"Dubstep is generally instrumental. Similar to a vocal garage hybrid - grime - the genre's feel is commonly dark; tracks frequently use a minor key and can feature dissonant harmonies such as the tritone interval within a riff. Other distinguishing features often found are the use of samples, a propulsive, sparse rhythm, and an almost omnipresent sub-bass.".
A genre defines a music production stylization taken on by producers of the style of music. For example 'rock' music is defined by its use of a kick-snare-kick-snare rhythm, distorted guitars using primarily power chords, a fast and angy rhythm and pace and general gritty feel. Drum and Bass is known for its 'shuffle' with the beat accidentals such as the 'amen' break or the 'apache' break patterns, 'reese' mid range synth sounds and a heavy bass precense.
These are the things that define genre. It isn't just a name tied to artistic license. Genre classification is based on solid and real attributes within a musical (or otherwise) piece. Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music, Dubstep as a genre does indeed also have its defining characteristics, and a musical piece that doesn't hold the majority of such atributes under such definition can not be classed as a song within that genre. period.
The track in your sig is amazing by the way and shows real tallent. Don't restrict yourself to classing yourself as a 'dubstep producer' and get angry at people that point out that something you've made evidently isn't dubstep. When it objectively isn't by the way. Instead learn not to classify yourself as anything and enjoy your music creation process. I think the only thing thats gone wrong here is an error on your part.
Its obvious that dubstep is a big part of your life and you hold it dearly, from that its possible that you've classified your track something it isn't and tried to defend your belief. You're gonna hate me for saying this but look outside the box! You're bigger than dubstep and more tallented. You make music, that is what you do, you are a musician. Dubstep is a hat you wear, and sometimes you wear others. Its a good thing to not be restricted to definition, but try not to confuse your own judgment on things
It's also when regarding genre, tied to a social agreement of what musical elements constitute a genre. It is much bigger than the individual, it is an atribute of social reality. Words are a system of comunication, they are meaningless sounds tied to an abstract concept. That concept has tied to it atributes of experience that the hearer of said words calls upon to make sense of the words being spoken so they can relate it to their own experience. This is closely related to the expectations one subconsciously calls upon when regarding a certain genre. You can't call something one thing when it inherently lacks the pre-defined atributes of what you are trying to classify it as, because the world is going to turn round and say "no it isn't, it's a classical piano piece". Because that is how we have defined something that has atributes of what you have made. we don't make these things up, well we do, collectively and over a long period of time, something more carnal than someone sitting at a desk deciding these things. What we have made up becomes static and can be drawn upon to relate to one another. These things emerge as archetypes, and when they are set they are set, trying to break such foundational and essential things, for whatever reason (avante garde?), will give you the sort of reaction you've recieved over this. Be original and don't be afraid to call it original!...it's also about your own personal ideas about what you're producing and peoples reception and perception of what you've produced.
'You' might think that track is dubstep, and you might dearly defend that notion, but you can't fight something veritably larger and more timeless than your own finite existence and mind, something as large as collective reality, language, words and how we are intrinsictly interwoven with the nature of these things. If people in general are telling you that that track isn't dubstep, then it isn't, as much as you may dearly wish it to be. The majority rules in perception, it's just the way it is,
The last few chapters in 1984 explain this really well actually. Take a read if you haven't already, amazing book.
I've had such trouble trying to assign HYPH MNGO a genre. House? Garage? Dubstep? God knows.
