Dubstep

[vladnuke]

Any hints for a bass wobble that doesn't sound uber heavy? I'm trying to make a dubstepish bass for a subgenre called chillstep. Everything I make lacks the 'wubs' or sounds too distorted.

Chillstep= Dubstep + Calm + Melodic + Liquid

Also, does anyone understand how the waveforms work? I know what they are, but can't figure out what to do with them to shape a tone.

Do you use Massive? You can just make the green bar thingy smaller (don't know what it's called) to make the wubs subtler. I do that with mah subs to mix it up a little.

[vladnuke]

I'm all for calling it dubstep and heavy dubstep.

What's it with electronic genres and needing specific names for each variation of pre-existing genres?

Rock...Hard Rock
Metal...Heavy Metal

Brostep wouldn't be mislabeled as dubstep if the original pioneers of that genre didn't have any kind of similarities to dubstep, so why not call it heavy dubstep and get rid of the hipster dubstep elitism?

isn't heavy metal like... classic metal?

Yes, bands like Iron Maiden and such... When used in that context, heavy doesn't mean the same thing. Perhaps you could compare the 'brutal' dubstep drops to brutal death metal...

Actually, no. Dubstep isn't even close to being as brutal as Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus, or Skinless.

Nigga, when I release my album Born in the RUS F, you'll see how fucking brutal I can make dubstep. (By which I mean extra super fucking brutal) like I need 4 shots of murder juice to excrete the vocals I'll have for it.

Oh wait, you said dubstep. I make speedstep. darn it. well, I'll go against my ways to make some trully metal dubstep.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

Any hints for a bass wobble that doesn't sound uber heavy? I'm trying to make a dubstepish bass for a subgenre called chillstep. Everything I make lacks the 'wubs' or sounds too distorted.

Chillstep= Dubstep + Calm + Melodic + Liquid

Also, does anyone understand how the waveforms work? I know what they are, but can't figure out what to do with them to shape a tone.

Do you use Massive? You can just make the green bar thingy smaller (don't know what it's called) to make the wubs subtler. I do that with mah subs to mix it up a little.

I don't have Massive. I'm broke. All I have is some free VSTs.

[Whitetail]

Chill dubstep is all about the actual sub-bass instead of the mid-range one layered above it like in the heavier stuff, don't be afraid to actually make the sub bass (triangle or sine bass down so low it sounds more like a soft rumble than a distinct tone, you "feel" it more than you hear it) wub, so long as you keep the reso really down on the filter so it doesn't get too many odd sound characteristics (you can't really get fancy with sub bass) and focus on slower wobbles instead of faster ones and you should be fine. Also pitch shifting can really help make it sound more interesting, but once again be subtle and slow with it, you don't want it sounding extreme.



This track is a pretty good example of what I mean by focusing on sub bass, though note the sub bass in this is constant. (The upper wub sound is layered on)

[senntenial]

Truthfully I get sick of this genre shit. I think it should just be called music.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

Chill dubstep is all about the actual sub-bass instead of the mid-range one layered above it like in the heavier stuff, don't be afraid to actually make the sub bass (triangle or sine bass down so low it sounds more like a soft rumble than a distinct tone, you "feel" it more than you hear it) wub, so long as you keep the reso really down on the filter so it doesn't get too many odd sound characteristics (you can't really get fancy with sub bass) and focus on slower wobbles instead of faster ones and you should be fine. Also pitch shifting can really help make it sound more interesting, but once again be subtle and slow with it, you don't want it sounding extreme.



This track is a pretty good example of what I mean by focusing on sub bass, though note the sub bass in this is constant. (The upper wub sound is layered on)

Thank you. That should help me more than every lesson out there. There are literally no lessons/tutorials on the chillstep tone. I find that rediculous since it has a distinct sound. I guess not many people like it as much as I do.

[Whitetail]

Most dubstep tutorials honestly are more based in the older dubstep than the newer stuff, go to any "basic dubstep" tutorial and you're going to get the whole LFO lowpass filter shpiel, which is basically the chill sound, problem is most people following them try to make the new sound using a tutorial on the old stuff, ending up with a lot of nooby stuff.

But yeah old school dubstep is all about the subs, just mess around with slower sounds than the typical "This is dubstep, this modulation should be fast" mindset and you should get the sound you're looking for. It's also a thing where you can get away with JUST having the sub bass for the bass, generally it should be the sort of thing that you should listen to on good speakers/headphones.

[Spirit]

Old skool focuses on the percussion and the sub bass mainly, you can use wubs if you want but you dont have to, its not a strict characteristic of dubstep

Dance music is all about tension and release, you build up tension up to the drop, and thats the release, Dubstep did away with this, it was all about the tension, the song just keeps building, (although you could say when that sine hits, thats a release)

^ Listen to that on a true system, jizz ya pants
Even early Rusko
Basically, its all about your delay lines, your reverbs, incidental hits and keeping that percussion flowing
Also, glide/portamento on a sub is godly
but dont listen to me, do it for ya sen
EDIT: Also, some of their sonic characteristics were due to bad mixing techniques and such, (new genre, Complete new producers, didnt know how to mixdown effectively and such)

[Spirit]

Lol, i maed a screw up

[CrashDistortion]

If you can get Reason 6, it comes with a Pulverizer (is good for dirtying up sound) as well as a buttload of wobble bass presets. Not sure if you're pirating, but if you're not, UPGRADE!

[bartekko]

^ Listen to that on a true system, jizz ya pants :lol:

I use my subwoofer as a footrest.

