Turntablism
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.
In practice
Use the force the cartridge specifies. If it still skips, the problem is level, vibration or a worn stylus.
Zero the arm properly, set the dial to the manufacturer’s figure — commonly around two to four grams for DJ cartridges, higher at the scratching end of the range — and stop there. If it skips, work through the real causes in order: is the deck level, is the table transmitting bass, is the stylus worn, is the record itself damaged. Adding weight masks all four and none of them goes away. The one legitimate reason to run at the top of the specified range is heavy scratching, and that is what the range is for.
2–4 g
Typical DJ cartridge range
1–2 g
Typical hi-fi range
4 checks
Before adding any weight
Where these come from: Manufacturer-specified tracking-force ranges for DJ and hi-fi cartridges — published specifications, not catalog figures. For what we can measure, see how to set it accurately.
Why it matters
It is the setting that decides whether a deck skips, and the one most often set by trial and error until the skipping stops. That method reliably ends up too heavy, because a badly levelled deck or a worn stylus will keep skipping at any force and the only thing that has changed is how fast your records wear.
DJ cartridges are specified for meaningfully higher forces than hi-fi ones — often two to four grams against one or two — precisely because the record is going to be handled. Using a DJ cartridge at hi-fi force is a common and avoidable cause of mistracking.
Frequently asked
What tracking force stops a deck skipping?+
The one the cartridge specifies, assuming everything else is right. If it still skips at that setting, the cause is level, vibration or a worn stylus, and more weight only hides it.
Does high tracking force damage records?+
Beyond what the cartridge is designed for, yes — and the wear is permanent. Within the specified range it is exactly what the stylus and groove were engineered to handle.
Should scratching use more force?+
Toward the top of the cartridge’s specified range, yes, because the record is being moved against the stylus constantly. Above that range is wearing records to solve a different problem.
Related terms
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.
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.
Stylus
The stylus is the small shaped tip that rides the record groove, mounted on a cantilever inside the cartridge. It is a wear part: the tip erodes with use and eventually starts damaging records rather than reading them.
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 · Stylus · Counterweight · All DJ terms