We dropped into the Thud Rumble labs recently and linked up with three members of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz: Qbert, ShortKut, and D-Styles. These three guys have been rocking the turntables and sporting some mad turntablist skills for quite a long time, so we took the opportunity to pick their brains about techniques. For those that are in the Bay Area, all three will be performing at a special show called “Fader Fest” this Saturday. Yours truly will also be rocking my own special brand of faders for a special controllerism set. More info after the jump…

As a recap, the two major practice tips from the video were:

  1. Look to vocalists for voicing inspiration and try to copy their patterns (this will develop your ear)
  2. Use your voice, and your imagination to visualize the phrase and then let your fingers follow.

I was recently talking with Zakir Housain (quite arguably the world’s most famous drummer) about how he practices and Zakir had the following to say:

“I practice all day long, with my mind. I am constantly imagining and playing rhythms in my head. Then, when it comes time to play, I just let my hands follow the mind. “

Are you seeing a pattern here folks!? Jump into the matrix and anything is possible..

For more information and tickets hit up the official Fader Fest site here.

I Loved This Article >



  • http://www.facebook.com/matthewmelo Matt Melo

    What can you say about these guys that hasn’t been said. Legends. And I highly recommend their university courses. Breaks a lot of stuff down and you can make it all your own. 

  • se7en

    Whoa. I thought ISP broke up a long time ago.

  • Noelflava

    Nice post, Wish i was in the bay to check you guys out at Mezzanine. 
    Killer sound system! : ) 

  • Lauti

    qbert made me lol

    i wish the video was longer

  • Hacky2311

    Have you ever done any gigs in Europe?
    And will you ever do it? :d

  • ganove

    nice one :D pinoy turntablism!

  • Westie

    Q-bert is jokes

  • Anonymous

    Those white vestax turntables looked fresh. I wonder if that was an overlay.

  • Darrin Bisson

    as shortcuts t said – they are the illest. Sounds like Ean has a more structured approach and is methodical when it comes to controllerism compared to the three isp’s interviewed just kinda feel the beat.

  • DJSP

    So true!  Scratching is like a feeling so there is freedom in the expression.  It can be ridge & on beat or jazzy with a swing.  Being able to express that creativity is where talent and persistence (as he would say “practice”) come to play.

  • proben

    the thing is, they don’t “just kinda feel the beat” until after years of consistent practice.  Practicing “in your mind” like the drummer says only works after you have really trained your body to keep up with your thoughts.

  • proben

    “Yours truly will also be rocking my own special brand of faders” … for real?  Is this a tease for an upcoming DJTT project?

  • djtonyok

    True talent is when you make things look so effortless, like these guys.

  • 4real

    dont you feel silly hitting buttons infront of people after that video?

  • project x

    They made limited edition white pdx 2000′s a few years after they came out if  iremember correctly and dark blue ones too, they looked really good and i always wished id waited when i got mine and had a pair.

  • Anonymous

    I wish I had the opportunity to learn on turntables. *sigh*……click click click…

  • Johan

    reminds me why I still have my turntables instead of an S4 or something like that

  • armyofme4340

    Why? It’s just a different technology. They are not even meant to be on the same level. I appreciate what you are trying to say, but I feel as though you mean harm instead of constructive criticism.

    George Duke, just hits buttons/keys on a piano.

    Jel, just hits buttons on an MPC.

    Ean, just hits buttons on a midifighter.

    Daedelus, just hits buttons on a monome.

    The Bloody Beetroots, just hit buttons on a kaoss pad and synth.

    I, just hit buttons on my maschine, launchpad, midifighter, and the BUTTON that starts to my turntables.

    My point is, it’s just technology. Whether you push, pull, or scratch, it’s all a medium for expressing yourself. So my bad for just hitting buttons. Hitting those buttons makes me happy and enjoy music.

    Qbert would be ashamed of your comment.

  • Cybertrash

    Gotta give it to Q-bert, he’s arguably one of the most famous turntablists out there, and he’s still got the introspection to be able to joke about what he does. I think that’s respectable.

  • RBX

    The late 80s and through to the late 90s saw DJ battling at its peak.  Because of the competitive nature of battling, no DJ wanted to reveal how they did their tricks and some would even cover up the labels to stop you knowing what the record is too.  It was the skratch piklz which were the ones winning all the battles, however were also one of the first really open up and start teaching people exactly what they do in order to progress the art.  Hip-hop is a school of hard knocks and really is based on exclusion until you earn you worth rather than a nurturing exchange of ideas. 

    It seems only fitting that the reins are handed to Ean Golden as both the Piklz and Ean are both such pioneers in their fields but really sets them apart is the willingness to teach others improve the artform as a whole.

  • 4real

    Technology always takes a backseat to true talent and passion, a great example of this is Ean’s always at the bottom of the flyer.

  • Armyofme4340

    Why are you even here?

    It’s a thud rumble event, if course their names will be on top.

    So are you telling me bloody beetroots, daedalus, and duke all go on the bottom of the flyer.