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

BAM:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT0a7irTYY0&feature=plcp

BAM:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzR3F5er ... ure=relmfu

[Edit] Oops, forgot this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELB-ND1W ... ure=relmfu

BAYUM:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exv5gCsl ... ure=relmfu

You're welcome.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

I want to make a bass drop this hard:



Help me.

[Whitetail]

Focus on big clean synths within the synth instead of trying to distort things into submission
Make sure to properly setup a sub bass and sidechain it slightly to the kick and snare

And honestly just play around with synth sounds until you find something you like, Dubstep's one of those genres where you're going to spend hours trying to get that perfect sound you're looking for out of your synths, not to mention a lot of it comes from serendipity too, do things you normally wouldn't and see what you get as a result.

[Spirit]

How does this stuff count as dubstep ='(
Take me back to the good old days where it was dingy rooms and bass bins
YOU YANKS RUIN EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH, EVERYTHING
Anyway, On topic
Waveshapers/transient shapers are a glorious little tool
Tape saturation too,
youve got to think, "What is being modulated in this sound, The pitch, Cutoff, Resoance, Wavetable position"
FM synthesis (FM8 is a fucking amazing program for this) is pretty fucking good for getting those gritty sounds, feedback loops on oscillators and such.
If youre talking about getting that weight in the drop, filtering out the low end just before the drop (except for kicks) will help give some weight before intense synth rape, Also, keeping youre build simple, dont have too much going on
While im here, have this little garage beauty

Owning this gem on 12"
beauty

[ChromaticChaosPony]

And noI'm making chillstep, which apparently is supposed to not have wubs throughout the entire song (no way...). I hope it goes well.

[Whitetail]

Chillstep isn't a genre on it's own, or at least it's not recognized by most people as a genre
Dubstep's pretty annoyingly filled with gender snobs from the "brostep" and "REAL dubstep" sides, both sticking their noses up at each other.

There's no rules that you have to limit yourself to, if you want wubs wub it up.
Just be sure you've got some 2-step drums and you're perfectly clear to call it dubstep, dub influence helps though (it's kinda been phased out a bit (though it does come back in the mainstream from time to time) so not many people are going to complain too much if you don't have it (Dub is basically electronic reggae)).

Really the point is just make the music you want to make, don't limit yourself to what others have told you your music should be.

[Spirit]

Hahaha, I just wanna clear up, Im no "true dubstep" elitist
I dont mind heavy dubstep, I just prefer the softer, more melodic side of the genre if i was just gonna listen
I do like to make jokes about brostep though
EDIT:

And noI'm making chillstep, which apparently is supposed to not have wubs throughout the entire song (no way...). I hope it goes well.

Old school dubstep does have wubs it it, It just wasnt a requirement to make a dubstep song

I mean, this song is pretty chill, and it basically is a drum line that varies, a wob bass and the occasional incidental synth
It also happens to be A FUCKING MASSIVE TUUUUUUUNEEEE
Like i said, Chill/roots dubstep is more about the musicality, your delay lines, reverbs, just getting everything to fit together in the mix, making it sound full, yet sparse at the same time
Jittery scattered percussion etc etc

[ChromaticChaosPony]

I've been looking a different DAWs because I don't have a full version of Ableton Live. I'm thinking that I should get a job and buy Reason, FL Studio, or an upgrade for Ableton. Reason seems to be the best option for what I'm trying to do.

Any other DAW considerations if I want to be able to make metal and dubstep using the same DAW?

[Spirit]

I've been looking a different DAWs because I don't have a full version of Ableton Live. I'm thinking that I should get a job and buy Reason, FL Studio, or an upgrade for Ableton. Reason seems to be the best option for what I'm trying to do.

Any other DAW considerations if I want to be able to make metal and dubstep using the same DAW?

Its all personal preference, I use Ableton Personally, But i have made patches in Reason, I do enjoy it
I just dont like that i cant use my VSTs inside Reason
Go with the DAW you feel most comfortable with using
Skream still uses FL studio and Hes massive
Pulsar And Funtcase (i think) use reason
Rusko uses Sony Acid on some of his tunes And Burial uses Soundforge
Its not what you use, its what you know

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

Hahaha, I just wanna clear up, Im no "true dubstep" elitist
I dont mind heavy dubstep, I just prefer the softer, more melodic side of the genre if i was just gonna listen
I do like to make jokes about brostep though
EDIT:

And noI'm making chillstep, which apparently is supposed to not have wubs throughout the entire song (no way...). I hope it goes well.

Old school dubstep does have wubs it it, It just wasnt a requirement to make a dubstep song

I mean, this song is pretty chill, and it basically is a drum line that varies, a wob bass and the occasional incidental synth
It also happens to be A FUCKING MASSIVE TUUUUUUUNEEEE
Like i said, Chill/roots dubstep is more about the musicality, your delay lines, reverbs, just getting everything to fit together in the mix, making it sound full, yet sparse at the same time
Jittery scattered percussion etc etc

I have always hated that song for some reason. In fact I've never really liked old school dubstep. Kinda sounds like bass droning on and on. But that's just my apaneyon. <----(A cookie for anyone that gets that reference. It's not really obscure at all.)

[KillerAmp]

how do you go from having a ton of loud ass wubs screeching around to a well rounded out track? thats like the only issue i have right now ;_;

[Spirit]

how do you go from having a ton of loud ass wubs screeching around to a well rounded out track? thats like the only issue i have right now ;_;

Well first off, Are those bass sounds working well with each other or are they just there for the sake of bass, 2nd, frequency clashes, EQ out any clashes so each bass sound has its own space, Keeping the bass sounds around the same level in the track as well, Its all in the mixdown
Also, try not to have too many bass sounds, or your track is just gonna sound disjointed