How to Compose Dubstep Music: 15 Steps

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Dubstep music seems to have been created in another galaxy by robots who have had their fill of energy drinks. This is good! But seriously speaking, where does it come from? Can we mere mortals also create dubstep songs? By learning about the instrumentation, software and structure of dubstep songs, you can start creating your own heavier tracks and bass woobles on this side of the Milky Way. Start from Step 1 to find more instructions.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Getting the Equipment

Step 1. Get a laptop with a fast processor and lots of memory

Many artists who produce dubstep and electronic music use computers dedicated to composing, other than their personal computers. You don't need to push yourself that far, nor do you need a computer of a specific style or brand. Manufacturers use both PCs and Macs, portable or stationary, cheap and expensive.

• If you want a Mac, make sure it has:

  • 1.8 GHz, with an Intel processor
  • 2-4 GB of RAM
  • OSX 10.5 or later

• If you want a PC, make sure it has:

  • A 2 GHz Pentium or Celeron processor
  • 2-4 GB of RAM
  • Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7
  • A sound card with ASIO driver support

  

  Step 2. Get some kind of music production program

  This is the program you will use to create individual tracks, load samples, create beat sequences, mix and record all parts of your song. As with hardware, dubstep producers use many different setups and have their own opinions on the best programs, but what you need to understand is that it is possible to produce dubstep music on any computer, with any program. Program prices range from zero (GarageBand) to several hundred euros (Ableton Live). Remember: the only limit is your creativity. Get a program you can afford that will help you get started. Popular software for producing dubstep music include:

  • Fruity Loops
  • Renoise
  • Ableton Live
  • Cakewalk Sonar
  • GarageBand

  

  Step 3. Consider adding more hardware to your setup

  To get started, you will only need the program, but when you start creating beats you can improve your sound by adding some basic hardware elements to your setup.

  • It's a good idea to have a simple USB microphone to record vocals or raps, or to create new sounds to use. If you are interested in inserting original sounds or acoustic elements into your songs and manipulating them, a good microphone will be very useful.
  • It doesn't take much practice with GarageBand's on-screen keyboard before you're ready to use a real MIDI keyboard. The Axiom 25 is a popular model that allows you to use pitch bend and connects directly to the Ableton system. It's a great addition to any dubstep setup.

  

  Step 4. Consider investing in a custom dubstep sampling package

  Electronic music and dubstep producers occasionally release all-in-one packages to help novice producers, which contain software and an archive of samples and beat loops that you can use to create tracks. It can be difficult to start composing when you don't yet know how to use your program well, so investing in one of these packages can save you a lot of learning time.

  Most of these packages are sold for € 200-300, so they aren't too expensive and are a great way to figure out if making dubstep music is right for you and an area where you can invest more time and money

  

  Step 5. Use intelligence and enthusiasm

  If you want to start making dubstep music, do your research. Learn the history and techniques of the genre and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of EDM (electronic dance music). You should know that dubstep doesn't stop with the name of Skrillex or the "drop".

  • Listen to the Box of Dub compilation and other mixes that contain names like Five Years of Hyperdub, Soundboy Punishments, and other artist collections offering high-quality dubstep music. Listen to everything carefully and try to identify the characteristic sounds. Find out what stands out, what you like about each song and what you don't like.
  • Listen to Burial, Scuba and Skream.

  Part 2 of 3: Learning to Use the Software

  

  Step 1. Play with the program

  In the beginning, don't worry about the final result. Instead, commit to experimenting with the program and learning about its particularities. Try making funny tracks and record weird or extreme sounds that you wouldn't normally want to hear. The time you spend learning the program will help you when you want to transfer music that plays in your head to your computer. It is an instrument, so learn how to play it.

  Whichever software package you decide to download and install, follow the guides therein or search for instructional videos on YouTube to learn everything you need to know. Get help from experienced dubstep producers who can show you the basics and teach you how to use your chosen program

  

  Step 2. Create a sample library

  You can find samples or samples with a quick search on the internet, in your recording sessions, or you can spend some money and invest in some sample libraries to get a lot of high quality sounds you can use. Break them down into categories you can remember, and start creating songs with samples that catch your ear.

  • Consider buying an external hard drive to keep your samples. Sort them into categories of practical use, such as "Acoustic Drums", "Words" and "Synthesizer Sounds", or according to their structural description. You could give your categories the names "Spatial" or "Monstrous" to start combining interesting styles when composing.
  • Follow the tradition and start looking for old vinyls to convert them into digital samples. Search for old songs you've always loved and sample the chorus.

  

  Step 3. Practice making drum lines

  Typically, you will set the tempo when you start a new track and the program will manipulate the default beats or other effects to follow the tempo of the song you are working on. If you are working on your own samples, however, this will not be possible, so you will have to learn how to create a beat.

  • Drum lines are created by ordering a combination of bass drum, snare and hi-hat sounds into a rhythm that will form the basis of your piece. Pick a kick drum sample and crank up its bass and punch, or layer 3 different sounds for that signature dubstep kick.
  • Dubstep time generally fluctuates around 140 bpm. You won't have to follow this rule, but a dubstep song rarely drops below 120-130 bpm.

