Dubstepforum.com

hey ive just signed up here but have been reading the posts for a while now. i only got into dubstep a couple of months back after i picked up the Skream album by recommendation. since then i've been hooked. while i normally make down-tempo instrumental hip-hop i've been experimenting trying to do some dubstep.

i don't know all the "rules" so to speak for the genre yet as im still just learning and and trying to listen and learn as much as i can.

all i use is a Roland SP-404 and an Alesis Micron and a cassette recorder, i trigger all my stuff live and record direct to tape so i don't really do a lot of programming. what i've basically been doing is making the track on my 404 and then doing the bassline at double-time on my micron.

i've been wanting to add maybe another synth to my setup and was just wondering what would be recommended?

as i come from a mainly hip-hop producing background i don't know all the ins and outs of this genre at the moment and any feedback would be appreciated.

thanks and sorry if i don't make sense and sound like an idiot.

thats a cool way of producing! but have you ever considered maybe using a computer for production aswell?

if i was in your situation i'd maybe invest in a computer to produce with aswell as your current set up, before looking for another hard-synth.

but thats just my opinion.

i do use an Access virus hardware synth aswell as my machine, so i can see/hear the attraction.

i use an sp404 and a micron too, and a korg es1 for cheap and cheerful drum programming, a computers a good idea, when im rich again ima sort my self with a laptop and renoise

renoise is a tracker program??

i know im going to sound so ignorant here but i've always thought of tracker programs as totally nerdy. i think it's a prejudice i just picked up or something.

im going to download the demo now and check it out.

also what software would you advise for dubstep??

Hollywood wrote: also what software would you advise for dubstep??

any

but if u feel like reading several pages of ppl biggin up the sotware they use and dissing on everything else then do a search, theres been plenty of threads on that subject

but seriously, they're pretty much all good. and as happy as i am with it, i wont even tell which one i use cos its irrelevant.

i was gonna say "perhaps not protools tho" and then realised that the main objection to protools is you need hardware cos, if i'm not mistaken, it doesnt come with built in synths...but that aint a problem 4 u by the sounds of it

and oviously, as u aint new to production, u r gonna grow out of fruity pretty fast. but otherwise...pick one u like the look of and that doesnt break the bank

I use an MPC500 and hopefully a microKorg eventually but yeah some software wouldn't go amiss, my preference is FL but for recording/multitracking etc u cant beat cubase LE

All about the FRUITY loops hahahahaha.

Dj Acto wrote:I use an MPC500 and hopefully a microKorg eventually but yeah some software wouldn't go amiss, my preference is FL but for recording/multitracking etc u cant beat cubase LE

how do you find the MPC 500? i've been thinking of getting one to compliment my setup a bit because i just love playing the pads on it. i've heard some people complaints but they mostly have to do with no wave form editing. i would personally have no problem with that because i chop by ear anyway.

i also will probably be adding a microkorg to my set-up in the next 6 months and hopefully after that i'll be able to get a Jomox xbase888 (they should be out soon). analog kick drums is where its at

Hollywood wrote:

Dj Acto wrote: how do you find the MPC 500? i've been thinking of getting one to compliment my setup a bit because i just love playing the pads on it.

if its only for the pads u want it, then just buy the pads: mpd16 or 24

I've been using the modular analogue in college. EPIC win, the sounds are mental. Throw my analogue delays in, the really old vocoder, and FL Studio.
I also have millions of toys and percussion, ancient shitty mics (my fave yoinked from a bust-up phone booth mounted on a plastic mic body)
Roland sh101, Novation XStation (awesome device). Guitar amps are fun too.
I'm buying my own modular this year.

Hollywood wrote:i don't know all the "rules" so to speak for the genre yet as im still just learning and and trying to listen and learn as much as i can.

please don't worry about 'Rules'. The worst thing that happens to any kind of music, and that has happened to dubstep in the last 3 years, is the belief that rules can and should exist.

