The Chirp: A Core Technique
At this point, you should notice that your fader control is improving and the timing between your record hand and fader hand is becoming more precise. As your coordination develops, your scratches should be sounding noticeably cleaner. You can now see that notation and repetition are key to building coordination and control of the fader. From here, the real work begins to tie it all together for what’s next.
The Chirp is a technique that stays with you once you’ve learned it. It remains valuable no matter how good you get, and it is a true staple that never gets old and makes it easier to learn other techniques that involve the fader.
Understanding the Chirp
A lot of DJs aspire to start using the Chirp because it looks and sounds impressive. With the fader opening and closing, it gives the impression that a lot is happening when you’re scratching. The “bird chirping” sound it’s known for is also part of what draws people in.
What’s often misunderstood is where those sounds come from. It may seem like the chirping sound comes from the speed of the record, but it is actually created by shaping the sound’s envelope by cutting the attack and release.
Having a solid understanding of rhythm and a good feel for the beat allows you to spend less energy on what to play and focus more on refining the technique. Without structure, you may find yourself struggling with both. With time, you can begin to shape the sound of the Chirp by adding dynamics and articulation.
The Chirp: A Bridge to Other Techniques
The Chirp is an entry point into other scratching techniques. While all techniques involve moving the record forward and backward, or opening and closing the fader, the Chirp teaches you to do it precisely for each note in a rhythmic pattern. As you move on to other techniques where timing may be less uniform, the Chirp practice gives you the control to use the fader exactly when needed.
Practicing the Chirp
The Chirp should be a mainstay in your practice routine.
Regular fader work strengthens how well your record hand and fader hand are syncing. Practicing with notation gives you a mental image of the rhythm instead of only relying on what you hear, making the rhythm easier to understand and recall while practicing the record and fader movements. Working with written rhythms, especially quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes, gives you a consistent set of patterns to practice, making it easier to compare how the technique sounds each time and track improvements in timing and control.
Including the Chirp in your routine is about maintenance and continuous improvement. It’s less about learning something new and more about regularly refining the technique, ensuring consistent progress over time.
The original transcript for the video is below.
Rhythm 1
What's up? We are going to continue chirping eighth notes. This time we will focus on quarter notes, eighth notes, and eighth rests. If you don’t know how to count music, or you are unfamiliar with these terms, check out our baby scratch series and get yourself caught up. That series covers the basics on how to count music. You can find a link to the sheet music and everything else mentioned in this video in the description below. Ok, let’s get started. The tempo is at 85 beats per minute. Here we go!
Rhythm 1
Let's play that one more time. But this time let’s focus on counting out loud. We want to make sure that we don’t play on the eighth rest at the beginning of the second measure. We want to count out loud, so that we are right on beat. Alright here we go!
Rhythm 2
Let’s move on to the next rhythm and continue to concentrate on our counting. Try to focus on the count to the best of your ability. We aren’t just counting; we are also trying to develop our ability to concentrate. Ok, let’s dive into rhythm number two!
Rhythm 3
Let's move on to the third rhythm and continue to work on our concentration. We want to get better at focusing. Part of good practicing is developing our ability to concentrate. We want to play accurately, so we have to really focus on it. Here we go!
Rhythm 4
We are going to move on to the fourth and final rhythm. We are going continue to work on our concentration while we count out loud. If you focus on the count, you should have an easier time progressing and getting better. Alright, here we go!
There you have it. I hope that you enjoyed this video. Part of good practicing is developing the ability to concentrate. If you want to take your game to the next level, be sure to check out our premium content. Our Made Easy Method is structured, and it takes all of the mystery out of scratching. Thank for watching! If you have any comments, please leave them in the section below. See you next video! Peace!
FAQs
1. What creates the Chirp’s bird-like sound?
The Chirp’s bird-like sound is created by shaping the sound’s envelope by cutting the attack and release.
2. Why is a solid understanding of rhythm important for the Chirp?
A solid understanding of rhythm and a good feel for the beat are important for the Chirp because they allow you to spend less energy on what to play and focus more on refining the technique.
3. How does the Chirp prepare you for other scratching techniques?
The Chirp prepares you for other scratching techniques by teaching you to do it precisely for each note in a rhythmic pattern.
4. Why is notation useful when practicing the Chirp?
Notation is useful when practicing the Chirp because it makes it easier to see and hear how the record strokes fit within the music.
Summary
The Chirp teaches you to move the record forward and backward and open and close the fader for each note in a rhythmic pattern. Practicing with notation gives you a mental image of the rhythm instead of only relying on what you hear, making the rhythm easier to understand and recall while practicing the record and fader movements.
About the Authors
Jason E. Bullock and M. Dwayne Bullock (DjRoninTokyo) are the creators of Scratching Made Easy and the authors of Scratching Made Easy Turntable Method Book 1: A Guide to Scratching. They created a scratch notation system that uses standard musical notation to apply fundamental music concepts to scratching.
Pt. 4 → Pt. 5
Continue to: How I Learned to Scratch With the Cross Fader - The Chirp (Part 5)
