Art of the needle drop
May 16, 2016 10:17 PM Subscribe
Q-Tip is a Beast (SLYT)
I'd guess that if you find a song whose tempo matches the circumference of its record groove at some point, you basically can't miss. Just keep hopping the needle back one or two lanes and you're always in time.
posted by scrowdid at 11:57 PM on May 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by scrowdid at 11:57 PM on May 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
You can totally score 100 in skee ball 7 times out of 10 if you just find a suitable unit...
posted by Chuffy at 12:14 AM on May 17, 2016
posted by Chuffy at 12:14 AM on May 17, 2016
I'd guess that if you find a song whose tempo matches the circumference of its record groove at some point, you basically can't miss. Just keep hopping the needle back one or two lanes and you're always in time.
A 45rpm record will go around 90 times in two minutes. If you have a song at 90 beats per minute, each revolution is two beats. Not coincidentally, 90bpm is an ideal hip-hop tempo. Add in a song which chooses to "vamp" on a chord or bassline (thank you, Cold Sweat) and you won't get any weird sounding chord changes. Add in the fact that a lot of these kinds of songs were pressed on 45 (DJ material) and it all comes together nicely.
A wonderful video, thank you.
posted by solarion at 1:44 AM on May 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
A 45rpm record will go around 90 times in two minutes. If you have a song at 90 beats per minute, each revolution is two beats. Not coincidentally, 90bpm is an ideal hip-hop tempo. Add in a song which chooses to "vamp" on a chord or bassline (thank you, Cold Sweat) and you won't get any weird sounding chord changes. Add in the fact that a lot of these kinds of songs were pressed on 45 (DJ material) and it all comes together nicely.
A wonderful video, thank you.
posted by solarion at 1:44 AM on May 17, 2016 [4 favorites]
I'm always happy to watch a master at his craft, but that beat is amazing, right?
Thanks for the post!
posted by bstreep at 2:57 AM on May 17, 2016
Thanks for the post!
posted by bstreep at 2:57 AM on May 17, 2016
Bobby Rush - Chicken Heads, in case someone wanted the beat.
posted by honestcoyote at 4:07 AM on May 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by honestcoyote at 4:07 AM on May 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
> ...if you find a song whose tempo matches the circumference of its record groove at some point, you basically can't miss.
It's half the battle. Being able to make the switch on the beat and drop the needle back to the start of the phrase unerringly is still crazy magic.
posted by ardgedee at 5:02 AM on May 17, 2016
It's half the battle. Being able to make the switch on the beat and drop the needle back to the start of the phrase unerringly is still crazy magic.
posted by ardgedee at 5:02 AM on May 17, 2016
A glitch in the helix.
posted by Glomar response at 5:23 AM on May 17, 2016
posted by Glomar response at 5:23 AM on May 17, 2016
Needlework so fine he could embroider a trousseau.
posted by gusandrews at 7:22 AM on May 17, 2016
posted by gusandrews at 7:22 AM on May 17, 2016
Gem from the recommended videos: Tip describes getting Busta Rhymes to go in on Scenario, including imitations.
posted by gusandrews at 7:26 AM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by gusandrews at 7:26 AM on May 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I can do this in the car with CDs lets get it popping
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:43 AM on May 17, 2016
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:43 AM on May 17, 2016
This is good, although having done needle dropping myself, I can tell you that you do yourself a ton of favors by picking the right record. For example, you can needle drop the drum break after the bridge on the 33rpm single of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" by They Might Be Giants with only a little practice. What Q's doing here that's particularly impressive is jumping around the track, although it helps that it's a pretty sparse, down-tempo track, so there are a lot of places where you can cut in and out relatively seamlessly.
posted by GameDesignerBen at 7:44 AM on May 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by GameDesignerBen at 7:44 AM on May 17, 2016 [3 favorites]
« Older Yass – The Jazz, the Filth and the Fury – Poland's... | Beach Bully Bingo Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by lunasol at 11:12 PM on May 16, 2016 [1 favorite]