Make a around 138bpm, make it nice and grooved, then put the drums just anywhere you like - be imaginative!! The worst thing ever is hearing yet another halfstep (70bpm) track with snares on every 9th beat.

All you need to worry about is subs - without large amounts of bass, and enough dynamic space in the rest of track to leave room for that bass, the tune may well fail. Try and do something other than a wobble too - overplayed and tired unless you're wobbling in some new imaginative way!


synths - I've hankered after a Novation Super Bass Station for years, was used by many of the junglists/early DnB producers, should be mega cheap nowadays. Otherwise, just have a play in a shop and see what tickles your fancy...

ThinKing wrote:

Hollywood wrote:i don't know all the "rules" so to speak for the genre yet as im still just learning and and trying to listen and learn as much as i can.

please don't worry about 'Rules'. The worst thing that happens to any kind of music, and that has happened to dubstep in the last 3 years, is the belief that rules can and should exist.

Make a around 138bpm, make it nice and grooved, then put the drums just anywhere you like - be imaginative!! The worst thing ever is hearing yet another halfstep (70bpm) track with snares on every 9th beat.

All you need to worry about is subs - without large amounts of bass, and enough dynamic space in the rest of track to leave room for that bass, the tune may well fail. Try and do something other than a wobble too - overplayed and tired unless you're wobbling in some new imaginative way!


synths - I've hankered after a Novation Super Bass Station for years, was used by many of the junglists/early DnB producers, should be mega cheap nowadays. Otherwise, just have a play in a shop and see what tickles your fancy...

funy u should mention the bass station thinking
i am just about to buy 1 of a friend now for about £150
its the keyboard version
"hankered" - what u mean uv got 1 or want 1 ?
do you rekon the bass station could be used well in dubstep music ?
+ do u rekon i can get some decent sub bass out off it ?

will be adding this to a roland 160 mk2 mixing desk + boss dr 660

im totaly new to hardware though n have never used any midi before
n im a slow learner - oh well its gona be fun learning

joni_speedbass wrote:

ThinKing wrote:

Hollywood wrote:synths - I've hankered after a Novation Super Bass Station for years, was used by many of the junglists/early DnB producers, should be mega cheap nowadays. Otherwise, just have a play in a shop and see what tickles your fancy...

funy u should mention the bass station
i am just about to buy 1 of a friend now for about £150
its the keyboard version
"hankered" - what u mean uv got 1 or want 1 ?
do you rekon the bass station could be used well in dubstep music
+ do u rekon i can get some decent sub bass out off it ?

will be adding this to a roland 160 mk2 mixing desk + boss dr 660

im totaly new to hardware though n have never used any midi before
n im a slow learner - oh well its gona be fun learning

learning with hardware has gotta be the best i imaging cause ive never used any...apart from a hour long twiddle sesh on a virus! was only gunna spend 5mins on the virus.

i just got lost n went into my own little world.

havin buttons to twist n press makes it more fun than just a mouse n a screen

only time i use hardware is when i have to open my PC to clean the dust out

if ur used to using hardware check out the storm program by aurturia

joni_speedbass wrote:

ThinKing wrote:

Hollywood wrote:i don't know all the "rules" so to speak for the genre yet as im still just learning and and trying to listen and learn as much as i can.

please don't worry about 'Rules'. The worst thing that happens to any kind of music, and that has happened to dubstep in the last 3 years, is the belief that rules can and should exist.

Make a around 138bpm, make it nice and grooved, then put the drums just anywhere you like - be imaginative!! The worst thing ever is hearing yet another halfstep (70bpm) track with snares on every 9th beat.

