Scratching, sometimes referred to as
scrubbing, is a
DJ and
turntablist technique used to produce distinctive
sounds by moving a
vinyl record back and forth on a
turntable while optionally manipulating the
crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with
hip hop music, since the mid-1970s, it has been used in some styles of
pop and in
nu metal. Within hip hop culture, scratching is one of the measures of a DJ's skills, as in
DMC World DJ Championship or IDA (International DJ Association) former ITF (International
turntablist Federation) where the DJs can use only scratch oriented gear (turntables + mixer + digital vinyl systems or vinyl only), and there are many scratching competitions.