This is the definitive guide to the Fast Autobahn scratch.

I’ve broken it down step by step to give you the absolute best chance of learning it.

Overview

This is essentially a 2 click combo which uses travelling boomerang type record movements, or to put it even more simply, a series of slices and dices performed repeatedly and continuously, as 3 sets of 3 sounds.

Scratches that will help you with this combo: Slices and Dices.

Technique Breakdown

Forward slice (2 sounds)
Forward dice (1 sound)
Forward slice (2 sounds)
Forward dice (1 sound)
Forward slice (2 sounds)
Reverse dice (1 sound)

= 9 total sounds

Other scratches that can help you with this combo: A6 Autobahn (sometimes known as the Babybahn) and the Boomerang.

Video Notes

01:21 – Technique breakdown.
01:46 – Boomerang style breakdown.
02:06 – Slices and dices breakdown.
03:10 – Grouping sounds into 3 sets of 3.
03:56 – Join the 3 sets of sounds together smoothly.
04:52 – Using the Twiddle technique.
06:59 – Record hand technique.
07:41 – Timings.
09:41 – Triplets with a pause.
10:22 – Cross Rhythm Triplets.
11:42 – How to increase your speed.
13:54 – 80 bpm Triplets.
14:47 – 88 bpm Triplets.
15:03 – QnA Practice.
20:07 – Wrap Up.
20:39 – Slow Autobahn Preview.

Scratch Notation

If you are familiar with basic scratch notation, this is how it looks on paper:

Rafik in Action

Here is DJ Rafik, the creator and master of this scratch tearing it up in his characteristic style!

Note: Rafik is actually performing 2 different Autobahn scratches in this video. The slow (8 sound) version to start with and then the fast 9 sound version (A9) which starts at 0:15.

It’s very easy(!!!!)

Summary

Start slow with this scratch and make sure you can do each of the smallest, individual parts cleanly. With practice you will be able to link all the steps together and then work on increasing your speed. Even spending just 15 minutes a day practicing deliberately will see you make progress. Although Rafik does this scratch super fast, remember there are no rules. It sounds great when performed slow and funky. Experiment and make it your own!

Happy Scratching! 😀

Next Steps

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