dbltroubleDubstep
December 10th 2011 01:00
There's a certain reaction when something new and different hits the mainstream, it's a reaction of uncertainty. One might ask themselves whether or not this reaction is due to the novelty of a new idea, or whether or not that idea is truely and genuinely revolutionary.
Have you ever heard of dubstep?
If you haven't before, don't get too excited. I've come to the realization that most people don't enjoy this stuff the first time they hear it. I've played a few friends their first dubstep tracks, and I usually end up getting some lip about how awful it is.
So it's kind of scotch for your ears, it's pretty harsh at first, but once you try a few different kinds and get some experience under your belt, it's all smooth sailing.
SO....
Let's talk about it.
Personally I would describe it as a fusion of house and techno, with a darker, minor tonality woven into it. Dubstep's trademark might very well be a synth instrument that shows up in most, but not all dubstep tracks. I couldn't even tell you what it's called, I've really just identified it as the sine wave sound. It's a synth that uses an effect to make the instrument sound out bursts in a specified rhythm. The rhythm usually changes quickly, and several times through each song/melody. There are usually sounds in there that aren't instruments, sometimes lasers, sometimes screeching, whatever you could think to put into it. But the randomness of the whole thing is almost why it's so great. In conclusion, dubstep is an unorthadox kind of house music.
The association with house comes from the fact that dubstep usually only exists as remixes of other songs, or samples, etc. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and there are definitely dubstep songs that are completely original. But alot of them have taken a chorus, or melody from some other song, whether it be top 40, rock, rap etc. If anything I find it gives most of the songs something familiar to come back to.
What inspired my personal interest, is the minor tonality of it. In fact, some dubstep songs remind me of my favourite metal tracks. And my favourite part of metal, is just how epic it is. And dubstep bass drops are pretty damn epic. I cannot get over listening to techno that makes me want to headbang. These guys are making songs that are dark and emotional, but still melodic.
Sometimes it's slow, sometimes it's really dark. These parts strike me as similar to those pig-squeeling metal breakdowns you find in the really dark stuff.
If you listen to techno, it's repetitive, it is, it's a part of the genre. Not liking techno because it's repetitive is like not liking gangster rap because of it's lyrical content. In other words, you can't use the prided traits of a genre as justification for not liking the genre itself.
Alright, so now that's off my chest, let's put on some beats.
Skrillex - My favourite artist of this genre so far. Some would argue this isn't even dubstep, and I would encourage them to.
First of the Year
Rock n Roll
With you Friends
Nero, totally legitimate.
Act like you know
Innocence
Have you ever heard of dubstep?
If you haven't before, don't get too excited. I've come to the realization that most people don't enjoy this stuff the first time they hear it. I've played a few friends their first dubstep tracks, and I usually end up getting some lip about how awful it is.
So it's kind of scotch for your ears, it's pretty harsh at first, but once you try a few different kinds and get some experience under your belt, it's all smooth sailing.
SO....
Let's talk about it.
Personally I would describe it as a fusion of house and techno, with a darker, minor tonality woven into it. Dubstep's trademark might very well be a synth instrument that shows up in most, but not all dubstep tracks. I couldn't even tell you what it's called, I've really just identified it as the sine wave sound. It's a synth that uses an effect to make the instrument sound out bursts in a specified rhythm. The rhythm usually changes quickly, and several times through each song/melody. There are usually sounds in there that aren't instruments, sometimes lasers, sometimes screeching, whatever you could think to put into it. But the randomness of the whole thing is almost why it's so great. In conclusion, dubstep is an unorthadox kind of house music.
The association with house comes from the fact that dubstep usually only exists as remixes of other songs, or samples, etc. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and there are definitely dubstep songs that are completely original. But alot of them have taken a chorus, or melody from some other song, whether it be top 40, rock, rap etc. If anything I find it gives most of the songs something familiar to come back to.
What inspired my personal interest, is the minor tonality of it. In fact, some dubstep songs remind me of my favourite metal tracks. And my favourite part of metal, is just how epic it is. And dubstep bass drops are pretty damn epic. I cannot get over listening to techno that makes me want to headbang. These guys are making songs that are dark and emotional, but still melodic.
Sometimes it's slow, sometimes it's really dark. These parts strike me as similar to those pig-squeeling metal breakdowns you find in the really dark stuff.
If you listen to techno, it's repetitive, it is, it's a part of the genre. Not liking techno because it's repetitive is like not liking gangster rap because of it's lyrical content. In other words, you can't use the prided traits of a genre as justification for not liking the genre itself.
Alright, so now that's off my chest, let's put on some beats.
Skrillex - My favourite artist of this genre so far. Some would argue this isn't even dubstep, and I would encourage them to.
First of the Year
Rock n Roll
With you Friends
Nero, totally legitimate.
Act like you know
Innocence
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