under the same category as "Candidates must demonstrate fluency in a wide variety of dynamics and timbres" is in the section governing 'standard'instrumental performance.Playing them requires a sense of rhythm and musicality plus a good deal of skill, and as such they can indeed be considered an instrument.

 

[Tipsy Giant]

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

Edited!

Better?

 

[Chased]

I play primarily electric guitar (LTD EC-1000 Deluxe as of now) and though I know how to play chords, scales, pentatonics, etc. I do not know the notes on the fretboard nor do I know how to read music. I just play by ear and use tabs. I couldn't give a shit if I'm playing an E#, it's all about the sound that is produced.

As long as whatever your using is used to produce sound in some enjoyable way than its an instrument in my book. I'm a big fan of turntables, my favorite turntablist would have to be Cut Chemist. I think learning to play the turntables is more difficult that other instruments in some respect, since they're is no where nearly as many tutorials or instructors for that sort of thing.

 

[GothmogII]

Which you know...you can do, the real question being is it -good- art, which actually is still a monstrously vague question in its own right.

Actually, being good at it has nothing to do with it. I'd be rubbish at the violin, but it is still a musical instrument.

Just seems the only word you're getting up about is 'instrument'. I think though the OP's perturbation is more that people seem to have a lesser opinion of the turntable as a musical tool. I don't think that example he provided was especially good though.

"Musical tool" would be a far better descriptor.

I was more referring to your "It's the musical equivalent of calling a ransom letter made from letters cut out of a magazine "art"."

Again, it falls into the realm of personal opinion, I can see that suicide letter hanging on someone's wall. To be honest, I've never read a completely convincing piece on the subject that demonstrates that art can be purely rated (or can be primarily rated as such) objectively.

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.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Depends on how it is used, certain types of scratching effectively turn it into a musical instrument, you'll screw your records up pretty quickly doing it though.

 

[GothmogII]

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!

 

[tigermilk]

Having never attempted to play a musical instrument (turntables or otherwise) I don't feel entirely qualified to vote.

I do believe/presume though the work of Jazzy Jeff or 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.

Off Topic: Recently been reading 'Will Pop Eat Itself' about sampling as a post-modern medium.

 

[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.