Turntablism
Hydroplane
A hydroplane is made by resting a finger or the side of a hand lightly on the spinning record so it stutters against the platter, producing a rapid fluttering sound without moving the record back and forth.
In practice
Rest a finger on a spinning record and let it stutter. The slipmat, not your hand, decides whether it works.
Use very light pressure and vary it rather than pressing harder — the flutter rate comes from how close you are to the point where slipping becomes catching. Try the side of the hand rather than a fingertip for a broader, rougher texture. If nothing happens, the mat is too slippery; if the record stalls, it is gripping or you are pressing too hard. Some slipmats are effectively unusable for this and swapping is the fix rather than practising harder.
Very light
The pressure
The mat
What decides whether it works
Forward
The record never reverses
Where these come from: Standard hydroplane technique — established practice, not catalog figures. For what we can measure, see the surface it depends on.
Why it matters
It is the one scratch in common use that is not a hand movement at all — the record keeps playing forward and the effect comes from intermittent friction. That makes the sound distinctive and unlike anything the push-and-pull family produces.
It is also the technique most dependent on the surface underneath. The stutter comes from the record slipping and catching against the slipmat, so a mat that is too slick produces nothing and one that grips produces a stall rather than a flutter.
Frequently asked
Why does my hydroplane not work?+
The slipmat is almost certainly the reason — too slick and the record never catches, too grippy and it stalls instead of fluttering. Try a different mat before changing technique.
Does a hydroplane move the record backwards?+
No. The record keeps playing forward and the sound comes from intermittent friction, which is what makes it sound unlike the rest of the scratch family.
Will it damage the record?+
Not at the pressures involved — the contact is with the playing surface under a light touch, and the stylus is doing its normal job throughout.
Related terms
Slipmat
A slipmat is a felt disc between the turntable platter and the record. It lets the platter keep spinning while you hold, drag or pull back the record itself, which is what makes cueing and scratching possible.
Scratch
A scratch is a sound made by moving a record back and forth under the needle while the crossfader or channel fader cuts it in and out. The hand sets the pitch; the fader sets the rhythm.
Drag scratch
A drag is a scratch performed deliberately slowly, pulling the record at well under playing speed so the sound stretches downward in pitch. The fader usually stays open throughout.
Scribble scratch
A scribble is a fast tremble of the record made from the forearm rather than the wrist, with the fader left open. It produces a dense burst rather than an articulated pattern.
Explore: Transition techniques · Slipmat · Scribble scratch · All DJ terms