  

  Step 4. Practice wobbles

  One of the most distinctive elements of dubstep music is the iconic "wobble" bass, which is typically recorded using a MIDI keyboard or synthesizer and composing a simple bass line in first person. You can find many free synths on the internet, or you can invest in a professional package like Native Instrument's Massive or Rob Papen's Albino 3.

  To get a wobble of sufficient quality you will need to be able to use a synthesizer well, but most of these programs offer preset "patches" that you can use

  

  Step 5. Start adding effects and layers

  As you become more experienced, start creating two-track wobbles and adding more delays, distortions and effects to create musical tapestries worthy of electronic music.

  • Separate the wobbles into two tracks, one high and one lower at the bottom. When you start to distort and apply a lot of effects to the top to make it more interesting, if you don't separate it from the bottom you will lose its nature.
  • Take your bass patch, copy the entire track with the synthesizer, and then on the copy use only one oscillator, which you will set to a sine wave. Then use a high pass filter on the top using an equalizer (at around 70Hz) and use a low pass filter on the bottom (around 78Hz).
  • Vary your bass sounds by tweaking the synthesizer settings slightly. Do this a couple of times, and you'll have a library of wobbles all following the same bass line. You will be able to continue experimenting using different effects.

  Part 3 of 3: Compose a Song

  

  Step 1. Start from scratch

  Start with the beat. Many dubstep tracks start off with a very subtle beat, gradually integrate some simple drum sounds, and push the beat up to drop. After the pause, the main beat, melody and bass line will enter.

  • Choose a snare drum sample or layer 3 of them for a strong, deep sound. Look for the other percussions you want to add to the beat as well.
  • The classic bass, snare, cymbals, toms and bells will suffice, but you can also decide to create a completely unique beat with less banal samples. Experience a gunshot, a stadium stomp, applause, or the sound of a car. The percussion of dubstep music has a lot of presence, so try using reverb and effects on the samples. Now program the beat!

  

  Step 2. Create a catchy melody

  You will be able to use the same synthesizer you used for the bass line. Browse preset patches or start tweaking settings to get the sound you are looking for.

  • Hum the melody before recording it. Find the notes on a piano, keyboard, guitar, or whatever instrument you want to use to write music and record your idea.
  • While the sounds in dubstep music aren't as complex and structured as in other genres, it can be a good idea to add more layers to your melody. While the tracks will be very similar, you should add more layers as the drop approaches, to create excitement.

  

  Step 3. Get to the drop

  This is an inevitable part of any classic dubstep song. At the point of maximum tension, it brings the song back to just the modified beats, effects and wobbles. Don't be afraid to overdo it. It is basically a digital and robotic guitar solo that has to drive people crazy on the dance floor.

  Get to the drop gradually and catch people by surprise by inserting it at an unexpected spot or adding an extra beat or an extra wobble. One of the best aspects of dubstep is the unpredictability and originality of its beats. The wobbles stay in time, but don't always fall on the same beat, which makes for an exciting and ever-evolving beat

  

  Step 4. Be creative

  Try to recreate what you feel in your head. In some cases, what you get when you try to recreate the music in your head will be even better, so be prepared to change direction when the evolution of the piece is better than your original idea. If the idea was really that good, it will come back to the surface.

  

  Step 5. Make your song express itself to the maximum

  Have it mixed by a pro (it's worth it) or go the easy way: add a maximizer to squeeze and crank up all levels. You will get a more suitable volume for the radio.

  Advice

  • Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Dubstep music is still a land of exploration and experimentation. Many songs can be considered on the verge of electronic music. Many dubstep fans just want to dance, hear an easy-to-remember melody, and have something beautiful and new. A whole new digital sound.
  • Don't turn the bass level too high. Bass lines that are too deep can drown out the melody and confuse the track if you're not careful - simplify them if you can. If you don't play your song in clubs, you will probably have your friends listen to it on their iPods, and their headphones don't respond well to bass frequencies. If you mix the song correctly, you can use plug-ins that maximize bass harmonics so that they sound loud and deep on systems that cannot play these notes. Search Google for "Waves MaxxBass".
  • Put the track on YouTube. There are a lot of people turning to YouTube looking for the next big dubstep track. Label it "dubstep" and like any other artist you refer to. You will get visits and comments.
  • A fun thing is to look for a movie quote to put in before the bass starts.
  • Compare your work with other tracks. Play your song after listening to a dubstep track and compare its structure (order), mix, volume and above all the mood. Your goal is to bring hipsters together and dance with your digital and futuristic sounds. Look for THAT mood.
  • Learn how to mix. A professional mixing engineer will be able to use material versions of all the tools you have at your disposal. The information is on the internet, you just have to search for it and practice. Most dubstep artists mix as they play, or at least some of them. For example, many equalize the drums and bass so that they go well together. There is nothing worse than spending a week on a song, waiting until the end to mix it, and then discovering that all your wobbles have the same frequency range as your kick … And if you want to learn how to mix on your own, you you will open up a lot of more options when it comes to creating original sounds. Plus, you won't have to pay someone else to do it, which means you can invest more money in your studio.
  • Show your work to a friend and be open to trying ideas that are suggested to you, especially the most insignificant at first glance.
  • Which part comes first and which part after will differ from track to track, depending on your inspiration, but it's always important to hum a bass line or melody line to get started.