A turntable is the technical word for a record player, a machine that plays vinyl records. These are also known as phonographs. In the 1980s, a specialized version of the turntable was developed because of DJs use of the turntable as a musical instrument in live and recorded rap, hip-hop and other dance-oriented music.
Some companies that make turntables are Panasonic, under its Technics label, Sony and RCA.http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/technics_dj/flash.asp http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/550570-REG/Sony_PS_LX300USB_PS_LX300USB_USB_Stereo_Turntable.html http://www.fixya.com/support/rca/turntables
The turntable, which was then called a phonograph, was first used in 1888. It was invented by Thomas Edison, and it was used to play the first recording discs, which were invented by a man named Emile Berliner. He made the first records out of vulcanized rubber. Later he used shellac and slate dust. Vinyl finally replaced shellac in 1948, with the invention of the "long playing record" by Columbia Records.http://eil.com/explore/guide/vinyl_invention.asp
Prior to the invention of the turntable, people listened to recorded music on a machine called a gramophone, which used a stylus or needle to pick up music off of cylindrical recording media. These cylinders were first made out of tin foil, and later out of wax, just before the recording disc caught on, and the cylinders were abandoned.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/page/r/records.shtml
Turntable Practice & Drills For The Beginner
A mobile DJ shows you how to use a turntable and a mixing board to loop and juggle and mix music. He says you do this by having two turntables and two copies of the same record. He suggests going to Good Will or some other thrift stores to get two copies of the same record. He puts plastic slip mats or record liners under his records instead of the rubber that comes on a turntable.
References
Fast Facts
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Stylus, or Needle
Transfers the sound from a vinyl album to a pickup cartridge
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The Pickup Cartridge
Receives and reads the sound vibrations and transfers them through the tonearm to the rest of the sound system and through the speakers
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Manual Turntables
Provide the best sound and are used by DJs for sound mixing.
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Semi-Automatic Turntables
Lift the tonearm when the record is done playing.
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Automatic turntables
Start and stop the tonearm automatically.
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Belt-Driven Turntables
Are less expensive than direct-drive turntables, which are favored by disc jockeys.
