In this lesson, we scratch a phrase that ends with a quarter note and transition into the next track on beat 3. The lesson also emphasizes practicing these exercises with both hands and addresses the challenge of developing a weaker hand so you can scratch consistently with either hand.
Below is the original transcript from the video.
What’s up? In this video, we are going to work on scratching a phrase and dropping it on beat 3. We are going to end the phrase with a quarter note, and the transition will happen on beat 3. Just a quick heads-up: if you aren’t using the same track as I am in this video, make sure the beat 3 you are using is easy to scratch with. If you want to use ours, the link is in the description. Let’s check out the phrase. Here we go!
Rhythm 1 Phrase
I’ve mentioned this for a minute, but it needs to be addressed because it’s really important. All of these exercises should be practiced with both hands. That’s right, both hands. If you can’t scratch with both hands yet, now is the best time to start. Alright! Let’s keep it moving and go over the transition. Here we go!
Rhythm 2 Transition
If you can’t scratch with both hands yet, it’s no big deal. When I started scratching, I couldn’t do everything consistently with both hands either.
I always wanted to, but I couldn’t. I figured out ways to work around my weaknesses, but to be honest, I never felt comfortable.
That was before my brother introduced me to music theory and created our teaching method. When I started the method, he told me I needed to learn how to scratch with both hands.
At the time, I knew it could be done, but it still felt impossible. I was lagging with my left hand. Needless to say, I was far from thrilled about the request.
I complained about it, but I decided to take on the challenge because of a question he asked me.
He asked, “Do drummers only play with one hand?”
Let us know what you think in the comments.
Peace!
FAQs
1. Should these exercises be practiced with both hands?
Yes. These exercises should be practiced with both hands in order to develop the ability to scratch with either hand.
2. Where does the transition happen in this exercise?
The transition happens on beat 3 after the scratch phrase ends with a quarter note.
3. What should you do if you’re using a different track to scratch with for this exercise?
If you’re using a different track to scratch with for this exercise, make sure beat 3 is easy to scratch with.
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.
Continue to: How I Scratch and Transition into a Song | Lesson 10
