Turntablism
Anti-skate
Anti-skate applies a small outward force to the tonearm to oppose the inward pull a rotating record exerts on it. Without it, the stylus presses harder on the inner groove wall than the outer one.
In practice
Match anti-skate to tracking force for playback. For scratching, most turntablists wind it to zero on purpose.
The default that works is simply setting the anti-skate dial to the same number as the tracking force — it is what the marking on most decks assumes and it is close enough for anything you play front to back. If you are scratching, try zero and see whether back-cueing feels more predictable; plenty of people find it does. What you should not do is leave it at a random value inherited from whoever used the deck last, which is what actually happens in most booths.
= force
The default that works
0
What many turntablists use
Inner groove
Where the pull shows first
Where these come from: Standard anti-skate practice and the turntablist convention — established practice, not catalog figures. For what we can measure, see the number to match it to.
Why it matters
The pull is a consequence of a pivoted arm on a spinning disc and it exists on every turntable. Left uncorrected, it produces uneven wear, channel imbalance, and mistracking that shows up on loud passages first — usually the ones you care about.
For scratching the picture is different and genuinely contested. Many turntablists run anti-skate at or near zero, because the arm is being moved deliberately and back-cueing against an outward force is an extra thing to fight. That is a working preference rather than a correction, and it is why you will see it set both ways in the same booth.
Frequently asked
What should anti-skate be set to?+
For playback, the same number as your tracking force — that is what the markings assume. For scratching, many turntablists run it at zero deliberately.
Does anti-skate cause skipping?+
Set far too high it can, by pulling the arm outward against the groove. Far more skipping comes from insufficient tracking force, a worn stylus or vibration through the table.
Should I use anti-skate with timecode vinyl?+
Either works, and consistency matters more than the value. If one deck reads timecode worse than the other, check the stylus and tracking force before blaming anti-skate.
Related terms
Tracking force
Tracking force is how hard the stylus presses into the groove, measured in grams and set by the counterweight. Too little and the stylus leaves the groove; too much and it wears both the tip and the record.
Counterweight
The counterweight is the adjustable mass at the back of the tonearm. Sliding it changes how much of the arm’s weight rests on the stylus, which is how tracking force is set.
Cartridge
A cartridge converts the stylus’s movement in the groove into an electrical signal. It mounts to the tonearm, holds the replaceable stylus, and its design decides how securely a record tracks under handling.
Record weight
A record weight is a heavy disc placed over the spindle to press a record flat against the platter. It improves contact on warped records and adds mass to the platter, which resists small speed variations.
Explore: Beginner mixing guide · Cartridge · Record weight · All DJ terms