Wednesday, March 16, 2011

It's All About the Bass

Basslines in music are usually completely underrated.  They're more like backup singers than lead vocalists, and they step to the side while other tones take center stage.  Smooth and mellow bass lines add to a song that may already be "good".  And the contrasting sounds of high and low pitches are what make music so enjoyable.  So shouldn't bass sounds and tracks be recognized for their contribution?  Instead of being left as background noise, they should be highlighted and proudly shown off to the world.

The core of the Dubstep genre of music is the heavy bass track and "drops" that occur at key points in the song.  The beginning of any great Dubstep track is a quiet and calm start with light drum sounds and maybe some vocals.  After the basic sound of the song is established, a heavy bass beat is "dropped" into the track and more sounds are built around it.  Bass lines can be wobbled to make an industrial sound or just looped to provide a structure for other elements to be built on. 

This up and coming genre takes bass lines and gives them a total makeover.  Starting in garages and underground clubs in the UK, Dubstep was the eventual evolution of Drum and Bass music.  DJ's and mixers stripped the D&B to it's roots and added extremely heavy bass lines to give it a harder sound.  Originating in the early 2000's, this style has continued to grow and it's reach has spread into Germany, Canada, the US, and Russia.

"Chrispy - Predator EP"
This is probably the best example of what Dubstep music really is.


"UFK Dubstep Mix"
Samples of different Dubstep songs.