i'm very new to this just would like to know. when dj's are scratching why do they use there fader?and do you have to use it every time? and what your fader when you scratch????

oop's on that last "?" i meant to say and what does your fader do when you scratch?

well, I don't scratch, but I think I know why...

What they try to do is for the people not to hear the "wicka-wicka" when you back spin and such. The move the fader to the other side whenever they do that, no sound makes it stand out.

Now, if you want the "wicka-wicka" I wouldn't personally use the fader.

It makes the scratching and cutting sound more clean. Plus its also used as an "audible backstage" for the dj to cue up another scratch sample. To hide the sound before unleashing it to the crowd.

I'm moving this to the proper forum, turntablism!

(For pulling back of the record Im putting doen ----- to designate the pull back sound)
Ok...for basics such as stabs and such, it makes it so instead of Fresh-----Fresh-----Fresh----- You instead hear a very clean sounding Fresh Fresh Fresh.
For transforms and chirps (Think Jazzy Jeff back in the day) the sound you get instead of Freee--RFre---Fr--Fres---Fresh, instead you get a sound like Fre Freee Free Fr Fresh.
The list goes on and on. In the end its a way of making the possibilities of new sounds larger than just pushing and pulling the record. Look on the web for scratching tutorials, there are more than a few out there.
Drew

Jazzy Jeff! Those were the good ol' days...

This procedure is used for numerous reasons. The Fader creates a combination of scratches that you can create in your mind, and out into the speaker.

FOR EX: Crabing with the fader creates a quick transform effect without really doing anything with the record. All you have to do with the record is move it up, or down in a smooth continuous flow. Orbit is another fader combination technique that is done by 2 clicks foward, and 2 clicks back. This will create a cool sound if done proberly. If you start scratching you'll start understanding down the road what it is all about.

hi
im a scratchin dj and u use the fader for many,many reasons,one is:when all the pros are doing the scratching that sounds like its been sampled through a computer but really its not.what there doin is playing the sample through one turntable that might say "rock on(scratch)" then the other one with "keep on rockin" what they do is play sample one then 2 than while its playing do a backspin to the start of sample 1 and play that, then while its playing backspin to the start of sample 2.
i know its really confusing,but i hope it helped