Turntablist transcription methodology
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Turntablist Transcription Methodology, or TTM, is a notation system for scratching and turntablism designed by John Carluccio (a Brooklyn-based artist best known for the Battlesounds documentary film on turntablism), by Ethan Imboden, and by Raymond Pirtle. It is intended to be an intuitive graphical representation of the movement of a record whilst performing with a turntable, and was originally documented in a booklet form for distribution.
The system has achieved acclaim from a number of recognisable turntablists, and is becoming increasingly accepted as a valuable method for transcribing turntablist music. However, it has not yet seen many compositions released in written format as is the project's intention: only the future will reveal the eventual extent of its usage for this purpose.
Lesser-used systems of turntable notation have been devised by other Turntablists, and whilst they are less commonly available and/or used, they deserve a mention. One example of an alternative system is that created by DJ Radar, which was used to transcribe his Concerto For Turntable, and uses traditional musical staves and notes to record the scratches. This system is limited in comparison to TTM, however, as it does not give such clear directions over the many aspects of scratching, such as velocity, direction, and crabbing.