All you need to worry about is subs - without large amounts of bass, and enough dynamic space in the rest of track to leave room for that bass, the tune may well fail. Try and do something other than a wobble too - overplayed and tired unless you're wobbling in some new imaginative way!


synths - I've hankered after a Novation Super Bass Station for years, was used by many of the junglists/early DnB producers, should be mega cheap nowadays. Otherwise, just have a play in a shop and see what tickles your fancy...

funy u should mention the bass station thinking
i am just about to buy 1 of a friend now for about £150
its the keyboard version
"hankered" - what u mean uv got 1 or want 1 ?
do you rekon the bass station could be used well in dubstep music ?
+ do u rekon i can get some decent sub bass out off it ?

will be adding this to a roland 160 mk2 mixing desk + boss dr 660

im totaly new to hardware though n have never used any midi before
n im a slow learner - oh well its gona be fun learning

pity i didnt know you guys last year.... got rid of my superbassstation for 60 quid. to be honest it got on my tits. great sounds and deep subs but a bit of a temperamental fucker- kept hanging notes. no amount of tinkering could stop it. i've got a nord modular instead....miles better but you need a PC

barryhercules wrote:

joni_speedbass wrote:

ThinKing wrote:

Hollywood wrote:i don't know all the "rules" so to speak for the genre yet as im still just learning and and trying to listen and learn as much as i can.

please don't worry about 'Rules'. The worst thing that happens to any kind of music, and that has happened to dubstep in the last 3 years, is the belief that rules can and should exist.

Make a around 138bpm, make it nice and grooved, then put the drums just anywhere you like - be imaginative!! The worst thing ever is hearing yet another halfstep (70bpm) track with snares on every 9th beat.

All you need to worry about is subs - without large amounts of bass, and enough dynamic space in the rest of track to leave room for that bass, the tune may well fail. Try and do something other than a wobble too - overplayed and tired unless you're wobbling in some new imaginative way!


synths - I've hankered after a Novation Super Bass Station for years, was used by many of the junglists/early DnB producers, should be mega cheap nowadays. Otherwise, just have a play in a shop and see what tickles your fancy...

funy u should mention the bass station thinking
i am just about to buy 1 of a friend now for about £150
its the keyboard version
"hankered" - what u mean uv got 1 or want 1 ?
do you rekon the bass station could be used well in dubstep music ?
+ do u rekon i can get some decent sub bass out off it ?

will be adding this to a roland 160 mk2 mixing desk + boss dr 660

im totaly new to hardware though n have never used any midi before
n im a slow learner - oh well its gona be fun learning

pity i didnt know you guys last year.... got rid of my superbassstation for 60 quid. to be honest it got on my tits. great sounds and deep subs but a bit of a temperamental fucker- kept hanging notes. no amount of tinkering could stop it. i've got a nord modular instead....miles better but you need a PC

ey up my hercules
so do still use hardware 4 the dubs u made like recombiant n system ?
or do u just use software now ?

We gotta Yamaha RS7000 we dont use it that much but its a nice bit of kit to have.

Pretty nice for making hip hop an its basicly a lil studio in a box like an mpc.

joni_speedbass wrote:
ey up my hercules
so do still use hardware 4 the dubs u made like recombiant n system ?
or do u just use software now ?

ey up joni my stuffs usually a mixture of hardware and softsynths really.... any hardware i use i sample. what you gonna be using for sequencing?

barryhercules wrote:

joni_speedbass wrote:
ey up my hercules
so do still use hardware 4 the dubs u made like recombiant n system ?
or do u just use software now ?

ey up joni my stuffs usually a mixture of hardware and softsynths really.... any hardware i use i sample. what you gonna be using for sequencing?

i rekon il start with cubase

i was talking to my mate about sequencing my bass station n boss 660 with out useing a pc like just on a mid sequencer
but he didnt recomend it n said that it would be hard work
it fact he said something like
"well u could do it that way if your a masochist"

so yeah probily cubase

like i say its all new to me is all of this not used cubase before
and not worked with midi before

do u rekon i can get some nice dubstep bass noises out of a novation bass station keyboard then bary ? - can it produce realy low sub bass