Course Syllabus

Turntablism / ART OF THE SCRATCH DJ: 3 Credits COURSE-MUC 136, Section#0001, CLASS#24021 Spring 2017 (Dates: 01/25/2017 - 05/10/2017; No School on Mon Feb 15th in Observance of Presidents' Day (CAMPUS CLOSED), MON MARCH 13th thru Sun MARCH 19th (Spring Break), Wed May 10th / Final Class Wednesday Evenings: 06:35pm to 09:20pm (On Campus Location: Music Bldg. Room#MUS 136)

Instructor: Ramsey Higgins ([email protected]) Office: Room MB-130 Office Hours: Wednesdays from 3pm till 4pm.

Required Text or Viewing:(Available at SCC Bookstore): NONE

Additional Suggested Reading: BOOK: Turntable Basics by Stephen Webber (2000), Berklee Press. DVD: Scratchlopedia Breaktannica - 100 Secret Skratches DVD ~ DJ QBert DVD: BEAT STREET

Course Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to: explain the historical movement that evolved to the modern art of today’s turntablism. You should be able to demonstrate and explain proper coordination behind using the turntable instrument while executing the specific techniques being taught. You should be able to explain and perform basic scratching techniques, beat juggling and flanging whether on the turntable or CD player. While learning proper exercise and practicing habits, you will learn advanced turntablism techniques and technologies to bring out your signature sound. Prerequisites: None

Attendance:

You should treat the time allotted for this class like a job (DJ residency). This means that you must come to class, including the period scheduled for the final exam. To avoid being marked absent, you should be prompt and not leave early. It is your responsibility to sign the attendance sheet. Take limited breaks at your own discretion. Instructors may drop students with four or more unexcused absences. If you plan to miss a class, inform me (either in person or via e-mail). Assume personal responsibility for missed lecture notes and assignments.

In accordance with the Music Department at SCC, an attendance policy will be enforced as follows:

2 absences = -10 points/1 letter grade 3 absences = -20 points/2 letter grades 4 absences = -30 points/Automatic failure and withdrawal from class 2 tardies or early dismissals = 1 absence

Page 2. Grading

Attendance: 50% Mid-term Exam: 10% Class Presentation ( Lab only ): 20% Final Exam: 20% (Multiple Choice & essay )

Statement of Civility

Instructors at SCC are expected to be professional, courteous, respectful, and empathic to students –

- Begin and end class on time - Be prepared for each class session - Provide academic feedback and grade assignments in a timely manner - Be available for individual consultation - Clarify assignments and inform students of any adjustments to the class schedule

Students are expected to be reflective, courteous, respectful, and emphatic to classmates, instructors, and other College staff assisting in your learning –

- Be in class and be on time - Be prepared for class sessions - Participate in class activities - Follow instructions and complete assignments - Keep up with and turn in assignments - Put forth your best effort - Ask questions when you don’t understand - Maintain knowledge of your grade status - Contact instructor immediately about concerns or situations that interfere with your success in class

Refer to policies in the College catalog and student handbook

Academic Support Services

These services are free to registered students:

Writing Center (LC 379) M-Th: 7:30 AM to 8:30 PM Fridays: 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM

Counseling Services (SC-108) M-Th: 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM Fridays: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

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“WOVen: General education enhances students’ abilities in critically analyzing information and ideas and effectively communicating in Written, Oral, Visual, and Numerical form. General Education is WOVen through the curriculum at Scottsdale Community College.”

(Disability Statement) If you have a specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disability and require academic accommodations, please contact the Disibility Resources & Services office located in SC-144. You will need to provide appropriate documentation of your disibility. Please contact DRS at 480-423-6517.

Labs:

80% of the class is lab which gives direct hands-on training to obtain the techniques being taught. While it’s not required, students are asked to bring at least one turntable or one DJ-CD player, as well as a DJ mixer to the lab sessions. Bonus points may be awarded to students that share their gear (for lab purposes) with other students.

Schedule (Note: This schedule may change depending on class needs)

Week 1: Paper Work & Orientation.

WEEKS – 2 thru 4.

