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The evolution of turntable and mixer
technology coincided with the appearance of rap as a distinct vocal form.
High torque turntables now permitted DJ's to backspin a record while the
turntable platter maintained speed. Source faders permitted DJ's to cut
(insert short musical segments from a second source) and scratch (rapidly
and rhythmically repeat single beats from a second source) with confidence.
This style allowed the creation of new rhythms, and became especially popular
with teenagers.
Adults were usually less enthused with scratching and cutting, because it
often destroyed the musical integrity (melody, harmony and rhythm) of favorite
songs. Since teenagers usually formed fewer attachments with specific songs,
they were often more receptive to the mutation of music.
Cutting and scratching became part of record production with "The Adventures
of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel" in 1981, and now was firmly
established in hip-hop culture. The use of drum machines became widespread
in the mid-1980's. Soon thereafter, sampling technology became cheap enough
to permit electronic "cutting" and the insertion of atonal segments into
electronic drum patterns.
One might say that technological advances actually hurt the evolution of
R&B because it soon allowed rap record production without the involvement
of any musicians. While early rap track s were usually original or derivative
studio band productions, musical integrity became optional. Rhythm was paramount;
melody and harmony were dispensable. Rap achieved crossover success. To
music lovers' surprise, rapper Biz Markie hit #9 on Billboard magazine's
pop chart (#37 on the R&B chart) in 1989 with his seminal recording
of "Just A Friend," in which his singing was unpretentious, to say the least.
The hip-hop market permitted anything to mix with anything else, as long
as it was on beat.
Mixing now had a second dimension: synchronization of sources. Two songs
could be connected indefinitely by rhythmically overlaying small bits and
pieces of one song on another song. Each overlay had to be very short, however,
to avoid conflicting beats.
HOME THEATER ANALOGY: Adding color to B&W scenes created the second
dimension: Not only did home theater forms move, but now they moved in color.
