Turntablism
Transformer scratch
A transformer scratch keeps the record moving slowly and steadily while the fader is stabbed open and shut, chopping one continuous sound into rhythmic bursts. The fader does all the work.
In practice
Hold a slow, even record motion and put the whole rhythm in the fader — this is a fader exercise.
Historically it was done on the line switch rather than the crossfader, which is where the name comes from, and a channel fader or an on/off switch still works. Pick a sustained sound — a held note, a chord, a siren — because the rhythm has to come from the cuts and a percussive sample already has its own. Count the pattern before you play it: even eighths first, then a gallop, then triplets over a bar. The record hand should be doing something so unremarkable that you could hold a conversation through it.
Slow and even
The record hand
All of it
What the fader carries
A sustained sound
What to use
Where these come from: Technique convention, not catalog figures — nothing we store describes how a transition was performed. For what we can measure, see the two-hand grammar behind it.
Why it matters
It inverts the usual division of labour. In every other scratch the record hand makes the sound and the fader shapes it; here the record hand is essentially holding a drone and the rhythm is entirely in the fader.
That makes it the best exercise there is for fader independence, and it is why it survives on gear with a poor platter. A controller with a weak jog wheel will still transform convincingly, because the platter only has to move slowly and evenly.
Frequently asked
Why is it called a transformer scratch?+
It was named for the robotic, chopped sound the technique produces, and it was originally performed on a line switch rather than a crossfader.
Can you transform with the channel fader?+
Yes, and many people prefer it. Any control that can be opened and shut quickly works — line switch, channel fader or crossfader all give the same chopping.
What sound works best for a transformer?+
A sustained one — a held note, a chord stab with a long tail, a siren. The rhythm comes entirely from the cuts, so a percussive sample fights the pattern.
Related terms
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.
Chirp scratch
A chirp starts with the fader open and closes it at the end of the forward push, then opens it partway through the pull back. Cutting off the tail of each motion is what makes the sound.
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.
Channel fader
A channel fader is the vertical level control for one deck. The crossfader chooses between two sources; the channel faders decide how much of each is in the room, which is where most club mixing actually happens.
Explore: Mixing guides · Channel fader · BPM tapper · All DJ terms