I. History of the Turntablist. A. Names of the original round table. - DJ Grandmaster Flash (Inventor of the peekaboo system now known as cueing). - Kool Herc (Movie – Beatstreet) - Jazzy Jay (Afrika Bambaataa (Movie – Beatstreet) - Soul Sonic Force (Attributed production… futuristic styles combined with Kraftwerk). - DJ Grand Wizard Theodore (Inventor of the backward mass which led to inventing the scratch) - Grandmixer DXT (Herbie Hancock – Rock it w. Live performance on the Grammy music awards)

B. Combination of scratching and manipulation - DJ Cash Money & DJ Jazzy Jeff (Tranformer scratch) 1. Cash Money. (Cross fader) / Performed on Album 2. Jazzy Jeff.(Phono or “POP SWITCH”) Performed on Album 3. DJ Spinbad

C. Beat Juggling – Fathered by DJ STEVE D from the XMEN / Xecutioners Dj Crew.

Page 4.

D. Beginning of scratch crews ( or Turntable Bands. ) 1. Invisible Scratch Picklez  Q-Bert “ New Prizm Scratch in Hawaii” & Mix Master Mike (Using multiple tables for instruments & futuristic scratching), DJ APOLLO, D-STYLES, SHORTCUT( now a BEAT JUNKIE ), DJ FLARE, YOGAFROG, DJ DISK, - (First Team to establish 3 Consecutive World Championships and brought out the first Turntable Band) 2. Beat Junkies preferences on old school b-boy breaks. Ie. Herman Kelly (drummers beat & Break down juggles) - J*ROCC (Founder), DJ Babu, Rhettmatic, Melo*D, Mr. Choc, D-Styles, ICY-ICE, CURSE, SHORTKUT and HAVIK. 3. X-Men (now X-Ecutioners) - DJ Roc Raida, Total Eclipse, Rob Swift, Mister Sinister, Boogie Blind, DJ Precision, Diamond J, Johnny Cash, Exotic E, Sean C. 4. Bulletproof Scratch Hampsters ( Now Bulletproof Space Travellors. ) 5. Rock Steady DJs (also affiliated with DJ Skribble). 6. The 5TH PLATOON – DJ Roli Rho, DJ Vinroc, DJ Kuttin’ Kandi, DJ Neil Armstrong, DJ I-E Merge, DJ Do-Boy, Daddy Dog. 7. Immortal Fader Fyters / IF2 : DJ P-Trix, DJ X-Ist, Dynamix, Clenz Rock, Aslan, Still Wil & DJ Spinobi. 8. THE ALLIES – DJ CRAZE ( Worlds Only 3 X Consecutive DMC Champion & 2 X I.T.F WORLD CHAMPION ) , A-TRAK ( BOYS NOISE, DUCK SAUCE & FOOLS GOLD ) Youngest to win DMC AT 15 yrs old ), DEVELOP, INFAMOUS, SPICTAKULAR, J-SMOKE, KLEVER.

E. Purpose of the DJ & why the turntable was created: - DJ’s could not afford instruments. - Functions as the back bone of the culture of hip- hop and dance music. - Incorporates other elements of hiphop 1. B-boy. 2. Graph artist. 3. M.C.

WEEKS – 5.

II. Coordination A. Record Control (How to move the record back and forth) 1. Hand form (How you hold the record while moving it back and forth) a. Forms may vary, depending on what is comfortable to the artist.

Page 5.

B. Order of Physical Operations 1. Vision (What you see is what you hear) 2. Ears (What you hear gets processed through thought) 3. Brain (the actual thought process where patterns get pre-written) 4. Heart (Filtering process) 5. Hands (Delivers complete concept and thought)

WEEKS 5 thru 8.

III. Scratching

A. Basic four count intro (Baby scratch) B. Transform C. Tares (Baby scratch with more stops, manually by hand) D. Chirps E. Flares F. Crabs G. March H. Joe Cooley Scratch ( First Basic Combo ) I. Chops (Using both Up Faders and Cross Fader) J. Euro (Conbination of both up/down and cross fadders with Tares) K. Channeling (Physical written combinations of different scratches together)

(MORE ARE TO BE ANNOUNCED)

( WE WILL ALSO REVIEW FOR MID-TERM ON WEEK 6 )

WEEK 9.

MID – TERM & Intro to Beat Juggling

WEEKS 9 thru 12.

