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Chapter 16

Scratch Pad
Power Tips
76 Scratching triplets
The triplet feel is common to a lot of hip-hop music. Triplets are three notes played in the space of one beat (or other
note value). It’s a tricky rhythm to master, so we’ll give it to you in steps! For these exercises, select P51 and start V A5.
Also, call up Scratch 07.
First, try this straight eighth-note rhythm. While the Pattern is
playing, scratch up and down (forward and back) each beat. Tap
your foot and count the rhythm out while scratching!
Now, try out eighth-note triplets. Instead of two notes for each
beat, you’ll be scratching three notes. This is a bit difficult, since
it may sound as if you’re fighting the rhythm! Try to keep the
three scratches as even as possible. You may even want to try
scratching and counting without the Pattern — just to get used
to this tricky feel!
Let’s pick up the pace a bit with some sixteenth-note triplets. For this, you’ll probably want to slow down the bpm.
That’ll make it easier for you to master the feel! To start with, set the bpm to about 50, and practice the exercise below
until you’ve got it. Then bump the speed up about 5 bpm to 55, and try again. Keep doing this, increasing the speed a
little bit each time, until you’re comfortable scratching sixteenth notes at the normal bpm. Keep the scratches as even as
possible — no matter what the bpm!
Remember, this is just an exercise... Playing all sixteenth notes throughout the rhythm is bound to be boring! Try mix-
ing up your scratching — doing sixteenth notes for just one beat or less, and leaving spaces or putting in odd accents.
Keep in mind too that not all of the DJX-IIB Patterns lend themselves equally to triplet scratching. Some work well,
some are a bit hard to scratch to, and a few may not work with triplets at all! Select some different Patterns and try it
out for yourself, looking for what works and what doesn’t.
Scratch
(up/down):
Count:
Tap with
your foot:
1 - and 2 - and 3 - and 4 - and
Scratch
(up/down):
Count:
Tap with
your foot:
3 3 3 3
1 - 2 - 3 2 - 2 - 3 3 - 2 - 3 4 - 2 - 3
Scratch
(up/down):
Count:
3 3 3 3
1 - 2 - 3
1 - 2 1 - 2 1 - 2 1 - 2
2 - 2 - 3 1 - 2 - 3 2 - 2 - 3
Tap with
your foot:
3 3 3 3
1 - 2 - 3 2 - 2 - 3 1 - 2 - 3 2 - 2 - 3