ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scratching

n. uncountable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈskɹætʃɪŋ// UK //skɹˈætʃɪŋ// scratch·ing

n. a way of playing music where a DJ moves a record back and forth by hand. This creates a rhythmic, scraping sound that is very common in hip-hop.

n. a rhythmic technique used by disc jockeys to produce percussive sounds by manually manipulating a vinyl record on a turntable. Often involves moving the record back and forth while adjusting a crossfader.


SIMPLE

The DJ added some scratching to the middle of the song.

CONTEXTUAL

Early hip-hop pioneers transformed the turntable into a musical instrument through the innovative use of scratching.

COMPLEX

While simple scratching is a staple of the genre, master turntablists employ complex patterns and rapid fader movements to create intricate melodic sequences.

Synonyms
Usage

Uncountable when referring to the musical technique; countable when referring to a specific instance or sound.

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