The short answer: It's a picture of a Technics SL-1200 Mk III turntable's power switch. Stir some mildly creative photography and some photoshop clean up and you have the result.

If you haven't figured it out already, I DJ as a hobby. I don't mix for any clubs, parties, weddings, or even radio. I just mix for my own entertainment. For those of you looking for an expensive hobby to relieve stress, I highly recommend it. ;-)

To answer the first few common questions: Yes, people still use records. Yes, you can even buy new records. In fact some types of music are still only available on vinyl. No, I don't make "wiggy wiggy wiggy" sounds that scratch DJ's do.

What makes the turntables different from your typical installation is that they are geared towards DJ's and club use. The 1200s are built like tanks, each turntable weighing in at about 25 pounds. The platter uses a direct drive high torque motor making it good for quick starts and stops. The top is a piece of plastic onto which a piece of felt is kept. The felt is smooth on both sides thereby making it possible to spin the record independently of the platter by using your hand. DJ's often use this as a method of making slight adjustments in how fast the record is spinning.

In addition to the platter differences, the turntable uses a variable speed motor that is controlled with a slider. This allows DJ's to adjust the pitch (speed) of the record +/- 8%. This is enough for most DJ's.

Finally, the needles used are on an S-shaped tone arm with excellent anti-skate controls. The needles themselves tend to be very durable and able to sustain the record beneath it to spin backward or forward without causing any damage to either.

The purpose of all of this hardware is to be able to have an existing song playing on one turntable (yes, I have two) and adjust the second playing song such that the beat is in sync with the playing one. Since songs tend to have different tempos, pitch control is used to speed up or slow down a down until they match up. Once the two songs are matched up, the DJ will start the second one and work it into the existing song until the two songs are playing simultaneously. The old song is then faded out and the new song is the only one left. Rinse and repeat.

Depending on the DJ's style, the type of music, and what effect is trying to be had, transitioning from one song to the next can range from subtle to bombastic. For me personally, there is something wonderful about hearing two songs intertwine so seamlessly that the listener can't hear it. Hearing someone tell me, "wait, is this the same song?" is the ultimate compliment.

If you are interested in more about DJ's and DJ-ing, I recommend taking a look at the FAQ I put together.

You can also see some pictures that I took. Some are an attempt at artsy-fartsy, but some are actually not that bad... Be kind. ;-)