IV. Beat Juggling A. Basic Principle – Expansion and Contraction of two of the same beats with two of the same records at the same point of the record. (This can be accomplished on CD) 1. Concrete (standard) basic juggling a. Forward b. Lagging c. Double ups d. Measurements

2. Break Down Juggling (Advanced juggling by adding physical manipulation)

Page 6.

( optional )

V. Flanging and Phasing

VI. Exercising and Practicing Habits A. Warming up before scratching 1. Practice Blending for at least 20 minutes to get physical metronome working. This warms up rhythm coordination, which will sharpen all turntablism and blending skills with further development into the art form.

B. Knowing your music

C. Graduating from Automatic BPM’S to feeling the music while holding on to the knowledge of BPM. (The outcome)

Review for finals

Week 13 – Written Final Exam and Review for LAB FINAL

WEEK – 14. LAB FINAL / Student Presentation Each student shall take a song; with the double of the same, and demonstrate two choices of beat juggles and a flange/phase. Finally, the student will take a different record containing various sound samples and execute two different types scratches of their choice. Each student will be graded based on progress and ability to execute the techniques that have been taught. The presentation will take approximately seven minutes and will count 20% toward final grade.

Page 7. Sexual Harassment Policy For Employees and Students

The policy of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is to provide an educational, employment, and business environment free of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and/or physical conduct or communications constituting sexual harassment as defined and otherwise prohibited by state and federal law.

Sexual harassment by and between, employees; students; employees and students; and campus visitors and students or employees, is prohibited by this policy.

Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination for employees; sanctions up to and including suspension or expulsion for students; and appropriate sanctions against campus visitors.

This policy is subject to constitutionally protected speech rights and principles of academic freedom. Questions about this policy may be directed to the MCCCD EEO/Affirmative Action Office.

Examples of Policy Violations

It shall be a violation of MCCCD's Sexual Harassment Policy for any employee, student or campus visitor to:

7. Make unwelcome sexual advances to another employee, student or campus visitor; 8. Make unwelcome requests for sexual favors, whether or not accompanied by promises or threats with regard to the employment or academic relationship; 9. Engage in verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature with another employee, student or campus visitor, that may threaten or insinuate, either explicitly or implicitly, that the individual's submission to, or rejection of, the sexual advances will in any way: 10. (1) influence any personnel decision regarding that person's employment, evaluation, wages, advancement, assigned duties, shifts or any other condition of employment or career development; or 11. (2) influence his or her grades, participation in or access to academic programs, class standing or other educational opportunities; 12. Engage in verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that: 13. (1) has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an employee's ability to do his or her job; or with a student's ability to learn or participate in a class; or 14. (2) which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work or academic environment;

Page 8.

15. Commit any act of sexual assault or public sexual indecency against any employee or student whether on MCCCD property or in connection with any MCCCD-sponsored activity; 16. Continue to express sexual interest in another employee, student or campus visitor after being informed or on notice that the interest is unwelcome (reciprocal attraction is not considered sexual harassment); 17. Engage in other sexually harassing conduct in the workplace or academic environment, whether physical or verbal, including, but not limited to, commentary about an individual's body (or body parts), sexually degrading words to describe an individual, sexually offensive comments, sexually suggestive language or jokes, innuendoes, and sexually suggestive objects, books, magazines, computer software, photographs, cartoons or pictures.

Additional Policy Violations

Supervisors, managers, administrators and faculty who disregard or fail to report allegations of sexual harassment (whether reported by the person who is the subject of the sexual harassment or a witness) are in violation of this policy.

Responsibility for Policy Enforcement

Every MCCCD employee and student must avoid offensive or inappropriate sexual and/or sexually harassing behavior at work or in the academic environment.

Employees and students are encouraged (but not required) to inform perceived offenders of this policy that the commentary / conduct is offensive and unwelcome.

Amorous Relationships

An amorous relationship that might be appropriate in other circumstances may be inappropriate if one of the individuals in the relationship has a professional responsibility toward, or is in a position of authority with respect to, the other, such as in the context of instruction, counseling, advisement or supervision. An element of power is often present in such a context and it is incumbent upon those with authority not to abuse that power.

Classroom Policies/Professional Atmosphere Turntablism MUC 136 Department of Music, Scottsdale Community College

I have read and understand the policies for this class:

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