    Your comment doesnt even make sense. All musical instruments are technology. Those turntables are technology. If it wasn’t for those turntables qbert wouldn’t be qbert. How are you any less talented because you push buttons rather than pulling a record?

    You can hate on ean as much as you want, but he got to rock out with qbert. Look at what just hitting buttons got him. A successful company, product development, and the chance to jam with qbert.

    Forgive me fellow readers as I have just feed the troll.

  • http://twitter.com/skratchworx skratchworx

    Now what did I do with that clip of a certain gangly long haired Chris Cartledge getting a scratch lesson from D-Styles that he won at skratchworx years ago? ;) 

  • 4real

    The difference between Ean and all the people you keep ignorantly naming is… THEY ARE PRODUCERS… they made what they’re playing, they can perform it however they want. They have influence upon the genres they play, they have massive following for their music. – Ean is not famous for music – his ‘fame’ is from selling sh!t with free mappings.

  • Doug Brown

    Say what you like about Ean, the technology, whatever. He’s sharing a stage with the Invisbl Skratch Piklz. I trust their judgment better than some dickweed on the internet.

  • J.Bates

    damn, shortkut got fat.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=889370654 David De Garie-Lamanque

    all hail Zakir Hussain! that guy sounds like he’s always playing 24 tabla drums simultaneously!

  • http://www.facebook.com/SirchOne Christopher SirchOne Pollinger

    wow, i’d put $$ on it that your name has never even been on a flyer.. go chode around somewhere else.

  • http://www.facebook.com/SirchOne Christopher SirchOne Pollinger

    wow, i’d put $$ on it that your name has never even been on a flyer.. go chode around somewhere else.

  • http://www.facebook.com/SirchOne Christopher SirchOne Pollinger

    good for you..

  • http://www.facebook.com/SirchOne Christopher SirchOne Pollinger

    good for you..

  • http://www.facebook.com/SirchOne Christopher SirchOne Pollinger

    yeah you did.. i think 4real is just upset about some things.. probably afraid of controllers. oh no buttons! 

  • http://www.facebook.com/SirchOne Christopher SirchOne Pollinger

    yeah you did.. i think 4real is just upset about some things.. probably afraid of controllers. oh no buttons! 

  • Leslie Jones

    Wow… Totally shutting it down with Good Groove by Derek B.

    A vinyl I totally wrecked in the days of way back. :)

  • Leslie Jones

    Wow… Totally shutting it down with Good Groove by Derek B.

    A vinyl I totally wrecked in the days of way back. :)

  • Leslie Jones

    Obvious troll is being obvious.

    Take a hike if you can’t like.

  • Leslie Jones

    Obvious troll is being obvious.

    Take a hike if you can’t like.

  • da neetlejuice

    I was really diggin the white 12′s and vestax mixer at 2:13 :P

  • da neetlejuice

    I was really diggin the white 12′s and vestax mixer at 2:13 :P

  • randomguy

    sounds awesome if you can find it, d-styles is sick

  • http://www.djtechtools.com/2011/10/17/video-spotlight-fader-fest-interview-with-ean/ DJ TechTools  |  Video Spotlight: Fader Fest Interview with Ean

    [...] City sent us over this awesome video and interview with Ean at last month’s Fader Fest in San Francisco. We wanted share it with all of you – hear Ean talk about performing, and [...]

  • http://plate.pp.ua/65452 Video Spotlight: Fader Fest Interview with Ean » Dj tech reviews » plate.pp.ua

    [...] City sent us over this awesome video and interview with Ean at last month’s Fader Fest in San Francisco. We wanted share it with all of you – hear Ean talk about performing, and what [...]

  • Pb-star

    The ISP’s look like a bunch of fat losers who never got any sunlight…  I thought DJ’s were supposed to be cool?  David Guetta and Tiesto might have less technical talent, but they definitely kill it at life harder.

  • Pb-star

    The ISP’s look like a bunch of fat losers who never got any sunlight…  I thought DJ’s were supposed to be cool?  David Guetta and Tiesto might have less technical talent, but they definitely kill it at life harder.

  • http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/02/13/online-dj-scratch-schools-comparison/ DJ TechTools  |  Online DJ Scratch Schools Comparison: Which Is Right For You?

    [...] assume that if anyone was going to own the business of teaching the world turntablism, it would be DJ Qbert. And you would be right. QBert’s Skratch University offers a comprehensive curriculum from [...]

  • http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/11/12/why-youre-not-getting-dj-bookings-and-what-to-do-about-it/ DJ TechTools  |  Bedroom DJ Woes: Why You’re Not Getting Booked (And What To Do About It)

    [...] Watch the Invisibl Skratch Piklz give tips_kmq.push(["trackClickOnOutboundLink","link_50a2903963a4f","Article link clicked",{"Title":"Watch the Invisibl Skratch Piklz give tips","Page":"Bedroom DJ Woes: Why You’re Not Getting Booked (And What To Do About It)"}]); on how they practice. [...]

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