Turntablism
Orbit scratch
An orbit is any scratch pattern repeated identically on the way back as on the way out, so the fader clicks land symmetrically in both directions. Most commonly it describes a flare performed both ways.
In practice
An orbit is a pattern performed identically in both directions. The backward half is the half that gives you away.
Take a one-click flare you can already do cleanly and add the same click on the return, keeping the spacing even. Practise the backward half on its own first — almost everyone is weaker that way, and drilling the combination just reinforces an uneven pair. Slow the whole thing down until both directions sound identical before adding speed, because an orbit at tempo with a lopsided return is more obviously wrong than a slower one that is even.
Both ways
What makes it an orbit
Backward
The half to drill alone
Even first
Then speed
Where these come from: Standard orbit technique in the flare family — established practice, not catalog figures. For what we can measure, see the scratch it is usually built from.
Why it matters
It is a structural idea rather than a new hand movement, which is why it multiplies what you already know. Any pattern you can perform forward can be made an orbit, and the result is a longer, rhythmically balanced phrase built from a technique you had already learned.
The symmetry is also what makes it hard. Most people are noticeably better in one direction, and an orbit exposes that immediately because the two halves are supposed to sound identical and are compared back to back by the listener.
Frequently asked
Is an orbit the same as a flare?+
An orbit is a flare — or another pattern — performed symmetrically in both directions. The flare is the technique; the orbit is what you do with it.
Why does my orbit sound uneven?+
Almost always the return. Most hands are stronger in one direction, and an orbit puts the two halves side by side where the difference is obvious.
Can you orbit other scratches?+
Yes — any pattern that can be performed on the return can be made an orbit. That is what makes it a structural idea rather than a single move.
Related terms
Flare scratch
A flare starts with the fader open and clicks it shut one or more times mid-motion, so the sound is interrupted rather than started. One click is a one-click flare, two is a two-click.
Crab scratch
A crab is a flare played with the fingers rather than the thumb: the thumb holds tension against the fader while four fingers release it one after another, giving four clicks in one motion.
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.
Routine
A routine is a composed, rehearsed sequence of scratches, juggles and cuts performed to a set piece of music. Unlike a mix, it is written in advance and repeated the same way each time.
Explore: Transition techniques · Flare scratch · Scratch · All DJ terms