Tell me if my hypothesis is correct. (Dubstep Discussion)

[PonE-Sharp]

Making dubstep is about seeing all those nobs on your vst and going balls to the walls crazy with them.

EDIT: This thread is (mostly) serious.

[3ternal]

Actually, it's more about the "Ripping-off-xKore-until-you're-famous" Syndrome

[itroitnyah]

To be more correct, dubstep is about the sound synthesis and composition, followed by proper mixing and mastering.

In terms of sound synthesis, it has a lot to do with the filters and the oscillators, choosing proper waveforms and then filtering them. Use reverb based on how you want to portray the sound, EQ out any frequencies that may be unwanted if necessary, and add distortion if you wish. Then you can modulate some parameters of the synth in order to make it feel more "alive", such as modulating the filter cutoff a small amount, modulating the oscillator pitch, etc.

Other than those, this thread really seems more like a joke thread, so I wouldn't be surprised if it got locked.

[3ternal]

on a serious note, itroitnyah's post kinda summed it up pretty well.

[Facade]

Actually, it's more about the "Ripping-off-xKore-until-you're-famous" Syndrome

who the hell is xkore? ive been listening to dubstep since 2009-2010 and ive never heard of him


edit: let me gues he's some kind of shitty bro-stepper? right?

[CDPP]

edit: let me gues he's some kind of shitty bro-stepper? right?

no go kill urselve xkore is on the leading edge of modulated bass

and don't ever use the word bro-stepper that just sounds silly he's got his own style that just happens to be copied a lot

sure everyone complains that he over compresses his mixes but who gives a shit its still pretty neat

Here's a decent track by him imo

https://soundcloud.com/dubstepever/xkore-fire-original-mix

[ExoBassTix]

No not xKore...

Luckily not as bad as Brostep but still.

As long as you have a freaky-sounding bass, I'm pretty sure it can be used for Dubstep.

[Conchetupony]

To be more correct, dubstep is about the sound synthesis and composition, followed by proper mixing and mastering.

Isn't basically all music about composition and instrumentation, in the core? I think any decent electronic musician should understand sound synthesis, enough to know what each control does and when to modulate them.

loved the xkore track btw, probably should delve more into it

[Facade]

edit: let me gues he's some kind of shitty bro-stepper? right?

no go kill urselve xkore is on the leading edge of modulated bass

and don't ever use the word bro-stepper that just sounds silly he's got his own style that just happens to be copied a lot

sure everyone complains that he over compresses his mixes but who gives a shit its still pretty neat

Here's a decent track by him imo

https://soundcloud.com/dubstepever/xkore-fire-original-mix

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Working out the synthesis and how to do it in interesting ways is the hardest initial hurdle you come across. After that there's melody building, structure, mixing and mastering. A good dubstep track requires effort and time.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

oh, and about the "going crazy with all the knobs" thing. I can do a dubsteppy robitic bass with 3 or less knobs needing to be modulated/automated/whateverated.

[colortwelve]

What I usually do is use a lot of minor distortions on a pretty basic sound, make one automation clip to go with the bassline, and attach various parameters from each distortion unit to that clip somehow. So really it's about getting everything to move with the music.

[ph00tbag]

In many dubstep tunes, there's not only an emphasis on creating unique sounds through synthesis, but there's also an emphasis on using techniques from sound-collage in a way that strives to be more traditionally musical. Rhythmic/melodic sample playback, assigning individual notes in a melodic line to different instruments/samples, etc. It's a lot of stuff that has been around in the background for the last decade or so, but dubstep really brought it to the forefront, and made the sound design element of edm production cool.

[Facade]

"The music generally features syncopated drum and percussion patterns with bass lines that contain prominent sub bass frequencies."

i miss the old days of dubstep

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Wow filter is also good for vowely basses.

I'm sort of experimenting with new sounds lately, I'm thinking of trying something with a formant wave and seeing what happens.

[Captain Ironhelm]

technically all I think you need is a half-step drum pattern. you could add "a modulated bassline" to that if you really wanted to.

[Sonarch]

I think any decent electronic musician should understand sound synthesis, enough to know what each control does and when to modulate them.

ugh, still working on that bit

[Acsii]

I gonna be a bitch and post some of the original dub step from the 90s
It was once upon a time a really technical genre, not saying it is... but these days everyone just thinks it's a wobble bass and/or a song that has a voice say "drop the bass"
Don't forget dub step was originally a mix of 2-step garage, broken beat, drum and bass jungle, dub, and reggae.

[Sonarch]

I gonna be a bitch and post some of the original dub step from the 90s
It was once upon a time a really technical genre, not saying it is... but these days everyone just thinks it's a wobble bass and/or a song that has a voice say "drop the bass"
Don't forget dub step was originally a mix of 2-step garage, broken beat, drum and bass jungle, dub, and reggae.

I came

[ExoBassTix]

I gonna be a bitch and post some of the original dub step from the 90s
It was once upon a time a really technical genre, not saying it is... but these days everyone just thinks it's a wobble bass and/or a song that has a voice say "drop the bass"
Don't forget dub step was originally a mix of 2-step garage, broken beat, drum and bass jungle, dub, and reggae.

That's Dubstep how I like it.
I'm sad that it's not that popular anymore.

Digital Mystikz. THEY make Dubstep. Real Dubstep.

[Ocular]

fuck yes

[ExoBassTix]

Oh wow! That's more like it!

This though.
http://www.soundcloud.com/factmag/james-blake-limit-to-your-love-radio-edit

Everyone should know this song.

[itroitnyah]

Personally I don't like the older style of dubstep. I like the modern style a lot more, I just enjoy the modulated basslines and such. They can sound so cool together. I absolutely loved the vocals on the song you posted just above my post though, Exo.

[itroitnyah]

New dubstep isn't always about the growls and dirty wobble basses.

https://soundcloud.com/mitis/mitis-feat-collin-mcloughlin
https://soundcloud.com/nickraymondg/coldplay-fix-you-aylen-remix
https://soundcloud.com/monstercat/tut-tut-child-hummingbird
https://soundcloud.com/melissav22/zedd-ft-foxes-clarity-aylen
https://soundcloud.com/mixesandmashups/calvin-harris-ft-example-vs

[Facade]

Personally I don't like the older style of dubstep. I like the modern style a lot more, I just enjoy the modulated basslines and such. They can sound so cool together. I absolutely loved the vocals on the song you posted just above my post though, Exo.

if the song emphasizes mid range sounds over sub bass lines i have some news for you...