This is something I've thought alot about, and still have no definite answer. Heres some of my ideas about the subject so far:
I'd like to say that the turntable is a musical instrument, but I kinda think we would have to redefine the definition of "what is a musical instrument" in order to include it.
On the other hand, Rob Swift would say that it can be a musical instrument if you can see it as one.
But I believe, 99.9% of people using turntables are not using it as a musical instrument. They are using it as a playback sample device and thats it. But then there are guys like DJ Woody with his flutine sequence (
www.woodwurk.com), and I totally think he is using his tables as an instrument for this song. He's playing individual notes, and scales within a rythmn.
Most of the time I think DJs are not using it as a musical instrument because the rythmns and patterns are set for them. They just have to rearrange them the way they like. You can do the same thing easily by cutting and pasting parts of songs together on the numerous musical software applications there are these days. But I wouldn't consider music software to be a musical instrument. The only thing turntables have over the software musical instrument wise is that turntables are played live, not recorded and played back later.
Some of these beat juggles I've seen allow me to think of turntables are being used as musical instruments. You know the ones where the guys are rearranging every drum hit to make whole new beats. All the drum hits are being played individually, but the way about doing it is different.
But to me, looping a few bars would not be using it as a musical instrument.
But I think in the end, if you are a hardcore turntablist your turntables can be considered a musical instrument/playback device hybrid. Because those crazy guys are bending the pitch to produce individual notes within scales. When you visualize yourself manipulating your equipment and records in such a way we are definitely getting closer to it being a reality. I think this might be what Rob Swift was talking about.